Looking for The Beauty

Winter can be a harsh season for many people across our world. A challenging one for the rest of us. The 90 days of Winter can seem to drag on and on, in the grey skies, cold winds, wetness and home bound activities. There is even a disorder that can & does affect many due to the diminishing hours of sunlight during this time of year. Causing a downward droop in one's "happy quota," often leading to a form of depression. For those who already suffer from depression, the added weight of "winter doldrums" can just about push them over the edge. Even though the days of Winter are actually getting l-o-n-g-e-r. They are often viewed as short because of the dullness perceived in the wakeful hours of them. Tomorrow, we mark the shortest day of the year. From that day forward each day gains more daylight time until we reach the peak on Jun 21st, the longest day of the year.

So, I thought I would propose a game of sorts for those looking for a way to count down the days of winter. Or as I see it, a way to celebrate them. As a challenge to myself and those who wish to join me. I suggest we ACTIVELY look for the beauty in each Winter day. To be "on watch" for something that touches our heart and gives our day a little sparkle. I could name a dozen or more things as suggestions, but I want us to see for ourselves the beauty around us. Be watchful everywhere you are whether at home or someplace else. The beauty is there we need only to train our eyes to see it.

I'm planning to post a weekly "Winter Wonder" picture post for you. Giving me the chance to share the beauty I've seen throughout the week and where you can share your discoveries in the comment section. I have no doubt that by sharing what we've seen. We will inspire, encourage and challenge others to be looking as well. What I see as beauty maybe something you've never thought of and vice versa. Beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder. Each one of us sees differently what is around us. To broaden our horizon is a gift that carries on not only in our lives, but the lives of those most dear to us.

I believe that the days of Winter will pass quickly and the prize to be won is the enrichment of our lives. Who knows we may even come away from this game with a deeper appreciation for this often frowned upon season.

Eyes open ~ heart ready,

Deborah

Workhorse for the Farm

Horses wasn't something that Lon had pictured in his mind when we began talking of our adventure in starting a hobby farm/homestead. At least not the 4 legged kind, that was always my dream. He has jokingly said that his horses were under the hood and had 4 tires. But over the past year I know he has come to love Sassie and her new foal, born this past summer. Otherwise he wouldn't spend time trying to befriend them, despite his protests about their eating habits. But like all men his head turns with the roar of horses of the mechanical kind.

His first workhorse that brought a light to his eyes. Came the day he drove home his present workhorse - his diesel truck, purchased back in 1996. It has faithfully carried out it's duties these past 14 years, transporting him back and forth to work, hauling light loads and pulling our camper on the many trips we enjoyed. The true test of it's metal came when we began using it as a farm truck in it's "old age". We've not been disappointed in it's performance even now. Being put into service to haul large hay bales or loads of smaller ones. Frequent trips to the feed store, carrying livestock and the ever-ending trip back to his home away from home ~ the firehouse. It's seen better days in the looks department, but I understand it's not the exterior that is important but what is under it's hood.

Today his eyes lit up once more when we brought home another workhorse to our farm. It is something he has dreamed about but never thought he would own. Moving to the country and trying to keep ourselves self-sufficient it had become very evident that our need for this workhorse would one day have to be dealt with. We have been using firewood to help heat our home since moving to the farm. There is an abundance of trees on this place, ready to be harvested. As we have areas we want to clear that will offer us lots of logs for our hearth. We were even blessed with a few free loads this year as well. But the job of splitting the large logs for use was a back-busting one. We are not as young as we once was, who is? So the need to find an alternative was being pushed to the forefront of our priorities. The question became how though. Every year Lon earns a holiday check for working the holidays throughout the year, that most people who work get to take off. It's both a curse and a blessing for us. One day we look forward to being able to celebrate the holidays like other families do, something we've never been able to do in the 35 years he has been a firefighter. So this year we decided to use the money to invest in the farm and his back.

Our newest workhorse rode quietly behind the truck all the way home from the store. It didn't speak a sound that is until it was called into service. We both became giddy as it roared into action and we saw how easily it took care of a chore for us. Just like a kid with a new toy, Lon was smiling from ear to ear. It blessed my heart to see him with his dream. Unfortunately it became dark too quickly for us to play with it much. But you can see from the pictures it handled even the largest logs we fed it.

The fun begins . . .

The workhorse didn't even bat an eye at the size of logs we gave it. These pictured were from a sweetgum we had taken down in the backyard. Sweetgums are known for their rubbery pulp and had bounced the wood maul right off of it's surface. It met it's match today!

The log laying in the front is but just half of the 22-24" cut that was split so easily. A piece that would have taken a lot of back muscle and time to split. Fell apart in less than a couple of minutes. Talking about saving time, what would haven taken a half to a full day of work. Can now be reduced to a couple of hours!

Merry Christmas to us ~

Deborah

A New Page Turning Activity

As if I don't already have enough activity around this farm, I took on a new one about 4 months ago. This past Tuesday night, I attended my 3rd book club meeting, having missed one due to family needs. After discovering the library just down the street from where we go to church and around the corner so to speak from the house. I have been seen there quite frequently and have made 2 new friends of the librarians. Judy introduced me to the book club and invited me to join them. I quickly made friends with Donna, the other librarian at the first meeting. (As she and I were going to the same ladies conference and ended up being room mates while there). I have truly enjoyed being among other readers and stretching my literary style of reading.

Reading has been apart of my life since my early teens. My Mom was and still is a devout reader. She introduced me to the love of it and got me started reading mystery books from the mail-order book club she belonged to. Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys were some of my favorites back then. Over the years I had school assignments and a few fictional books tucked in ever so often. But it wasn't until after I was married that my love of reading set down real roots. I, like my mother have a bookcase full of favorites now. My reading has for the most part centered around the simple things in life. Love, family, old things, country living and the like. Some of my favorite authors have been the ones that draw mainly a female audience. Janette Oak, Beverly Lewis, Lori Wick, and Jan Karon to name a few. I've bought books, borrowed books from friends, the church library and found a few favorites at the public ones too. Pretty much at any time you can find a book sitting by my chair, if not two or three. Since taking up our dream of owning a homesteading farm. I've been consuming how-to and livestock books as well. But it has been the fictional books that have taken me to new places and adventures. That keeps me up late or calls me from my bed in the early morning hours. Reading is in my blood and can't be ignored for long as it needs to be fed frequently. Joining a book club is something I've considered over the years, but never acted on till now. I guess I always saw it as a gathering for intellectuals, teachers and would be writers, not me. But the intrigue was there and living out like we do I needed the social contact. Surely I could go to just one meeting and check things out, right?

The first meeting I attended was a special outing for the group, as they were going to have a sack dinner at a famous location. Who doesn't like field trips? It was the site where one of the book's main character attended church and was buried. Murder in Coweta County happened just down the highway from here and this character lived not too far from my library. The book is based on a true story and several of the book club member's parents and grandparents knew the people spoken about in the book and knew of the murder. I got an insider's view of the history of the area surrounding our home. Our book club picture even showed up in a local newspaper.

The December book selected to read was The Christmas Box by Richard Paul Evans. It is a charming little book, easily read in one sitting and inspiring to the reader to focus on what it truly important in our lives. . . time with our families; especially children. The group exchanged small $5 gifts and shared homemade snacks. I came real close to getting another snowman for my collection, but lost it in the "Dirty Santa" game we played. The gift I took to exchange was a homemade batch of Gingerbread Cappuccino with a holiday mug and a quilted coaster I had made. I did come home with a cute little bird ornament that fits in well with my Jesus Christmas Tree. Reminding me of my Father ~ God of Creation and my love for birdwatching.

Our assigned book for January's read is All Over But the Shoutin by Rick Bragg. I didn't take a copy as I already have a book in progress, with another one sitting by my reading chair waiting to be read. Though I will need to get a copy started soon. Guess I know what I will be doing with my free time for the next 4 weeks. That is if I can find any (free time that is), but I'm pretty sure with winter starting so early. I'll have plenty of days to sit by the fire and read.

Sipping a cup of of the homemade brew right now and it smells and tastes just like Gingerbread. Yum!


Won't you join me?

Deborah

A Tisket, A Tasket ~ I Made Another Basket

Back on the 21st of November I took my first basket weaving class at the Library near my home. Robbie, who taught the class goes to church with me and is very handy with her hands. The one we made was a simple square napkin basket. The basket weaving was easier than I thought it would be. She tries to limit her classes to 6 students so as to be able to give individual instruction and still finish on time. But that particular Saturday some how the class had grown to 9! The increased number slowed the class down and we finally finished about 1 1/2 hours past the 3 hour class deadline. Even so, it was so enjoyable that I signed up for the next one the same day.

This past Saturday, 12-11 I met with 5 other ladies to learn how to weave a Sleigh basket. The ones on display at the front of the class were very intricate looking. As a class we weren't to sure that ours would look that nice. But by lunchtime we were all through and our sleigh baskets were ready to be taken home. Again I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was. Easy that is if Robbie was giving us round by round directions to follow. It wasn't hard to do but this one did required a little more concentration for some of the weaving techniques and keeping count on spacing.

I took the class for several reasons. One, to meet some other crafters in the area and have fun learning a new craft. Two, to be able to create small baskets for my future goat milk soap. Thirdly, I have 3 old rockers that I have been saving that need new seats and everyone threatens to throw away. They are good oak rockers that look tattered because of the broken woven seats, that I want to re-cane. I figure basket weaving is one step in that direction and would put me a step ahead of the learning curve required to do so. And lastly, who knows I might even get good enough to make some as gifts for family and friends. Maybe even selling a few in my "I dreaming of a Farm Store" one day. I keep that one tucked in the back of my mind, adding info and ideas nearly weekly to it's file. But that is a subject for another day.

We had a special visitor this past weekend as well. Our 4yr. Granddaughter, Leah came for a long visit, staying with us from Friday - Monday. The weather was bitter cold with a harsh wind chill. I was ever so glad I had already made a list of inside activities for her to do. Having gathered the needed items and a new video on my last grocery/errand day. It was a busy weekend for all! Anyone who has ever played or entertained a 4yr. knows just how busy you can be. The pictures to follow highlight some of our special holiday activities . . .

Our first kitchen project was to bake my Granny Franklin's Nut Cake. It has been in the family for over 100 years. It is a light version of a fruit cake, but with more nuts and less fruit. Most fruitcakes are heavy, this one bakes up light. It is the only fruit cake I have ever baked my whole entire life. Leah had fun dumping the ingredients I had measured out into the mixer. When it came out of the oven, she wanted to cut it right then. Stating "I think we should have it before supper, Papa's gonna want some of this!"

Saturday we began several projects, the first being a crafty one. We made orange studded ornaments to hang on our trees to make them smell nice. I remember making these as a little girl and thought she would love the hands-on sensory project. She loved the process, but thought the cloves smelled bad that is until we stuck them in the oranges.

Tough skins posed a problem until she used a push pin to pierce it first before sticking in the cloves.

Leah took this picture herself and is learning to do a great job of framing the objects in the camera's window. -------------------------->

Looks like one satisfied crafter to me. I hope we made a memory that she might repeat with her own children and grandchildren one day. Ummmm, sure does smell good!


I had promised her the last time she came to visit that we would bake Gingerbread cookies on this visit. Soooooo. . . she didn't let me forget and was the first thing she asked about when she came in the door on Friday.

After helping to mix the dough up, we rolled it out and she put her playdough skills to work. The recipe actually made 12 full size cookies.

She loved the whole process and begged to do more. I had to remind her we still had to bake them and then decorate. Just the mention of sprinkles got her motivated for the next step.

They were super easy to make, fun to decorate and yummy to eat. I do believe we have the start to a Christmas tradition. One that we both will enjoy for years to come. She took most of them home to show and share with her parents, but not before we ate a few.

In between all the baking and crafting we watched several Christmas videos; Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, Santa Claus is coming to Town and The 12 Dogs of Christmas. Not just once but a couple of times each. She never comes out without bringing her movie cds and we watched several of them too. Friday night Papa popped corn for us to enjoy while watching movies. On Saturday night we had ice cream with sprinkles.

I had just sewn her a fabric nativity out of a panel of fabric I had bought years ago before she was even born. We play with it and her favorite toddler one made of little people. Mary and Joseph has had quite a few adventures over the past year. But since moving out to the farm she brings them out for some farm living, complete with tractors and other barnyard animals each time she comes. It's her favorite game to play, begging whoever is free to play farm with her.

She went with Papa to the feed store and to buy hay while I was at my basket weaving class on Saturday. I think Papa actually came away this time without buying another toy there. Her little blue eyes can melt his heart in an instant. I'm not quite sure what all they got into while I was gone, but I'm sure they loved having one on one time together.

All weekend she begged to put on the new dress and shoes I had gotten her to wear. Come Sunday she was ready before breakfast to get dressed. She has gone with us each time she visits and has gotten to know a few people there. Mrs. Jana's Sunday school class is now HER class and she loves it. The evening service was the Youth & Children's Christmas play and we sat up front so she could see all the action. There was a covered dish meal afterwards. The only problem I had getting her to eat was in getting her to sit still long enough to get finished. Before joining the other kids on stage playing.

I read it somewhere once that "You're always making memories. . . To make them worth remembering." I prayed we did just that the 3 of us ~ Papa, Nana and our precious granddaughter.

Loving the chance to make them,

Deborah