Little Shepherd's Sheep Need Some Sleep

Winter has returned to Western PA. We were sliding in mud a week ago and are now waiting for another snowstorm to come through our area. The Little Shepherd is eagerly waiting for more snow for making snow angels and sled riding. As I type this, I am waiting to go out and check the sheep before going to bed to make sure all is well. For some reason, our ewes LOVE to lamb when the weather is not the best.

Between the rain drops and snowflakes we have been looking online at shows or researching shows to see what we can fit into our schedules. Now that the little shepherd at our farm is older and can handle her sheep better more opportunities are available. But that's life on the farm dealing with one season while getting ready for the next. During the height of show season we are thinking about breeding and when we want spring lambs. Plus making hay and straw for when the pasture is not an option. There are many show opportunities and so we have some choices to make about where we are going and when. I am thinking a pencil may be the best thing to use in my personal calendar. I have been color coding people our families happenings in a certain shade of ink for each person or group items such as family birthdays. The only hurdle I have had to overcome is the Little Shepherd thinking they are her pens not her Mama's! But to be fair, it's only the end of January I may keep you up to date on how well the calendar color coding keeps working during the year.

Something we are working on or let's say I am working on are crock pot recipes for the shows. I am thrilled with my rectangular crock pot I bought over a year ago. The wonderful things I have made in it. I highly recommend getting one if you don't have one! One of them was lasagna for a potluck! It turned out fabulous and got rave reviews. We have cooked the pot roasts and pork and kraut. The Little Shepherd loves tacos so we have cooked the meat in the crock pot. However, the prep time for the toppings was a tad frustrating. Yes, I did chop onions and tomatoes fresh for my crew. Let's just say there were less leftovers from tacos than anything else Bill and I cooked. I definitely prefer the one pot dinners or adding one other item in another pot. Yes, I am Pinterest searching and pinning away ideas! Plus Facebook.

While typing this updated I am looking at the food tote I started to travel with us to shows. I am DONE packing from my kitchen. Alright, I admit I left some stuff at home that missed getting packed and was left to go shopping to replenish the items. Shopping I love, however, shopping when you left it at home and didn't plan on shopping for it is frustrating. Even mores so when one is out of town and does not have their local favorites for items as an option. Which has led to the fact, I am making a tote of the necessary utensils needed and putting the items in plastic bags and smaller plastic storage bins. That way we can just grab it and go. Thankfully, we have room on a shelf to store it. It also gives me a chance to change up some items in the kitchen! It will fit right beside the totes of sheep blankets!

Now I am off to check on some sheep so all of us can get some much needed sleep!

Good night!