Hatching Coturnix Quail

 

These are some of my favorite fowl to hatch and raise! I absolutely love these small little birds. We've had a lot of success hatching Coturnix Quail eggs.

Choose clean eggs (but do not wash them!). Try to handle the eggs as little as possible so that the oils on your skin don't clog the pores on the eggs shells. Wash your hands before and after you touch the eggs to avoid spreading germs and to keep the eggs as clear from oil as possible.

Make sure your incubator is clean from the last time you used it (if you have used it). Heat to 100 degrees about 24 hours before you plan to use it. Set humidity at as close to 70% as possible and keep it there by following the instructions with your incubator. You can get a humidity gauge from a local pet store to go into reptile cages.

Turn the eggs 30 degrees a couple times a day until around three days before your hatch day. Stop turning and adjust the humidity to 80%. No matter how tempted you are don't open the incubator until the chicks have dried out.

 

Aren't they cute?

SkipTheBag

Sweetness In The Fleeting Moments

The sweetness of fleeting moments passes us by so quickly that unless we are intentional and hold tight to them, those moments are lost to us forever.  The sweetness of a moment spent with God, when you feel so close you can almost hear his heartbeat.

The tender moments with new life so soft and warm so beautiful.

The moments we spend with family, the laughter ringing in the halls and the sweet harmony that rests in the house.

Those times in the golden twilight when the rich shades of gold contrast with the ever-lengthening shadows.  Then fireflies fill the air and dance with their little lanterns.  The laughter of children and adult alike share in their magic.

Help us to hold onto these moments Lord, and cherish them for a lifetime. 

Lights, Camera... Action? | Cinderella Movie Review

Hi, guys! Meant to get this up last week but lost track of time. We went to the movies last week to see Cinderella. I have to say I LOVED it! One of the best fairy-tale movies I have seen in a while. Even my dad liked it. Cute, funny and sure to surprise they did a great job spinning this story so that all ages could enjoy it. From small children to teenagers to adults. We even met a Korean Veteran and his wife there to enjoy the movie.

And I absolutely loved her hair, and her dress, and her glass slippers! Anyway, great movie! We really enjoyed it as a family. Can't wait for it to come out on DVD so I can watch it again! Hope you enjoy it as much as we did. It is about love, kindness, hope, and forgiveness.

Have you seen the movie?  Tell us what you thought of it! Have a great week!

Chicken Saltimbocca

Ingredients:

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts thawed

6 slices of organic black forest ham or another nitrate free lunch meat

6 slices of organic swiss or your favorite cheese

Pinch of sage

1/3 cup of Panko

2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese grated

2 Tbsp of parsley fresh and chopped finely (or 1 tbsp dry if that is all you have)

1/4 cup of grass fed organic butter

Directions:

Cover your meat with plastic wrap and with a meat cleaver pound out the separate pieces one at a time until you have rectangles about 1/2 inch thick.

 Place the ham slice and the cheese on the chicken breast with salt and pepper and roll up like a jelly roll. Press lightly.

Melt butter in a small pan.

In a bowl place the Panko crumbs, Parmesan, and parsley. 

Dip chicken in butter and roll in Panko.  

Place in a small casserole dish.  

Repeat until all of the breasts are finished.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 40-45 minutes.

The Newest Cottager - Patten

Well everyone, meet Patten. The newest member of the Cottage family. 

Mr. Cottage and Brianna were on their way home Saturday from helping a pastor friend and his wife serve a community meal in Parsons Tennessee. They happened to stop at a gas station- can you guess the rest of the story? Free puppies... 

 And of course, Mr. Cottage couldn't say no to that face- either of them. LOL! And well you can guess the rest. Brianna comes walking into the house with a little (ahem) bundle of fur. Isn't he cute?

Sorry about the pink harness Patten...

Nashville's Music City Irish Fest

Hello, friends! We are here to tell you about our adventure. Nashville's first ever Irish Festival. Despite the rain and cool temps, it drew quite a crowd.

People of Nashville, Kentucky, and many other places stood in the almost constant drizzle to hear the music of great bands like the Willis Clan, the Red Hot Chili Pipers, Molly Ramone, Colm Kirwan, Nosey Flynn and others. The Willis Clan was the delight of my sister Brianna. 

In the true spirit of the Irish, the crowd was undaunted when the drizzle changed to rain.

 And then back to a gentle mist.

They had great people walking around making balloon creations for the children.

Everyone really seemed to be having a great time.

They taught Irish dancing to the people of Nashville, but we seemed to have a hard time with making a circle.  Not sure what that was about but once people got started there was much laughter and merriment.

There were many very talented people performing.

 Great music, food, leather things, jewelry, hats, sweaters and so much more. Can anyone say shepherd's pie and corned beef? Yummy!!!

Even the local dogs had a great time. Fun for the whole family!

This leather worker was an amazing artist and the children that did the dancing in the rain were very talented.  My sister wanted to go take lessons right then and there.  She has wanted to learn Irish dance since she was about three and to this day talks with an Irish accent. 

#MusicCityIrishFest #WillisClan #IrishDancing

Cottage Style Corned Beef & Cabbage

Ingredients:

5 lbs Corned Beef Brisket 

6 Red Potatoes

6 Big Carrots

Head Of Cabbage

Water

Directions:

Put Corned beef in large stock pot, cover water. 

Turn your heat to high and then once it reaches a boil turn to low and simmer for 2 1/2 hours or until inner temperature reaches 160. Chop your vegetables when it gets close to being done.

 Then Remove Corned Beef cover to keep warm. Put vegetables in simmering water and turn to high.  Cook for about 15 minutes on high until your vegetables are tender.  Remove and enjoy.

Serves about 7

Best Chicken Noodle Soup

There is NOTHING like chicken noodle soup on a chilly day or when you just don't feel well.  This is one of our great make ahead recipes,  We love to make this, Chicken and Rice, Our Beans, Grandma's Chili, Broccoli Soup and Potato Soup and you have all week done and you can take leftovers to work with you,  We hope you love it as much as we did.  We used organic or home made as much as possible with this.  Don't let not having the exact ingredients stop you from making these really good soups. Let us know what you think! We love to hear from you. 

Ingredients:

3  chicken thighs

2 quarts of bone broth (see recipe here) or chicken broth you can make by just boiling your chicken pieces in spring water and season the broth to taste.  

6 cups of spring water

2 cups diced organic celery  If you have picky eaters put this in food processor or even blender with some water and make it really chopped up for them. You will get the flavor without the big chunks of celery.  Do this for the onion as well. 

2 cups thinly sliced organic carrots.

2 cups of  organic egg noodles

2 cloves of garlic chopped fine

1/2 cup chopped organic sweet onion

1/2 bag of organic frozen peas (optional)

1 Tbsp Organic Grass fed butter 

1/8 tsp of black pepper (optional)

1 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp sage

Himalayan Pink salt (to taste)

Pepper to taste. 

Dice your onions, slice carrots, dice celery and chop your garlic.  

Directions:

In a small pan melt your butter. Saute onions in butter. Season with some salt.

In a large stock pot put your broth and water.  To this add carrots,garlic, celery, and seasonings.  Slip in your chicken and cook until just still a little pink inside. This will make it so you do not overcook your chicken and it is tender.

When onions are done add them to the soup pot. 

Remove chicken to a cutting board and dice (What ever size you like.)  Set aside the chicken.

  

When vegetables are tender add your egg noodles.  Cook until they are tender.  Reduce heat and add chicken back into your soup and simmer until the pieces are done.  

Serve. :) 

Makes about 6 servings

Daffodils And A Chicken Photo-shoot

It such a beautiful day today I thought I would hang outside with the camera for a bit...

I love daffodils! They are so pretty, they remind me of little fairy skirts. Yellow is such a happy color too, don't you think?

                                                                                                                                                                   They grow wild near us and we would always go on nature walks and pick arm loads of them and bring them back home. The sweetness filled our house.  Mrs. Cottage and Grandma Cottage always loved this time of year because of it. 

Here we are as little girls picking them to bring home.  It was so wonderful to see the snow melt away and see the green shoots peeking up.  A sure promise of sunshine again.

Spring is always a wonderful time here at the cottage.  We love going on walks in the country and loading ourselves with the beautiful blooms that grow wild there.  We loved to fill grandmas arms with the wild daffodils when we got home and see her eyes light up with joy. 

When company would come we would take them with us and let them enjoy the picking of wildflowers.

Here we are again in our front yard surrounded in purple blooms. It is a sign of the coming of spring. The grass turns green and the sunshine grows stronger and our yard erupts into a riot of color.

After a long winter I thought I would do a chicken photo-shoot as they were enjoying the late afternoon sunshine. I'm so happy that it is getting dark later now, I hate how short winter days are.

This one looks like it has not had it's coffee yet. Maybe we will come back to them later.

Peeking in to say "Hi"

Girl Gone Broody. This is my girl Misty. She is a silkie and silkies make great setters. They will sit on anyones eggs.  She is best friends of my 50# Turkey named Winter. She will sit on Winter's eggs too. 

Enjoying sweet sunshine.