Back story… for many many years there has been a meat manager at a locally owned grocery store who would corn 400-500 pounds of beef per year, using his Irish born grandmother‘s recipe. People stand in line for his corn beef. It’s just that good. I would buy three of his roasts every year…One for St. Patrick’s Day, one for September to welcome the first frost and one for December just because.

Fast forward… The meat manager retired in 2022 and word was out that there would be no more Butte America corn beef! The end of an era for sure. I decided to try my hand at corning/brining my own this year. I bought grass fed beef roast from a friend who has a local cattle ranch and corned a second one…and elk roast from the elk my husband got last fall. I used a recipe that included allspice berries, juniper berries, cloves, mustard seeds, cinnamon stick and whole red chiles.

Turns out that the meat manager came out of retirement to make his corned beef again because the demand was so high. I found out too late and had already bought the ingredients to make my own. Oh well.

Here’s a pic of the roast going into the instant pot…it’s nestled in Cold Smoke Scotch ale. My hopes are high!

Owen and his instructor flew a Cessna 152 on a freezing cold blue bird Montana day. He had a blast. He wouldn’t let me take his photo but I snuck one as he was getting into the aircraft. They flew over the snow filled Bitterroot Mountains. I watched with binoculars until they flew out of sight. He’s made all the arrangements for his lessons. He’s taking them from a local aviation company that used to let me walk the child around the hangar when he was a toddler to look at planes and helicopters when we had cabin fever in the winter. I’m just thrilled for him.

Trying to spend a few minutes each day snuggling the chicks….telling them what good girls they are and using their names so they learn them. Nugget and Polly were especially cuddly this afternoon. This is my process with chickens…it’s not for everybody. My mother in law thinks I’m nuts…she might be right. Even if she’s right, I’ll don’t regret doing it.

I have four adult hens that are four years old...they're slowing down in terms of egg laying so it was time to pull the pin on an additional flock.

Meet Peep Team 2023! This is so much fun.

Scarlett:


Polly


Kitty:


Nugget:


Roxanne:


Fig:

This is our nation’s first ever youth climate lawsuit. I don’t know what will happen…but I am hopeful. I have a 17 year old kiddo…I work every single day to model hope for him. Our kids are losing hope for their future and I lose sleep over this fact.

More at link:
https://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/montana-youths-take-climate-case-to-trial-in-historical-first/article_590dced2-ef5c-5305-a413-ffb2a27bf188.html#tracking-source=home-top-story

Maybee is playing frisbee, running and jumping…good as new. X-rays confirmed no shoulder fracture. The vet says she can do whatever she wants to do as long as she’s not painful.

Can’t put a price on youth and excellent anti-inflammatory meds. I’m so relieved and happy to be back in action with my sidekick again. Thank you all who wished her well after she got hurt.

🐶

My girl is much improved this morning. We thought we were headed in for X-rays first thing this am…the emergency vet was so busy last night that we opted for an exam and a carprofen rx to get us through the night. She wants to play and we can’t because last night she could barely walk, sit or anything else. She wouldn’t even eat last night. I’ll keep her busy today with puzzles and we will reevaluate frisbee fun in a couple days.

I’m grateful for the well wishes of DUers last night. I was really scared. I think she’s going to be okay.

Maybee at the door asking for a play:

My husband was bringing her home from work tonight…Maybee ran out of our shop and sped around the truck…she turned quickly and hit her shoulder on the hitch…she piled right up in pain. When he got her home, she couldn’t walk straight or put any weight on her front right shoulder. We rushed her to the emergency vet. Dr. Briggs felt she had good range of motion but definite gait deficit. Not sure if we have a deep tissue injury or something more serious. We got a carprofen rx to get us through the night and brought her home. The per ER was very busy tonight and Mabes was really stressed out. We will go back tomorrow for films and whatever else she might need. She’s resting on my bed for the moment. Keeping a border collie pup quiet is a challenge but as of right now she’s complying.

“Look it up!” Knowing those tools don’t even know what it means or how to do it. Suck on it Kevin.

On a side note, Moscow Mitch looked ill tonight. Discuss.

after getting me up four times last night so she could run around the back yard like a crazy person. Didn’t have to potty…just needed to run around. She is truly bonkers.