Hello 2016!

The number 2015 is another marker on our timeline of life.  When we look back at that marker, what will we recall?  

The passing of some much loved elders who lived good lives.  Other lives tragically cut short.  Letting our horses go.  Kevin getting a new knee.  And a new job.  A pretty good garden.  The baler finally working right, a successful hunting season…

Happy New Year All!  We hope you had a good holiday season.  We had some good family time and (yeah!) snow!  I figure if it has to be winter and cold, we might as well have some snow to enjoy.  I’ve been out on the snowshoes just once so far, but that is already one more time than last year. 

I have to tell you what the kids gave us for Christmas… for Kevin, a smoker.  For me, a wine fridge.  It’s not for wine, it’s for aging cheese.  Guess they really want me to make some cheddar!  Since milking season is winding down, they will have to wait a bit for that. Kevin has been talking about getting a smoker for years so he's excited about his gift too.

If you are a gardener, you’ve been getting seed catalogs in the mail for some weeks now.  Here are just a few; my favorites.  I have disposed of or given away at least another half dozen.  I need to make time to sit down with them and do some planning.

Kevin and Rollie have really been at it out in the woods, cutting down many trees for future firewood.  Kevin reports that the boiler is using a lot less wood more efficiently since we have replaced that underground waterline.

The following are some photos from the woods taken on Saturday January 2 when Kori and I went out to see the progress of the woodsmen:

One of eleven turkeys that crossed the logging road ahead of us

Kevin cuts the trees down, Rollie drags them out to the clearing

Kori couldn't resist making a snow angel!

Out in the coop, then hens are still not laying that great, but  better than they were I guess.  The odd thing is I hear from other folks even worse reports than mine.  What is up with the chickens this year? 

Diego and some of the hens check out the crushed eggshells I just added to their grit feeder.

This cornish checks me out when I came to the coop.  There is a lot of glare from the sun streaming in the windows, but I just love the look on her face!  She looks wise to me.

I guess that is all for this evening.  Again, I wish you all a happy and healthy new year.  Be well.