Waiting on a chicken, Teh Spawn works on the truck

Sunday was 21 days that we noticed the Traveling Chicken sitting on eggs. They still haven't hatched. I tried bringing one inside in the dark bathroom and shined a flashlight through it. I did see the ring at one end that was very light with the air bubble, and most of the rest was dark, with a darker side. If I read right this means there is something growing in there. I think I go out there three, four times a day and just hunker down and look at momma sitting there giving me the stink eye. She still gets up off them in the heat of the afternoon and goes and hangs with the other chickens back behind the house. That's when I get a good look at the eggs. No cracks, no pips. I've tried tapping them with my fingernail, and don't hear any return peeps. I was getting very sad face. Andrea next door talked to the guy we got them from and he said that I should wait 28 days for a hatch, not 21-23. This gives me hope still. Otherwise what do I do with them? Feed them to the pigs? When do I tell the Traveling Chicken enough, and keep pitching her off the nest? 

Teh Spawn wants to be a mechanic in the Air Force. I think it's great. Her older friends got her interested in turning a wrench and getting greasy. I remember when we were little and it was Dad's turn to entertain us for the day. e'd pack up all four of us and take us down to the body shop he worked for. We all got a handful of wrenches and sent off in back to the bone yard to take apart whatever we could get loose. I still love the smell of Bondo. The oil in the Ford needed changed and Teh Spawn decided she was going to be the one to do it. With little instruction from Scott she did it all her self. She also pulled off the right rear tire, and she and Scott worked on the brake caliper. I've had this rattle in my hind end of the truck. Turns out one of the bolts holding the caliper together had backed out, and was missing, and the other was working itself out. This morning I took it in and had to have the front end aligned. All better now.

Fudge the potato with legs

 One of my girls

 Piggies are getting big

Patches got a bath, feet trimmed, then off to the arena for some much needed work.

Went to Boise for Turkey Day. Tried to teach the grand baby to bark and growl like a dog. Only, my little weenie dog cries like a little girl. Well at least now she makes yippy noises. I did give her the top of the whipped topping lids. YUM.

I really wanted to have the holiday here at our house this year. I've been thinking about it since Mom Linda said last year she thought we should do it here. I made Jeff promise to help me. I've made Turkey Dinner once, over Dad's with Wendy to help me. Loved Jeff's stuffing, but I'd like to try the stuffing I call Wendy every year and ask... how do I make that again? It just wasn't doable this year after two surgeries in four months. I looked for turkeys and hams on sale to stock in my freezer. Nothing was on sale enough to make me want to buy it. I can get four broiler chickens for the price of on turkey this year. And they taste better. The only thing I really missed was having the left overs.

 So I promptly came home and re-organized my freezer. I had the neck and gibbets from a turkey I made earlier this year. Two carcasses from rotisary chickens I saved. The left over veggies from Scott's chicken noodle soup. I made 5 quarts of chicken stock.

It'll go in the big freezer out in the garage that I cleaned out tonight. I still have to have Scott move the plywood behind it, so I can plug it in.

And while the soup was simmering merrily on the stove, I made bagels. This time, they actually tasted like bagels. The first time I made them, I don't know what the hell recipe I was following off the internet, but either I didn't follow it ( I didn't) or it sucked to begin with (it did),  but I didn't make bagels. I made inedible hockey pucks. Oh sure, everyone all Tried one, but I found bagels with one or two bites out of the in the garbage.

3-3/4 c all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp active yeast
1-1/4 c warmed milk
1/4 c softened butter
1 egg yolk
1 egg white (optional)

Dissolve the yeast in the warmed milk. Add butter, salt, eff yolk, and mix well.
Mix in the flour, turn out onto a floured bread board, or counter and knead for 6-8 minuets.
Cover with a wet dish towel and let rise for one hour.
Punch down and knead for 1-2 mins.
Divide into 12 balls, and press two fingers through the middle of each ball to for the bagel hole.
Cover again and let rest for 10 mins while you bring a pot of water to a boil.
Pre-heat oven to 400.
Add two or three bagel at a time to the boiling water, and cook for 1 min on each side.
Remove with a slotted spoon to a greased baking sheet.
Bake bagels for 20-25 mins untill golden brown.
Remove from oven to a wire cooling rack.

Teh Spawn and I went to Eagle while we were in Boise, to deliver Spook's paper work to his new owners. I feel rotten after seeing Jess with her horse again.  I know she didn't want to sell him, but she was being very adult about it knowing we didn't have the money to buy hay for four horses through the winter. She walked into the paddock he was in and he was facing away from her. As soon as he saw her, he turned around and came walking right up to her and put his head in her chest. I felt like a jackass. He looks really good, and I know the new owners love him to death. She even sold the horse she already had before Spook, and made him her main ride. This pic breaks my heart. 

Tonight I'm making yogurt  in the crock pot and quiches.

 

Bacon cooked slow and crispy. I had a couple acorn squash halves from the other night, so I mixed them with cream cheese and added them to the eggs and bacon. I cooked one, and the other three are to go in the freezer to pop into the oven for breakfasts in the future.