February 2014 - Brown Acres Custom Harvesting

Catch the Moment Week #8

The end of February is upon us! Before we know it spring will be here! It’s been another week of cold weather in North Dakota. We spent most of the week indoors. Here are my captures from the week.

Our boys have decided they like cold carrots for a snack even if it happens to be bedtime. Brett really wanted mom to get a picture of him with his carrot. It’s funny how they like cold carrots but both of them will not eat cooked carrots and dad is just the opposite.

Thursday we had appointments in Grand Forks which is 140 miles from the farm. I lived in Grand Forks before we were married in 2007. This picture is the pedestrian part of the overpass bridge near UND. I drove by it on the way home from work every day when I lived in town. As a kid I remember riding my 10-speed bike over it. It took a lot of pedaling to make it to the top, then it was a fast ride to the bottom!

Mollie-Jayne was cheesing for us on Friday night.

We made a little nest in our guest room to watch The Princess & The Frog and 2 minutes later this is what happened!

This is the dog Mick didn’t want. When I got her, I had to take her everywhere I went. He was not babysitting a puppy. Sadie has him trained! She is 1 on February 28th.

Story time before bed with dad/grandpa. I love all those big brown eyes!

Brett loves it when dad picks him up. He kicks his legs as fast as he can!

For more information please visit the girls who sponsor Catch the Moment 365

http://www.nurselovesfarmer.com/2014/02/nifty-fifty-giveaway/

http://www.behindthecameraanddreaming.com/2014/02/nifty-50-to-celebrate-50-days-giveaway.html

http://stavishclan.com/2014/02/celebrating-50-days-nifty-fifty-giveaway.html

This week they have a lens giveaway to celebrate 50 days!

February Week 7 #catchthemoment365

Week 7 is upon us! Another cold week in North Dakota! We did have one warm day and by warm I mean 30°F and sunny! Believe it or not, it felt great! The sun finally has some heat behind it. We certainly enjoy every little bit of warmth we can get! We spent a lot of time indoors this week. I’ve been working on shampooing carpets, office misc. and my feathers quilt along project. It’s that time of the year when we have appointments and meetings almost every day. There’s always something between farming and kids! Our daughter was out to the farm a few times with our granddaughter. The boys adore her so much! She’ll be 1 in April. We witnessed a spectacular northern lights show on Tuesday night. Here are my pics for week 7.

Our Sunrise on a cloudy day.

Another snow blowing picture! The big drift between the tractor and the trees is my garden! It’s under a good 10+ feet of snow! I hope I get in there before June! Brett and I road with dad for a little while – until Brett dozed off. It was nice to get out for a little bit!

Our granddaughter, Mollie-Jayne and our daughter, Kayla. MJ has the longest eyelashes! She’s such a sweetie!

My little sheltie sidekick, Sadie. Some days she’s constantly by my side and other days she just wants to play outside with the other dogs. She’ll be 1 the end of February. She has really turned out to be a great dog!

Mollie-Jayne was having fun eating the carrots I made for supper.

I watched the sunset with my 4-legged friends.

Tuesday I heard a tap on my window while I was working on my computer. It was Mick telling me the northern lights were out! I grabbed my gear and trekked to a dark spot in the yard to setup. It was a perfect night, no clouds in sight! It was so cold (13°F) and windy I only stayed out for 1/2 an hour! One of my goals for the year was to capture the northern lights on camera for the 1st time! I definitely need some practice! It’s so hard to tell what you’re focusing on in the dark. I didn’t grab my cell phone for an extra light source so there was a lot of guessing! It was a great learning experience. I hope to catch them again soon! We usually get a pretty good show around here. Next time will 1.) Take a vehicle to move around more 2.) Take all my equipment (different lens) (night filters) 3.) Bring another source of light 4.) Wear boots!…and a hat! 5.) Not run out the door without all of the above!

For more information please visit: http://www.behindthecameraanddreaming.com/p/catch-moment-365.html

The Crew Favorite – Blue Ribbon Hotdish

This is by no means healthy but the guys love it! I make it frequently when we’re on the road. I love it too, but usually eat something else when I make this. I try not to eat processed foods, carbs or sugar and feel much better because of it. I got this recipe from a coworker (Thanks, Julie!) I’ve seen several variations of it. It is the perfect meal for supper in the field on the tailgate!

Blue Ribbon Hotdish

2 lbs. Ground Beef

6-8 Potatoes

1 can Tomato Soup

1 can Cheddar Cheese Soup

1 soup can of Milk

Pepperoni to cover the top

pinch of Parsley

pinch of Oregano

1 tsp. Sugar

1/4 cup Water

Mozzarella for the top

Brown ground beef and place on bottom of casserole dish or crock-pot. This makes a lot – find something big!

Mix cheddar cheese soup and fill soup can with milk. Stir together soup and milk then pour on top of hamburger. Peel and slice potatoes. Place potatoes on top of beef. I use a mandolin for my potatoes which helps them cook evenly. It’s OK if you don’t have one.

Mix tomato soup, parsley, oregano, sugar and water. Pour on top of potatoes.

Place pepperoni on top of potatoes.

I usually let it cook then add my cheese right before its done. The cheese is perfectly melted by the time we get to the field. You can cook it in a crock-pot on low for 8 hours or until potatoes are done or in a 13 x 9 pan @ 350° for 2 hours or until potatoes are done. If you are in a hurry; peel and slice the potatoes then boil them until tender while you are browning the hamburger. This helps insure they are cooked and you should only have to bake it for about 20 minutes. Works great for a quicker meal! This makes quite a bit, but the leftovers are delicious and don’t last long around here! It’s their absolute favorite! You can easily add mushrooms, peppers, onions or other pizza toppings if your crew is not picky. This seems to be the perfect combination for our crew.