Shivering

We are having one of those cold snaps that the ice fishing folks love for building ice on the lakes, but the rest of us could do without.  -29 degrees when we got up this morning, shortly after 6:00 (slept in - thank you dogs!) and we waited a while to go out to do chores - then it was -31!  Milking in the pole barn is actually kind of interesting due to the cloud of vapor that rises from the milk pail. My hands don't get cold until I am done since Vinca is so warm.

You can see that Vinca, along with the other goats, has really gotten furry!

The lads have moved out to their winter bachelor pad.

Our indoor/outdoor dogs are indoors quite a bit these days.  When not being generally underfoot, they do a lot of this.

This week they spent their most of the daytime hours out in the heated shop.  We have a kennel built into the corner with straw bedding so they are pretty comfortable and Rollie stops by to let them run out and take care of business during the day when he has time. 


Lilly is showing no signs that she regrets moving into the house.  I wondered what she would think of the Christmas tree...

She otherwise leaves the tree alone.  Hoover is another story - he is not allowed anywhere near it as he seems to think that ornaments are chew toys.

The pigs are still here - we are waiting on the butcher but the weather hasn't been cooperative for him either I guess. 

I'm still making soap weekly but will be taking a break from that for a bit.  Today I made my 53rd batch of the year - wow!  That's a lot of soap.  Last weekend I made charcoal soap for the first time - can't wait to try it but have to wait a few weeks while it cures.

Is that enough farm news for this week?  I'll be back in a couple of weeks with the next update.  Until then, I wish you all good health and a good holiday with your families.  Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and Be Well!

Settling in for the Winter

Greetings Blog Visitors!  I have been posting weekly since last spring, but the time has come to cut down a bit.  Funny how in the winter when I actually have a little more time for this sort of thing, there just isn't that much to tell you about! 

The last post was all about the big storm we had.  The weather since has been a weird roller-coaster.  It got warm, then it rained, and all the snow but a few snowbanks are gone.  Now we have snow again, but only 2-3 inches or so, and at the moment (7:09 PM no matter what the post time says) the thermometer is reading 33 degrees - so it's melting again.  Later on this week highs in the teens are forecast - I'm  not looking forward to that!

I am still keeping busy with my soapmaking and selling, and woodworking has begun.  Rollie, Kevin, and Kurt were out on Saturday to do some buzz sawing.

Saturday evening we opened up our first aged cheese.  This farmhouse cheddar has been tucked away in the wine fridge for about 6 weeks; we just couldn't wait any longer!

I am please to share that it is really, really delicious!

I don't have any critter photos to share this week.  They are doing fine with the exception of my new rooster Rubio, who wasn't with us very long.  Sometimes chickens just mysteriously fail and go into a decline, and that was the way with him.  Fortunately, he made a stop at another farm before he came to me, so I am hoping to get one of his sons here to keep company with the ladies. 

Dogs, cats, goats and pigs are all good - by the next post the pigs will be at the butcher and Kevin will have less chores to do.  I have stopped milking Echo completely now, but will continue with Vinca one time a day for a while yet. 

So that's about it - thanks for stopping by the blog - check back in a couple of weeks. Until then, don't let the holiday season make you crazy!  Be well all.