Death and Taxes

They say it is a sure thing.....death and taxes!

early morning crew

Sometimes it feels like one is dieing trying to prepare taxes, but Dearest finished them up last night, with deadline being today for them. Typical accountant , he procrastinated until the last moment.

Actually to be fair to him everything and anything got in the way of him doing them. This whole weekend we had people popping in to "help" out with things. The biggest obstacle being daughters Saturn in the lane that needs something done to stop the oil from springing out like a river. The car now after two days work, is a jigsaw of pieces, I hope they know how to put back together later this week. Never seen such a mess. But I just observed and went about mucking up and working in the garden.

We had killer frost Saturday morning. Glad I had everything in the garden covered. Then -3C Sunday morning and -4C this morning. It is to get warmer this week, but rainy as well. At this point I shall take what we can get, as long as it warms up some. I am tired of the cold.

Saturday it was sunny but cool. I moved all my herbs from pots in the house into the garden plot. Watered them and then at night covered them. I checked on them again this morning and all is doing well. Then I planted more seeds in the left over pots.

wild violets in the woods

I suspect the blackflies will be here by weeks end. That will halt everything lovely in the garden, as working outside will be near impossible for 10 days. The duration that they stick around here.

Today I shall be walking or biking to the village 5Km away to sent our taxes away and house tax. I would dearly like to get some top soil at the Hardware store, but unless I drive the tractor in, that isn't going to happen.

Other then that I am going to move more manure to the new garden plot. Do homeschooling and cook supper maybe knit a little.

Simple Day

I was in the city today. I usually go on Wednesday and take my Dat grocery shopping, clean their house and then tend to any issues my Mom has. But Dearest was still on holidays yesterday and no use taking the car in two days in a row when the cost of petro is so expensive.

Dearest had a dentist appointment this morning at 9am. I went with him. Knitted in the waiting room. I was not there for moral suppose! A cavity was found in his Wisdom Tooth. Or so he tells me. Funny he had them all extract 7 years ago. Or was it just the top ones because they were impacted. I really don't remember. I had 2 removed. Only ever had two wisdom teeth. Does this make me only half smart? I wonder? Anyway he goes back in Monday at 8:30am. Needless to say he was not happy about it. I still really think he doesn't have any wisdom..............I mean teeth! Haha!

Dat was waiting for me when I arrived. It is our time together. He chatting my ear off repeating himself at least four times on route to the grocery store ( a walking distance away but too many stop lights in between). He spoke over and over again about ' bike riding last night after supper, how it was nice out. Oh! And he went bike riding after supper last night, it was nice out.'   Dementia! I find it comical. Drives Mom nuts.

We did our shopping. I didn't need much, neither did they. We were out in no time. Put the bags in the trunk and I locked my cart into his and he takes them back to the store entrance to retrieve his quarter back from his cart. Only he came back with both carts. 'Dat what ya doing? '
He asks, how does this work with the carts? I showed him, he replies, "oh ya" and walks them back to the store. I can't help but chuckle but really here was a man that was a mathematician, that worked 47 years making die casts that were the size of the width of one strand of hair! It is sad.

As he gets in the car. He laughs. Speaking in Low German, his mother tongue says he almost didn't have a quarter when we went in the store for the cart. I didn't get it. I see him putting his quarter out of the cart into his money pouch. He tells me he brought the wrong pouch. This was the Loonie ( $1. Canadian and Twoonie $2. coin) pouch, he left his small change one at home in his good pants. I just learned something new. He has two coin pouches. His way of dealing with his illness of Dementia. Little tricks. Next week we will make sure he has the small coin pouch when we leave home. Or perhaps I will bring an extra quarter.

Upon returning to their home, unloading groceries, I had promised Mom we would clean out her lower kitchen cupboards. They are over stuffed with everything at the front where she can reach. Dat had made drawers in these cupboards that Mom can drag out to get items. She rarely does though and items spill in them. So as they both sat there watching me empty the cupboards onto the counter. I got rid of some stuff, double packed some. Washed the cupboards out. Mom now knows what is in there. Dat said they had a grocery store in there. I tried to tell him Baking Powder and salt do not make a meal.

Mom went down to the basement for a spell and I went through the cupboard under the sink. I found 46 pill and vitamin bottles Mom was hording under there. Pee jars I suspect for doctor visits. My parents are children of WWII in Europe. My Dat can live off of little, my Mom feels everything has a purpose. It all goes back to the war, and hard habits to change. I put the pill containers in a shopping bag and slipped it into the car. Left four in the cupboard.

Dat had bought scrubbies at the grocery store this morning. He does the dishes. But when I cleaned under the sink, there were four packages of them already there.He felt terrible about this. I told him they will get used and no hard done. I showed him where they will be when he wants them. Closed the cupboard and washed the floor.

Today was bed stripping, wash clothes and floors and bathrooms. I usually vacuum the whole house too, but Mom wanted to get out shopping to a new store at the mall on the north side of the city. I took her. Sounds easy but wheelchair is needed and no sooner do we get there and she needs to go to the bathroom. At least she found a pair of pants she liked. We went to the Bulk store because I wanted too and had a $3.00 off coupon. She enjoyed this but people with carts could not get around the wheelchair. A little frustrating! I bought some lemon chips ( like chocolate chips) which was a new product for me. I think I will put them in sugar cookies. I hope to bake this weekend.

Picked Dearest up at 5pm. The teenager and toddlers had homemade Ravioli and salad made for us. Such a treat. They did dishes too!

I had a bath after evening chores and finished yet another Waldorf Doll, but I'm not as fancy on her. Think I will make her different clothing, something more greener.

It is really windy tonight and the thermometer is dropping quickly. It is to rest at -9C( 14F). Cold for the end of April.

Ache All Over

I was so cold last night when I crawled into bed. I thought I was catching something. But I woke up after a good night sleep ready to really work.
This morning I moved all this wood from the barn area up to the porch by 10am.

Dearest worked at cutting up more logs and bringing his pile to the splitter. He had the wheel burrow so I moved all this with my arms, which now are quite sore.

Weatherman said veritable cloudiness today. He was right but it was heavenly when the sun peeked out from time to time. I decided to do the whites today and hang them out. It is 8C ( 47F) outside and windy ( as you can see by the sheet). It started to hail around 10:30am but just for a short spell, and that was it for precipitation.

A different type of daffodil opened their faces today. I now have nine different types opened and smiling.

My rhubarb patch it starting to really grow. It just had needed the rain. I have nine rhubarb plants. I give  a lot of it away!

Farm Art, lined up outside the kitchen door, filled with water for when we have yet another dry spell. Note the little container as well!

This afternoon I worked in the Masterbedroom, cleaning out the cupboards above our closets. There is stuffed stashed away in there that I have no idea what. I have gone through it all. Have put items in shopping bags to whomever they belong to, and each kid will get these items, and do what they wish with them. Items like coveralls from 4H, extra sheets from the cottage, nick-knacks of small things,  painting their grandma made for them, and their scrapbooks. So once again the wash machine is humming with the clothing and bedding items. Hopefully I can hang them out tomorrow. I hear rain is in the forecast, but there is always Friday or the bathroom rack.

Yesterday I cleaned out the upstairs bathroom cupboards and threw a whole kitchen bag of stuff out. It is all organized and clean now. Today I washed the shower curtain and window curtain, and cleaned the window. It actually feels good to have all this stuff, going or gone.

Wintery Day

Cold this morning. Or at least it seems that way to me. I woke at 2am, frozen solid. Noticed Dearest had extra blankets on him. He too must have been cold. However my extra blanket was being used elsewhere. So I snuggled into the fetal position but did not fall asleep. The milking alarm never went off. I hit it before it had the chance to go off.

It snowed again throughout the night. We woke to a coating on the ground this morning and snowing the size of quarters at that time.I am now canning and making soup for tonight, still frozen even beside the cookstove. It is my cooking day. Everything is out of wack this week because of company and Dearest being home. He has hundreds of outdoor projects to work on but the weather is damping that spirit. He did split wood all yesterday morning. He is still on the track of getting it all done for April 30! I can't see it happening though.

sheep grazing last Friday

I am canning Dandilion Jelly this morning my first batch did not turn out last week. I make it every year but have lost my original recipe, and am using a different one. The taste is good but I have having a terrible time solidifying it. This mornings batch is much better.

dandelion jelly

We had family present day here on Sunday, as all our children were home from all corners of the world. A delightful time. I recieved a pressure cooker and some really wanted Cornette ware. However it was a pressure canner that was on my list. I have to figure out this new contraption of a pressure cooker!

The sunset was beautiful Sunday night. Pictures do not work as to the colour in the sky. Also do not believe that 'red sky at night is a sailors delight'. We had snow next morning!

the beginning of snow

Popping In

Busy busy here with my house once again filled with children. Most now grownups, but enjoying it. The most amazing part of this day so far...................it snowing outside!

Waldorf Doll : Suzy

Finished my second doll last night.

Named after Brown Eyed Susan.

I am really enjoying making these babes. However I need to figure out how much time it takes to make one, before I can put a cost on them. Their hair takes the longest amount of time!

Yesterday I stacked all this firewood along the house wall. Then I moved just as much split wood and threw it on the porch to dry. I shall stack them in another week. We have about 2 full cords of firewood cut and split, and in the process of stacking for next winters burn. The objective is to get it all cut and split for April 30th. That will be a record, 6 cords of wood.

We had a light rain throughout the night. It was wet on the ground this morning but not under the trees. Calling for 100% chance of rain tomorrow. Looking forward to that. The sprinkle last night made the leaves on the trees pop out this morning.

I am cooking and housecleaning today. Have 10 for sit down dinner tomorrow night and 9 Sunday night. Our whole family will be home together, first time since last spring.

Waldorf Doll : Betsy

She is completed.

The project I began late last week, is done.

 Meet Betsy.

Named after one of my favourite characters in a book called Betsy and Tacy.

 She is completed knitted, right down to the underwear.

She has no small parts,and all hair is crochet in place,
 so she can be enjoyed
from toddlerhood to motherhood.

Now to figure out how long she took to make.
Perhaps I can sell her at the farmers market.
But first I better make her some friends.
What do you think?

Quite Time

Another day of beautiful weather. I actually enjoyed it, but the situation is getting desperate here for water. The woods are showing signs and I know the fire department is worried. No burn is in effect here for fear that 1000's of acres will go up in flames.

I am on the daily attack with water from the rinse cycle in buckets and containers on the back porch. These are for small trees, the cans with spouts for the garden.

I am noticing that everything that gets watered in the garden the earth is cracking in these spots. But I shall keep it up until rain falls. Friday we are told.

look at the barn from behind

I spent the day in the city. More then half of the time with my folks. They had company from far away. I noticed how my Dat reacts around people we have not seen for awhile. This is when you see how 'old' your family members are. The lack of politeness and manners, on both my parents part. However Mom did put on a luncheon spread, lacking all condiments since they don't use them. Actually I should say I put it on, but Mom bought it all. groceries done for another week. I bought little and it still came to near $80.00! Later in the afternoon I went to Micheals to get some wool ( with coupons of course) and to a friend to help with her garden.

sun going down

After chores, and supper, and laundry in, Dearest and I left the kids to do dishes and went for a walk through the front fields.

Dearest and my dog

The temperatures were cooling down fast but the sun was lovely. We gathered firewood from the woods back to the house. The ponds are getting low, but our duck mates are still back there getting ready to have a family.

front field at sundown

It is a domestic home day tomorrow. The weather is to be lovely again. So I have done two loads of laundry, and prepared my kitchen for the meals and deserts I shall be cooking. Family gathering this weekend. Food and clean up a must.

In Need of Rain

Yesterday was like a summer day here with the exception of the wind. I believe that the storms in the States pushed a air pressure up here to create,what for the morning anyway ,was a nice 'summer' day.

I had a ton of inside work to do. But when I brought the recycling out around 9am, I knew that was all shot to heck. It was way too nice outside to be inside worrying about the state of my kitchen cupboards. I threw the doors and windows of the house opened and let the warmer air inside the cool house. This morning I am paying for it as my allergies are wicked. Honey, honey, honey. Just keep eating it until the leaves are on the trees.

I moved next years firewood to the porch to dry in the sun. It didn't take me long doing this and my sweater was taken off, and shirt sleeves rolled up. The youngest, I made keep on her sweater as she is active, then still. I didn't want her getting a chill. She painted on the back porch for about an hour, on a piece of wood. Very content to be outside.

After lunch, which consisted of honey! Little one went to nap and I worked on the garden. The wind had picked up big time and dark clouds were heading in. I thought if I could get it all turned over, and then the rain fell, I would be so joyfully happy. Toddler woke up at 3pm. I had to put the sweater back on her and a bonnet. The wind just blew her away. She tried to help Daddy with the smaller logs, but landed out with me in the garden and a spade.

My good news to report on is that I have ALL my gardens now turned over ready for planting. I re-edged them all this year, which took time. I had not done this for at least three years. Normally we still are getting some snow this time of year ( did last year) and I am not working too hard in the garden and rather working on spring cleaning. Since the soil is dry and easy to work it is nice to get it done now. And since the blackflies and mosquitoes are not here yet, this is a great opportunity to get the garden turned over. The clouds kept getting darker and then at 4pm'ish it rained for 3 minutes and then the sun and wind took over and that was that!

I have never measured my garden before. I thought to do this and found the main garden to be 84 'X 14' and the new garden to be 20' x 20'. I do rotating gardening right up until the last planting in September. Every year has its own challenges. So far this year the lack of moisture. But that could all change again and we could have wet summers like the last three summers, making it hard to bring in hay. Time will tell.

This morning it is cold out. I had to bring in firewood early this morning and get the cookstove burning again. I will be inside today. Helping teenager with chemistry and washing my kitchen floors. Dearest car goes into the shop to get snow tires off and summer tires on and I need to get to the Hardware store for a new blade for my handsaw, as cutting through the wood is getting increasingly difficult with last years blade.

As I am typing this I am downloading photo's from my camera onto my Photobucket site and washing portions of the floor.

Uneasy Feelings

Violets in my woods

There are times in my life where I feel low. It almost always happens when I have been at someones house and see the beauty of their home and feel mine is inadequate. My home is old, carpets needing replacing. Light fixtures fixed and actual door knobs put on bedroom doors.

Well it happened again on Friday. We were at the Bridal shower at a very good friends house. Now here is the thing. I have been at her house over 100 times in the last 8 years. I even helped her design and spec the house as it was being build. But this time I was helping to serve at this shower. The envy and guilt I felt while helping out. Going into her huge brand new pantry with shelves bulking with food, all store bought all of the best brands. Her upright freezer filled with foods I could never afford to buy or entertain with. All the pretty dishes, and glasses. Lets just say a house to entertain in, with everything in its place. We didn't have to substitute anything from proper knives to punch bowl. Everything organized and beautiful....right out of a magazine.

Then I came home that night with two tired toddlers, to a house that was cold and damp. Put them to bed and stoked up the cookstove. I just sat down and cried. My kitchen floor has cut marks on it when my now 25 year old tried to cut out skirts with the Olfa cutter but did not put the board underneath. My cupboards were installed 1970 of dark walnut, and missing handles. The cupboards are dark inside ( perhaps good for food storage). The kitchen counter, only 7 years old has a hole in it that is Ducked Taped because the 20 year old had put a hot pot on the counter and burned a hole through it. One side of the kitchen houses Dearest desk ( this computer) with his piles of junk that I am not allowed to touch as it is private information with regards to the congregation. That was just one room in the house. My main function room and it brought me to tears.

My Martha Steward Garden!

Oh I am over it now. Humbled myself and thought of how I can improve with the income I have to make me feel somewhat better. I think I shall declutter and reorganize one of the cupboards today.

But the upside is starting me in the face. My two year old is sat on the kitchen floor today as I write this playing with the dollhouse. Totally unaware of the scraped up floor. It has always been that way to her. Doesn't bother her a bit. She is dry, warm and comfortable, playing with her dream house (dollhouse). The thing is I have 7 smiley faces to look at and my friend with all the bells and whistles has none. I don't think they ever wanted children, but I did, and they are mine forever. My pride and joy. My happiness in life. Forget the things, who needs them. They bring only temporary happiness, then sit in a box until the next time they get used.

We finally had some rain during the night. It is beginning to worry me with how much dryness we have. Easy for turning over the soil, but it is drying out even before planting.

working the land

The rain however was not much. I had Dearest install all the rain barrels under all the eaves the other day. They only have puddles in them this morning. I have been saving laundry rinse water and bath water in buckets outside the kitchen door for the gardens. That just in case factor.

I have begun a new knitting project. I hope to be able to share one of the finished projects by weeks end. I am enjoying this one. Since hockey in on the screen every night it means a lot of me time at night to do what I want. Dearest loves his hockey!

Completed Projects

I have a shower to attend tonight. I did not make the gift this time as I haven't the time, but I did make the card.

I stayed up until 11;20pm last night trying to finish these socks for son-in-law. They don't need to be done until next weekend, but I bought more yarn for a new project and lets face it new projects are always more fun to dream about then the one you are presently working on. However I did not get the socks done. I actually had about six more rows to go and then to put all the treads in, but I could not make myself knit one more stitch. So after morning chores I went to finish them. Glad they are done!

Our 4 year old loves to build with old wood. we have about 20 of these around the house and barn. Can't bring myself to burn them. Yesterday while 'sissy' was napping we sat outside in the sunshine and I knit the above and she painted one of her 'creation's' (Inuksuk !).

Now 19 more to go!! She also painted Dandilion heads.

Attacked

It has been a really quite day around here. Nice to have the sun shining and the wind a little more mellow.

The window to the outdoor chicken run, blew closed today. I went through the outdoor run, where the chickens were busy eating kitchen scraps to open there window ,telling the four year old to stay outside the run. She never likes to listen and came in the run behind me, but too far back from me to do anything about it. The rooster attacked her legs. This is my chicken girl. She loves the hens, but it took me a long time to calm her down after the attack on her. We sat down outside the run and I told her what the roosters job was and that she also made the mistake of :first coming in the run when I told her not to, and second; caring in the container that  had held the kitchen scraps  Who know what the little brain of the rooster was thinking but I had to kick him off her, as she was too far out of reach to get to quickly. Needless to say, I don't think she will be collecting eggs anytime soon.

Thinking Outside the Box

It is a darn good thing that I am a patent person ( most of the time) or I would have had busted a gasket by now.

My van 2001 Carivan has hit the biscuit sort to speak of. First the electrical system went. Gauges and dials doing all kinds of funky things when you drove. But I kind of got use to the quirkiness of the thing and drove it only locally as it started and ran fine. The muffler has a hole in it now and I know about what that will cost. But last week Dearest drove it to get firewood from road side and the front window steamed up. In my mind this is the heating coil. We don't need heat in the summer so if we plug that piping I can at least still drive it locally. Dearest says not! So my 11 year old baby sits in the field, waiting to be used as the next farm vehicle.

Dearest farm truck ( FORD- Found On Road Dead) is stuck in the creek bed. It has been there all winter. The girls and I went back with him on Sunday because the bed is drying up due to lack of rain, to push the thing out. But it lands out being the transmission is gone. The motor will not keep running. Off to the scrap metal it stall go.

We are now down to one car. A four door ION. Small ,great commuter car. Lousy with two car seats in it and a teenager squished in- between. Good thing she is a small teenager.

Issues have come up a few times this week. Dearest keeps forgetting I do not have something to drive when he has driven to work and asks me to get things for him, I cannot possibly do on a bike. Remember I live in the boonies! Then there is times where we have to be at totally different places, 100 km away at the same time. I have rescheduled so much of my doings to accommodate having one vehicle. However he still doesn't understand he no longer can just do as he pleases, without informing us anymore, just in case we need the car. Tomorrow I find myself in the downtown of the city all afternoon, on foot with two toddlers, awaiting going to a Bridal shower at 6pm, because he made plans to see his folks, 100km away south east of the city. He is being accommodating by bringing us to the city and then heading back the direction he came from and then south to see his folks. He should have re-planned his trip to his folks as he knew about the shower for five weeks, and knew I was helping to cater to this shower. So car seats have to be dropped off at the shower house, and then me and stroller dropped off downtown. I shall be a street person all afternoon, and hit the library and such until I walk the 3km to where the shower is, outside the city limits. I have a friend driving us home. I would like to think of this as an adventure. But the whole planning of who is where, doing what, things to pack, animals to have tended too. I just want to not show up for the shower, but I said I would help. I like my "Yes" to mean Yes and my "No" to mean No! Needless to say I am not looking forward to tomorrow.

Then there is the socks I am knitting! I am making them for my son-in-law and from two different types of wool my mom gave me. One of blue fleck and the other a grey. I was doing the leg of the sock in blue right to the heel and the foot of the sock grey with the toes being blue. The first sock is done. The second I got working to the heel and noticed that the wool was in short pieces. The whole heel is in these short pieces. I am now on the foot of the second sock, but there is not enough ( pieces) of the blue to do the toe the same as the first sock. So I shall have to tear out the toe for the first sock, and re-knit in grey to the very tip, when I can then attach some blue which I tore off the first sock to add to the second one. Frustration as I just want them done.

Then there is shopping. For eight weeks I have been trying to get to the Dollar store to get pantyhose and steel wool. Not the end of the world, but I have been wearing thights and this menopausal girl has been dying of heat. Also the shower present. I never get anywhere as the girls always fall asleep on me after I have been at my folks when I go to the city. Yesterday I tagged my mom along to sit in the car with the little ones while I ran through the hail into the stores to get what was needed.

Sometimes I think living in the city would be a heck lot easier. I know I would be misserable living in the city.

Be Prepared

We were in the city yesterday taking care of my folks and doing the shopping. I have a bridal shower to go to next Friday and for three weeks now have tried to get to the store where she is registered and once again it didn't happen yesterday. I found the stores were filled with people, I suspect before the holidays....shopping. I was wanting in to get one or two items and out again. Needless to say I think I shall save myself the anguish and just give the bride cash.

I bought a lot of meat yesterday. I have not bought any meat since January and my freezer was really lacking in variety. It is now filled to capacity and I am able to work on my once-a-month cooking.....Today!!!

In fact I didn't even go down the rows in the store yesterday. Rather just stuck to the outside core buying fresh produce, meat and cheese.

I don't know if it is me, but there seemed to be little in the way of any sale this week at any of the grocery stores. Perhaps because of the pending holiday they know people will buy no matter the cost? use to be a turkey was a good deal this time of year. Not so this year.

This is my baking cupboard. Yes I am an organized freak. 

The Tupperware I have owned for over 20 years. Note the pink lids? Think 1980's! I bought them over time and threw parties to get Tupperware deals. I haven't been to a Tupperware party in over 15 years.

The real reason I bought them was because in our old house, (Circa 1836 stone house,) we had a real problem with mice. Nothing like loosing all your loose grains and sugars to mice.

Note the ceiling in my cupboards ( ugly as they are) have tin nailed to them. That has rid me of mice in the cupboards in this house ( Circa 1881).

My baking cupboard is well stocked again. I have bought sugar dirt cheap over the later winter, for canning this spring. Still have our whole grain wheat to be ground in large pails in the basement. What I use everyday is here in this cupboard.

My kitchen sink area

At our Meeting Hall this past Tuesday we were reminded to have our emergency preparedness ready. It is a always good reminder because we never know when an emergency could strike.

Living on a farm we are more prepared then most. I have 300L of drinking water in the basement. Every beginning of the month I empty these water bins into the wash machine and refill them dating them for freshness. We don't need an emergency to be without water. Our power outage will stop the pumps from running water.

We have gas tanks filled with Petro. It gets used on the chainsaw, farm truck and lawnmower, but is always refilled. for that just in case moment. If power goes out in the area, fuel pumps don't work either!

Do you have all your important papers, passport, house insurance, mortgage or ownership papers all together in one spot that you can just get in a hurry if you must leave the house quickly? Ours are in a Ziplock bag in a backpack along with a plate, tumbler, cutlery, matches, can opener, rain coats, mitts, socks, maxi-pads ( homemade ones), personal items, list of each item a family member would need to collect when disaster strikes ( medication, clothing, favorite toy).

How about cash? Your VISA or bank card will not work without electricity. You need cash. We have been told to keep about $300. of small bills ( $5. and $10.) in a safe place in the house. This I need to replenish. We have dug into this stash. So the reminder was a good one.

Then the canned goods, and emergency foods. Everyone should have some supply of the different food groups in your house at all times. That just in case factor.

This was the fire a year ago here where we live. It consumed four farms in total, and reached the edge of ours. We lost one field, but that was it, thank goodness. However because we had the emergency plan in hand we were ready to leave in 5 minutes notice.

This was the aftermath of the fire. April 2011

A reminder to all, be prepared.

Thinking of Chicks

I get a good production of eggs a day here. Enough that I sell two dozen a week for 8 hens and still have enough for our baking and eating. But with a rooster in the picture I am hoping that soon my hens will be brooding and within the month I will have baby chicks.

Yesterday I cleaned out the coop. Today I shall make some nesting boxes for my ladies. An encouragement perhaps for what I want, maybe not what they want?

Anyway I have seen the fellow at work. Just wish I was more patient.

Copy Cat

I worked outside all day today. After morning chores I cleaned out the whole chicken coop. The coop is the size of a bedroom which holds a double bed and two dressers. It is the old milk house which has a cement foundation. I then wheel burrowed all the chicken dirt to my new garden plot and spread it around. Fourteen wheel burrow full and four and a half hours later I was done for. Heavy stuff! But again two things done. Chicken coop cleaned out and garden fertilized. Only my hands are now sore and have blisters. I have my stinky coveralls and shoes in the wash machine as I type. I took a bath and ached all over. Couldn't sit up in the tub!

A little bit of humour here. Older daughter doesn't want her picture taken so she hides her face, and younger one copies her, unknown why she would want to hide her face?

April 1 and Snow

This picture was taken early this morning and it snowed right until around the noon hour, when it changed t ice pellets, freezing rain and then rain. There was about 2am on the ground at noon, but now at 5pm has melted. Tomorrow is to be nice!

We were commenting at worship this morning on how many of ladies wore black. It was such a derpessing morning when one looked outside or did barn work in the morning, we looked in our closets and thought " Oh I'll wear winter stuff just this once more!" hense all the black.

This is our Sunday night to have all the young people over for 'singing'. I have been baking this afternoon and daughters cleaning up. A light supper and then the young ones will arrive. I have planned little for tomorrow as it is always the middle of the night before they leave.

As I bake I am writing  a letter to a dear friend I shall be seeing in a few weeks. She is my "Kindered Spirit" and we still send 'snail mail' ( letters) to each other. I am also working on these socks for son-in-law.

Other then that I am beginning to wash and pack winter clothes away, and bringing summer clothes out.