CRAVING Spring.

Yes, I know, winter officially just started a few weeks ago....but I am already craving Spring. Every day I walk past my garden....sometimes pausing to just look at the " mess" I have in there. Last summer ended quickly, fall crept up and slapped me in the head and said.. " your gardening days are over for the year" We didn't have a fantastic garden year....and actually we barely had a garden at all. The summer was a lot cooler and wetter than "normal" My poor tomato plants struggled all year to put fruit on...and then to ripen. No, we didn't have a great year. I was able to squeeze out enough to get us through the winter...and early spring. Heck, I might even have enough to get us through a good part of this upcoming summer on some things. Tomato products are one of the things I had to buy from the grocer. Luckily, I was able to! Every year I tell myself... " THIS year I am going to be a bit more vigilant with the garden" And of course, by late summer...I realize I am falling behind, then make a mad dash to get caught up. But..... THIS YEAR....I will be more vigilant! HAHA! The last few days I have been craving strawberries. ANYTHING strawberry...as I walk through the grocery store...I am drawn to strawberry "flavored" foods. Breakfast rolls....cereals...ice cream...call to me. My mind drifts off to the strawberry patch outside my window....the plants laying dormant under the snow....just waiting to wake up and start growing, blooming, and putting on big, red, juicy STRAWBERRIES! Then I cringe with the thoughts of the work I have to do out there before that will be possible. Towards the end of the season last year, like many of us, the weeds took hold and took over. *sigh* Oh, but I have grand plans for that strawberry patch this year. I have a HUGH pile of composting material from the barn...sitting out there cooking away...ready to put in the rows and around the plants after I lay down a good layer of cardboard. Then a bit of panic sets in as I remember that the mobile vegetable stand I planned to build last year...didn't get built. I MUST get that finished this year since I am pretty sure we will be over run with strawberries this year. We started out with a tiny patch about 4 ft x 4 ft....and it was producing between 4 to 6 quarts a day. Now we have 5 rows about 30 ft long.....plus the 4 x 4 area. Yes, I plan to have enough to barter or sell. The big difference this year is I have a job now...and time will be precious. I need to get busy building that mobile vegetable stand before my time is consumed by working in the gardens. It will not be a large stand....I am thinking something about 4 x 6 or maybe 4 x 8. I have a small metal frame garden cart that has been sitting in the weeds for the last couple of years. I will build the stand over this cart so I can pull it with the lawn tractor to the front of the property and be able to move it for mowing and to be able to " put it away" for winter. Wish me luck! I have already been " plotting " out the garden layout. Dreaming of the warm sun...the smell of fresh turned dirt...then I am jolted from that daydream by the crackling of the wood stove, I sigh and go put another log on the fire. For now I will continue to plan...dream...because before I know it, it will be planting time and I will be rushing around trying to get things done. It happens every year...and ever year I tell myself... " NOT this time, I will be ready"! HA! How about you? Does your spring go as planned or are you caught in a mad dash to get things planted like me?

My alarm clock...my enemy....

So after a few weeks off of work...it is back to getting up at 04:30, waking to the alarm clock. YUK! It will take me a few days of getting used to waking up to it....and with this cold snap of single digits and negative wind chills....that makes it even harder to want to get out from under the covers. Since we heat with our wood stove entirely...the house is cool in the mornings when I wake up. This morning it was 63 degrees when I got up. Luckily there were plenty of hot coals in the stove, so it didn't take long to get a blazing fire going. Sitting here with the fire crackling....feeling the warmth...the glow of my laptop and a hot mug of fresh coffee....it is hard to get motivated to go get my truck started so it is warm when I get ready to leave. Then my mind wanders to my animals...thinking how cold they must be out there. I feel so bad for them, but I know they have plenty warm bedding...and they are most likely warm enough...but I can't help feel so bad for all of them. I will get home from my morning shift around 8 am. Once I am home I will change into my barn clothes...and start hauling warm water out to them. The pigs, sheep and goats will all get a little molasses and Karo in their morning drink. This will help warm them and bring up their energy levels since I am sure they will use a lot of energy shivering. The birds will all get their scratch grains with plenty cracked corn. The corn is a harder grain so as it sits in their crops, it is a bit harder to digest. As the crop works to digest it, this warms up the birds. The rabbits will all get a large amount of hay with their pellets and Timothy....and I will cut a large hand full of Honeysuckle for them. Honeysuckle is the only thing growing here that still has a bit of green leaves on it...and the rabbits LOVE it! By the time I finish....I will have to come inside, get cleaned up and head back to work for the lunch shift. I might have enough time to sit by the fire with a cup of coffee for about 30 minutes. After the lunch shift, I will get home about 1:15 or so, I will need to get on my barn clothes and haul more warm water to the animals..do a "welfare check" and then I will have time to get a few things done inside...run the sweeper, wash a small load of dishes...maybe do a load of laundry, then head out and feed the critters and get them locked up for the night before heading back to work for the dinner shift. Since I don't get home until after dark, I like to have them all secured in their shelters, fed, fat and happy before I leave. This way, when I do get home, I can come inside, get my shower and snuggle down in my warm pajamas....and relax. It seems like a busy day, and I guess it is, but I love this little homestead life. It keeps me busy...keeps me motivated...and our " advanced years " I feel it is better to keep going. A few days ago I was starting to feel a bit under the weather, so I knew it was time to get my Elderberry Syrup made. Elderberries are wonderful little berries...they are full of vitamins and anti-viral properties. Now, I am not going to get into all of the scientific stuff but I can tell you they help boost your immunity. If you feel the "need to know" you can go here.. Now, if you look for recipes on how to make Elderberry Syrup, there are many out there, and everyone has their own idea on what you need to " add" to it. for me....I keep it simple. No need to add too many ingredients to " make it flavorful" After all...it is a "medicine" ( or preventative ) and besides....Elderberries really DO taste pretty darned good once you add a bit of a sweetener. Here is what I do. 3 cups of clean, ripe, Elderberries ( Ours grow here on the homestead, and are organic ) 1 cup local raw honey (I purchase from a local beek ) 2 cups water ( I use water from our reverse osmosis faucet to have pure water, free from metals and chemicals) Place the berries and water in a medium sauce pot over a medium high heat. Keep them stirred well and once they start to boil mach them up good with a potato masher. Cook them for about 30 minutes, stirring often. After 30 minutes, strain the berries through cheese cloth into a glass bowl. Let this cool down to room temperature then add 1 cup of honey. Mix it well and put into sterilized pint jars. Wipe the rims well and add your cap and ring. I label mine with "instructions" Take 2 teaspoons, 4 times a day as a preventative and 1 Tablespoon 6 times a day if a cold or flu has struck. Keep refrigerated. This batch should last you through the winter. Toss after 6 months.

You can use half this amount for children, but DO NOT give to kids under two years of age because of the honey. Now...I am not a licensed doctor or anything like that....so, use this with caution. Be smart....take a few doses and make sure your body can handle it. ( this is my disclaimer, you know...just in case) ;) Well, I have babbled long enough..I need to go start my truck and get myself together and head out the door.

So, how many of us rushed out and bought " the winning ticket" for the Power Ball? I admit....we bought a couple. As we sat there last night, waiting on them to pull " our numbers" we fantasized on how we would spend our new found fortune. " Family first, take care of the kids. Fix up the old homestead, make our lives easier to care for the critters, and make it nicer for them...all the gardening essentials we would need, or want. New big shop for hubby to tinker around in, a nice green house for me to tinker in, a big stocked pond and of course....fencing all the way around." However.....we didn't win enough for a pack of gum. As a matter of fact... NO ONE hit the winning combination. Last night just before the drawing it was 900 MILLION. They are now saying it should be 1.3 BILLION PLUS, cash option is 800 million.! That's OK......it was fun to daydream. But now....back to reality. When we went to bed, it was raining " cats and dogs" I mean it was a real "gully washer" Throughout the night, the temps started dropping and this morning it is snowing....hard....big wet flakes. One channel says we will get 1 - 3 inches....the other channel says it will taper off quickly and accumulations will be light. I am watching the later channel. Doesn't really matter how much snow we get....in a few days the temps will really bottom out to single digits in the evenings. Mp plan for today was to have a big pot of beans cooking all day...filling the house with that wonderful smell....but I forgot to soak my beans. So, instead of ham and beans with cornbread on this cold snowy day...looks like we will have beef stew and biscuits. Either one will be nice on a cold snowy day like today. I will babysit the wood stove most of the day....and dream of that big lottery win...

Out with the old.....year.

Well, here we are, another year gone by. Whew! I can't say " I am glad THAT year is over" because it really wasn't a "BAD" year....for the most part. Sure, we had some ups and downs, but that's every year. I am not one to make "New Years Resolutions" per say....but if I were....I would say, " this year I am going to be more organized" HAHAHA! Yeah, and THAT is why I don't make them. We all know better....my life is scattered all over this homestead...a little here, a little there...and a lot everywhere. We had a few bumps towards the end of this last year....our sow who we thought was NOT pregnant, had babies in the cold mud. We lost 2 of the 4. The other 2 are fat and sassy...doing great. Our buck goat...for some reason started being really mean to our doe....he rammed her a few times causing her to lose her kid. :( I think I have him properly contained in his own paddock now. We shall see. For a little guy he is tough, smart, and determined. This last month has reminded me why I don't like keeping a buck here OR a Boar. I spent 2 days working in the hog pen....in 8 inches of soupy muck, trying to keep the boars from the young gilt. When I went out one morning, I heard her screaming.....when I got to the hog yards....the boys were in with her and both trying to breed her. UGH! I was able to get them separated with a wood panel fence but was about 6 ft short. I figured it would be OK, since I put up 3 strands of electric. Well....it wasn't OK...those boys went right through the electric fence. UGH. So I had to get another panel...they weigh about 150 to 200 pounds each and I had to drag them about 200 ft. Once I got it mostly in place, I was able to lure the boys with field corn and get the panel put in place. I still put electric along the boys side. That was a few weeks ago....so far so good. Now that the new year is starting...it is time to start planning the garden...yes...I am already dreaming of warm days....light breezes...juicy tomato's fresh from the vine....Ahhhh. I will have my work cut out for me this spring when it comes to the strawberry patch. I have been saving all of the cardboard and plan to lay it down in the rows..then cover it with the compost from the barn. I am hoping this will minimize the weeding needed this year. Last year the weeds got a bit out of control with all of the cool days and rain, and me working. I have to make a plan to minimize my work...so I can continue with my plans. This year we also have to replace the Harbor for the grapes. The overhead boards are rotting and need replaced. I am thinking I might replace them with either hog panels or cattle panels. I am just not sure how we will do this, since the grape vines are so full and I am NOT willing to cut them back. I am sure we will figure it out....just might end up being a bit of a challenge. So, lets all put on a happy face today....start this year out with a smile.....this is going to be another great year...!

Pigs.....rain...mud...and one very sick little dog.

There is not enough chocolate OR pie, in this house, to wash away today. *sigh* First of all, I was up at 4 am with our little Muncher. He is not doing well. He had several seizures last night and a few today. I am thinking Monday I will have to take him for his " last ride" It breaks my heart. He is 14 years old...and has been a great little dog....I will not let him suffer. :(

Then.....when I went out to do my morning chores, I heard the pigs squabbling...loudly. I made my way over there to find the 2 boys had gotten in with the young gilt. They were both trying to breed her.... ( her daddy and her brother ) She was screaming so loud, trying to get away from them, then I noticed she was limping. Dang. It is SO muddy in there from all of the rain. I grabbed some field corn, turned off the electric fence and went in. I was able to get them back in their own pens and secured the perimeter between them with 2 ft high wood fence panels. These panels are about 8 ft long, and weigh between 150 and 200 pounds. It took almost all I had to drag them a few hundred feet to the hog pen, get them lifted over the outside fence, and drag them through the deep mud to get them set into place. Once I finished getting the 2 panels in place, I realized there was about a 6 ft area that the panels didn't reach. So, I put 3 lines of electric fence in there. It was cold and raining and I just wanted to get out of the mud and inside to a warm finished it was 3:30. Evening chores are done at 4:30. I had an hour to rest. I didn't get back out until 5 pm and when I did I was greeted with screams from the gilt, again. Those 2 boars went through the electric fence! UGH!! So I had to go get the last panel and drag it into position....then get the boys out of her area. Well, after about an hour of chasing them around the mud, I was finally able to get them separated, unfortunately not into the pens I wanted them in. This is going to have to work until I can get some help. I got the panel secured, ran electric along the top and climbed out of the mud. The little gilt was resting in the hut....muddy, cold and exhausted. Tomorrow morning I will stuff her hut with fresh straw. HOPEFULLY the boys will stay put! Came in, got my shower, a hot cup of coffee and grabbed my new color books and pencils. Ahhhh. just what I needed! It is now almost 10:30 pm and I am worn out! Only slept about 3 or 4 hours last night, and that was in 30 to 45 minute stretches. I think I will head to bed here after I finish my coffee, and pray when I wake that the fences held tight. Tomorrow I want to lay on the couch with my little Muncher, cuddle with him all day....most likely his last day here at home. I am Thankful that he wasn't bad like this on Christmas day. He was able to open his gifts...and play with them. THAT is the memory I want to keep with me.

Christmas is coming.....and the goose is getting fat!

Yes, Christmas is coming....ready or not...we can't stop time. For the most part, we are right on track. I have purchased all of the gifts for the grand babies....the Christmas cards are sent...decorations and lights are up and now I need to settle in for a full day of wrapping gifts. Every year we try to change up the decorations in the front yard. This year, I personally think they turned out great! Even this little guy was getting " into" the spirit of decorating.

This Cedar tree was planted by our son and grandson about 5 years ago. It was less than a foot tall with hardly any root when they plopped it into the ground. It now stands over 20 feet tall! About 3 years ago I put Christmas lights on the tree, then never took them down. The tree has grown, the lights are now inside the tree. It is so pretty, hard to catch in a picture. I really dread if the lights ever burn out.

This big old moose has sat in our yard every Christmas for many years now. His head used to sway side to side, however over the years he got...tired. LOL Thats ok, He sure is grand...and I love seeing him stand guard beneath the cedar tree. This last week I have been working crazy hours so the inside of our home has been neglected a bit. Now that I have some time off...It is time for me to get busy tidying up a bit. " The goose is getting fat" and sassy! We have 3 geese here on the homestead. Mostly I like having them because they alert me of anything new going on outside. Of the 3, we have one Chinese goose. He is grand! He is also "full of himself" Every day, while I am outside, when I walk past them, he will come up behind me head down, wings spread out...acting as if he is going to nip at me. I spin around to face him and he changes his mind....He stands tall and walks away bellowing out what I think is "goose profanity" He is getting pretty fat and "juicy" looking, and I have told him on more than one occasion..... " If you ever make contact with me... We will have a Christmas goose for dinner." Thankfully this hasn't happened yet. I really do love to watch their antics. There is just a week before Christmas day is here...and I am hoping to finish the house cleaning so I can sit back and enjoy sitting by the wood stove, sipping my coffee, staring at the Christmas tree and relaxing.

The frogs are singing Christmas Carols?

So, we can't deny it....this weather is seriously out of whack! I mean, it is the middle of December, in Indiana....and the highs are in the mid to upper 60's. The other day I did chores in shorts and a T shirt! I was standing outside....looking at the Christmas lights...and I heard it..." It started in low, then it started to grow" ( yeah I know, I borrowed that from How The Grinch Stole Christmas) But it DID! First it was one little peep...then another joined in....and before I knew it there were several little frogs peeping out at the pond. I almost couldn't believe my ears. But, then again...as I looked around, I noticed there were little buds on several of the plants and trees here on the homestead. *sigh* I hope it gets cold soon, before the fruit trees decide to start blooming. Then, as if to confuse my weary brain even more...on December 9th, our sow gave birth to 4 little ones. Sadly, only 2 made it because I wasn't prepared for her. 2 weeks ago I had someone come out and looked at her and agreed with me that she did NOT look pregnant. So, the boar was still in with her and there was no deep clean bedding in the hut. She gave birth early in the morning, in the cold, wet mud. By the time I went out to do morning chores....she was finished giving birth....they were so cold that even the 2 live ones were stiffening up. I quickly scooped them up and brought them inside to warm them up. I ran them under super warm water and rubbed them vigorously. Then I made a small "tent" with a towel and ran the blow dryer on them. I set up the heating pad in the bath tub, with towels over it and laid the babies in the towels. A dear friend of mine had called and knew I had my hands full...so she drove down from Indianapolis, an hour and a half drive one way, to help me get things in order for the new momma. Her and I worked in the hog pen for 4 hours....moving the boar to the other pen, laying in wooden planks in the thick mud so we and the pig could get up out of the mud. We also put a new wood floor in the hut to keep the babies up off of the cold mud. I went to the barn and brought over 3 bales of hay since I didn't have straw, to fill the hog hut to keep them warm. After we were sure the babies would be safe and warm, I brought them back out to momma. She and they were happy to be reunited. I don't think I could have done all that we did, without the help of my dear friend. I will never be able to thank her enough. I took these pictures of them...they are now 5 days old and doing great! Day one....just a few hours old. This is them at 4 days old.... They will have a few more days to get stronger, before the weather starts getting colder. Momma is a great pig. She made a deep nest in the back of the hut for her and them then pushed the bedding up high in the door way to stop the winds from getting in. I think they have a great chance of survival as long as the temps don't plummet too soon. So...with the chirping frogs....flies buzzing inside and outside...buds on the trees and bushes, and baby pigs....I have to keep reminding myself....it is almost Christmas...Winter is just beginning.