farmgirl photo...

Lately, naptime has found Tinker Bell curled up in the hay racks, and she's most content to spend the day there.

That is, until the goats decide it's time for a snack.

Too bad there aren't sprinting contests for cats ... she's one fast feline!

no business like snow business!

Another snow day from school...the kids are getting used to this, and have found a happy routine they stick to.

First ~ enjoy sleeping late under flannel sheets and cozy quilts as long as possible,
until the aroma of this makes its way upstairs...

Home-baked cinnamon rolls...this yummy recipe is from Kim at Life in a Little Red Farmhouse  (her bread is terrific too!) 

Second ~ After enjoying the warm rolls and glasses of ice-cold milk, it's time to build this...

a crackling fire in the kitchen fireplace...as the saying goes, the kitchen really is the heart of the home.

Third ~ Little Man decides it's time to check goats...who are keeping snug & warm in their goat coats. (Is it just me, or is Glowbug smiling?)

Fourth ~ that visit to the barn finds us rosy-cheeked (it's not a long walk at all, but it's the goat races that wear us out!)  Back inside, it's time for hot chocolate. 

Finally...it's time to settle in for a good, old-fashioned movie-fest.
What do we choose?


                                            

Yep...
a day to remember!

contemplating February...



Fluttering prints of wings captured in the snow.

February...a strong wind is whistling around this old house, and although the sun is shining brightly (fooling us into thinking it's possibly warmer than the thermometer reads), it does little to chase away the cold.

As the wind rattles the roof and slips in through every nook and cranny it can find, it almost sounds as if the entire house will set sail...of course it never does. It stands strong...fighting against the howling wind and staying firmly anchored as it's done for 150 years. On days like this, it's blissful to be inside.

However; I find myself bundled up (Carhartt chic!) and ready to head into the chill. The weatherman calls for 6 to 10 inches of snow tomorrow evening, so it's a good idea to carry wood from the barn and refill the wood rack. The past few weeks of extreme cold have significantly lowered the logs kept close at hand. It's also a good time to completely fill hay racks, tote buckets of water, and rake straw bedding for the goats and chickens. Anything that can be done now, will save time later when the drifts make walking to the barns and opening doors difficult.

And while it may seem bleak, February offers the richness of any other month. Still, cold days when the air is clear and sharp; dazzling icy trails that lead from the house, to the coop, to the barns; the sound of snow crunching underfoot. And yet when we stop, we find the quiet after a heavy snowfall that's unlike any other.

Yes...it's cold.
Yes...it can be uncomfortable.

But bracing ourselves against such weather, will make the comforts of home and hearth all the more endearing.