Cindy versus Hubbard Squash

Well, do you all recall that GIANT blue Hubbard squash my neighbor gave me? Well..........I did battle with it today!!

I have been invited, as I have mentioned, to Thanksgiving dinner at the neighbors for whom I dog sat when I first arrived here. I don't want to show up empty handed so as I looked around, I spotted that bug blue monster sitting on the table. HA! I'll kill that fat sucker and make a squash casserole!! Perfect!

The first thing I discovered was that Hubbard's have an incredibly thick skin that defies even a large kitchen knife, much tougher than any pumpkin I've ever dealt with. After trying to poke the knife through the full thickness of the skin, many bad words, and a real danger of the knife slipping and hacking off a finger!! ...I looked around for a hatchet, or a hammer or something BIG ...LOL!!

Then an idea came to me...courtesy of glass cutting projects my mom and I did when I was a kid. I scored a line around it's equator, held it about 4 feet above the kitchen floor and...bombs away! CRACK! It split perfectly into two halves! YES!!! The beast was slain!!

Next I scooped out the seeds and membranes. Cut up the halves into smaller pieces (its much easier once the hull is breached) then put them all on two cookie sheets to bake (about an hour at 450 degrees) until the bright orange meat was soft. Once cooled, I scraped out the meat to mash up in preparation for making a squash casserole. I tasted the meat by itself...its AWESOME! Sweet and yummy with nothing at all on it! Everything I'd read about Hubbards is true...its much sweeter than any of the other winter squash varieties I've ever eaten...including pumpkin.

Anyway...nope, I've never made a squash casserole, but in the spirit of something I always used to tell someone who ever told me "I can't cook"...I would reply, "Can you read? If you can read, you can cook." So off to the internet I went, because like a dummy, I didn't bring any of my cookbooks with me...after all I never used them, and they were covered with 20 years of dust on the shelf! I copied three recipes, plus one emailed by dear friend Carole Paige down in Warrenton, GA. All the recipes were very similar...true to form, I didn't follow any one of them - I'm a "color outside" the lines kinda girl!...but you all already knew that...;) I made a small test casserole tonight before I have to make one to take tomorrow (since I don't know what I'm doing!)...didn't have pecans to put on top (THAT would have been yummy) but it was really good! That really sucks because I don't remember what all "this and that" I did....maybe coloring inside the lines isn't such a bad thing?

I'll let you know how tomorrow goes!

Last thing to do tonight was to pull out all the viable seeds (probably about 60 all together!) from the pulp to dry and store for planting next year. Oh yeah...I don't care where I am next year, I'm growing some of these puppies!!! Even if I have to grow them in the house and let them run all over the living room...LOL!!

Have a blessed Thanksgiving everyone!

First Snow

Three Forks, MT

Upon first learning of my plans to move to Montana, the first words from many of you were, "Do you KNOW how cold it gets there??!" Ummmmm, yeah...I did and I do ;)

The snow began a couple of days ago. It has been fairly light, but steady. So far we've had about 8" with more on the way tomorrow. Until now, its been oddly warm for the season. People here have been puzzling over the fact that Halloween came and went before the first snowfall and before any really cold weather. They tell me its very unusual for such a late snow season.

We seem to be making up lost ground.

Since this front started through, the temps have been between the low teens/single digits on the + side, to single digits, teens on the minus side. Yes, you got that right...its been in the MINUS teens a few times over these past several days and is expected to continue a couple more days. Shoot, that ain't nuthin' for us gals who are of an age to have "personal summers"...whoo hooo! Bring me some LEMONADE, I'm SWEATIN' here!!!

There is a danger for me in that, at minus 10 here, it just doesn't feel as cold as it does in Georgia at 20 degrees above! So I have to pay attention to the numbers and dress warmer than I feel like I need to do. I do still have all my gear from the days I was a Ski Instructor and Patroller back when Scaly Mtn., NC used to actually GET snow...LOL! It is coming in handy!

Not so easy for the Doodle Dog! I did have the foresight to get him a heavy winter doggy coat, but I didn't think about getting boots for him. The coat keeps him nice and warm, but I am having to use bandages on his feet. Its just so cold on his paws when he has to go out, he can get frost-bite in a matter of minutes! Its the best I can do for now, until I have some extra money to buy him some actual boots. On the plus side, he has learned to get his "business" done VERY quickly. I scraped snow off a patch of grass, carry him to it, and zippity-do-dah (pun?), he's done in 2 minutes flat! Maybe its because he's embarrassed about his outfit and hurries before any other dogs can laugh at him?

Don't worry, Doo...spring will come someday!

Hope everyone is enjoying the warmness in GA. I'm sure I'll get sick of this weather eventually, but for now, its just beautiful!

Now where did I put that Hooch?!

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Here are a few more snow pics taken today - Nov. 24, 2010

Thanksgiving Blessings

Thanksgiving is almost here and it will be the first time I will spend this holiday away from my family. It has caused me to pause and reflect....

Many of us (an I was one) take family for granted when they are right there with or near you all the time. We often anticipate family gatherings for the holidays with a mixture of excitement and dread. I guess the excitement part is from the traditions we all have from our own childhoods, and the dread comes from familiarity of seeing them all the time anyway, and knowing there will be some drama at some point during the get-together. Someone will say something to someone and feeling will be hurt, old rivalries rear up, old issues - never fully resolved - will surface and someone will end up pissed off about something. What's the point...right?

Well, as with many things, it often takes some distance to put things in perspective. I have that distance now, and a new perspective. My family means a great deal to me. No matter the aggravation, personality clashes and old wounds...they matter...I love them and I miss them. I already know it will be felt more keenly this Thanksgiving and Christmas as the holidays come and go without them.

My neighbors (the folks I dog-sat for when I first arrived here) have invited me for Thanksgiving at their place. They have purchased a "Hutterite" turkey. You can learn about the Hutterites here. There are quite a few of their colonies here in Montana I have learned. They now own the famous King Ranch...those of you familiar with Quarter Horses will know that name!

This Thanksgiving, I will be in good company with good folks, new friends. I am very thankful for all the blessings I have been given, and for all the blessings still to come. Even (or especially) hardships prove to be powerful blessings in the long run, that I have learned well over my lifetime thus far. I took a leap of faith in coming here, in leaving everything and everyone I knew. I felt powerfully moved to do this and I know that where God guides, God provides. It will all work out, I will continue to work hard, and do what I need to do to make it here. Now and all along the way, I am and will remain thankful.

I am thankful for the love and support of my parents, who in spite of me fighting them tooth and nail my whole life, provided me opportunities to develop a solid foundation in life skills, a strong work ethic and solid moral compass.

I am thankful for the blessed gift of my children, even though I have often questioned God's wisdom in giving them to ME! ;) They have both grown into exceptional young adults who make me proud every single day....and for my grandson and grandchild soon to be. Both are true miracles.

I am thankful for the years of support, trust and friendship of all of my customers, colleagues and friends who are like family to me. I cannot imagine ever meeting a finer bunch of people here or anywhere. I miss you all.

I am thankful for all those who serve, here and overseas, among them my son-in-law. Those brave men and women who write a blank check to this nation payable up to and including their lives, and for all those who's check was cashed since America's birth ... and to their families, who sacrifice and suffer in ways most of us will never know.

I am thankful for all the bounty God provides, and the miracles all round us...large and small.

I pray that each of you have the opportunity to spend this Thanksgiving wrapped in the warmth of the love of family and friends, and that you marvel at the glory in every blessing you have been given and receive with gratitude those blessings yet to come.

Much love and Happy Thanksgiving.

Hard at Work?

Well, things are hoppin' here....NOT! I did make some good connections with fellow trimmers here. Two great gals that I have "known" for years in the barefoot circles, but have never met in person.

Pat Beebe is a trimmer about 3 hours west of me. We met for coffee and I rode with her on one of her barn calls last month. We have been keeping in touch since and I hope to go visit her at her farm sometime soon...weather (read snow) permitting!

Pat introduced me to a very nice couple near me. The husband, Michael, has been trimming their own horses and needs occasional guidance. He asked me to come for a visit. He has a lot of horse connections, so in exchange for him spreading the word about me I assessed his horses and critiqued his trimming. He has been in touch since and is a very nice guy.

Pam Dunkle and I met for coffee just a few days ago. Super nice gal who already "knew" me, again from within the barefoot camp over the years. She is much closer, just about 45 minutes east of me down in Bozeman. We are planning a get together at her place for more coffee (yay!) and a tour of her farm and a near by rehab barn where she volunteers her time and skills. Pam, her husband and their grown daughter all trim together. They will have some downtime this coming week but its going to be in the MINUS-teens here....uh....I'm not sure I have enough pairs of long johns for that...we'll see!

So some momentum is building...keep those prayers coming!

In the meantime, my critters are very hard at work around here....

Here's Spencer

Jackpot

...and somewhere under this pile...is the Mighty Doodle Dog, bravely facing the winter cold!

A Week In Sumas, WA

I'm behind (obviously) on my "weekly" updates. Other than having a lot of "squirrel" moments - you know those little things that derail your attention?- I have no real excuse! So tonight I plan to do a flurry of posts...hang on to your hats!!

A Week Sumas, WA -

Orientation week earlier this month went very well. Three of us (ESA instructors) were there and its always great to get together and catch up face to face. My to colleagues (and friends) are Christina Cline, who hosted us at her farm in Sumas, WA and Chad Bembenek from Wisconsin. They are among the very best in this business and just great people generally. Chad and I stayed in Christina's home during the week which afforded us plenty of opportunities to re-bond (we haven't seen each other in a few years) and talk about everything under the sun when the students had left each evening.

Sumas, WA is right on the Canadian border and Christina's farm has a beautiful view of mountains on the border. Unfortunately, as you all probably know, it rains ALL the time there. The few times it wasn't raining, it was cloudy or foggy on the mountains which obscured them, or I was busy with students, so I was not able to get any good pictures.

One cool thing I did get a picture of was a nearby bald eagle nest. Christina tells me that mating pair has been there for a long time.

Do you see the eagles? No? Yeah, they aren't there. I tried for days to get a picture when they WERE there, but it was always raining and I couldn't get the shot...when it wasn't raining, they were gone! Out of desperation, I took a picture of the empty nest. So you'll have to "visualize" two bald eagles sitting up there. Do you see them? Cool huh?? LOL!

Christina has (among other critters) and Yellow-Naped Amazon (that's a parrot). Her name is Rachel. She an I hit it off big time! She was always wanting to sit on me, ride on my shoulder and talk to me. Christina says she does that with some people, but not many. I felt honored!

Meet Rachel!

Her cage is always open (on the back side from this view) and she can come and go as she pleases. One of the funniest talents she has is...when you are vacuuming, she will sing "Whistle while you work"...she only repeats that one line over and over, but it is clearly the right tune from the song. What a racket, huh? People will vacuum your rugs to get Rachel to sing. Great idea!! Anyway, I just loved her!!

For those of you who don't know, part of ESA student training is to trim and then dissect cadaver hooves. It's not for the squeamish, but it is invaluable for people who plan a career in hoof care to practice on a cadaver, so as not to harm a live horse while they learn to trim and to understand first hand the inside of the hoof and limb. Needless to say, that produces a lot of "scrap" as we trim and pull apart the cadavers. Well, the mighty Doodle Dog happily offered his services as our "sanitation engineer" and selflessly helped in clean up....;)

All in all, it was a great learning experience for the students and a wonderful "get-together" for us.

Westward HO!!

This week I am in Washington (the state ;)...this is orientation week for our school, the Equine Sciences Academy. We do this twice a year in various places around the country and this year one of our instructors offered to host it at her farm in WA.

Since I am now in Montana, it was only a 12 hour drive over here. The morning before I left...I took a shot of the mountains ...!

I drove through the night most of the way so I could get here early enough on Nov. 5th to get set up before the students arrived on the 6th. As I entered into Washington, morning was dawning, so I pulled over for this nice sunrise shot..

I stopped to take a look at the Columbia River Gorge, Wanapum reservoir

Doo Dog decided to explore a little...

Uhhhhh....I dunno....looks...a little....uh...like a big....hole?

Uhhhh...NOPE! Outa here!!!

What a sissy dog.

I'll be headed back to MT on the 10th....hopefully I will post more between now and then!

Blessings to all!
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