Stacked Wood.

The Original Tetris Game:

Brought to you by: Nature, endorsed by cold weather.

Ramble Ramble Ramble no commas.

Homesetadin is at a bit of a standstill.
And thats ok.

As I look out the window during the day, I can just see the cold.

Even the chickens want to stay inside.


Did a hive check last week when the weather was a bit warmer. I was sad, but not surprised to see my final hive didn't make it. Upon dismantaling the thing I saw a great number of bees.  There was more than I had last year in the hive that made it. No signs of mites, no unhealthy looking gals.... Plenty of pollen and stores. A beautiful queen frozen in time surrounded by her court.

A bit of a depressing site.

But anyways I broke it all apart and set aside the equipment for this spring....  The bees this year will have plenty of pollen to get them started.  I hate to manipulate mother nature too much but I think that I will try some pollen patties this year to encourage the brood production. Its worth a shot to have a crap ton of bee's and see if it helps at all. Might mean some more swarming but eh- been there seen that.......( like a gagillion times now.)


As for the hens- they have been given a break. No lamps set on timers to give them more "daylight," to entice them into laying more eggs.  The older hens deserve a rest and the younger gals need a break.  All are happy and I have some still in their molt. Those gals look crappy, but I know it won't last. The girls that came out of their molt about a month ago look beautiful and full of feathers.  Always neat to see a slight change in the feather color when they do come back in.

The chicks are fat and sassy and coming into their own.  All brood at night together and their have been less fights between the gals now that we have the gentlemen to keep them in line. The roosters nip any hen pecking in the bud as soon as they see it.  So far no rooster has tried to face off with me yet- but I'm ready for when it does happen.

Surveyed our land last weekend before this cold snap.  Walked the property to talk about the ponds we will be digging and the koi that we will be raising. (Yup you read that right) but more on that later.  We are excited to get back to the Amish auctions again this year (now that we physically can!) and we have already received the letter from the Amish telling about the estimated prices for certain crops.  We are thinking about sticking to mainly our first years best sellers, with a few odds and ends for ourselves.  We are also working on a pumpkin patch for the fall.

Yesterday feeling cooped myself, I got some seeds started. Mainly just some flowers with sunflowers included. Hoping to have luck with them this year, as I haven't in the past.  The hens will enjoy them, as will I:)


Our little one just finished with four months of continuous teething, only to pop four teeth out at once.  The last one has just poked thru, and it was just no no noooo fun for her.  Sleepless nights were comparable to what the Navy Seals go thru.  We have a tough little chick on hand but I'm hoping she gets a bit of a break from working those teeth out!

Thats all for now. Because as I type she is waking up:)

Cock a Doodle Do and so on and so forth.....

The boys and there fine bevy of beauts.

From right to left, Hildago, Mr. Ferguson, and Mr Bohanon.

I'm Spiderman." And that precise moment of movie epicness.

Preface:

Anyone who owns a boxer knows that they have the ability to fart like a third year college frat boy, who just did a wicked keg stand after eating a half bucket of fried chicken. The dark meat only.

Years ago I was a geek.

Oh who am I kidding I still am.

Lets just say if there was a comic book store in a five mile radius I would visit it weekly.

I even twice went to a Comic Con. 

Once dressed as Black Cat. (google her- shes cool stuff;) )

Years ago I read alot of comic books, and really enjoyed them. Avengers, Batman Y the last Man, Maus, Hulk, X-Men- (Ohhhh the X- Men!) Never Superman (cause he's kinda dumb) and of course......Spiderman.

Every girl has a soft spot for Spidey.

Being a Marvel girl predominately, I really got into Spidermans story. Most liking the Ultimate Spiderman as opposed to The Amazing Spiderman, because I felt there was a better story line.  Peter Parker was such a hero. For us nerds at least.  So when the new Spiderman movie came out with that "not Tobey McGuire," guy I had my reservations about seeing it. Plus the girl that played Gwen Stacey  has gotten freakishly alien looking lately o she gives me the heebie geebies.

But last night we watched it.

I tried my best not to explain every little bit to my husband, and totally geek out on certain parts that were comic book recognizable to me. So as I remained quiet I fangirl flipped on this new movie.

They did a pretty good job.

Without  too much detail they showed the "other side of Peter Parker behind the mask." A snarky, clever witted goofball.

Tobey McGuire left that part out......but it was completely forgivable.

So as the movie comes to an apex where Spidey is about to tell Gwen who he truuuullly is I totally held onto my breath, blanket, and did not blink.

Web shoots-

Grabs Gwen-

Kisses her-

and says, "I'm Spiderman."

*fart*

My precious dog Harlem let one rip the size of an old lady who just ate a bowl of colon blow.

It was awesome.

The most epic part of this fan girls Spiderman movie, and the dog farts.

I will now know those words "I'm Spiderman," followed always with a fart.

With great Boxers, comes great gas.

By Reveille

 n          n bn         kkBHHM <,   zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz








x,u ffilhii.l; mmmmmmmmm,

Two Oh One Trrree.

2013.
I'm radioactive.



I said it all artsy like in the title to get your attention.

Hopefully it worked.

But alas no artsy stuff here.


No, I'm rather un artsy.


sorry.. just some boring writing.



SO while I'm hopped up on the energy drinks, and my sweet pea is taking her cat nap I'll do just some of that, boring writing stuff. Hopefully you find it in your heart to bear (rah) with me.


Amoungst (typed like that to make it look smart)  the New Years resolutions that I have been reading online, and hearing on TV, I find myself (for the first time) making some of my own. But not without thought.

I'm looking forward to this spring, (but not quite yet cause this cold is wicked awesome, and their ain't nothing like stacking wood)  to see whats in store for our little homestead.  I could make some really long paragraphs describing everything but one of my New Years Resolutions was to simply.  So instead of wordy lengthy passages, (and because my daughter takes such short naps) I will instead list things.

I like list.

Chickens:
  This year now that we have the three roosters, who are -ahem- really showing off their roosterness I might say, I'm hoping for one of the hens to go broody.  Really hoping its the Buff Orpington, because they make such sweet, and protective Mommas.

If so- then I will get her to hatch out as many chicks as possible.  There is nothing quite like watching the miracle of life and the struggle to survive emerge from a shell in just 21 days.  Quite spectacular really.

Bee's:

Been wondering if I should do it this year. Part of me says Nah.. cause the past two years have been crap. (A total of six hives lost) and the bee charmer part of me says - "you suck at charming," because of all the hives lost.   BUT after hearing several useful talks at the bee shop down the street (true story) I find that I might not lack in charming skills rather outside forces are to blame for the past two years of sucky bee management.

IE: Nature.

So we will see how many hives I order for the spring.  Depends on how much caffeine induced enthusiasm I have on ordering day I guess.

New animals...(shhh don't tell David)

I really want some ducks.  Just for fun. Maybe eat some of their eggs. But mainly because I've become hopelessly obsesses with the show Duck Dynasty, and I really want to name a few ducks Willie, Jase, and Si. Possibly Miss Kay.


Ponds:  If you build it- they will come. (More on that later)

As far as mental health stuff- simplify. simplify simplify.

Part of me thinks I'm on the verge of becoming a hermit (and I'm really ok with it) because I have an immense lack of desire to go out and "do the things I used to do." But honestly those "things," don't hold value anymore to me.  Whats valuable is the time I get to spend with my two gifts from God and the loving people who raised me on earth.

Its all about family. I don't miss socializing. At all.

Sigh- what a relief it is to say that.

Stacking wood.
Ducks.
late night Tv while our daughter sleeps.
Dogs.
Chickens.
Trying my hand at cooking.
Traveling to Mass.
Chatting with farmer friends.
Seeing my nieces and nephews flourish.
watching the birds from the kitchen window while I wash bottles.
slathering on lotion to my dry cracked hands.
grilling while it snows.
getting the fire ready before my husband comes home.
Having our daughter chase me while I vacuum
Having our daughter tug at my pants to be held.
chugging coffee.
smoothing back the bed head hair of my daughter while she rubs her eyes.
smelling the cold.
watching the sun set.
Shutting up the chicken coop.
Feeding a fox.
Doing whats important to MY family and not giving one shit what anyone thinks of me anymore.
That's whats important.



Reveling in Gods glorious work around us.

That's 2013.