Ramblings

Thanksgiving was quiet here in Minnesota. Grandson Justin made ham,potatoes,broccoli, corn, Mac n cheese and his first yeast rolls. Melody and I went to pick up 3 things at Walmart. Took longer to check out than get the items. I never shop Thanksgiving or day after but Melody needed me to stand in line for a tablet. I got a little homesick missing giving all the animals their special treats. William will be here a week from Thursday and we will be back on the homestead the 22nd. Can't wait!
Williams grandson Will (Harvey's brother) has been in hospital since week before Thanksgiving. First 3 days they treated him for migraine but told him it was mental. Third day they were going to release him when he coded. He has been in ICU ever since on ventilator. He finally got diagnosed with Guillian Barre` Syndrome and pneumonia. He has a very long recovery ahead of him. He is 15 yrs. old. Harvey had his 7th birthday party in the waiting room of ICU.

Grandsons Quintin and Casey have been playing with their team Franklin Panthers in NC state playoffs. Their team was undefeated all year until 4th round of playoffs. They got beat by a team that cheated to win. They played a honest hard game with lots of injuries. There is a investigation into the other team. If it proves out then Franklin will get to go to state championship game. I hope honesty pays off and these boys get to go.

We are having our family Christmas treasure hunt Dec 21st. All the family will be there this year so it should be awesome. Woody is coming from Ft Stewart and I can't wait to see him.

Melody has gone to New Orleans for the week so Justin and I are here alone. A little snow today but not much. Suppose to be up to 40f by Friday.  Minnesota is letting me down for snow and winter weather.

Happy Thanksgiving

Wishing you a day overflowing in blessings. -4F at the moment but the sun is shining brightly. Leaving here and heading back to NC the 19th. Looking forward to getting back to our little homestead. Will miss daughter and family here in Minnesota but its time to go home. Today I am thankful for family and my home waiting for me. Have a blessed one!

Still In Minnesota

Melody was out of town last week on business and again this week. I have been trying to fix things for supper Justin will eat. He is one of a couple of my grands that is a picky eater. Its hard not saying too much as my girls had to eat a spoon full of everything on the table and weren't allowed to fix something different if they didn't like the meal. Hoping he will start trying more things since he enjoys cooking.

There is snow all around us. though we have the extreme cold temps there is only a inch of snow. William will be flying up the 18th of December to drive us back to NC. I sure hope to see snow before then.

Melody will be out of town the first part of the week so instead of cooking Thanksgiving dinner we are going to go work at the soup kitchen. I am looking forward to it!

Not a lot to post as my days are spent reading or online since there isn't much to do in daughters apartment. I tell her I am going to be too lazy to work when I go back home. Lol i really am enjoying my time here but look forward to taking care of my animals and homestead.

Enjoy your weekend and don't forget to count your blessings.

This and That

12F this morning with a dust of snow. Hope before I head back to the homestead in a few weeks I hope I see one big snowfall.

Things back on the homestead are staying busy. William heard a bobcat scream last night and Bella our Great Pyrenees took off running to protect and defend. Bobcat ran off before William had a chance to shoot. Hope it knows with our dogs it doesn't stand a chance and won't come back. Have had a fox getting a few chickens early mornings past few weeks. Time of year where wildlife needs extra food to stay warm. Bella likes to come inside late at night so when the fox comes she has to wait for someone to open door to go after it. Buster is in goat pen so can't get out to give chase. Wonder if we can talk Bella into going out before daylight???
I have all kinds of plans to declutter,paint, and change rooms when I get home. Will keep me busy this winter. Looking forward to going home.

Crookston Minnesota

It's raining and windy here today. Haven't gotten the snow I have been wanting since coming to Minnesota. Seems the wind is blowing all the time here. Crookston is a lovely small town with population a little over 7000. It is a farm town. Dixie Crystal Sugar plant is here. I was surprised that there are mostly sugar beet farmers here and the beets are used to make sugar. I never knew unless it says pure cane sugar on the package that sugar is mostly made from sugar beets. Sunflowers are grown everywhere here too. There is a grainery in town where the farmers take their grains and a train loads them and takes them off to be processed. My daughter picked a perfect town to move to. The Red Lake River runs right through the middle of town.It freezers over in the winter and there are all kinds of ice festivals on the river along with ice fishing and lots of skating. I am enjoying getting to know this town where my daughter and family now call home but look forward to going back to the homestead in a few weeks.

No Snow

It should a crime not to have snow in Minnesota! It snowed for one hour today. I am hoping snow called for this weekend shows up. Daughter is in Vegas on work trip so grandson and I are making orange chicken and rice for dinner. A game of scrabble will be our entertainment. Hope you have a blessed one.

Enjoying Minnesota

I am spending a few months in Minnesota helping my daughter. She started her new job here in August and does a lot of traveling. Her husband is finishing up some contract jobs back in NC so I came along to help unpack and set up her home as well as be here for grandson Justin when his mom is out of town. So have not had much to write about. Hopefully can get back to blogging after having a nice break as I had been in a blogging slump. Looking forward to sharing homestead and Minnesota adventures with you. I have been reading blogs and all of you have been so busy!! Hopefully I will be back tomorrow with SNOW pictures!!! Thank you for stopping by and not giving up on me.

Not Keeping Up

I really intended to post a blog a day for the month of June. I failed. Grandson Harvey has been spending some time with us. We take him home tomorrow and we also attend his daddy's memorial service. Have tried to spend a little more time and give a little extra love to Harvey. More for me than him I think. He talks about his daddy being a angel now and that breaks my heart. Life will go on but his life would have been better if his daddy were a part of it.

Things around the homestead are busy as usual.  We finally got rain and though it will make the humidity worse the gardens are happy and looking good. I made the cowboy candy and will try to post the recipe and photos tomorrow evening. Right now its time to play with a certain little young man in my life. Have a blessed one.

Graduate

So proud to have another grand graduating. Congratulations Hope!


I haven't forgotten the cowboy candy recipe. I am getting ready to make more and will do a step by step post.

Happy Father's Day

Sure do miss my daddy. I was daddy's little girl. The only time he ever spanked me was when we were going home from Franklin to Brevard one foggy evening through Highlands. My sister and I were arguing in the back seat. Mother and daddy both ask us to stop but we didn't.  Daddy stopped right in the road and leaned over the front seat, picked me up popped my behind and did same with my sister. I was crying more because my dad spanked me then because it hurt. He taught me how to drive a stick shift,  how to change a tire, how to change the oil, and check water, etc on a car. He always called me punkin and if he used my name I knew I was in trouble. I am blessed to be loved by my family but there is just something special about a daddy's love. I love and miss you so much daddy. Everytime I see a white butterfly I am remibded you are watching over me.

Green Beans

I pick the first mess of green beans this morning. From the looks of all the blooms  there will be plenty more to pick. I also got another pan full of peppers. Pepper plants are really producing this year.

Looking forward to making pickled peppers and cowboy candy again this year. Have tiny squash plants and lots of cucumber blooms. Plenty of green tomatoes that hopefully will ripen. Need rain so I  don't have to water so often but at least Things are growing!

I Miss Winter

Summer brings heat, humidity, longer hours, and more work. I hate being hot and sweaty. Most people that say they love summer spend most of it inside their air condition house,car, and office. I spend 90% outside even in the heat of the day. We do morning chores and head out to do the jobs for the day on our Handyman business list. It has really filled up this summer making us behind before we even started. Somewhere in the day I have to water gardens and flower beds. Summer means very little rain here. I have to get evening chores, dinner, and laundry in there somewhere. Winter mesns less daylight, less chores, less work, no heat, no humidity, no sweat, and no rushing but still staying behind. There are time for books, relaxing by the fire, drinking hot chocolate and hot tea. Old man winter is a good friend of mine. Love when he brings snow, ice, winds, and freezing temps. Summer your days are numbered!

Bella had puppies! 3 boys and 3 girls! She had first one under back porch steps so she is dirty in this picture. But after a nice sponge bath when all was over she and puppies are clean resting and happy.

Hope Graduating

Though granddaughter Hope finished high school in Dec she walks across the stage at graduation ceremony the 17th. Another grand grown up on me. I am missing the days they use to spend summers at grandmas. Jobs and life has them in other directions.

R I P Ken

I didnt post yesterday because my stepdaughters husband passed away early this morning. Hard to believe a 29 yr old  dad and husband is gone. He didn't want to have to lay and suffer and he didn't. He also made sure he had all the final arrangements taken care of so Lisa just had to pass that information on to the funeral home. He did everything possible to make sure his family was taken care of and said all his goodbyes. He may have left this world way too early but he took the time to enjoy life. See you on the other side Ken.

Its that time of year again. Rabbits are demanding and enjoying their frozen water bottles. I become their cabana girl till summer is over.

cancer sucks

This is my stepdaughter and her family. Her husband Ken is dying from colon cancer. Please say a prayer for this family.

Post A Day For The Month Of June

I am going to try and jump on the band wagon for posting every day for the month of June. Busy around the homestead and my stepdaughters husband is dying from colon cancer. I just got back from helping with her boys while she stayed at hospice with him. Her mother is there now. He is only 29 so please keep their family in your prayers.

Gardens are doing great. Already picking peppers. Beans are blooming and still getting lettuce.

Grandson Skyler caught his first fish last week. He turns 2 next month so his mom had his hair cut. He no longer looks like a baby. He looks like a 4 yr old. Makes me sad to see him growing up.

Around The Homestead

My grandson Woody graduated AIT in the army and is now stationed at Ft. Stewart. Feels so old having a young man as a grand. The photo is him with his sister Hope and brother Justin. They are so proud of their big brother.

Mothers Day was quiet here on the homestead. I will see the girls and grands at the end of the month when I go up for family reunion. I broke my brand new galaxy mega phone when I dropped it on the marble counter top. Insurance is a big pain but that is another story for another day. Anyway the girls and I did our Mother Day chatting on facebook instead of by phone. Megan got the best present ever for Mothers Day. She got lots of gifts but this one really is perfect. Who wouldn't love handprint flowers from this sweetheart?

Here is a photo from a few years back on my last Mother's Day with my mother. Hope (the one in the first picture with her brothers) was just a wee little lass back then. 4 generations.

Still bottle feeding baby goats. Some feedings I am alone and have to make do. LOL

We have a momma fox and her babies getting some of our chickens. Can't catch her in the live trap and the dogs can't get to her. She knows exactly where they are and makes her attack around 4 in the morning when Bella is up front because our neighbors are going to their cars to go to work so she has to check that out. Buster is in goat lot and can't get to fox or chickens and Rusty and Honey Bear are sound asleep in the house. We are hoping she has moved on as we haven't heard her in a couple nights but we shall see.

Here is one fella I helped move on to the swamp. This rat snake was wanting one of my eggs for supper. He didn't get it but I dropped and broke it. I did get him into a trashcan and took him to his new home in the swamp. Truth be told he probably beat me back to the homestead. LOL

One of the local lawn and garden stores threw away 76 rose bushes. All colors and some climbing  so of course William brought them home. They were wilted bad so we tilled up the old hog pen and set all of them out there. Will see which ones survive and I will move them this fall and give some to the girls. I drew a diagram so I would know what rose was what and what color. They also threw away 4 flats of marigolds which I placed in the shade and watered last night. Today they are all perky and pretty which means I need to go get busy setting them out. Happy Mother's Day to you and have a blessed week!

Homestead Life

I think one of the reasons I enjoy winter so much besides the cold weather is I get to slow down. I have time to really enjoy and spend time with each animal or farm project. Once spring rolls around I get overwhelmed. There are so many projects and chores I don't know which way to turn or what to do first. Animals don't seem to get as much snuggle time and we all miss that. Lil Vicki had her twin boys that I posted about. Well the next morning I went out to feed and she was laying with her babies enjoy the morning. I went back to give her fresh water when she stood up and walked toward me and fell over dead. Don't know if it was a blood clot, heart, or what but that left us feeding 2 baby goats 4 times a day. My heart was breaking because Lil Vicki was my baby.She was the c section baby from Olivia and had always been spoiled. We are keeping one of her boys Lil Victor and Leonardo will be going to one of the grands in the mountains. While all of this was going on Buttons decided to have her babies which were 3 boys and a girl. The runt boy had a lot of fluid in his lungs so we had to suction and work with him. Another one was so crammed inside her that his front feet were bent back at the hoofs. We massaged and worked with him 4 times a day until he is finally walking and doing everything normal. Can't tell he even had a problem. We named him Andy. The one with fluid in his lungs we named Happy because he always seemed to be smiling. He didn't make it. He lived about a week with us suctioning and giving antibiotics but his lungs were just too weak. Buttons had rejected both of these babies so we were having to bottle feed them along with Lil Vicki babies. Her other two which we named Caesar and Cleopatra are her pride and joy. She nurses and loves on them all the time. Rosemary decided it was time for her to have her babies right on her due date. First kidding for her and she had a boy and a girl. She decided she only wanted the little girl we named MeMe as it looks just like its grandma (Mammy so mini me). Lil John her boy is a bottle baby now too. Mammy who we thought was due end of May kidded last week of April with a little girl. She had it right in the middle of the goat pen with Buster the guardian dog helping her clean it before we got there. Buster thought since he cleaned it the baby girl was his and wanted to fight Mammy for her. We put Mammy in her own pen and he tried to dig in and tried to jump the fence to get to baby. Now he just lays at the gate and watches it. He lets all the goat babies climb on him but he still wants Snow White because its his. Mammy has huge teats so her baby can't nurse ... another bottle baby. We milk Rosemary, Mammy, and Buttons to give their babies their milk. Trying to make sure we give the right milk to right baby is a chore in itself. We feed Lil Vicki babies goat milk replacer but will gradually switch them over to regular goat milk since we are getting plenty of milk from the goats. I start a chore or project and have to stop to go feed 5 babies their bottles. I go back to project and it is time to feed and water the animals. A little more chore or project and it is time for bottles again. The last feeding is at 11 at night. If you ever saw the commercial where the guy met himself in the doorway saying its time to make the donuts you will understand when its time to fix the bottles we tell each other its time to make the donuts. Seems that is all we are doing. Gardening is getting done here and there. Had to replant my broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, and spinach because we had a hard freeze come after week of 80 and above temps. Was busy feeding bottles and make sure baby goats were warm and forgot to cover plants. Have beans, okra, cucumbers, peppers, radishes, and lettuce coming up and looking good. Have more to plant and the whole garden to mulch but not sure when I will get to it. The handyman business is keeping William busy and some days I am needed to help. He has a young man helping him now and I truly hope he works out. We had a couple of others helping and they even stayed with us but they enjoyed partying too much and staying out all night. Ended up not being responsible or trustworthy so let them go. Was given a box of jalapeno peppers that I finally found time to make and can into cowboy candy. Hoping I can make some dandelion jelly this evening. Along with everything else we have a momma fox and her babies trying to take all of our chickens. She comes out at 2:30 every morning. Buster who is in the goat pen starts barking and going crazy at the fence. Bella who patrolling the whole property starts heading to the property behind us where the fox and babies are and chasing them. You would think the fox would get wise and move on somewhere else but she does this every night. All the neighborhood dogs start barking including our dogs in the house so it is a barking party for about 20 minutes.   Our hens that decided to become broody are coming off their nests with baby chicks. I am catching hen and chicks and putting them in brooder houses to keep them safe till chicks are older. Running out of places to put them as there are so many hatching. We are still getting 4 dz or more eggs a day. We sold some hens and roosters last week (19) and have more to sell when I get them caught. Try to catch them at night when they are roosting but with all the rain we had got behind. Have some that are free ranging I need to catch as they are getting into neighbors garden. Hopefully will get them tonight. My grandson Woody is getting his blue infantry cord next Thursday and graduating from AIT next Friday. He will be heading to Ft. Stewart which is about 4 hours from here. Hope he comes to visit on some of his free weekends.  I won't be going to his graduation as its 6 hrs away and we have baby bottles to feed and goats to milk. No problem finding someone to feed and water but to feed bottles 4 times a day and milk is impossible. William will be making a trip to Lexington, NC really soon as his daughter Lisa's husband is in hospice care. He is in the final stage of colon and liver cancer. He wants to visit with his son in law and be there for his daughter. I talk with her on phone and facebook but will stay here to take care of animals in case he wants to spend the night. Please keep this family in your prayers. Ken is only 28 yrs old. His son Harvey (6 yrs old) is having a rough time understanding and accepting what is going on with his daddy. Lisa and the family as a whole are having a rough time and could use everyone's prayers. My daughter Melody is having some tests done. They think she might has MS but we are praying and hoping it will be something simple. Please say a prayer for her. As you can tell so much is going on so I haven't posted in awhile. I try to read a few blogs each evening or early morning to keep up with what is going on in your part of the world. I post on facebook throughout the day as I can do it quickly from my phone while I am out and about the homestead. The link is on the sidebar. Have not had time to finish reading books from my list but have finished 2 I need to post about soon. Can't say things will slow down anytime soon but will try to post again soon with some pictures of all our cutie baby goats. Have a blessed one.

Twins

For Lil Vicki. Buttons was the one due but Lil Vicki decided to be early and give us twin boys. One has long ears like his mom and the other is white and short ears almost like his dad. The dad was Lamancha and looks like he has no ears. This little fellow has short ears. LOL All are doing well and are healthy. Back to waiting on Buttons to kid before she explodes.

Happy April

I am still checking goat backsides. Lil Vicki and Rosemary have decided to show some signs of early kidding. I think they and Buttons have decided to take turns faking labor symptoms to keep me running out to check them at all hours of the day and night. I actually have seen Buttons laughing at me.

It was 83F here today. Guess we are going from winter to summer. I so hate the heat and humidity that will soon be here. Just have to try to get through until fall and winter. Hope summer flies by.

We had a freeze over the weekend where it got down to 29F. Looks like my broccoli and kale got bit. Hope they come out but if not I will be planting more. Onions are doing great and am planting potatoes today. The temps we are having will have the ground warmed up soon and can start planting the rest of the garden.

 Did the polar plunge for grands to earn money for their mission trip. It was 29F when I did it but wouldn't you know it was 63F when William did his.

Off to check backsides. Maybe I will have goat baby pictures to share soon. Have a blessed one.

What's Been Taking My Time

Every night I have good intentions of sitting down to blog. Honest! Then I remember I have to go close up the baby chicks for the night. Make sure the heat lamps are on in both brooders. I check to make sure Buttons is settled down for the night and not in labor. Also check to make sure baby monitor in her pen is on and working. I come in again thinking I will blog but see the supper dishes waiting on me. I do the dishes and when I finally sit down to blog... I fall asleep on the sofa. Here are some photos of what has been taking up my time.

Checking on Buttons even though her due date is April 4th.

Getting a squirrel out of Stanleigh's cage because I forgot to latch the door.

Checking on Buttons (even though she isn't due till April 4th)

 Trying to figure out out to be a bird whisperer like my brother Don

Checking on Buttons because you know she is due to kid April 4th.

Getting the squirrel out of Stanleigh's cage again because I forgot to latch the door... again.

Checking on Buttons because even though she isn't due until April 4th she is going to pop if she gets any bigger.

Playing with the baby bunnies so they are nice and friendly when they go to their new homes at Easter.

And playing with more baby bunnies.

And another baby bunny.

Making fruit and dip for a baby shower.

Still trying to figure out how to get the birds to eat out of my hands like they do my brothers.

Writing to my grandson.

Quick trip to the mountains to see Skyler, go to a gala with my oldest daughter, and celebrate Kristine, Melody's and my birthday.

And check on Buttons because even though she isn't due until April 4th she is having discharge,losing her ligaments, and her babies have dropped.

Still Here

I have been so wrapped up in following grandson through basic training on his company facebook page. It has been checking every photo trying to find him. I have let blogging and other chores get too far behind. When I am not stalking grandson I have been helping William with handyman projects and firewood. We still have 5 loads of wood to deliver this week as well as William having home repair for 2 customers and some outside maintenance for another. He is looking for someone dependable to help him but until that person comes along I am his hired hand. His brother came down from Lexington today and I got the day off to catch up things around here. Feels good to be able to stay on the homestead and tackle things around here. I have deleted all but one army facebook page and all but one friend I made thru Woody's army company. It got so out of control being ask to join this group and that group and so many wives, mothers, and grandmothers asking to friend me. I got caught up in all of it and it soon was taking all my free time. Now I just check the main page and the photo page daily. I messaged one sweet lady that has a husband in the same company as Woody and we chat about everything but army stuff. LOL I have time now to get back to the things I need and love to do.  Buttons has gotten HUGE but still not due till April. She is waddling around but doing well otherwise. I have also gotten some more rabbits. 3 females and a male that came from my friend Mike. That is going to be a post in itself once I find the photos I took. By the way Mike they are doing really well Cadbury is real friendly and letting me pet her. The others are still a little timid but coming around. Now I am off to feed the animal family around here and start supper. Having field peas (frozen last summer) creamed corn (frozen last summer) homemade mac n cheese, fried cabbage with smoked sausage. A good meal costing pennies... the best kind of meal!! Have a blessed one!

Soldier In Training

Grandson Woody left processing on Jan 30th and headed to F Co 1-50 IN  for his basic training. He is one across the soldier in glasses. So good to see a picture of him and have a address to write. He is loving it. Can't wait to see more photos as he progresses through. The army now does facebook pages for the families but it is a strain on the eyes trying to find him. LOL Thank you for your prayers and please keep them going.

Scribbles From The Homestead

The snow is all gone and we have had rain for several days. That means we are back to a muddy,soggy, mess around here. Doesn't do any good to mop the floors as much as the dogs,cats, and us go in and out. We also have a new puppy. Honey Bear is a lab mix that was found on the side of the road by a couple. They live in a duplex and already have 2 dogs so tried to find the owners without any luck. They posted Honey Bears photo asking someone to please give her a home so she wouldn't have to go to animal control. Yeah, I saw her photo and messaged my stepdaughter that if they hadn't found a home for her by the time Lisa was heading this way she could bring Honey Bear here. Well no one else ask about her and she is now part of Hidden Haven family. House training and picking up everything she drags out to chew on has keep us on our toes. She is a smart puppy so hopefully training won't take too long. Rusty thinks he has a baby to mother and helps a lot with potty training.
Grandson Woody is doing well in basic training. We should have his address in a day or two to write. He is able to call his mom once a week. When he first got to Ft Benning  he was in processing for a couple weeks until they got enough in to start basic training. He started on Feb 3rd. So happy he is liking it. His sister Hope signed a contract with the Air Force last Thursday. She will find out where her basic is soon but already knows she will be air traffic control. Grandson Wayne finished basic in IL and is now stationed in San Diego for the next 3 years. All our family needs now is someone to join the Marines. LOL

Buttons is getting huge. I need to take another photo. Poor girl is not going to be able to move around by April kidding season. Lil Vicki and Rosemary are looking pregnant now. We are only milking Mammy and hope she will come in season now that her foot is healed.

Firewood is still keeping us busy almost every single day. We have 3 loads to deliver this week once the rain stops. Trying to start some plants indoors so they will be ready for spring planting but that is almost impossible with cats and dogs running through here but it will work out.

We let a grandson borrow our little cabin in the mountains for a couple months. He is saving money for first month and security deposit on a place. He is the daddy to my great grandson. Was unexpected but happy to help him out. Gives me more time to work on decluttering around here. It is harder than I thought trying to get rid of stuff. William doesn't like to let go so I try to do a lot when he isn't home. The bigger things will be hard to get by him. LOL  Things happen for a reason so will just take each day the Lord gives me and do the best to be patient in getting totally moved.
 That's all that is going on around this homestead. Hope your weather is good and your life is filled with blessings!

Air Force Bound

From a cute little mommy's girl to a beautiful young lady that graduated high school early. Granddaughter Hope will be signing a contract with the Air Force this Thursday. Of course I am crying but I am also so proud of her. She plans to get her college degree while in the military so it will be paid for. Her brother is already in army boot camp at Ft Benning and her cousin is in the navy stationed in San Diego. I am waiting for one of the other grands to say they are joining the marines. Just kidding. The other grands are still in school thank goodness. Keep Hope, Woody, and Wayne in your prayers please. They may be proudly serving their country but they are still young grandbabies to me.

Buttons

Not the sew on type buttons but Buttons our Nubian/Alpine milk goat. She has me puzzled. We sold Robbie our buck last spring so we wouldn't risk him breeding his daughters. There hasn't been a buck at Hidden Haven since then until November 8th when we borrowed a buck from a friend to breed the girls. Buttons was in full blown season and Snowflake the buck went right to work. That would make her due to kid in April. We usually have our goats dried off by the last two months of pregnancy so they can rest and build themselves up for kidding and feeding the babies. Buttons dried herself off 2 weeks after she was bred and I mean dried herself to where she didn't have one drop of milk after giving us a half gallon a day. She also exploded and looks like she is ready to kid any minute. Last year she had triplets and got huge the last 2 months. This time she got huge within 3 weeks and keeps getting bigger. If I didn't know for a fact she couldn't have gotten bred before November I would swear she is going to kid soon. I am thinking she has to have 4 or more kids inside her or some really big kids. So what do you think? Any guesses on how many? Unless she has premature kids she won't deliver until April... honest there is no way she was bred earlier.

RIP Fred

Fred,our Bourbon Red turkey passed away. He was old in turkey years but we hoped he would be around at least a couple more years. Poor Tessa keeps walking around looking and calling for him. Fred was our TV star. He was on channel 5 weather with Greg Fishel or at least his photo was. We could always tell when it was going to rain because Fred would only roost inside his roosting house if it was going to rain. Greg would call for rain and I would email and tell him no because Fred was roosting outside.  Fred also didn't like the heat and would spend his day standing in front of a fan trying to cool off. Fred would come when called and would gobble back and forth with you. He was a sweetheart. He loved having his grain put up on the fence ledge so he could eat above all the other critters. He would scold you if you forgot or didn't give him enough. He loved and protected Tessa even when she had a crush on a young rooster. Fred is really going to be missed around here. There will never be another weather turkey for Hidden Haven.

What a Crazy Winter

Though our weather hasn't been anywhere near what most of the country has been dealing with we had 3 days of frigid cold temps. It was nice and would have been perfect if we had had snow. Carried water out several times a day so the animals could drink without having to lick the solid ice blocks in their waterers. I carried and spread so many bales of straw I felt like I should have popeye muscles. Put up plastic to block the wind, hung heat lamps, and fed lots of extra feed so everyone could keep their body temps up. Happy to say all the critters survived with a few roosters having some frost bite on their combs. Today the temps were up in the 50Fs and Saturday is suppose to be 70F with severe storms and tornado warnings. I tell you its a crazy winter! I have daffodils popping up everywhere.

Firewood is still the main thing happening around here. If we aren't cutting and splitting we are delivering and stacking. We have really been blessed with firewood customers this year. I have had to skip a few days of spending and hour on outside and inside projects but spent several hours cleaning our kitchen cabinets and the fridge tonight. Have the Hoosier cabinet and kitchen island to clean out along with taking down some kitchen decorations and only putting a couple back up.Decluttering and getting rid of stuff sure feels good! Tomorrow I will tackle the front porch area for an hour and pretty it up as I clean and toss. Have a load of firewood to deliver tomorrow afternoon and hopefully can spend the stormy Saturday working inside.

Just simply living is all that's going on around the homestead. Have a blessed one!

This and That

Rain again today. It is such a muddy mess that will be a frozen mess in the morning. Temps are suppose to drop with this little Arctic air front coming in. This has been a good year for our firewood business. We delivered wood on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve. We actually stayed up till 2AM but not to ring in the new year. Bella is terrified of gun shots and fireworks. There was plenty of both all around us. She got on the sofa with me and would get upset if I didn't keep one hand on her at all times. Finally the noise ended and she went to sleep. New Years day had a hen coming out of hiding with 4 baby chicks. Had to turn the heat lamp on in one of our little brooding houses and set it up. Hadn't planned on having baby chicks during the winter. Our hens are laying good which means we have plenty of eggs for us and our customers. Seed catalogs are coming in and I am trying not to look at them. We have so many seeds we can never use them all. I love seeing what new herb plants have been added.  The flu is making its rounds through the family in the mountains. So far we have been spared. I have finished one book since starting my reading program on the first. Will be writing about it over the weekend. Have gotten one cabinet cleaned out and linen closet along with the rabbit houses and one chicken pen. Doing the one hour a day inside/outside is getting things done without me getting overwhelmed. Because of having full freezers and full pantry groceries for this month were only $79. That was a awesome feeling knowing we have stocked up and can not spend a lot this month on groceries. After being able to unplug heatlamps (until New Years day at least), not using the dryer often, using hot water out of tea kettles on stove instead of heating water on kitchen stove each time I want hot tea has cut our electric bill down to $103. I am hoping next month to have it down even lower as there won't be so much baking being done for the holidays. That's life around the homestead. Hope you are having a blessed start on 2014.