water ... never a drop to drink

our water supply has gotten quirky ... iffy ... and we aren't quite sure why

occasionally it starts to freeze when the wind is a certain way and the temps are arctic - but we now have a good handle on stopping a full freeze ... but the pump is feeling gitchy too - occasionally with no warning at all it just stops. Give it 24 hours or so and it comes back - but highly annoying - always seems to happen when I was about to do dishes or laundry or both. Once poor Big T was in the shower - whoops!

oh rural living - sure helps you appreciate the hard work of our rural forefathers!

These things we wish for you ...

2013 has likely been a life changing year around here. Most years are when you think about it I suppose but this year has opened unexpected doors and may lead us unknown places. On New Year's Eve it seems only fitting to toast you -and hope your journey's are as rich and full as ours!

May you find patience to appreciate what frustrates you and  peace with the things in life that aren't perfect. Think of people with love and understand it really isn't personal. Be open to change, no matter what else we have we will always have change, moving with it is much easier than resisting. 

Be well, be safe, have fun! Go explore that path!

a little hint of house ....

on the way up the very long driveway
where is the house?

oh there it is!

First full view

The new floor is down - above is the guest room/library

the view from the kitchen into the living room

Big T thinking about what his loft will look like

looking from the loft down (and yes - there will be a rail)

the upstairs bathroom

Master bedroom from the sitting area looking up to where the bed will be

looking up the stairs

pretty furnace

looks so boring but so exciting - our hot water on demand system

our front yard

east yard

 front/west yard



SO MUCH FUN!

Man it's ICE OUT

no typo ...

we spent 50 hours without power this week thanks to a beautifully treacherous ice storm.

Luckily the wood stove did a great job keeping the core of the schoolhouse at 60 or above. She also gave us a way to heat water - and on our final no power morning Big T scrambled eggs with her help.

We did well. We hunkered down and concentrated on survival.  

The animals all did fine too. (Phew!)

the ice is stunning, terrifying, impressive, humbling

quite incredible

And then there were none

The fisher came back.

No chickens this winter.

So sad -I truly love our girls and am devastated by the loss.

Trying very hard to figure out how to keep them both entirely safe and happy in a new set up next spring.


Trying to also figure out winterizing the rabbits. Winter here already with a vengeance - a full month earlier than in recent years. Not sure I'mever actually ready for winter tho!

Everything is a circle

Circles are way harder than they look

so much work every time I start riding Harri  - this is early in our session and they just get better and better as the ride continues

so much work
so much fun

and then there were three

Massacre in the hen houses two nights ago.
It happens to other people but we have never experienced it before and it's awful.

Three survivors - one silkie hen and the 2 barred rocks.

5 Silkie babies and 3 silkie hens vanished  with just the odd puff of feathers.

the 2 Ameracunas and Silkie rooster bodies were left - 1 in each coop and one behind a coop - the heaviest birds

Vasco, Marco, Roo, Rav, Veronica and Momma and babies- you will be deeply, sorely missed.

I feel like I failed them in some way but I have no idea what we could have done differently. 4 years of chicken keeping and I spent most of the first two years worrying about this. Then I relaxed.

Hope whatever it was (most likely suspect is a fisher) doesn't come back ever let alone any time soon
.

DeVareHarri Truck has no hair in it at all

Blue, gorgeous, exciting the farm truck is also spotless, unscratched and AWESOME!

It drives like a car - way too easy to speed in and has a huge gas tank (over 100 liters) the only two tiny issues with it. 

It is so like the Ranger and so opposite too - it has bells and whistles I've never even imagined (pedals move towards your feet if you want, remote car start (yah I've dreamed of that actually), adjustable mirrors on both sides from drivers side, electric brake, tow package, and a system that lets the car sync to my phone. 

Yet again, full of gratitude and love.

how does your garden grow?

We've had another long dry spell and it's impacted the garden this year. The lettuce, herbs, tomatoes, peas radishes and beans all have managed with a little help from us. The garlic crop is great. The carrots are small - but the rabbits enjoyed the thinnings and I know the horses will enjoy whatever we don't eat.

Cucumbers, corn, spaghetti squash and zucchini?
Failures. Monumental failures in fact.

Not sure about potatoes yet - I'd guess so so but have been pleasantly surprised before.

We also have broccoli growing for the first time- I have nothing to compare it too - but if there were no bugs I think it would be doing what it should. Beets are small but tasty. Pumpkins are finally giving Big T a beautiful sprawled out patch. YAY!

and that's the way the garden grows

Interestingly the apples look like they will be great - guess we had water when needed for them!

here a peep there a peep everywhere a cheep cheep

We live with 4 Silkies - 3 hens, 1 rooster -it's our first time living with a rooster and Roo is a great bird - watchful, protective but accepting of all the rest of his family ...

We raised chicks for a friend this spring and were given 2 Ameracuna and 2 barred rock hens out of the chicks. They are beautiful and social birds.

About 3 weeks ago 2 of our Silkies very happily incubated a set of eggs and we now have 8 little chicks beeping and peeping and being adorable.

We have raised quite a few chicks to date - and we are finding it quite nerve wracking - so much is out of our control this way - and the chicks are quite skittish. That said it is amazing to watch a mother hen at work. the 2 girls co-parenting is pretty neat too. One chick is particularly bonded to one hen - the others are more attached to the other but both hens share duties quite evenly.

We do love out chickens!