Surprise...and not the happy kind

A few nights ago I decided to bake Mr.'s favorite cookies

with a twist.

Oatmeal chocolate chip coconut and walnut cookies.

Yum.

One must have fallen on the floor,

for the next morning Mr. picked it up.

But it looked suspiciously...

nibbled.

Cue the panic attack.

Mrs. does NOT like rodents

of ANY kind.

Not even hamsters.

Just to be on the safe side,

I put out some traps.  

And I mean business.

Did you know Ortho has some new rodent control?

Me neither.

But I bought the Home Defense MAX

because that was how I feel.

I want to defend my home to the MAX.

I baited it with peanut butter

(original, I know).

And to my absolute horror...

I caught a mouse!

The design of the new trap is to give you a handle

so you don't have to get too close 

to dispose of the enemy.

I designed my life to have Mr.

and he thoughtfully did it for me.

The mystery is

I have cleaned this house like crazy

because I am having 12 ladies over tonight.

I have not found ANY evidence at all of a mouse.

I even mopped under and behind the fridge.

Let's hope he's a loner.

But he's probably not.

I told the sisters this morning at breakfast.

Sister Too said "I feel like I am living at Farmer Sue's."

Exactly what I was thinking.

HA!

More Apple Butter

Farms are beautiful.

And romantic.

Looking at this view I always think:

I'd like a farm like this.

But then I think: 

who would mow it?

And I know I am no farmer.

I was loving these cows.

They are eating the apple peels.

They sure are pretty...

Don't forget about that apple butter.

I said it needs CONSTANT stirring.

These cattle are Longhorns.

Because of their long horns.

We could usually scare them away with our cameras.

They are shy.

We walked right in,

And they began to trot close, and I thought we had made friends.

Turns out, they didn't like the dog.

If our little Gus had taken one step the wrong way,

he's have been wearing one of those horns.

And not in a nice way.

Luckily we (and the dog) were all fine,

and I got some close-up photos of the cows. 

They're pretty, but mean.

Sort of like cheerleaders in high school movies.

Eventually the apple butter is done.

Mmm, smells so good.

I thought  it best to let Farmer Sue jar our apple butter.

No sense in TWO of us getting sticky and burned fingers.

I think it's pretty cool to visit Farmer Sue.

She gives the best party favors!

Apple Butter

This is Doug.

He's a real farmer.

And a cowboy.

Notice that he carries a fork

where Mr. would carry a pen.

He's married to Farmer Sue.

They have a handsome family.

Farmer Sue is really silly sometimes.

She likes to have family reunions

disguised as parties.

This one is called the Apple Butter.

Guess what they do...

make apple butter

over a HUGE cast iron pot.

All day.

It has to be stirred.

All day.

Some people play.

(See this Amish kids in the background?

I *heart* Amish.

Someday Maybe I'll grow up to be Amish.

Probably not.

No wifi on the Amish farm.

Some people read in the comfort of the lovely shade.

Some people stir apple butter.

Some people watch the stirring.

Some people stir.

Don't worry,

I've got plenty more where that came from.

Farm life

Farmer Sue hosted us for some fresh air.

Definition of a true friend:

Inviting 4 more people to track mud through your house

during mud season.

And then inviting them back.

Farmer Sue's the BEST!

This is Annabelle.

She's a Jersey.

Farmer Doug milks Annabelle.

With this machine.

He did let us milk by hand as well.

Turns out, I am a terrible milker.

Annabelle provides 2 gallons of milk each day.

Got milk?