Happy Thanksgiving.

There's a 20 pound turkey cooking in my oven as I type. He's stuffed with potato stuffing that was lovingly made by my parents and delivered to my kitchen yesterday because I had to work late. The potato stuffing recipe is a family favorite, specifically requested by my brother, and it fills the body cavity, but I tried a new recipe for the stuffing in the neck. Sausage, apples, walnuts, onions and seasoned bread crumbs. Sounded yummy, we'll see in a few hours.

All this sounds rather mundane, I know, but the difference is that this turkey came from a local farm, and I processed him myself. Yep, I can add "Turkey Killer" to the ole resume. My parents are so proud. (read - appalled) This turkey spent his days waddling around a petting zoo being mauled by slobbery but enthusiastic toddlers. After petting zoo season was over, he returned to the farm life and wandered around the farm just being a turkey.

He's really only had one bad day in his life, and I made sure that was as quick and painless as I could manage. It's another step away from the commercially raised world and I am glad I took it. Though I have to admit the sausage is Jimmy Dean and the bread crumbs are Pepperidge Farm. Baby steps, people, baby steps.

McDonald's Eggs

There's a video making the Facebook rounds today that shows the "Ugly Truth" behind McDonald's egg supplier. I didn't watch it because I already know enough about the horrors that happen in commercial egg factories. (Yes, I called it a factory not a farm.) I found those videos years ago. They are what started the shifting paradigm I am living today.

Right now, 24 fat little meat-type chickens are sleeping happily in a 12x12 stall in the barn. They are resting up from a full day of romping and frolicking in their huge yard. Our eggs come from the laying hens that forage through that same yard though they sleep in the coop, not a stall. We get enough eggs to feed our family's egg habit, and what we don't eat we offer to friends and family. Eggland or whatever major dealer that pushes eggs in this area has not gotten a dime from me in two years. And sometime after the 7th of December, Tyson's is getting added to that 'not gettin a dime' list because there will be homegrown chicken in my freezer.

Yay Team!

I did notice that within hours of this video going viral, McDonalds said they had 'dropped' the supplier because of the video. Wow. Really? How stupid do they think we are? Do they expect us to believe that nobody from McDonalds ever went to the supplier to check it out? All this was NEWS to them? What a crock of poo.

Speaking of poo, I have to get up early to swamp out the meatie chicken's stall tomorrow. They poo something fierce.

Walking the walk anyway?

Happy news for my co-workers, we are not having our positions eliminated. I received this news with mixed emotions. To be perfectly honest, I was kindof looking forward to getting laid off.

After nearly 13 years with the company, I was thinking that it would not be the worst thing in the world to be booted. There would be severance and unemployment benefits so we would not starve to death in the near future. Getting let go would require me to make changes, to take on the homesteading and farming business whole heartedly. Not having to work at a desk for 9 hours a day would allow me enough TIME to get everything done during the day that needs to get done.

Yes, I was really worried about how it would work without that regular paycheck, but a part of me was glorifying in the freedom that would have afforded. Things that make me go, "Hmmmmm."

Dear Santa,

This year for Christmas, please bring me the courage to go forward with my dream of living more sustainably.

First, I'd like a windmill to help bring the well water out of the ground. I will add rain catch barrels to help ease the strain on the pump.

Second please help me get some solar panels to harness the hot Texas sun into electricity to power the glorious inventions called hot water, air conditioning and refrigeration.

Third, if you are feeling froggy, a woodstove would be lovely, so I can keep the kids and myself toasty during the short but often icy Texas winters.

Thank you for taking time from your busy pre-holiday preparations to read this letter.

Sincerely,
One who believes.

All Hallow's Eve

I took the kids Trick-or-Treating in the old 'hood last night. My brother and sister in law (K&D) still live there with my nephew and nieces and technically I still own a house there, so we weren't really 'crashing' like the vanloads of North Side kids were. I understand that their neighborhoods are not safe to Trick-or-Treat in, but after you watch these kids jack entire bowls of candy left out in good faith by early retiring residents (with a "Please Take Just 1" sign attached, no less) you get a little tired of them.

Upon arrival, I turned the kids loose with their cousins and started the obligatory Halloween Parental Trudge with K&D and another neighbor-urchin's father. The sidewalks were neatly edged, and each lawn was mowed to the required 4 inch height. Every house had its regulation sized flower area well mulched and exteriors were appropriately decorated for the season. My brother, bless his heart, is the VP of the Homeowners Association so we notice these things.

We laughingly pointed to various signage that is not allowed under HOA regulations and spoke jokingly of how many neighbors complained about the one house that sports solar panels. (Texas Green Laws trump HOA rules, thank GOD!) Every homeowner looked happy, and I am happy for them. But I am even happier that the beautiful house my parents help me build from scratch will belong to someone else on Thursday.