Someone mentioned to me today that they were posting "30 Days of Thankfulness" on their Facebook page: one thing a day, all month long that they were thankful for. I don't do Facebook, but I am thankful for many, many things. Even though I'm starting late, I can still list something every day for the remainder of the month that I am thankful for...it could be a good exercise now that the sunshine disappears so early every evening.
Tonight I am thankful that I had nothing to do! This is big stuff here. Yesterday I completed every thing on my list, and was able to lounge in bed and read for fun for a while before getting to bed on time (another thing that doesn't happen very often.) This evening, the girls and I had to rush to a meeting, but after they went to bed, it was all free time...nothing pressing. It's a wonderful feeling!
Before I jinx it, I'm going to bed.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Wooly Worms in the Woodpile
Another weekend has come and gone! We worked hard, and we took time for fun, too!
JP and I got the hearth and stove board that I tiled installed in the family room downstairs, brought the woodstove out of storage, and re-arranged in the storage area to keep cardboard boxes away from the area of the chimney pipes. Dad helped JP get the stove pipes installed.
We celebrated my Mom's birthday with a big ham dinner, cake and ice cream at our house.
The girls helped JP and I fill up the wood stack on the back veranda, and made a new stack in the covered window well near the main door. This will be for the stove downstairs, with easy access from the storage room.
I uncovered several rust and black striped Wooly Worms curled up in the wood pile. Supposedly the width of their stripes has some bearing on the coldness of the winter to come.
We met some friends to watch the movie, "Puss in Boots".
We also fit in our yearly Fall Family Photo shoot for "school" pictures for the girls, and a family pic for our yearly Christmas cards.
The next round of school and work is about to roll around once again in a few hours. And so it goes!
JP and I got the hearth and stove board that I tiled installed in the family room downstairs, brought the woodstove out of storage, and re-arranged in the storage area to keep cardboard boxes away from the area of the chimney pipes. Dad helped JP get the stove pipes installed.
We celebrated my Mom's birthday with a big ham dinner, cake and ice cream at our house.
The girls helped JP and I fill up the wood stack on the back veranda, and made a new stack in the covered window well near the main door. This will be for the stove downstairs, with easy access from the storage room.
I uncovered several rust and black striped Wooly Worms curled up in the wood pile. Supposedly the width of their stripes has some bearing on the coldness of the winter to come.
We met some friends to watch the movie, "Puss in Boots".
We also fit in our yearly Fall Family Photo shoot for "school" pictures for the girls, and a family pic for our yearly Christmas cards.
The next round of school and work is about to roll around once again in a few hours. And so it goes!
Friday, November 11, 2011
Twigs
I acquired a book of Haiku this Fall, that are translated from Japanese. I think a few of them may have lost some beauty in the translation, but I enjoyed these couple:
Of what use are twigs
but to sweep up a litter
of fallen petals?
-Buson
Poor crying cricket,
perhaps your little husband
was caught by our cat.
-Kikaku
I must go begging
for water...morning glories
have captured my well.
-Chiyo
This one is mine...
The Hunter's Moon gleams
white in the eyes of a herd
of cows in my yard.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Bad Idea
We have a number of balding chickens at the moment. Every morning when I move the Chicken coop around, they leave behind a pile of feathers. (This picture isn't of my hen, by the way, mine don't look QUITE that bad!)
Apparently they are moulting, and apparently that is a sign of good layers. (I've been googling "bald chickens".) I can't really complain about their laying...all Spring and Summer we have averaged 7 egg/day from the 9 Sisters. What I read mentions "egg laying cycles" and when the hens reach the end of these cycles, all their feathers fall out, and they grow new ones.
J is quite concerned that they chose a cool-ish time of the year to go nekked. It is a bit disconcerting to see their pale, pimpled chicken skin out and about when I'm in my fleece in the mornings! This, like the reduction in their egg laying, is evidently linked to the decreasing daylight. They don't feed for as many hours daily, consequently have poorer nutrition, and loose their feathers. It all seems very sad, but moulting is apparently a natural phenomenon with birds.
I must say, the decreasing daylight is making me want to pull my own feathers out! The sky was getting dim-ish by the time I left work at 10 to 5 last evening, and pitch black by the time we arrived at the High School pool for some swimming time at 6:15. I'm hoping that I adjust to Daylight Savings Time before I'm tempted to start parading around with my pink, pimply bum hanging out!
Apparently they are moulting, and apparently that is a sign of good layers. (I've been googling "bald chickens".) I can't really complain about their laying...all Spring and Summer we have averaged 7 egg/day from the 9 Sisters. What I read mentions "egg laying cycles" and when the hens reach the end of these cycles, all their feathers fall out, and they grow new ones.
J is quite concerned that they chose a cool-ish time of the year to go nekked. It is a bit disconcerting to see their pale, pimpled chicken skin out and about when I'm in my fleece in the mornings! This, like the reduction in their egg laying, is evidently linked to the decreasing daylight. They don't feed for as many hours daily, consequently have poorer nutrition, and loose their feathers. It all seems very sad, but moulting is apparently a natural phenomenon with birds.
I must say, the decreasing daylight is making me want to pull my own feathers out! The sky was getting dim-ish by the time I left work at 10 to 5 last evening, and pitch black by the time we arrived at the High School pool for some swimming time at 6:15. I'm hoping that I adjust to Daylight Savings Time before I'm tempted to start parading around with my pink, pimply bum hanging out!
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Do You Read Me?
Where do the weekends go? I had much more on my to-do list that never actually happened!
I hadn't planned on cleaning out the garage, but my Dad asked us to clear out one half of it so that he can work on walls and ceiling this coming week. He has completed the insulation in the ceiling, and added on to the gas line over the past week. Today, JP and I moved the 10 foot workbench and 3 sets of shelving over toward one wall. In the process, we moved some things up to storage in the attic above the garage, and pitched a few things...definitely a profitable task overall! We were able to arrange things so that we can still fit both vehicles in, so no scraping of windows for us in the mornings! The bicycles have all moved to the barn for the time being, until we can hang them from the garage walls.
We got some target practice in, and JP and I both sighted in our rifles for hunting. I still need lots and lots of practice! I hold my breath when I aim and shoot, which JP tells me is a big no-no. The good news is that I no longer have a fear of getting slammed in the face and requiring sutures. The bad news is that I am still not too good of a shot. This makes me concerned about actually hunting. Will my conscience allow me to kill an animal when it comes right down to it? Ok...well, I know I can kill a mouse in cold blood, but haven't actually tried something bigger than a rodent. If I do attempt to shoot a deer, what it I hurt it, but don't kill it? So many issues to worry about! It will give me something to do since I'm no longer worrying about making it to soccer practice 3 nights a week!
The chickens had the run of the garden for most of the day yesterday. They had such a good time, that they tried to sneak out today while I was feeding them...the little rascals! They had a special treat this morning that they evidently enjoyed: cornmeal mush. I started making a pot full last night so that we could have fried mush for breakfast today, but half way through, I thought it smelled sort of stale. I put it in a pan for the chickens, and made another batch for us with new cornmeal. Those ladies gobbled it up as fast as I could toss it in their pen this morning!
The girls spent most of the weekend outdoors, and have slept wonderfully as a consequence. As another consequence, I have had piles of filthy clothes to wash! JP gave them an old set of walkie-talkies yesterday morning (thus the reference in the title today.) The girls set out with walkie talkies and back packs to roam all over the property, looking for "mysteries". I lowered them lunch in a bucket from the deck, which they carried along with them and snacked on all afternoon. I found them at one point climbing all over the pile of logs we have curing for next winter's fire wood.
Today they road their bikes in circles and figure 8's in front of the garage while JP and I worked. We had to break for a couple of bike wrecks. At one point I brought out a tray of crackers, cheeses and pineapple. We all descended on this like a flock of birds and picked the tray clean.
I have dried 3 loads of laundry on the line this weekend. I enjoy holding the clothes up to my face to inhale the smell of wild and free Poplar Ridge in the midst of folding. There is another load running now, to be ready to hang out in the morning. This one includes the back packs that went adventuring this weekend!
I need to go finish my last piece of mending and put the sewing machine away. The house cleaning will have to wait, as I'm too tired at the moment, and I still need to prep materials for school in the AM. Another weekend has come and gone. Even if we had nothing to show for it, we were able to spend time in the Fall sunshine, which will be just a delicious memory come dreary February.
I hadn't planned on cleaning out the garage, but my Dad asked us to clear out one half of it so that he can work on walls and ceiling this coming week. He has completed the insulation in the ceiling, and added on to the gas line over the past week. Today, JP and I moved the 10 foot workbench and 3 sets of shelving over toward one wall. In the process, we moved some things up to storage in the attic above the garage, and pitched a few things...definitely a profitable task overall! We were able to arrange things so that we can still fit both vehicles in, so no scraping of windows for us in the mornings! The bicycles have all moved to the barn for the time being, until we can hang them from the garage walls.
We got some target practice in, and JP and I both sighted in our rifles for hunting. I still need lots and lots of practice! I hold my breath when I aim and shoot, which JP tells me is a big no-no. The good news is that I no longer have a fear of getting slammed in the face and requiring sutures. The bad news is that I am still not too good of a shot. This makes me concerned about actually hunting. Will my conscience allow me to kill an animal when it comes right down to it? Ok...well, I know I can kill a mouse in cold blood, but haven't actually tried something bigger than a rodent. If I do attempt to shoot a deer, what it I hurt it, but don't kill it? So many issues to worry about! It will give me something to do since I'm no longer worrying about making it to soccer practice 3 nights a week!
The chickens had the run of the garden for most of the day yesterday. They had such a good time, that they tried to sneak out today while I was feeding them...the little rascals! They had a special treat this morning that they evidently enjoyed: cornmeal mush. I started making a pot full last night so that we could have fried mush for breakfast today, but half way through, I thought it smelled sort of stale. I put it in a pan for the chickens, and made another batch for us with new cornmeal. Those ladies gobbled it up as fast as I could toss it in their pen this morning!
The girls spent most of the weekend outdoors, and have slept wonderfully as a consequence. As another consequence, I have had piles of filthy clothes to wash! JP gave them an old set of walkie-talkies yesterday morning (thus the reference in the title today.) The girls set out with walkie talkies and back packs to roam all over the property, looking for "mysteries". I lowered them lunch in a bucket from the deck, which they carried along with them and snacked on all afternoon. I found them at one point climbing all over the pile of logs we have curing for next winter's fire wood.
Today they road their bikes in circles and figure 8's in front of the garage while JP and I worked. We had to break for a couple of bike wrecks. At one point I brought out a tray of crackers, cheeses and pineapple. We all descended on this like a flock of birds and picked the tray clean.
I have dried 3 loads of laundry on the line this weekend. I enjoy holding the clothes up to my face to inhale the smell of wild and free Poplar Ridge in the midst of folding. There is another load running now, to be ready to hang out in the morning. This one includes the back packs that went adventuring this weekend!
I need to go finish my last piece of mending and put the sewing machine away. The house cleaning will have to wait, as I'm too tired at the moment, and I still need to prep materials for school in the AM. Another weekend has come and gone. Even if we had nothing to show for it, we were able to spend time in the Fall sunshine, which will be just a delicious memory come dreary February.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
One Fine Day (In which the van finally gets fixed, I am a bad farmer, J finishes a novel, and school continues to last forever)
There. That about says it all!
We also have tried to take advantage of the beautiful weather the past couple of days. Yesterday afternoon I drained all the water hoses, coiled them up and stored them in the barn for the winter. I covered the air conditioner. J and I found all the pigs in the flower gardens, cleaned them up, and stored them in the attic. I searched all around under both lean-to's with the giant magnet for stray nails and screws from construction. I blew all the leaves out from in front of the door and garage. It was all very satisfying.
This afternoon, I managed to grout the wall board that I tiled about 3 weeks ago. This will be afixed to the wall downstairs behind the woodstove that we will install in the family room. We also sat for an hour at the mechanics while they FINALLY finished fixing my van. I drove it away with no more screeching brakes or knocking struts. That too was satisfying.
Monday night I neglected to cover the peas. Tonight it is still in the 50's, so I will skip. they still have perky looking blossoms, although the greenery is somewhat wilted. I bought 2 - 50 pound bags of chicken feed at Agway this evening. When I took some out to the hens, they hopped off their perches, where they had settled for the night, and began gobbling. They had been down to mere dregs. I still don't completely have the hang of this farming thing!
J finished reading "Caddie Woodlawn" this week. She is finally beginning to read books that I consider to be of more substance. This summer she read "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe", "The Magician's Nephew", and "The Boy Who Ate Stars", by Kochka (translated from French, about a boy with autism). She spent last school year reading all 45 Magic Tree House books, so this is definitely a step up! I'm proud of her!
I am definitely enjoying the freedom from soccer this week, although we are still eating our dinner late, due to staying outside until dark and glitches in schedules that are beyond my control. At least I am feeling MUCH less stressed. The four of us laughed at dinner tonight, with Billy Joel playing in the background. The kids were acting goofy, and for a change, I laughed at them instead of grumbling...much more pleasant!
Schoolwork never seems to get finished, which is unchanged. I do feel, however, that we are finally getting "into a groove". Perhaps when we are grooving, it will go faster! We did have a good time dancing to Tchaikovsky with the dog during music class. At least we don't have any stupid pet pictures like these.
That's about it from Poplar Ridge this week.
We also have tried to take advantage of the beautiful weather the past couple of days. Yesterday afternoon I drained all the water hoses, coiled them up and stored them in the barn for the winter. I covered the air conditioner. J and I found all the pigs in the flower gardens, cleaned them up, and stored them in the attic. I searched all around under both lean-to's with the giant magnet for stray nails and screws from construction. I blew all the leaves out from in front of the door and garage. It was all very satisfying.
This afternoon, I managed to grout the wall board that I tiled about 3 weeks ago. This will be afixed to the wall downstairs behind the woodstove that we will install in the family room. We also sat for an hour at the mechanics while they FINALLY finished fixing my van. I drove it away with no more screeching brakes or knocking struts. That too was satisfying.
Monday night I neglected to cover the peas. Tonight it is still in the 50's, so I will skip. they still have perky looking blossoms, although the greenery is somewhat wilted. I bought 2 - 50 pound bags of chicken feed at Agway this evening. When I took some out to the hens, they hopped off their perches, where they had settled for the night, and began gobbling. They had been down to mere dregs. I still don't completely have the hang of this farming thing!
J finished reading "Caddie Woodlawn" this week. She is finally beginning to read books that I consider to be of more substance. This summer she read "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe", "The Magician's Nephew", and "The Boy Who Ate Stars", by Kochka (translated from French, about a boy with autism). She spent last school year reading all 45 Magic Tree House books, so this is definitely a step up! I'm proud of her!
I am definitely enjoying the freedom from soccer this week, although we are still eating our dinner late, due to staying outside until dark and glitches in schedules that are beyond my control. At least I am feeling MUCH less stressed. The four of us laughed at dinner tonight, with Billy Joel playing in the background. The kids were acting goofy, and for a change, I laughed at them instead of grumbling...much more pleasant!
Schoolwork never seems to get finished, which is unchanged. I do feel, however, that we are finally getting "into a groove". Perhaps when we are grooving, it will go faster! We did have a good time dancing to Tchaikovsky with the dog during music class. At least we don't have any stupid pet pictures like these.
That's about it from Poplar Ridge this week.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Extracurricular Liberation Day
It is finally here! Starting tonight, I have no pressing evening activities to run to on a weekly basis. Well...until I start taking the girls to the pool once a week. Tonight, however, we plan to celebrate by having a Girls' Night. The girls and I will watch girlie princess movies and give each other pedicures and eat junk food while JP works late.
Our last scheduled activity of October was trick-or-treat. I very nearly cancelled, as it began sprinkling on our way to the small town we are invited to every year. The sprinkling occurred, on and off, for most of the night. It got heavier as we completed our 2 block circuit, which is when we usually head back anyway.
The girls picked out their costumes last year, and we bought them at Target for 80% off after Halloween 2010.
J was a Snow Princess, complete with luminescent skin and white eye make up.
L was a Southern Belle, with a beauty spot for good measure.
We got cold and damp, so hurried home to warm up by the fire afterward. As the girls were digging into their candy, I told them to slow down, "Only two pieces each!", I said.
"What?" JP countered, "It's Halloween!"
"Oh all right, 3 pieces." I conceded, while I tossed the remainder of last year's Halloween candy.
I'm such a softy!
Our last scheduled activity of October was trick-or-treat. I very nearly cancelled, as it began sprinkling on our way to the small town we are invited to every year. The sprinkling occurred, on and off, for most of the night. It got heavier as we completed our 2 block circuit, which is when we usually head back anyway.
The girls picked out their costumes last year, and we bought them at Target for 80% off after Halloween 2010.
J was a Snow Princess, complete with luminescent skin and white eye make up.
L was a Southern Belle, with a beauty spot for good measure.
We got cold and damp, so hurried home to warm up by the fire afterward. As the girls were digging into their candy, I told them to slow down, "Only two pieces each!", I said.
"What?" JP countered, "It's Halloween!"
"Oh all right, 3 pieces." I conceded, while I tossed the remainder of last year's Halloween candy.
I'm such a softy!
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