VIDEO: Introducing the Lambs to the Pasture

This video is for people who have never had the opportunity to see lambs bound.  Everyone should see lambs bound at least once.

We have started weening the lambs and are gradually introducing them to the pasture (lambs have touchy stomachs; all four of them).  Today was their first day at pasture!  Yes, I'm a dorky city-girl-turned-country who video tapes her animals' special first moments.  And I will completely admit that it did my heart a world of good seeing them so happy about all the long grass this crazy rainy season has provided.  Spring has sprung at last!  Also, footage with the lambs wouldn't be complete with out Margret the pullet who thinks she's a sheep...

Raw Samoa Cookies ~ A Recipe

First things first.  If you enjoy raw food like I do, you most likely have experienced others not joining you in this love.  Some are... a little hesitant to express satisfaction of a raw treat, especially if it's named as a knock-off of "the real thing."  So, to my fellow healthy foodies, I present to you the raw Samoa cookie.  If you plan to serve this to the more reluctant of friends who fear health, simply call these "raw cookies."  They will expect something tree barkish, but after their first bite, they might come up with the idea all on their own that, hey, these almost taste like those Samoa Girl Scout cookies.  Just assure them of how brilliant they are and smile inside with the hope that you just planted a healthy seed in their sweet lil' hearts, God bless 'em.

If ya just need a quick chocolate fix, stop at step one: making the base.  It's delicious just the way it is.  If you want to go all.  the.  way.  You will need to think ahead and soak, then dehydrate some raw buckwheat groats.  Just FYI.

Raw Samoa Cookies

Makes about 30

For the base:

4 cups unsweetened coconut flakes

1 cup raw cacao powder

1 1/4 cup grade B maple syrup

3/4 cup coconut oil

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl.  Roll in little balls or use a deep Tablespoon to scoop into balls, then squish them into flatter cookies, Samoa-style.  The next step might be easier if you chill the base for at least a half hour, though I've made them before without chilling them and they were easy enough to handle.

For the crunchy layer:

2 cups raw buckwheat groats

1. The day before assembling the cookies (if you don't already have any on hand), soak the groats in a bowl full of filtered water for 6-8 hours.  The buckwheat expands, so be sure to use enough water.
2. Rinse thoroughly, and dehydrate at 104 degrees for 3-5 hours, or until totally dry.
3. Place dehydrated groats into a bowl and push the cookie bases firmly into the groats so they stick.  Place them in the fridge while you make the drizzle.

For the drizzle:

3/4 cup raw cacao powder

1/2 cup extra virgin coconut oil

1/2 cup grade B maple syrup

1. Use blender to blend all ingredients.  Chill for about 20 minutes to thicken.
2. Use a cake decorating utensil to squeeze onto the cookies.

Use the small, circular tip.

Enjoy!

~Browse more riddlelove recipes here.~

I'm sharing this at Traditional Tuesdays, Real Food Wednesday, Simple Lives Thursday, Fight Back Friday & Gluten-Free Recipe Link-Up.

Spring Chickens and a Sissy Rancher

It's been quite stormy around here.  The little cabin is especially warm and cozy on stormy days.  Jeremy and I were just talking about how much we love living in a small home, especially on stormy days.  It just feels so warm and cozy, and all I want to do is drink coffee and tea and make food and read a dozen books.

But... we have these animals out in the barns...

And we have to feed them. 

Even on stormy days.

Coat zipped on.  

Hood cinched tight.

Feet plunged into rain boots.

Lamb bottles in each hand.

Readysetgo.

1 day 

Wind slaps my face.

Dogs romp by my feet.

Lambs spot me and start to bleat for breakfast.

They drink, and then they rub against my hand for some love.

I pull out some grass for them to munch on until the next feeding.

1 week

On to the next barn.

Legs sting from the rain and wind.

Jeans were a poor choice.

Hands numbly fumble the lock open.

Fourteen chicks wait for fresh food and water.

The once spacious water trough they brood and dart to and from in seems to shrink every day as they grow.

2 weeks

Wind swings the barn doors I'm trying to lock wide open and I stumble back, feeling very small.

It takes three minutes to lock the doors as I fight against the elements with numb hands.

Rain completely drenches my coat.

The dogs are ready for their breakfast.

Two scoops each, into their buckets.

They devour it.

The wind howls.

I open the front door, dripping with rain.

House is warm and smells like breakfast and quiet as the kids trickle out of their bedroom.

Coconut bread is almost ready to come out of the oven.

Coat hangs next to the wood stove to dry.

I feel pitiful and think of how much I dreaded going out there to feed the animals.

If I were perfectly honest though, feelings of excitement and fulfillment brimmed in my heart as soon as I opened that door to start those morning chores.  Sure, it wasn't comfortable.  But it was invigorating.  I suppose this is how it feels, even during the low points, when you begin to do what you've always wanted to do. 

From the outside, it might look silly to be so thrilled by feeding some animals in the rain, but to me, this lifestyle is so much more.

It's healing the land.

It's healing my family.

It's nurturing what nourishes us.

It's exercise built into life.

It's enjoying, admiring, and learning from the Creator through His creation.

It's breathing in fresh, country air.

It's a simpler yet hard-working kind of life.

It's a dream come true.

I'm sharing this at Gratituesday.