Pondering the End of 2009

This year is quickly coming to an end. It doesn't feel like the end of 2009 is upon us. Time seems to move at a different beat since we moved out onto the farm. It has been 6 months so far and I wonder if that is not the reason why the year doesn't feel over. We've only lived half a year here, there should be more before the calendar page turns to 2010. I suspect in part that it is due to the change not only of our location, but comes also from our change in lifestyle. I look around our home and see familiar things in a new setting. One that is changing more into "our place" as time passes. I feel more at home here, and as I ride the roads to various places. Taking Mom around the farm before she left to go back home, will hopefully place a "mental image" in her mind when I speak of an activity around here. Something she voiced that she needed to see. I enjoyed showing her the barn and all the livestock wandering around and in it. Now when I mention a part of the place she can mentally place herself there and live out the adventure with us. Helping to connect the distance between our homes. She turned 75 last month and Daddy will be 78 in just a few short days. Spending time with them is very precious to me. Talking long hours about family memories is a favorite thing for us to do when we gather. I hope my memory will not fail me in recalling them in the future. You never know when the last Christmas will be spent together as a family. Any one of us young or old could not be around to celebrate another one. No one is guaranteed another day of life. It is hard when you parents start talking about their days being numbered and their deaths to come. It is not something I allow myself to think about that often. I know that dieing is just as much a part of life as living is. I see death everyday and have experienced in through friends and family. But you are never ready for it. Life will move on, despite your absence. There will be a void in the lives of those that lived around you. You can't be apart of some one's life without creating it. I hope and pray that I will be able to stand in the grace of God, if faced with the lost of my parents or family, should I live to see it.

Burying another year,

Deborah

It's Almost Christmas, Are you ready?

We are fast approaching the eve of our Christmas celebrations, with only a few days left for preparations. There is much to be done just in preparing a place for Anna to give birth. Not knowing her exact due date has us trying to stay one if not several steps ahead of her. But I think is would be great to have Christmas babies in our home made manager of sorts. A need for some mulch hay will have to be seen about today in order to make it soft. Amongst the other assorted farm chores, a fact that seemingly never ends. Our firewood supply is nearly gone with all of the sub-freezing nites we have been having. Searching out some dry pieces has been moved to the top of the to-do list. My focus for today is outside the house. Leaving all the inside preps for later on next week. Mom, Dad and Jason will be here starting on Thursday. At some point it would be helpful to start some of the cooking for our family meal on Christmas day. I want to spend more time with my family than in the kitchen. I haven't really thought about how this Christmas would be. So I don't have any expectations about it to be fulfilled. Will just let it unfold instead as it occurs. But I have realized it feels different and is different. Is this mindset due to our moving to the farm , a reflection of the economy we are all facing or simply a sign of aging, of our priorities changing? Something I believe that needs to be pondered by more and embraced more fully. In order to grasp it's depth and be lived out to it's fullest.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas,

Deborah

Can You Teach a Chicken to Swim?

Buckets of rain greeted me this morning with more to come ~ 1-2 inches. Flooding conditions can be seen all over the farm. It's all one MUDDY mess. I do believe it may well be next year before we dry out. The dampness causes a bone chilling cold and makes the 37* feel like 27*. I wore 2 pairs of socks and rubber boots and my toes still feel frozen. The wind chill encountered while doing chores caused my fingers to burn when I returned to the house this morning.

Unfortunately the fire went out during the night and I haven't any more dry wood on the carport to use. Guess we will have to run the furnace over the next few nights. Which is not good considering that the lows will be hovering around freezing for the next projected 10 days to follow. I have decided what I need for Christmas this year ~ hip boots and the rain poncho seen being worn by cowboys in westerns. At this rate of rainfall we need "swimmies" for our chickens. They still do not know how to swim despite instructions, but are giving us about 2 dozen lovely eggs each day.

All of this cold will keep us inside and make us tackle some of our inside projects for a change. We have plans to go pick up a load of shavings for the chicken coops today. Using a tarp may help to keep it somewhat dry, for the coops need refreshing badly. The babies especially, as they are growing so fast! (And pooping a lot in the process). Counting it as a blessing for next year's garden and free to boot.

I am working on my blog posts that are dated back to October. Wow! did not realized I was that far behind. So glad I kept up my notes about what has been happening here. It is a slow process that requires lots of sitting, which increases my discomfort. From my fractures of the same time frame. I hope they will heal better than this or I will never be able to ride Sassie.

Trying to sit still and catch up,

Deborah

Busy Time of the Year

This has been a busy week and it is not over yet. Mom and Dad came down this past Sunday for a funeral. One that took Lon and Daddy to central east Georgia for. While I drove Mom back to Dville for a doctor's appointment and some Christmas shopping. It was a run, run, run kind of a day. I felt as fatigue from it just as surely as Lon did from driving his 7 hour round trip.


Then on Wednesday, he and I made a trip to Oxford, Alabama for our own Christmas shopping and dinner out at a favorite restaurant. Just one more item to get and we will be done! Money is tight for many folks right now and I was surprised at the number of people out shopping. We haven't any promise for overtime anytime soon ourselves so I am glad that I have already bought our items for our Christmas dinner. The pull to buy and spend is very much out there in the retail world. Lon and I picked out some movies for our Christmas, as we are not exchanging gifts between us this year. We have decided to save the money and use it instead to make some improvements on the farm. He even found an old Christmas gift card in his wallet from last year that paid for them. YEA!



Even though in the past we have chosen to for go gifts in place of a holiday trip somewhere. To make memories that would last longer than most things that can be purchased. I never could understand how people could go without exchanging gifts, but my way of thinking has slowly been changing. Do I like gifts? Yes! But I can celebrate Christmas without all the hoopla, now being pushed as part of the holiday. Special gifts received that have given me reason to rejoice have come by way of the ornament exchange. They hang beautifully on our tree and help to remind us of the reason we celebrate Christmas.



I must be getting really old! LOL. For my thoughts are changing into that seen of an older generation. Attempting to live a simple lifestyle will redirect your thinking. Having limited funds directs your focus onto what is really important. That being made up of being with family, praising the Lord through song, creating a festive spirit and being loving in all your actions.


Directing my heart towards a proper focus,

Deborah

Surprise Visits

Yesterday happened very quickly, changing all my plans in a moment. One phone call rearranged them and sent me off in another direction from where I had planned to travel. Buying groceries and running errands would have to now make room for a much needed haircut, when an appointment came open for the same day. I knew I would have about 3 hours before my apt. time to get things done, but hadn't counted on the 3 hours spent afterwards too. But you never know when opportunities will pop up and I wasn't going to miss out on seeing Leah. Her parents had dropped by to see Lon at the station and gave me a call, stating someone wanted to see "her Nana". Of course I stopped by, wouldn't have missed seeing my favorite granddaughter. Though the surprise visit had me arriving back at the farm well after dark. With feeding chores still to be done, along with unloading the groceries I was out in the cold for quite awhile. My toasty fire I had left going before leaving home had gone out in the course of the day. Leaving me with a cold tired body in a chilly house.

I did find one surprise in the chicken coop when closing them down for the night. A large possum was feasting on their hanging feeder of layer pellets. We have had some living in the trash pile near the house for awhile now. I had already moved both the garbage can and the compost bucket out of their reach on the carport. So I guess it had gone searching for other dinning options. On previous occasions we had seen two hanging out in the trash pile, but only one on a regular basis as of lately. I wondered if the "barn bandit" was one of them or someone new to the neighborhood. It was afraid of the blinding light from my flash lite and took some coaxing to get it out of the roosting area. Seeing it now explains why the floor feeder was always torn up and empty in the mornings. Although I had been blaming it on either a raccoon or the always ravenous turkeys. Now I am curious, do they eat chicken eggs too? I guess this means I will have to read up on them. Seems my reading list keeps getting longer and longer. Something I have hoped to do during the winter down time I had envisioned. Instead now I foresee a lot of activity between now and the new year.

We have officially entered our season of lows, with our mornings being in the mid 30's. Which is only slightly warmer than the 27* we woke up to yesterday. Both rain and sleet is forecast for this evening. Making our Sunday School class Christmas gathering a little challenging, but typical of the holidays. Wouldn't feel like Christmas if it was in the 60-70*, temps that those living in Florida see each year. Don't know how they do it, sunny,warm and Christmas decorations just doesn't add up to me. I still need to finish my ornament for the exchange at the party. I am hoping the ribbon I bought will dress it up and finish if off at the same time. It looks like the ones pictured left.


Enjoying this time of the year,

Deborah

Getting Ready

I have managed to get the rest of the house decorated, along with setting up the large nativity on the bookcase yesterday. One that has been in our family for over 25 years. It was a project of love that I hand painted and has been set up every year, save the year that Leah was crawling. A lot more could be done in regards to the mantel over the fireplace, if we only had one! One fact I hope to change in the new year to come. I love decorating mantels with all of the family keepsakes that are dear to my heart. A fireplace just looks naked without one too!

Yesterday's high of near 60* felt good but nothing like the same summertime temperature of 60. None the less those kind of days are refreshing from all the cold and rain we've been having lately. Plans are to try and set up the chicken coop. It is a real need as the baby chicks are growing right before our very eyes. Having already outgrown their temporary plastic incubators. Some brave ones have even attempted to fly out of the crowded conditions. They just don't know who is waiting for them for a game of chase though. Plus there is not enough room around the feeders for all to get fed. The greedy ones are getting fat at the expense of the weaker/smaller ones. They can quickly go through 2 feeders and 2 waters a day now! I am trying hard not to get attached to their fuzzy cuteness. For their future is destined to be chicken dishes for our table. If all works out good, we may try to do this on a regular basis. Free chicks, plus some bags of feed and a little extra work = natural, hormone free, home grown chickens.

Broiler Chicks enjoying their new expanded space.

Work continued on the kidding room in the barn yesterday, we are trying to get it ready before Anna gives birth. Today maybe a good day for me to put the "kiltz" paint on the floor, in an effort to make it more moisture resistant. Temperatures are to be in the mid 50's today, warm enough to work in an unheated space I think. All that is left is to find the materials for the individual pen's walls and gates. I would still love to have power on the building before kidding starts. Running water would be an asset as well. Especially if we could get the hot water heater working too. Which requires both the power and water to be established first.

A girl can dream, can't she?

Deborah

Farm Trucks ~ Fireplaces

Much has transpired over the last few days. We have been seeing some cold nights and days for one thing. Making the fires in the fireplace a blessing. Lon worked extra hard this past Saturday to get the old wood heater installed, so we could enjoy our first fire in it. The heater is one we used to heat our old house with many years ago. The old thing is not a pretty sight, showing it's age, but it is working right now. Even though the blower makes a funny sound on high. Nothing that a little stove paint can't spruce up and with fingers crossed hopefully it will last awhile before it has to be repaired. Good news is it has put out a warmth that keeps our electric heat from coming on. The only down side is the trash that the logs create on the hearth and surrounding floor. I guess it will be a trade-off, free warmth for more sweeping. Now I will be on the look out for a dustpan and small broom to place within easy reach.

I have managed to get our bedroom, the bath and the dinning room decorated for Christmas. Also got our new tree up and decorated too. Hate stringing lights and am wondering if I can find a place to store it like I used to do with the lights still on, minus the decorations. Though I don't have a basement or a suitable place in sight, this might pose a problem. The combinations of holiday decorations and a warm fire made things quite festive here at the farm.

Lon made a trip over to Woodland for a round bale of hay for Sassie and the goats. It filled the back of his truck and then some. Can't beat a heavy duty truck for farm chores. Despite it's size it rolled off the bed of his truck easier than I thought it would. All the hay eaters wasted no time in jumping into it and munching away. Hopefully this will help stretch the hay bales we picked up recently to last longer than they would otherwise.

Rusty, our very first Roo has been hurt somehow, one leg badly enough that it keeps him from walking on it. He went missing for over a day before finally showing up. We had to caged him yesterday for his safety. As the other roosters were trying to fight him. It amazes me how they can sense when another one is weak. They will pick at it till they kill it, one way I guess to keep the flock strong. Can't stand to watch it though. Hopefully his legs will strength and we can return him to his rightful place as "King of the Roost" soon.

It must be the day for injured legs, for as I was doing the morning chores I noticed one of our Burbon Red turkeys was also standing still with one leg tucked under. It too would not bear weight on it and had to be caged till it heals. Makes me wonder if they are trying to jump off the roosts without watching where they are landing. So two hospital pens are now set up to add to our chores already established each day. Having to water and feed them separately requires a little effort, but not enough to keep me from doing it.

I also need to figure in the twice daily care of the 46 meat chicks (one died) to my chore time each day too. We are hoping the "brooder coop" we hauled home from our old place, an effort that took up most of yesterday and part of last night will help us with their care. It took ALOT of work to get it loaded on the back of a borrowed trailer. If it wasn't for our kind neighbor, Norman it would still be sitting halfway loaded at the other house. Traveling after dark was both a challenge and a blessing. As there wasn't many cars on the back roads and we didn't draw too much attention, especially from the local police. Getting home so late, we had to leave it still attached to Lon's truck. Requiring him to drive my car to work today, leaving me with no transportation. I am pretty sure he is going to enjoy his commute today and may even consider taking my car more often in the future.

We didn't get it home none too soon either, as Boots has discovered them and is thinking they would make great playmates. Kind of like fuzzy little pin balls that make a noise when you tap them.

Having no wheels today is okay, I have plenty to do right here and have no plans on going anywhere. Though there is that library book that needs to be returned. My stack of books has dwindled down to only 2-3. As I haven't had time to read much lately. Christmas preparations, farm chores and general maintenance is more than my days can handle . Not to mention getting ready for goat kidding coming up soon. And here I thought we would have time to rest some this winter. Like a certain little orange ball of fur curled up in my lap and arms. Sleeping peacefully unaware of the hindrance to my writing he creates. Mom is going to love sitting with Boots on her lap and to love on when they come down for Christmas in a couple of weeks.

Whew! Less than 2 weeks till Christmas. I can't believe it is so close!

Deborah

Thanksgiving & My Blessings are Bountiful

It has surprised me that the days have past so quickly and the holidays will be ushered in come tomorrow. Lon has to work, so I will be spending our first Thanksgiving at the farm alone. We plan to gather around a turkey on Saturday. Prompting a need to go buy one, as I am not ready to give Thomas up yet. He has too much to offer next Spring with our new ladies to be sitting on a platter this week, all sun tanned from time in an oven.

Thomas with his Burbon Red Ladies ~

The rain has ended but the chill from Sunday still lingers today under solid gray skies. Nearly all the leaves have scattered across the lawn, except for the few stubborn ones on the old oak out front. Everything green has turned a shade of brown. Sitting out on the porch was a good idea at first, but my coffee was cooling too fast and even Boots was hunting refuge from the chill under my sweatshirt jacket. I wished I would have had my camera handy, as I often do when photo opportunities present themselves. He looked so cute!

Some of the hens have taken upon themselves to start laying in the hay of the goat shed. We found some hiding in it this past Sunday. Guess they like the freshly fluffed hay each morning just as much as the goats do. Production has been steadily climbing, but I fear the decreasing daylight will hinder it before long. Last year at this time we were living at our other house and was able to run a power cord out to the coop to add light and encourage their laying. But without power out to the barn yet, that is not even an option. But just look as the size of the eggs they are laying and heavy too. Is there a category for extra-large jumbos?

We are already going without our delicious goat's milk. As Amber was starting to dry up even before our last milking this past Friday. We don't want to be without eggs too! It was nice that first morning of "No Milking", as I didn't have to rush out at a certain time in the cold to do the morning chores. I could wait till the temperatures warmed up a bit and I had the chance to get awake with some coffee. Purchasing the store milk last grocery day was a bummer! It tastes funny now after having fresh for so long. Lacking the creamy goodness we are used to. It will be a long wait till Spring arrives along with our chance for fresh goat's milk again from not only one but all three of our girls! Should have plenty for some of the other goat milk projects I have in mind to try.

Leah came out this past Friday to spend the weekend at the farm. My how she has grown! We looked at her photo album of pictures taken this past Spring. They showed a young toddler, not the maturing girl I saw before me. Baking cookies is an all time favorite of hers and she even helped me put some cake ingredients together with the "big mixer".

We had a wonderful time together and was blessed with a special surprise on Saturday. A good friend's dad owns cows and one had given birth during the night on Friday. He invited us to bring her over to see the less than 24 hr old calf. She had visited there before back in the Spring to see his cows. But this time was different we were able to go inside the fencing and actually pet the newborn calf.

She was thrilled to be so close to the baby calf, to play with their dog "Sammy" and receive a small snow globe (which she adores) and treat bag from my friend's mom. She went to church with us the next morning and made her beautiful presence known by waving at her Papa in the choir loft. Then continued by waving at the pastor each time he raised his hand in praise to the Lord. Singing with gusto and swaying to the music caught a few smiles from those seated around us. My own - beamed! Such innocence and exuberance. I am thankful we could take her with us. These are the years when foundations are being set in her biblical teachings. What a privilege to be a part of them.

Thankful for my life,

Deborah

Looking Back on a Few Days

Last Friday's temperature is the coldest we've had thus far, since moving out to the farm ~ 31* is what my thermometer read when I got up that morning. Even with the heat on, the house had a chill to the air (should have been my first clue). Requiring a very warm housecoat, which I do not presently own. So I had to wear 2 layers instead as I sipped my morning coffee before heading out the door. Doing the AM chores was a test for trying to stay warm. I wonder if this is any indication of the calibre of lows we can expect this winter?

My morning became more difficult just as soon as I finished taking care of everyone. Returning to the house for warmth, I was met with a chilly reception. The heat in the house had gone OUT! Dropping the inside temperature to 61*, lower than what I had woke up to. Adjusting the gauge to a higher setting served only to blow out that much more COLD AIR. I needed a shower before going out to take care of some errands, but it had to be put it off till way after lunch. While I waited for the sun to warm up the outside of the house. The inside was still too cool for my comfort. Seems things always fall apart when Lon is working, and this day was no different. Spent my afternoon waiting for a repairman to come, hopefully to fix the dinosaurof a heating unit. Murphy's law hit us squarely on the nail, with no repair to be made, leaving me with no heat and headed into another sub-freezing nite. Brrrrrrrrr!

The need for hay sent Lon off for a large purchase this week from a man we have been buying it from. All of the goats and Sassie love his hay, it is great quality at a very good price of $4.oo. He returned with a load of 32 bales mounded over his truck, showing us exactly how much it could carry. I am wondering at this point, just how long will it last. A month, maybe two, all winter, I doubt that. Though it would be nice to have a barn stocked till Spring arrives. I had picked up feed on my way home from errands and shopping this week, which were still in the trunk of my car. After a late breakfast the unloading began. Turning the goats out to browse in the woods enabled us to leave the barn gate open for ease of passage. One by one the bales marched into the hay room, filling one wall almost to the ceiling. I busied myself with cleaning up, filling feeders and placing dropped hay into nesting boxes. Being as tired as we were and not wanting to hinder the progress I fixed a picnic lunch and took it down to the barn for our enjoyment. Sitting atop fresh bales of hay with our meal spread between us, we rested and was refreshed in the quietness of the barn.

Love seeing and smelling a room full of hay,

Deborah

Fire, Fur and Feathers

Yesterday was "Bon-fire" day down at the barn. Clean out is under way of the place! Previous owners left, "you won't believe me if I told you" junk. We have 7 weeks till the beginning of Anna's expected due dates. Not knowing when she was bred exactly, leaves us guessing a bit. Conversion of one of the two rooms is needed for a place to kid, holding pens and a future milking parlor or should I say milking corner. Feed and hay storage and assorted supplies will occupy the other side. We would love to have a bigger real barn but will have to work with what we have for now. Besides, what really constitutes a barn anyhow? Webster dictionary defines it as ~ a building for sheltering - harvested crops (hay), livestock (goats), machines, etc. Guess the old relic qualifies. It was a long day with 2 very tired bodies at the end of it. But the difference is amazing! Anything that could be burned was quickly made into a pile of ashes. The large brush pile we had made during the summer was used to feed the flames all day long, clearing out that area too.

We set up some nesting boxes in the old silo, since we have 4 hens who like to lay their eggs in there. The goats seem confused about loosing their tepee living quarters. But the goat shed is almost complete and is their new home. Now if we can only convince them of that.

I had a friend ask me yesterday if we had settled in the house yet. I had to confess that after being here for 4 months it is still a work in progress, like so much around here. The shear number of projects to be done, slows progress in any one area. As we are constantly having to refocus our attention as individual needs arise. One day it's the chickens, the next the goats or Sassie. Occasionally it is our needs at the house that come up in the rotation. One thing for sure it is never boring around here. There is simply no time for it!

A blessing I found in one of the rooms of "our barn" was a huge tub of fabric pieces. Some were mere scraps but others were yard cuts. Someone living here before us must have loved to sew or quilt. It is quite an assortment with some really old prints in the collection. It's a quilter's treasure chest of possibilities and I look forward to using them. Right now I am trying to wash them up to remove the musty-storage smell from them. Hoping that a little time out on the line flapping in the sunshine will help. Being such a large amount, it may take me all winter to process them.

The time change of last weekend has brought both a challenge and a help to our chore schedule. The mornings are easier, due to daylight arriving earlier around 6:30-7am. But the evening setting sun at 6pm leaves us to do chores in the dark. Flashlights are a must for now, next year I hope to get some power established down at the barn. We talked just last night about another added benefit of the earlier darkness. One being that we are eating our dinner earlier due to the movement of choring up in the evening hours. The other is we have more leisure hours before bedtime now. Though with the intensity of our work load of lately, our bedtime has moved up as well.

It is encouraging to see the Silver-lace Wyandotes and Isa Browns checking out the nesting boxes. Increases in egg production should be right around the corner once these girls get on board with laying. Will be just in time to off set the fall moult of the older hens.

Today is a solo day for me. Other than a few basic home chores the day is open to whatever I desire to do. The challenge it brings before me is I have so many desires. Choosing will be difficult. Inside or outside play? The weather this week has been warm, sunny with chilly nights thrown in, typical fall weather. Little color is left, as the trees have dropped a good portion of their leaves.

Such short lived splendor to enjoy,

Deborah

Catching up October ~ For Those Interested

It has been nice having Lon home these past 2 days. I don't know if it is due to the amount of time I have spent alone since moving here. Or my recent fall, but I don't like being alone right now. I am enjoying having someone here with me. I believe it will be quite nice once he retires, hopefully in 2 years. That's our goal, as the county accepted the new retirement plan. Two years is all he will need, he already has the 30 years of service required (he had 33 yrs. as of last month). He just needs to reach 55 to qualify. Now there is something to look forward to about getting older.

It has been a rather slow pace these past 2 days. My activity is hampered by the fractures I received when I fell 3 weeks ago today. Lon has his own aches to deal with, so movement is difficult for both of us. But even in all the struggles he has managed to get the walls and roof on the goat shed completed. It is so large and roomy that I won't have to fear bumping my head anymore. It's a good thing, I can't afford to hurt anything else. Now the need is to get some wall covering on it, to make it rain and wind proof. It will give them a warm, dry place to hang out this winter. Putting down shavings will make a soft place for them to bed down in. As the chickens have scratched out the straw we used in the silo for them and Sassie ate the rest right out from under them.

Good news from the barn, we no longer hear or see evidence of rats in it since starting our war with them. Now we can begin the interior tear out and prepping for the goat birthing room/ kid nursery and a feed storage area. I plan to set up a place for milking indoors too. Anna has about 8 weeks before she is due to deliver. I am hoping her emotional status will change from cranky to some form of sweet after giving birth. Sugar is showing her pregnancy quite easily on her small frame. Sweet Amber is just looking solid for someone who has birthed twice before.

The leaves are changing everyday and many have fallen. Leaving bare limbs where only a month ago stood a canopy of shade. We sat for a few minutes this evening before dinner, sipping hot tea in the porch rockers. The air chilled by the setting sun, giving cause to enjoy the warmth of the tea cup and a blanket on my lap. Which an hour earlier the sun had everything toasty. It was nice rocking and resting in the dusk of darkness. Something we need to make more time available for on a regular basis.

Boots has made himself at home in our hearts and lives. We had forgotten the joy of watching a kitten at play. Or the sweetness of one sleeping in your arms.

Rocking cares away,

Deborah

NOT AGAIN!

This day started on a bad note when I fell through the barn flooring. We have had some flooding due to all the rain we have been blessed with as of lately. On top of an already weaken wood from years of sitting unused. Resulting in re-injuring my spine for the third time since my original fall two weeks ago. Makes one wonder what I am doing right to have the enemy so hot on my heels of lately. The second occurred when I slipped last night on mud in the pasture on my way to do the evening chores. Pulling loose all that hurts in my spine. Sending me quickly to bed with yet again pain medication on board. If that was not enough, to add insult to injury, this morning's fall was too much! Heaping more injury on a delicate area is not something you sign up for. I also managed to twist my bad knee as my foot shot through the floor and pulled my back in the process. At this point some of you would probably label me "an accident waiting to happen." I have never had so many injuries so close together before.

I had more than a few tears coursing down my face. Wails of pain, fear and frustration flowed easily to the point of no stopping the outgoing tide. An hour later after hobbling as best I could back to the house. I was still in a state of free-flowing tears. Needless to say this will cause me to be in the doctor's office as soon as I can get an appointment.

We have been having our backdoor compost bucket and garbage can dumped out for several nights now. We have been suspicious that it was either a raccoon, possum or stray dogs that were tasting our leftovers. Well the mystery has been solved. Caught the bandits red-handed and managed to blind them in the process. There was two of them and they appear to be living in the trash pile from the remodeling of the house. (Waiting on clear weather to dispose of it all at the dump.)

To most people these marsupials bring groans of disgust. But do you know they are the only species of animals America has, that carries their babies with them, like a kangaroo? Yep! Plus they serve the purpose of cleaning up that which most animals wouldn't even sniff much less sample. So next time you see one on the side of the road, how about letting it cross safely so as to keep doing it's job of cleaning up the refuse that so many feel necessary to dump on the sides of our highways.

Not moving,

Deborah

A Visit and a Stay

So much time has past with both little and a lot of activity happening. Doesn't seem possible but it can happen. My injury from 2 weeks ago still hinders my level of movement, hence a little of activity. Decreasing what I feel like doing and what I can actually get done each day. But in the midst of this several things are happening.

Changing temperatures for one, along with a colorful hue of leaves overhead. We have seen a flock of geese fly over our place nearly everyday - heading north. One was very large with over 50 that I counted in the V-formation. I love the sound they make in flight. One of encouragement to the "point man." I look forward each Spring to hear of their return in the fresh blue skies. Their departure signals the coming of winter and their return signals the end of it. The promise of Spring ushered in on their wings. How awesome is that! God gives us an audible bell for the changing of the seasons from warmth, to cold, to warmth. We do not have a water source for them here yet. But hopefully within the next year or so, we can create a small pond and enjoy their company once more. Did you know that mate for life, and will not leave behind their mate if it should get injured or sick? I believe as humans we need to take a lesson from them in their level of commitment, don't you?

I have managed to get a few pots of mums set out in the year and on the porch. Bought them and some more "fall color" decorations for the house when shopping a week or so back. Large and small pumpkins along with an assorted group of gourds I plan to place in a basket to grace our living room table. The larger pumpkin sits by the front door to support the farm's scarecrow. The other sits upon our dinning room table with other little touches of the colorful hues of Autumn. It's a pie pumpkin and will be used as such once the turkey decor comes out for Thanksgiving.

The same trip to town took me by a new place to feed my crafting hunger that is always present. I thoroughly enjoy my visit to Hobby Lobby (for those who don't have one in their area, it is a mega craft/decorating store as the name implies). WOW! I had not been in one for years. Craft choices galore had me walking each aisle. I could definitely spend a lot of time and money on all the temptations this store carries. No visit is complete without stopping by the yarn/fabric section. They have free leaflets you can get for ideas of new projects, like I need any help with that! But collect them I do without fail. One in particular was a easy poncho for children and I immediately thought of Leah. So I chose a soft pink with a skein of multi-colored for some detailing. Their store brand is the softest yarn and I can see many projects being made from it. I was also thrilled to see that they also carry a brand that "Wally world" has dropped. They already had a sale on their Christmas ornaments, which gave cause to pick up a few specialty ones for gifts this year. You just can't beat 50% off this early in the season. Just walking through the Christmas aisles put me in a decorating mood and it is not even Thanksgiving yet. Every year I think the stores rush to see how early they can get Christmas put out on the shelves. By the time you get ready to purchase some of the items they are already gone.

Finding time to sit and sew, crochet and such is so hard for me. When so much calls for my attention. I realized this morning that I have too many interest for the time I have available. Then I wondered can you have too many interest? Possibly, but I know one thing for sure. I am never at a lost for something to occupy my mind or hands. The challenge comes in balancing it all with the necessary. Which always seem to loom larger than the time available too.

We have made much progress on our interior barn remodel. Despite the interference of health issues, availability of time, and good weather. We are down to 2 months left before Anna will need use of it's birthing area. It is like a "catch 22" if I ever saw one. Money is needed for the supplies, which calls for Lon to work extra shifts. Working extra shifts means no time to do the repairs, though we have the supplies. See what I mean?

Leah came to visit this past Sunday and stayed 3 nights with us. Enjoyed her visit like always but still felt a lost when she left yesterday. She is growing up so fast and I miss her daily presence like we once had. She enjoyed doing her usual activities, besides helping to plant in the garden. Watering the flowers on the porch is a must for her. Insisting that they are "very thirsty" every day, several times a day. I think all children love playing in or with water. I hope they survive her loving care.

I was able to catch several good pictures of her with our new kitten ~ Boots.

Can you tell she loves him?

I have much to do today. A lot of "have-to's" and a long list of "want-to's". But I can't seem to get going yet. I've made my list out and time is quickly slipping by. Getting started is my problem. It being the middle of the morning and my not having eaten my breakfast could be part of my dilemma. Instead here I sit, with my cup of coffee cooling beside me, with Boots nestled in my lap, sitting out on the porch, staring at my list and feeling somewhat gloomy. Should I just give into the grey clouds gathering in the morning sky? Or fight the urge to call it a day and simply start at the beginning of my need-to-do's and get done as time will allow.

Putting one foot in front of the other,

Deborah

Fall Happenings

The weather has been typically Fall-ish in every way. I just love the warm days and cool sweater evenings. We have seen two groups of geese fly over yesterday signaling that colder weather is just around the corner. Today we saw 3 different groups flying in their trademark V formations.

We are still not ready for a fall garden, but Lon did manage to plant 2 kinds of cabbage and some collards we think, as the tag on the tray of seedlings were mixed up. I guess we will have to wait till spring to plant a garden in earnest. The best we can do this winter is to improve the soil with some natural amendments found around the barnyard. Then dream over the seed catalogs during the cold days when you don't dare stick your nose outside for long.

Curiosity got the best of us recently and we sat down to figure up the due dates for the girls. Not really knowing when Anna was bred posed a problem with her projected dates, but we just figured it from the week prior to her arrival here. The previous owner had said she and the buck had been seen together, so it is a safe bet that she came to us already bred. All three of the does have gone past their repeated heat cycle dates, so we feel sure they are all pregnant with our future herd mates. It was surprising to see how the due dates fell ~

Anna - due Dec. 24 - Jan. 2nd. (Holiday babies?)

Sugar - due Feb. 5th -Feb. 9th (her birthday is Feb. 9th)
This is one of her baby pictures from back in March. She has grown into a beautiful doe. Guess I need to take some new photos of her, huh?

Amber - due Feb. 12th - Feb. 16th ( Valentine babies?)

This will be our first kidding and we are excited about having baby kids running around the place. But a little nervous about any possible delivery problems we may encounter. I've helped deliver human babies before, but I have a sneaky suspicion that this will be way different. Reading up on the details will be one thing I can do as I wait for my injury to heal.

We now have the wood needed to put the roof on the new goat shelter we are building for their new living quarters. Hopefully it won't take too long to complete and they will have a dry place to wait out the winter weather sure to come. Plans are to also partition off a place in our "barn in progress"for a kidding area and holding pen. A big need that will be used sooner than I think we will be ready for. Here's hoping for some dry weather and well bodies to get the work done.

Lon put up a deer stand near his food plot behind the house, in hopes of getting us some venison for our freezer. We have seen signs of their presence on the property. The grasses and peas are coming up good in it and someone has been sampling the corn we left out in the woods. It is a wait and see game, that is played out each year about this time.

With all the time I've had to sit gingerly around the house, I was able to finish the quilted pumpkin I had been working on. I have several other fall craft projects I would like to get completed too if I am able. Some are leftovers from previous years and would be nice to finally see them finished. One is a small quilt that I started last fall during hunting season, from fabric bought many years before that. I have a wooden pumpkin that needs to be painted and some fabric acorns that would look great in a bowl with pine cones and other natural items if I could get "around to it."

Then there is this poncho I started knitting for myself that has been set aside for more pressing things. I am never at a lost for some sort of hand work to pass the time with. That is if I can ever find the time to pass. In an effort to get a jump on some Christmas craft items, I started back hand stitching some quilted pieces suitable to be used as coasters or ornaments for our tree. I think they would also make cute hostess gifts if we should get invited to some one's home this year. They are a pick-me-up kind of craft, one that can be easily set back in the basket by my reading chair if the need arises

As you can tell from my notes I am still not sitting or moving well. Lon is of the opinion that my tailbone is not broken or I would be in more pain than I am. I on the other hand is not so sure! I have had broken bones in the past and know what one feels like. Resting as best I can has been the order for the day and will continue for several more. Sleeping is beyond a comfort level that I can find right now. Lying on my back is impossible and trying to sleep on my side causes pain also. I am unable to sleep on my tummy, due to a previous injury to my cervical spine as a teenager. So that only leaves sleeping standing up or on my head. Don't think I want to risk another injury with that one!

Looking for some sleep,

Deborah

Falling in the Dark

(Sorry, this post is being added at a later date. I am attempting to get back on track, which will take me some time. So I hope you will bear with me in the process.)

Yesterday was spent mostly doing odd jobs and running to get feed for our critters. On the way home from the feed store we stopped off at a friend"s house to pick up the saddle he is letting me borrow until I can find one of my own. I was trilled as I would finally have the chance to ride Sassie. Seems like I have been waiting since for ever! I could just imagine the rides we could take together around this place and down the road. That was until disaster struck right after supper last night. . . .

Going out to dump somethings in the burn barrel after dinner. I heard what I thought to be field mice in some bird seed. Climbing up to get a better view of the activity I discovered the "cute" little field mice were in actually LARGE rats! Who proceeded to use me as a ladder for escape when I startled them. Who, in turn terrified me! I screamed and jumped back as 4 left their perch. Lon came out laughing at me, that was until 2 more jumped towards him. (Sounds funny now, but it wasn't then, at least not for me). Causing him to start swinging his arms to strike at them. Which caused me to step back quickly to get out of the way, falling backwards in such a way that I could not break my decent to the concrete floor. It literally felt like I had been picked up and thrown to the ground. Sickening pain shot up my spine and down my legs. Unable to move I laid in the dirt, fighting the nausea that swept over me. Lon was finally able to help me to my feet after I could start breathing again, but the pain was severe. I knew I was hurt bad, as walking was very difficult and I was unable to straighten up to a standing position. After getting me cleaned up and taking some pain medication I limped off to bed with his assistance. Tears flowing easily from the pain, plus the realization that I had just injured myself in a bad way. So badly that I may not be able to use the saddle which I had finally gotten only hours earlier, any time soon!

Today as Lon left for work after I assured him that he could despite last night's nightmare. I fell into a puddle of tears. Why is it we are called on as children to get up and be brave, when we have fallen down. It is such lessons that we learn and carry into our adult years, that can cause us even more discomfort most of the time. It was plain and simple why the tears fell. I wanted him home! Taking care of the farm will be near impossible today for me, but it all has to be done. The trade off for his being here, would be the lost of overtime, which we need. So what is a girl to do? I sent him to work despite how my heart felt. I followed my head which over ruled my back side. Resting in between chores was about all I could accomplish. The pain is the greatest when I try to sit, but standing, lying and anything in between brings discomfort. I fear this is going to be a long journey towards healing.

Looking for a soft place for my body and heart,

Deborah

Raining Again!

Today was a challenging day for me. It started off with a bad rain storm passing through in the early morning hours. Accompanied with heavy showers and lots of lightening. I felt bad that we do not have a dry place yet established for Sassie to get into at times like this. The weather was not a good combination for doing the morning chores. The pasture and barnyard are one muddy mess. I don't think the place can handle much more rain at this rate. For the past month it has been a weekly if not almost daily occurrence. I know the past few years we have been in a drought around here. But I believe we have more than made up for the water deficient. Everything is saturated to the point of TOTAL run off. The chicken coop even flooded again this morning, washing the shavings out from under the roosts and laying boxes. Yuk! The flow was so great it washed clean their "play yard" of any thing loose lying on it. The water flowed under the door of the future "barn" and soaked the carpeting the previous owners had in there. I don't think it had even dried out from the last flooding we had. The hole I found in front of the interior side of the door is getting larger, Discover it after I removed the broken tile there. I fear the whole floor will rot right out from under us. It is for sure the sub-flooring will have to be replaced before we can renovate it into a useful room in this make-shift barn. I

I tried making a trip to the next town over from us that has a public library that I have started frequenting. Tried, is the operative word. I needed to return some books that I had checked out and pick up a few that I had placed on hold. But found them closed when I arrived this afternoon. Checking out the sign posted by the door said that they close at lunch time on Wednesdays. I have never know a library to be closed a half day on Wednesdays AND Saturdays. I would have thought Saturdays would be a busy day for libraries. At least it was at the one where I used to live. Guess this is just another aspect of small town life. One that I will have to learn along with all the rest.

Adjusting to life,

Deborah

One Year Anniversary!

It is hard to imagine that I have been writing and posting on this blog for a year. Today is the one year anniversary of Heartland Farm. YEA! Even though I have missed a few days here and there with writing. I have shared a large portion of our lives with you. Not every day is a red-letter day, appropriate for sharing. Life is like that sometimes. But I must confess that there have been other times when I wished for a chance to post and was unable to. My ideal when starting this was to write on a semi-daily basis. As you can tell, it has not happened. Most days I am scrambling to just catch up my posts from notes quickly jotted down. One of the factors that I had not considered was how much of my time is spoken for in just taking care of the real Heartland Farm. Livestock needs, home needs, family needs and my needs all call for a large portion of my time.

In a time of celebration, one does not look back with regrets, but forward with anticipation. So I am celebrating all that has transpired this past year and looking towards the future. I am sure many more happenings are waiting for us on this journey of homesteading. Lots of up and downs to share with you. Ideas for writing are never very far from my mind. Thinking on all of it makes me want to write even more in the next year. Who knows I may even be able to stay up to date on my posts. Possibly, even writing daily, wouldn't that be a hoot!

Thanks for sharing the journey with us and putting up with my ramblings.

Deborah

7 hour Journey ~ South, then North Again

We left early this morning heading towards the hunting camp of many a good time. Since moving to the acerage that we now own. There is too much distance to make regular trips back to it. Plus we have hunting woods right out side the back door now. Having already seen several deer on the property on numerous occasions too. We had left our camper set up at the deer camp and was going back to clean out our personal things and get it ready to put up for sale. It was a hard decision to make, as we have had lots of memory trips in it over the years. We still love to camp and it is in good enough shape for a few more trips too. But the money it would produce from it's sale would go a long way towards meeting a few needs around here. It would be easier too to sell it to a hunter locally instead of hauling it all the way back here, just to sit in the yard.

Seeing it set up when we arrived almost changed my mind. So many fond memories of times spent there with family and friends. But we had little time to get the job done before turning around for another 3 1/2 hour drive back home. Milking had tobe done and feeding was needed before we could call it a day. We quickly packed up all of our things and posted a for sale sign on it before heading home. It is amazing how much you can put in such a small space. Lon's truck bed was loaded with items and boxes, besides all the breakables stowed behind the front seat. The big challenge to be conquered next was to decide where all of it was going to be stored, once home.

Hopefully it will sell this season and we can mark it off our list of things to do. Money in hand, we could see another pasture fenced in before the new year. And possibly a storage building for all the boxes we hauled home.

Waiting for a phone call,

Deborah

Friends or Foe?

I have been wandering around our property looking at all of the flowering that is taking place. And I began to wonder how many people see the flowering plants as a friend rather than a foe? Each plant has a purpose, we may not always see that it does in a positive light. But there is a positive purpose for each one, just like us. We need only to look for it. So here is a few pictures that I took of some friends that I saw. They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Guess you can decide for yourselves whether they are your friend or foe.

FRIEND OR FOE?
Although not an actual flowering specimen, these Bees do help to pollinate the flowers we do enjoy. I am not totally sure of the right name for them. As there is one type of the species that are called "Wood bees", who have a foe reputation of eating holes in the wooden pieces on our homes. This little bee had been seen visiting the blooms on the pots of flowers sitting on the porch. Doing his job of ensuring next years seed production as he dusted each one with pollen. So until further notice I am going to call them my friend. After all I don't believe they will sting you, unlike their cousins the yellow jackets, who have a mean temper.

FRIEND OR FOE?

These are what I have been told are Fox Grapes. I have been waiting for them to produce all summer. They grow wild around here and according to the Internet, are useful in making jelly and wine. Mine are rather small and I am unsure if it is due to their nature or some other environmental factor. One taste though has left me wondering about whether they could be a foe . . . . having a tart, sour flavor. But all in all they are quite hardy and provide a food source for the birds if not for mankind. So on that note I will call them friend, for I have been gifted with an array of birds feasting on it's goodness. . . . Mocking birds, Brown thrashers, Blue birds, Jays, Cardinals just to name a few. Flurry of color and activity right out side my kitchen window, for free.

FRIEND OR FOE?

Pictures of wild Morning Glories. Usually seen in shades of purple and blue. They pop up in any plowed area, seeding themselves from some unknown source. These were twined around my tomato cages and vining across the garden area. Dotting the landscape with splashes of bright purple here and there. Bees love them for the nectar and I have had a host of bright yellow butterflies hovering over them, since they opened up their flower cups for sipping. Left to their own decisions they could possible take over a garden. But kept in check they offer color to an otherwise brown & green pallet right now. We pay money for the cultivated ones at the store for our yards, why not enjoy the ones who grow themselves? I call them friends ~ for I never miss having a smile when I spot them.

FRIEND OR FOE?

Pictures of Goldenrod, often mistaken for that pesky weed that causes hay fever this time of year ~ named ragweed. A beauty of yellow in a landscape of fall colors, often visited by late season butterflies and honey bees gathering nectar. By the way it does not cause allergic reactions. I call them my friend ~

Have you seen any of my friends in your yard this year? What did you decide? Friend or Foe? Maybe seeing them as I do has changed your perspective of them. Be on the watch for friends while outside and marvel at the positive purpose they have. You just might enjoy nature a little more with a thankful heart for a job well done.

Looking for friends,

Deborah