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.

Frosty mornings on the Homestead.

I woke up this morning, I can feel the chill in the air because the wood stove had burned down. I stretched, still under the covers, not wanting to come out of my warm place...knowing it will only get colder in this house the longer I lay here. So, I get up and start getting the wood stove going again. It isn't long until there is a crackling fire, I can feel the warmth...it soothes my old bones. After my morning "rituals" of letting the dogs out, starting coffee, washing my face and dressing warm for the day, I finally settle in by the fire with my coffee to wake up. The Christmas tree lights twinkle, the warm coffee tickles my nose I smile to myself knowing that in a few weeks family will all be here celebrating the holiday sharing good food laughing, singing and dancing..making memories that will last a lifetime. I hear the roosters waking up their hens, and I snap out of the little walk down memory lane...time to get this day started, my empty coffee cup is a reminder too. We had weather warnings of " Frozen fog" If you have never experienced this type of weather, it can make everything it touches so beautiful. The moisture from the fog settles on branches and fence lines, electric wires and every blade of grass and weed. I bundle up and head out to do the morning chores.

First stop will be the barn...several of the kitties meet me half way and escort me to the barn. You know, in case I forget the way.

I reach for the gate and cringe a little remembering that I had left my gloves on the table.

I make my way inside to the "swarm" of cats winding around my ankles, crying or complaining that I am taking too long filling their bowls. The smells in the barn make me smile. I can feel the warmth from the animals...listening to them waking up as well...calling to me, everyone wanting to be first to be fed.

The cats are fed, now on to the others....our resident old grouchy, but beautiful pot belly pig, Tulip. She peeks from under her nest of bedding...sniffing the air looking for her breakfast.

Once I finish there, it is time to feed the rest of the residents here. Chickens, geese, and pigs, all waiting on their breakfast and wanting to be let out to get their busy day started. I have to admit, I was in no hurry getting to the other side of the homestead. I walk slowly, taking in the beautiful scene of how everything is covered in frost. Once I finish..I stop and look around...and smile. Yes, homesteading is a wonderful life. Oh, there are days when I ask myself why do I work so hard? Is this how I want to finish out my life? And I always answer with yes....this is the perfect place for me. No matter which road I take.... the road leading home is beautiful, because I am coming home.

Thanksgiving Eve, eve.....It's a thing.

So, yes...Thanksgiving Eve, eve.....Tuesday. I was sitting here thinking... a few years ago, I had this grandiose idea that by now our Thanksgiving would be something right out of Little House books. You know..... "Pa goes out and kills the turkey and prepares it while I put together a meal with the food I had labored over the summer months to grow and preserve." Aaaaand, exit stage left. Later today I will take the big turkey from the freezer, and set it in water to start thawing....while I get the ingredients from the pantry and cupboard, some from jars that I had canned....some from cans that I had purchased where I bought the turkey. The pumpkin pie will be made from canned pumpkin....NOT from a real pumpkin that I had grown, baked, and mashed myself. Why? Well partly because this past summer was a terrible year for the garden....we didn't get one pumpkin. There are several things in the pantry that I bought.....that had been canned in factories. 10 years ago, when we bought this homestead, I had a goal....a plan. We would work hard...to "step back in time" We would turn this small piece of land into a homestead. Now, maybe your idea and mine may differ. According to "Wikipedia..... Modern homesteaders often use renewable energy options including solar electricity and wind power and some even invent DIY cars. Many also choose to plant and grow heirloom vegetables and to raise heritage livestock. Homesteading is not defined by where someone lives, such as the city or the country, but by the lifestyle choices they make." So there ya have it....that is what society think's when they hear the word "homestead" Now....as for me...Homesteading is a little different. We don't use "renewable energy" Not because we don't want to but because it is so expensive! I do put out 2 different gardens, and grow most of what we need...green beans, Lima beans, tomato's, beets, onions, carrots, potato's, and a few herbs. We have planted several different fruits and berries as well. Apples, peaches, grapes and strawberries. Some are producing well...enough for not only us but enough to share, others (the peaches) are just getting their start and will be several years until they are producing well. When we bought this little piece of land there was no hint that there had ever been farm animals or food grown here...we have worked hard to build up fences and housing and worked the land to produce....well.....produce. We don't have the big fancy farm tools that some homesteaders have. The work we have done here, we have done by hand....with hand tools. Oh, we have a rototiller....and chainsaws...and....well...that's about it for "modern tools" OK, so now I am rambling....back to the main subject, Thanksgiving. Times have changed. The kids are grown, they have families of their own. A few of them still come home for Thanksgiving which makes that day one of my favorite days. Kids, grand kids, laughter and memories. Remembering the "old days" and making new memories with grand babies. I don't bake like I used too when the kids were still home. We had a six ft folding table that I would set up a few days before Thanksgiving and fill with goodies. Chocolate chip,iced butter cookies ( the kids and I would make an evening of decorating them) , and peanut butter cookies, little Russian Tea Cakes... brownies, Peanut brittle, buckeyes, Banana bread, pumpkin bread, and pies....Pumpkin, apple and chocolate creme. Now, we are all older. The kids are grown and have kids of their own. We no longer have that six foot table. The desserts are now down to chocolate chip cookies and a pumpkin pie....some years I still make the pumpkin bread and buckeyes but the kids and grand kids don't stay long enough to eat them and we don't "need" them. So I will make the chocolate chip cookies and the pumpkin pie today. And just maybe...if there is time, I will make Banana bread. It's funny...and sad...how time changes our lives. Oh, it's not a bad thing. Looking around, our kids have grown up and started families....and they are making their own traditions. Now is the time in my husbands and mine lives to sit back...and watch the show. To watch the kids create their own family traditions that they will hand down to their kids. I know the day will come when the big dinner will not be made here. Hubby and I will pack up and go to one of the kids homes....and share their Thanksgiving traditions. Such is the way of life. But for now, we are still having Thanksgiving here....on our Homestead....and I have SO MUCH to do! Cleaning, baking, and getting the living room ready for the Christmas tree, another great holiday...that is changing as years go by.