On the hunt...

I have been looking for goats for awhile, and I knew in my mind that spring will bring many babies into the world.  I miss goats, we had them before and they make wonderful pets and hard workers when brush needs to be cleared.  We got our goats in Texas for a very low price.  In Georgia, goats must poop gold because they seem so expensive.  I am still on the hunt, I don't want to sign over my first born or spend an arm and a leg for a couple of sweet babies, so I am hoping that spring will lead me to affordable goats.  I want to be able to milk, so I need a good breed that milks and I want more than one goat, they are social animals and don't do well alone.  If anyone knows a good resource for me in North Georgia, I am open to all suggestions!  Until I find my sweet goat babies, I love seeing the photos and reading about them on other peoples blogs.  For the time being I do have my chickens and rabbits and all my dogs that keep me busy, but obviously I'm not busy enough I want goats and eventually a pig to raise.  Of course, I know absolutely nothing about pigs so that will be a fun learning challenge for me.

I am helping with the Lenten service soup, salad, sandwich dinners during Lent. They are on Wednesdays and I have to make sandwiches and soup and a dessert this week.  I am going to make a nice chicken salad with grapes and pecans and a ham salad with Swiss cheese and a delicious pumpkin soup with the pumpkin from our garden.  I found the cutest cross to set in the center of my cheesecake I'm going to make and take.  I was surprised at Wal-Mart that the little crosses like the one I bought were the only thing there that was "religious" everything else was chicks and bunnies.  It makes me feel sad that the biggest christian holiday has been downplayed so badly that the only thing you can find, in a big store like that, is a 3 inch cross tucked deep in the corner on a shelf.  I am always one to believe "to each his own" and allow everyone their own free will, as God gave us on this earth.  But, for those of us that are Christians, that follow our lives through Christ, wouldn't it be nice that we were allowed "to each his own" and our own free will? It saddens me that the principles this country was built on, In God We Trust, has been virtually denied and buried, with disregard to how it makes us feel, with all the political correctness to not make others feel left out.  I feel very left out sometimes when it comes to my beliefs and it's just as wrong to deny Christians as it is to deny anyone's beliefs. Okay, I had my little rant and I'm better now! At least I found that sweet, little, resin cross, and I am thankful for it.

I'm including my recipe for pumpkin soup, this is a family favorite and even my husband likes it and he does not like pumpkin!  Give it a try if you are looking for something that goes perfect with a nice light chicken salad for an easy dinner, lunch or brunch.

Pumpkin Soup

• 
  6 cups chicken stock
• 2 -3 cups pumpkin
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic , minced or 1 Tablespoon powdered garlic
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 5 peppercorns or 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ cup cream or evaporated milk 
• 1 teaspoon chopped parsley

1. 
   
   In a covered saucepan, heat the stock, pumpkin, onion, garlic, salt, thyme, and peppercorns to boiling; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes.
2. Remove 2 cups of the pumpkin with a slotted spoon; reserve.
3. Simmer remaining pumpkin mixture, uncovered, 20 minutes longer; transfer to a large bowl.
4. Puree 2 cups of the pumpkin mixture in a blender or food processor; return pureed mixture to the pot.
5. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
6. Stir warm cream into the mixture and simmer 10 minutes.
7. Serve hot.