Cows, cream, and pretzels

In other words, another random entry.  First of all, I believe I last mentioned we were going to pick up two "new" old tractors.  After more inspection, Cliff decided the Farmall M wasn't worth what the seller was asking, so we came home with only the Super C Farmall.  He's already got it running, and Cliff's project for tomorrow is to take the gas tank off and clean the rust out of it.

We would still like to find a Minneapolis Moline R like our very first tractor, but so far no luck.  

Perhaps you can tell by this picture that Grace is heavily pregnant.  She is looking more ready all the time.  She's my baby-raiser; last year she ended up starting six calves besides her own heifer calf, supplying them with milk until they could be weaned.  I think this may be the earliest we have ever started feeding hay.  The pasture is simply dried up.  

I'm hoping she is willing to repeat her foster-mothering business this winter.

Unfortunately, Grace's milk is like that of a purebred Holstein, very little cream, with the consistency of half-and-half you buy in the store.  I had gotten spoiled to the thick, rich cream that rose to the top of the milk I got from Penny (one teaspoon would do for a cup of coffee), and after selling her, I hardly knew what to do.  I bought some half-and-half, but it resembled whole milk more than cream.  Then I purchased powdered Coffeemate, which used to be my choice additive to coffee.  I will say it's an improvement.  I'll just have to get used to it again.  At one point I preferred it to cream because cream left a fatty coating in my mouth.  

This morning we actually made a trip to Dave's, our nearest store, so I could get the CoffeeMate.  I'm not one to make impulsive purchases while grocery-shopping (we won't talk about Amazon.com, though).  But I happened past a display of Amish-made candy and noticed some white-chocolate-covered pretzels, a favorite of Cliff's, and decided to surprise him.  I actually picked it up and headed off with it, then looked at the price:  $4.49 for ten pretzels.  They were big, fat pretzels, but still... that's highway robbery.  I knew Cliff would be happy to have them though.  After a little more pondering, I came to my senses:  For that kind of money I could buy some almond bark and a bag of pretzels and Cliff could have at least ten times as many pretzels!  It isn't as though that stuff is difficult to make.  I put the Amish candy back in it's place.  

I only made a few today, using two of the little blocks of almond bark.  I'll make more every few days and Cliff will have treats regularly.