Nothing but Mud

Most of the snow around here has melted, and that means mud... and lots of it. On top of that you can add the rain that has been falling this week. I can't keep our floor clean no matter that we take off our shoes and boots, stuff still gets tracked in. And Cooper, well the only time he doesn't understand "bed" when we let him in the house is when it's wet and muddy around the place. Usually, we let him in the front door and there are 2 entry rugs that lead directly to his coveted bed where he lays down and amuses himself with paw sucking or snoozing to his hearts content. But the paw tracks in the house are never ending! He somehow steps off the rugs on the path to his bed leaving muddy marks. Then, he somehow sneaks around the house and leaves muddy paw prints everywhere. Argghh.

The sun is out today after heavy fog this morning. The chickens are happy and running about, free from their mud hole. We couldn't throw scratch out for them in their pen because it just got lost in the mud, so I threw it into the loafing shed where it was dry, but you know, our 2 horses saunter over and try to nibble up as much of it as they can. Oh, and that Buff O is broody again. She has been setting for about 5-6 days now. I will keep you up to date on her mothering progress.

I went to the store this morning and was just amazed at how many people were out shopping and buying big ticket items. One man had a huge flat screen TV in his cart and most shopping carts were full of food, clothes, and just stuff. I had TP and bananas in my cart and I had bought milk yesterday, so my cart looked a little pathetic. I'm on a whole milk kick now after reading Whistleblower's (WND) article "The Oiling of America" about how whole foods, especially animal fats, have been demonized and how unhealthful, synthetic foods have been enshrined over the last 100 years. I used to buy 2% milk (you know, to save 40 calories per glass) and found out that low fat milks have powdered oxygenated milk in them to give them mouth appeal. I'll buy raw milk if I can find it somewhere. It's true if you think about it. You always see very heavy people drinking diet coke and eating non-fat sour cream, and reduced fat cheese, and baked potato chips. But they're still overweight. I have noticed that ever since I started buying whole foods ( sour cream, cheese, butter, mayo), about 10 years ago, I am more easily satisfied when I eat since I am not still hungry after eating all those chemicals and empty calories. I still could lose a few pounds, but I can maintain my weight more easily. I remember when I have tried to lose weight (after children and again after the death of my parents) and bought all that non-fat and reduced fat stuff and it was so hard to lose weight. I have only served real butter, real sour cream and so forth in my house for over 10 years. I find that I eat less because whole foods fill you up. I had a friend that went on a whole foods kick and eliminated all hydrogenated products from her diet. She lost almost 30 pounds in just over a year without trying. It just makes sense.