The Rabbit Farm

Recently, we found out that the two male rabbits a friend gave to us are actually a male and a female. This seems to be a familiar story among rabbit owners world wide. Unfortunately, we were not around to separate them and nature took care of things the way nature usually does, quickly and ferociously. For those of you who do not know, the earth is far from a fragile place.

So we decided to try again, although this time I looked to state extension for a little help. The first order of business was to build a new rabbit hutch. My first attempt is pictured below (off of its original table) and was mainly used for sleeping quarters. We have a "rabbit run" for them to play in during the day.

I found a new design (here at Penn State Extension) and modified it for what I thought would fit our needs. It’s made out of pine and hardware cloth. And most importantly, can be divided into one or two hutches (three in the future).

So far, I have not sold the kids on the idea of rabbit farming. Petting the furry little creatures is one thing, eating bar-b-qued rabbit appears to be something from a parallel universe. The rabbit preparation video I found on YouTube did not win me any support either.

See how to prepare rabbit here at YouTube!

I wonder what the kids would think of a soft, fluffy, rabbit fur pillow?

The family voted and it is strictly rabbits as pets, the dad being out voted. The kids can have the proceeds from any rabbits they sell. And if they want more rabbits, they have to market these first. Then maybe we’ll add to the rabbit farm a little more. Real entrepreneurship training for the kids. Or will it be that our house is over-run with rabbits? Stay tuned!

(5 days old and already a new coat of fur)

Second Chances

John 8:1-11

1. But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2. At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4. and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such a woman. Now what do you say?” 6. They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. (Note) 7. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8. Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, and the woman still standing there. 10. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11. “No one sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

Note:

Greg Laurie has suggested that Jesus wrote the secret sins of the accusers into the sand. Can you imagine seeing your worst moments written in the sand before a group as God in human form gazed into your eyes?

How to weather a recession

These are character building times, as the old timers would say. And now is a good time to reflect on changes that you can control to make a positive impact on your life and others. If you want to raise the status of your indispensability at work, it’s time to show that you have an iron clad spine and a large set of… um…. attitude. Listed below are some ideas to get started on your attitude adjustment. Although these ideas were generated from the point of view of success on the job, most of these habits would transition quite well at home.

Complain Less

Don’t waste your energy, or anyone else’s with whining and complaining. Recessions are stressful and the threat of layoffs are one of the best known cures for a good night’s sleep. Now is the time for you to dig in and show some backbone. Try to be a morale booster during tough times.

Work Smarter

Focus on your ideal customer and avoid “one size fits all” philosophy. Do what you do best and don’t try to be everything for everybody. Spreading yourself or your company too thin will ensure mediocrity at a time when you and your company need to stand out.

Become Irreplaceable

Learn a new skill. Assume more responsibility. Understand what your company needs and be willing to take on multiple roles. Making your company more successful is one way to solidify or advance your career.

Stay on top of technology

What can the internet do for you? Try a conference call to save thousands of dollars instead of bringing everyone together for a meeting. Share photos, spreadsheets and other documents real time with more than one person online, usually for free. Voip phones, instant messaging, and blogs can allow you to provide personal contact with clients without leaving the office and nearly free. Email instead of sending letters or faxes. This saves costs of ink, postage, and equipment.

Be Visible

Now is not the time to take an extended vacation; nor come rolling in at 9:30. You may be earning less due to cutbacks, but you need to contribute 100 percent if you want your company to survive and continue to be employed. Don’t just keep your nose to the grindstone, stand out and be a positive force at work. Do people actually know who you are and what you can do for them?

Never stop networking

Make a list of 50 people who are not part of your inner circle. Send them an email, make a phone call, or stop by just to say hello. The more people that you know, the more opportunities you may find in a time of need.

Have a plan “B”

Be sure to keep your resume updated and return head hunters calls, just in case. Always live within your means and put more emphasis on “saving up for a rainy day.” It’s a great idea to have more than one income source if you have opportunities for part time and weekend work.

Thomas Jefferson Quotes

Wikipedia tells us that Jefferson was the 3^rd president, the main author of the Declaration of Independence, and one of the more influential founding fathers. He was a strong supporter of states rights, religious freedom, and republican ideals. But mainly, it was liberty and freedom that motivated Jefferson. The original idea of government in the U.S. is captured in the preamble to the Declaration of Independence written by Jefferson:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness.

These quotes from Jefferson give you insight into the thoughts of one of the founding fathers of our country. Some of these quotes eerily serve as warnings for today’s over-reaching federal government from 200 years ago.

I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.

Advertisements contain the only truths to be relied on in a newspaper.

Do you want to know who you are? Don't ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you.

Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the people alone. The people themselves are its only safe depositories.

Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny.

For a people who are free, and who mean to remain so, a well-organized and armed militia is their best security.

I own that I am not a friend to a very energetic government. It is always oppressive.

I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.

My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government.

The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.

It does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no God.

The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.

Determine never to be idle...It is wonderful how much may be done if we are always doing.

Never trouble another for what you can do for yourself.

Laws that forbid the carrying of arms...disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes

Were we directed from Washington when to sow and when to reap, we should soon want bread.

The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.

Timid men prefer the calm of despotism to the tempestuous sea of liberty.

It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A principle which if acted on would save one-half the wars of the world.

The beauty of the Second Amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it.

Work on your communication skills

While the days of “having a coke and a smile” may be long gone as universal communication, the desire for speaking out to the world has become an onslaught. Some of you may have noticed lately that blogs, email, and instant messaging are rather popular. Sometimes these formats are abbreviated such that it leaves little room for the imagination to latch on to the meaning that was meant to be conveyed. So with that, it makes me happy as a newborn tick on a fat hound to present a primer on the forgotten art of colorful expression!

Format: What we say today -- What your grandpa said.

I’m feeling good! -- I’m finer than frog hair!

Not feeling good. -- I feel lower than a snake’s belly.

He’s not that attractive. -- He’s ugly as homemade soup

or so ugly she would make a freight train take a dirt road.

She’s pretty! -- She’s built like a brick outhouse!

Skinny-- He had to turn around twice to throw a shadow

Not very smart. -- His slinky’s kinked or, not the sharpest tool in the shed

or, he paddles his own canoe.

It’s dry lately. -- It’s drier than a popcorn poop or, so dry that trees are bribing the dogs

It sure is raining hard. -- It’s a real toad strangler out there!

Fast -- Fast as a man with a paper butt in a forest fire,

or fast as a deacon in a … (oops, that might be too mature for this blog)

Slow -- Slower than molasses in January.

Useless -- He’s as handy as screen doors on a submarine.

Rich -- He has enough money to burn a wet mule.

Poor-- To poor to pay attention.

Young -- His belly button isn’t even dry yet.

Old -- He is as old as dirt.

Busy-- Busy as a mosquito in a nudist colony

Talkative-- He could talk the ear off a statue

Not athletic -- You couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn if you were standing in it.

Under dressed-- She wasn’t wearing enough clothes to wad a shotgun.

Good bye… it’s time for me to make like a tree and leaf!