We have chickens and more guineas again!

According to the weatherman we could get anywhere between one and seven  inches of rain between today and Friday. Larry finished remodeling the chicken coop and while we were out walking yesterday we decided the only way to get our remaining guineas and the new keets into the pen was to lure them in with more guineas.  They are so vulnerable at this age, not only to predators but also to the weather.

So we called the lady that we purchase our guineas and chickens from to see if she had some to sell, and she did. We drove to Ochelata and came home with five laying hens, 1 rooster, two young chickens, (too young to be sure of the gender) and three, two-month old guineas, and, if you’re wondering, no partridge in a pear tree either.

We had quite an adventure at “The Guinea/Chicken Ladies” place. She has so many guineas and chickens, all shapes, sizes and breeds and she currently has about 40 goats and baby goats. And yes, I know they are called ‘kids’, I just didn’t want you to think she had about 40 kids. The last time we visited she also had lamas and horses, she has since sold them. She is the nicest person and such a hard worker. She does all the work at her place as her husband is disabled. She also has two dogs, one is very large, and the other is quite small, plus a big fat farm cat. Besides all of the animals she also plants and harvests a good size garden and puts fences up. She is a pioneer at heart. We noticed she was using a cane yesterday, I asked her about it and she said her arthritis was acting up.

Hopefully the coop is now predator proof and we will have many fresh eggs and happy feathered friends.

It is now pouring rain!

The Lion is a magnificent animal. When I think of a lion I think of power, fierceness, strength and courage. I positively would not want to come face to face with one in the wild. I suppose most people would be terrified to find themselves in the presence of a lion that was not caged.

Peter paints a graphic image of a lion to describe Satan’s destructive threat: 1 Peter 5:8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Satan wants believers to be extremely frightened when they face difficulty or persecutions, he wants us to be misled and fall into sin. Too often we forget the warning to be self-controlled and alert and we willingly “rub elbows” with the devil.

I looked at several different translations of 1Pet 5:8. The NIV uses the word self-controlled and alert, NLT reads Stay alert! ESV- Be sober-minded; be watchful. KJV- Be sober, be vigilant, TLB- Be careful-watch out for attacks from Satan. The New Testament in Modern Speech- Curb every passion, and be on the alert. THE MESSAGE- Keep a cool head. Stay alert. NASU- Be of sober spirit, be on the alert.

Though Satan may threaten to “devour” us, we have assurance that we will be guarded by God’s power.

Remember these words of comfort when Satan comes knocking…1 Peter 1:3-9 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.  In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.

I absolutely love these scriptures. (I bolded parts of the above verses for emphasis). What a powerful message and promise if we remain faithful.

Stay Alert my friends!

Mexican Food is without a doubt my favorite of all foods. I have always suspected that I am truly of Mexican decent even though in my younger years the kids at school nick-named me Snow White because of my lily-white skin and then, jet black hair. The following recipe is comfort food at its finest. Serve with Spanish rice, Refried Beans and Flour Tortillas and of course, homemade salsa.

Chili Colorado
3 lbs. round steak cut in small cubes. (May also use cubed Chuck Roast)
2 cloves garlic-minced
2 teaspoons powdered cumin (or more to taste)
4-6 tablespoons oil
Salt to taste
2-3 tablespoons chili powder
1-8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 large onion, chopped
½ cup Wondra Flour

Heat the oil in large skillet. Put cubed meat in a large bowl and sprinkle with the flour until well coated.

Brown well. Add cumin and garlic and ½ cup water. Stir into meat mixture. Add salt, chili powder and tomato sauce.

Stir well. Add 2-3 cups more water.

Simmer 45 minutes to 1 hour or until meat is very tender. Occasionally I cut the meat into medium-size cubes and simmer up to three hours as I like the meat very tender.

More Wondra Flour may be added at the end of cooking if gravy isn’t thick enough. Just sprinkle in and stir.

Serves 6-8

I have doubled this recipe many times.

We have had guineas since we moved here in 2005. Most of them have been killed by “critters of the woods”. We always replace them. Up until about two months ago we still had four, as of late we thought we only had one then a couple of days ago we say Momma guinea.

When we left for our walk this morning we had the best surprise ever. Papa guinea was crouched on the edge of the lawn looking rather weird and Momma guinea was just puttering around munching on some bugs. They are familiar with us so they just stayed where they were, then Papa guinea stood up and underneath him was 12 or 13 precious fuzzy keets. We just about jumped for joy! A while back one of the other Mommas managed to hatch at least one because we found it dead after something killed it.

Guineas usually lay 30 or 40 eggs and go broody when the nest has around 30 eggs and they will often share a nest, even with a hen.

Larry has been remodeling the chicken coop for several weeks and he is almost finished. We are hoping to coax the guineas and keets into the pen until the keets are older. I will try my best to get some pictures to put on here.

We are praying they survive the wild!