Visit From The Little People - Home on the Range Blog at Allrecipes.com - 241944

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Visit from the Little People 
 
Jul. 1, 2011 4:59 pm 
Updated: Jul. 8, 2011 4:26 pm





This year we have had baby goats, baby lambs, and the usual baby calves, so, naturally it was time for our first visit this year from the little people.

The little people arrived late at nite after a very long, very, very long drive. About 14 hours and for little people, that is a lifetime. Randyman, or “Papa Randy” as he is often referred to, was promptly attacked in an effort to work out the kinks from the drive. He didn’t go down without a fight.We had lamb kebabs ready at the house and we all ate heartily then put the little people on the shelf and bedded down for the night. You never know what you are going to find around here. I hope I don't run into any little people I put away and forgot about!




The next morning began with some happy singing, a little bit of skipping and a pinch of whining to balance it all out. We made bottles for the leppie calves and all headed out to feed them, then put together the bucket milker and milked EmmaLouMoo Cow. She gave us  2 ½ gallons that morning, of which we promptly drank a gallon and a half. Once the milking equipment was cleaned up and EmmaLou headed back to her buddies in the pasture, the meatie chicks had to be captured and carried out to forage a bit and get some sunshine. The little people did a fine job of pulling that off.

With the milk piling up in the refrigerator, thanks to the generosity of EmmaLou, we had to do something, so we made mozzarella string cheese. That was much enjoyed by the little people who ate enough to short one of our pizzas the next night. Ricotta was also made with the whey left over from the Mozzarella, and we made cheese blintzes for breakfast with that. We also made a big bucket of boule bread to make loaves for dinner and for pizza crust.

We made some soap, played with the Maremma puppies who seem quite pleased to have little people to add to their band of critters to guard and learned to crochet. Necklaces of chain crochet were made in various colors by the largest of the little people, for herself and the other little people. 
Picking strawberries proved to be one of the most difficult chores, as it doesn’t seem possible to get more than one a day back to the house. Strawberry shortcake may be just a dream.


We drove down to watch part of the branding one day to find them very short handed. Papa Randy and myself jumped in to help. The little people's daddy, who is a very big marine, jumped in to help 'mug' the calves. The calves never stood a chance.
We ran out of vaccine so went back for lunch to return and brand the rest of the calves later in the day, this time little people's mom pitched in to help.

Papa Randy found a snake sneaking out of the laundry room, so  he brought it through the house to show the little people, before turning it loose in the garden to kill the gophers who have shown up this year. The little people were surprised at how soft the skin was.

 One of the little people got her dream come true and got to go horsebackriding with #5
 It was not all fun and games tho. There was work to be done.




There was a good deal of interaction with the chickens. Cletus did a fine job of guarding and diligently protecting them.




Bruno volunteered for the job of body-guarding the little people.
All in all it was a wonderful visit. We are still waiting to see one more very, very special little person and our year will have been perfect.

 
Comments
Mangel 
Jul. 1, 2011 5:16 pm
Oh, Petey! What a wonderful blog. The little people are adorable and I had to laugh because I taught my youngest niece to crochet a few days ago and we too are the proud owners of chained necklaces and bracelets (both the wrist and ankle varieties:) She told everyone that the first person who called her "granny" would "get it", lol! According to her older sister, crochet is for old women (that didn't stop her from asking for an afghan for christmas, though:) Thanks again for sharing!
 
Mamaw1 
Jul. 1, 2011 5:20 pm
Oh, my, I can't decide which picture is the absolute cutest, so I will have to say ALL of them! THEY (THE KIDDOS) ARE ADORABLE! You and Randyman did the grand parenting thing to the max. Too bad they don't get more doses of you 2! What fun! I like the shelf beds. My cousin told me he slept on the shelf of a closet when he and his mom lived in a rooming house for a while (in the country, at that.) Thanks for sharing!!
 
Jul. 1, 2011 5:30 pm
I always enjoy your blogs but this was SPECIAL! Wish I could send my "little person" to visit you (and me too!). Thank you!
 
Jul. 1, 2011 7:32 pm
What a coincidemce! Cletus babysits just as I do! Smart puppy! ... Once again, Petey, great post and great photos!
 
petey 
Jul. 1, 2011 8:17 pm
LOL@Mike! IronMaiden,come on out, but you MUST bring little people!MaMaw, my dad said he slept in a dresser drawer when he was little, so I figure this is like the Hilton! LOL Mangel-I think its great for these kids to crochet...having something to do with their hands staves off boredom!
 
Missy 
Jul. 2, 2011 6:02 am
As always love your blogs, I look forward to reading them. Your little people are just adorable. I remember when I first started crocheting my "necklaces", eventually they turned into some very mis-shapen pot holders but Mom used them anyways. Such great memories your little people will have!
 
Jul. 2, 2011 6:38 am
Great blog Petey. Those little people will always remember making cheese and chasing chickens not to mention the snake. :) What cuties they are. Thanks.
 
Jul. 2, 2011 7:40 am
What a great blog Petey! While reading I found myself wishing I was a little people again and one of yours so I could come visit the ranch..LOL! What great memories those cute kiddos will have and it is times like those they will remember forever.
 
Jul. 2, 2011 7:49 am
Yet another great blog, I could have used a heads up about the snske picture. LOL shutters
 
petey 
Jul. 2, 2011 1:12 pm
I'm just glad "I" didn't find it when I was doin the laundry!!!
 
Candie 
Jul. 2, 2011 4:07 pm
Great blog! Seeing the little people on a shelf was the funniest thing. They look like they thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
 
Jul. 2, 2011 5:35 pm
I saw this first on your website "Range to Range" - and am so glad you finally were able to get it posted on AR. I knew the AR peeps would love it. As I commented on your "Range to Range" site - Darby O'Gill and the little people have nothing on you and yours - "it's a small world after all!" Loved it - Loved it - Loved it!!!
 
petey 
Jul. 2, 2011 6:09 pm
I think we are gonna need bigger shelves next year! They barely fit!
 
Jul. 3, 2011 7:09 pm
As always, a wonderful blog Petey. What is the name of your website?
 
petey 
Jul. 4, 2011 6:57 am
http://forpeteysake.blogspot.com
 
Jul. 4, 2011 5:31 pm
Great, great blog! Just thinking of all the memories they made during that visit..... Hope their first day back to school they get to write "What I did this summer" !!
 
Jul. 5, 2011 4:59 am
What a great blog! So glad I stopped in to meet the little people! When my kids were young they would go spend a few days at their aunt's house (farm) and always loved helping out with chores.
 
Jul. 5, 2011 6:30 am
What fun! Love the bunk beds! LOL Brought back some fond memories for me of visiting my uncle's dairy farm. Great experience for those kiddos..... Thanks for sharing!
 
Jul. 5, 2011 7:46 am
I'll bet they thought sleeping on the shelves was one of the coolest things ever!
 
Jul. 5, 2011 9:50 am
Love the Gramma bunk beds, your little people look very happy. Next year will they sleep in the shop? I'll bet Randyman has long shelves in his shop, a little grease never hurt anyone.
 
Jul. 5, 2011 10:06 am
Love the bunk bed pics :)
 
Jul. 5, 2011 12:48 pm
How efficient of you to have perfectly sized shelves! Those are very lucky little people, they will remember visits with you and Randyman all their lives.
 
sueb 
Jul. 6, 2011 12:22 pm
Great pics! Great little people! Precious memories! You are fortunate!
 
Jul. 6, 2011 4:34 pm
Hey Petey - Still waiting for the sequel from "Sea of Memories" - - if any of you didn't read it - - back up a couple blogs and read a real suspense blog - better than James Patterson! - - And EmmaLou Moo has given birth to her first calf (Congrats Auntie Petey)- and Dolly is due NOW - - so how bout it Auntie - - can you get us some pics of the new arrivals and a blog to boot!
 
Jul. 6, 2011 4:43 pm
Stellar! Brings back memories of the farm in Tennessee for me.
 
Jul. 6, 2011 5:18 pm
Hey AR Peeps - - go to Petey's website and read a really cool blog on making butter - - it's moooolicious!
 
Bibi 
Jul. 7, 2011 6:08 am
petey, this was precious! Thanks for sharing with us. All little people are special, aren't they?
 
Gitano 
Jul. 7, 2011 8:09 am
awwwwwwww..... that pic of the kids bedded down on the shelf is PRICELESS! :) actually..the whole dang blog is! LOVE IT! what a fun time you guys must have had, and the little people learned so much too! :)
 
petey 
Jul. 7, 2011 8:33 am
It was a very fun time. I do love little people. They are the most fun people of all. Last year I was told they saw a 'salami' on the side of the road. (LLama) LOL
 
Jul. 7, 2011 9:58 am
How cute they are! This made me smile and I don't even know the little people. :)
 
Jul. 7, 2011 1:57 pm
Ahhh! What a lovely bunch!
 
Keri 
Jul. 7, 2011 3:41 pm
How fun! I love the sleeping arrangement for the little people!! I wish I'd had the great fortune to have amazing adventures on a ranch when I was a kid. Those children will never forget the experiences you're giving them during their visits. They'll have wonderful memories to tell their grandchildren someday :)
 
Jul. 8, 2011 4:48 am
Great blog! Reminded me of the summer visits to my grandparents farm! We learned to crochet too! And string Indian beads from a hill by the farm! We must have gotten strick orders to not eat the strawberries and made jam. Great memories for your little people, and big people too!
 
Maggi 
Jul. 8, 2011 6:40 am
Wow. Wow. Wow. Once again a beautiful story. I found myself so envious of those children and the memories that will last a lifetime. It is a true life fairy tale and oh, so refreshing. Deepest gratitude, petey, for all that you do and share.
 
petey 
Jul. 8, 2011 4:26 pm
Noodles, you are right. The big people had the most fun! Thanks Maggi
 
 
 
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petey

Home Town
Tehachapi, California, USA
Living In
Princeton, Oregon, USA

Member Since
Jan. 2007

Cooking Level
Expert

Cooking Interests
Baking, Grilling & BBQ, Slow Cooking, Asian, Mexican, Italian, Southern, Dessert, Kids, Quick & Easy, Gourmet

Hobbies
Knitting, Gardening, Hunting, Photography, Reading Books

Links
 
 
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About Me
Kids are raised, we are ranchhands on a 250,000 acre working cattle ranch 110 miles from the nearest small town, so we raise a lot of our own food, vegetables, fruits, milk,eggs and meat. Love riding and working cattle, but find myself spending a lot more time in the kitchen, and the garden. forpeteysake.blogspot.com http://throughthedarkestvalleys.blogspot.com/
My favorite things to cook
Having 2 Jersey cows as well as milk goats, playing with fresh milk is a hobby, making our own butter, yogurt, sour cream, cheeses, soap and all the other great stuff you can do with fresh raw milk.
My favorite family cooking traditions
Homemade from scratch...anything! All traditions are sort of gone by the wayside, as we live so far from family now
My cooking triumphs
Most things from this site, this has been the best thing the internet has had to offer!
My cooking tragedies
A layered Jello dessert...the middle layer never set, so it did the 'ooze-wiggle'...and...well..I liquified a couple of chickens on 2 different occasions, turning them into a black gel. Moral of that story is, don't start cooking then go clean barns!...and there was the time that my kids were helping me make Thanksgiving dinner and SOMEbody (who resembled my youngest son) forgot to put the sugar in the pie!!!
 
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