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.

farm chic...

This, my friends, is Farmgirl Chic when the temperature is -26...

Yes
-26 degrees...

Stylish?

No...

Warm?

Yes...well, as warm as I could possibly be.
(did I mention MINUS 26 degrees?)

And so to quote Cary Grant...

"If you can't be chic, be odd."

.......................................................

While not chic, I think I've got warm (and possibly odd) covered!

snapshots of winter...

The winter wonderland outside our doors:


barns and milkhouse hardly visible...

 

 

somewhere out there are tire swings...

 

 

and chairs.

Left behind are pretty drifts...

and one goat who was curious enough to take a look...Glowbug!

the weather outside is frightful!

 

Snowy days of quiet beauty...that's how I like my winters. I've always thought this season was lovely with her drifting, swirling snowflakes and sharp, clear, brilliant blue skies.

I've been firm in my belief that winter should last from Thanksgiving to the end of February. During those many evenings you would find me in a comfy wing chair pulled close to a crackling fire, sipping chocolaty cocoa, while I read a favorite book or work on my knitting. I may even drift off to sleep...

Snap out of it!

Winter on the farm doesn't mean evenings like this can't happen...they do, but only after several trips out to the coop and barns in the ferocious, howling wind. (Can I mention "in and out" repeatedly throughout the day?)

When it's this cold, a trip to the coop starts our day...is it warm enough? Is the heated waterer still working? The girls scramble to greet me knowing they'll get a treat of warm oatmeal on days like this. Once we're sure they're tucked in, it's off to the goat barn. This is the kids' first winter...are they snuggled into the straw keeping warm? Do they still have hay and sweet mix, or do they need more water in their heated bucket? 

Look at these faces...how can I not worry?

I wonder about the bees as I pass by, but there's nothing more I can do for them. In late fall the hive was wrapped and surrounded by bales of straw...I'll just have to wait for a warm day to see how they've braved the snowstorms.

It was 4 degrees when I drove the kids to school this morning (they're thrilled about a week filled with 2-hour delays!). Tomorrow calls for 3 to 6 inches of snow, and next Monday the forecast is for -13...brrr. Paired with strong winds, that makes for many bone-chilling trips outside.

And yet, while I do my fair share of complaining, when I come inside, there's warmth to be found. Today it was found in home-baked cookies and giggling kids...tomorrow it'll be something new.

So now, at day's end, as I write I'm listening to the rising wind and pausing often.

Yes...life is good.

does anyone actually enjoy taking down the Christmas tree?

I've asked the question before, so I already know the answer...yes, there are some folks who are ready December 26th to pack up the holiday finery and get back to "normal."

I am not one of them.

Our tree usually stays put until the middle of January...luckily for us, we always bring home a Concolor or Frasier fir tree. They do a terrific job of keeping their needles soft (as well as staying put on the tree!) for several weeks...I highly recommend them.

However; by mid-January it's time to try and stir up some enthusiasm for undecorating something that was so much fun to decorate 6 weeks earlier.

It seems that part of the trouble are the memories tied up with each and every ornament...
for me, there's just something a bit sad about packing them away. 

Some ornaments, like these, are handmade and heartfelt...made by the kids, or given to us by dear friends.

Others ornaments stir up memories...the cheery yellow school buses declaring "my first day of school", a glittering seahorse brought back from a vacation to Assateague Island (we'll always remember the ghost crabs!), and precious little footprints from the kids' first Christmases.

January seems to find itself always facing two directions...looking forward, yet reflecting on the past. After this week, when the decorations are again packed safely away in the old trunk which sits in a cozy corner, there's time to think about days gone by and days to come. 

2014 is a clean slate...a brand new year waiting to be filled.
What will we do with it?
What will we change or improve?

My hopes for this year...

It's a time to consider what we will do with the days ahead...one thing is for certain - just how many sweet memories and happy days fill this year, is entirely up to us. 

surviving the Polar Vortex!

image source:imagebroker/Alamy

 

As the old-timers might say, "I had a feeling in my bones" that this winter was going to be a cold one.

Earlier this week, the temperatures plummeted, and January started off with a chilling blast. With temperatures at -15 and wind chills at -40 degrees, it's certainly been a time to remember. The ancient maples surrounding our 150-year old farmhouse creaked and complained as the cold, ferocious wind howled, and snow drifts piled up in front of every door to be found.

And as someone who is always cold (I might thaw out a bit at the 4th of July picnic!) I did my fair share of complaining as well. This weather was a true test, and while going outside, style was not important. Layer-upon-layer of sweaters, scarves, gloves, socks, and long-johns could be found under the warmest coats we could pull from the closet.

The bundling-up process went on several times a day as we went out to the barns to check on animals, refill water and feed bowls, and make sure all was well. Our goat kids sported "goat coats" to keep them extra cozy, while chickens were fed bowls of warm mash and oatmeal.

Indoors, we kept a blazing fire going, while mugs of homemade cocoa were passed around, chili bubbled away on the stove, and bread baked in the oven. We watched movies, played games, roasted marshmallows and made s'mores.

Today we woke up to more snow, but a much gentler wind was blowing through the pines. As I watched the boughs swaying, I thought about the year that has just passed. We have been richly blessed by family, friends, and experiences. Even the Polar Vortex brought us closer together as we cared for animals and each other...each experience we have helps us to grow.

And so with the Polar winds behind us, and plenty of winter still yet ahead, it's with renewed enthusiasm that we look forward to the dawn of a new year!

happy new year!

Wishing you a new year where all your dreams come true!

 

wishing you a very merry Christmas!

The days have flown by here on the farm...from piano recitals, orchestra & choir concerts to shopping, wrapping, and hiding gifties, it's hard to believe it's almost Christmas!

Sweet Girl baked 33 dozen cookies this week to share with missionaries far from home,

and Little Man has been busy goat-herding and nursing GB back to health
(and he's done a terrific job...GB is bouncing around like all the other goats!)

I was in my jammies at 6:30 last night...that says it all!

And so, before the next few days also slip by, we wish for you a warm & cozy Christmas filled with joy and time spent with those you love. 

there's a change in the weather...

Yesterday it was 70 degrees when I drove the kids to school...
no kidding, 70 degrees!

This morning, we found Mother Nature had played a trick on us...what a change!
Take a look around the farm...there's snow everywhere!

A snow-covered chicken coop ready for Christmas...

The Goat Barn sports a cheery wreath...after all, it is the boys' first Christmas!

  

Our dinner bell has two little icicles...and if the weatherman is right, it sounds like there's more ice on the way.

But that's okay...we're warm & cozy. There's a crackling fire in the fireplace, a Dutch oven on the stove bubbling away with chili, cornbread in the oven, kids giggling (and still in their jammies!), and Christmas music in the air.

So it's a happy Friday...this little fella says it all: 

Hooray for Snowy Days!

 

wishing you a happy Thanksgiving...

“Sincerely giving thanks,
not only helps us recognize our blessings,
but it unlocks the doors of heaven.”

-Thomas S. Monson

don't you love a good flea market?

This post is way overdue, but with wrapping up the farm for winter and learning oodles about goats (but that's another post), I've lost track of time.

Anyway, my friend Diana and I went to a terrific flea market this fall. It was on a nearby farm, and every barn was overflowing with wonderful things! Some vintage and retro, some primitive and time-worn, but all fabulous...it was hard to know where to begin!

Diana found some great retro items for her 1963 camper (see it here) like a darling old turquoise AM radio (that works!) and a pair of vintage suitcases which she turned into an oh-so handy end table.

I was on the lookout for primitive goodies, and came home with two enamelware pails that are perfect. Well...not quite perfect (the older the better!) they have rust spots and are a bit worn, but the colors...oooh, that's what got me. One is a robin's egg blue (and holds exactly 4 pounds of sweet mix for the goats...ideal!) The second pail is a swirl of evergreen and white. I'm not sure just what I'll do with it, but for now, it's holding seeds gathered from our flower gardens, ready to pack up and share with friends.

And so here are a few snapshots of the day...clever, creative, fun-filled inspiration!

I LOVE these doors!

Hand-painted slate signs...



Feed sacks, clocks, and sleigh bells...

A table completely covered with recipe cards!





This old rail-road crossing sign...

and last, but not least (don't let this frighten you!) vintage hats were given a new twist!

Diana and I joked we both should have bought one, and instantly our Halloween costumes would be complete!

There was so much more to see...and what a fun way to spend the morning with a good friend...roaming through barns, looking in nooks & crannies, and finding just the right goodies that needed a new home.

 

not missing this one!

Happy

Hug-a-Chicken Day!

And be sure to visit Tilly's Nest ... she's listed some great deals
offered by businesses celebrating today!

how did I miss it...National Hug-a-Goat Day?

Okay friends, this goat-wrangler has missed a new (to me, anyway)
national holiday...forgive me! 

Here's wishing you a belated (September 7)
and happy...

Hug-a-Goat Day!