As the winter winds begin.....

Winter is quickly closing in on us. Our mornings great us dark, with frosted roofs and lawns. The afternoons warm up to about 1 degree, with little wind and a little bit of sunshine now and then.

The hens were still going out in the afternoons till about a week or so ago. They would all run to the camper to dust bathe underneath. Then out to stroll the yard in 2 groups, one of 5 red hens, always together, I call them the trouble makers. The other with 3 red hens, the 3 black hens, and Tracy the big white hen. They love scratching in the fallen leaves, looking for bugs and worms that surface in the afternoon warmth. I enjoy the sound of them outside, the singing of the ladies and the constant rustle of leaves. It makes me smile, apparently the neighbour was enjoying them scratching in his leaves too. Momma hen, the one who set on the 4 eggs this past spring is locked in with the Polish chicks, in hopes that she might bond with them, and regain some status when spring time comes seeing as she will be friends with the new roosters. (Fabio and Sylvester)


I had to separate the Polish and layer hens a few weeks ago. We had a few days of awful rainy, and cold weather, so I kept all the ladies inside. It was just too windy and cold to let them out. Well I guess that they got bored or angry at the little guys and began picking on them once again. I went out in the morning to discover all of the tail feathers missing from 4 of the 7 chicks. When I call them chicks, don't think of little yellow fluffy guys, these are as tall as my hens, just not as plump looking. They are still young however and are afraid of the big hens. They also still peep like a chick so the hens feel more secure when pulling their feathers out. I was shocked to see what those "bitties" did to them in one afternoon. I tried them back with the silkies, but to no avail as they tower above them, they stole their heat lamp, their food, pecked at them, and chased them into a far corner. So I ended up doing a chicken house reno that day, so now the Polish are in their own 9 x 3 pen inside the hen house, waiting till they mature a little more and the roosters begin crowing, and the hens begin to cluck. At that time, they will all be able to be together without problems. I hope!

I have been keeping rather busy, I have one end all sanded and primed on my sink. The front is in the process but I ran out of sandpaper, so it is on hold till I go and get some this weekend. I have been busy crocheting, I made a cute little basset and an equally cute little monkey. 2 more bassets to make, and 2 beagles. I have been working on my Christmas card, I finished my rough draft then changed my mind. So back to the drawing board this weekend. We had some beautiful weather 2 weeks ago, so with plenty of help from my hubby we got the new door on the "Hens Nest" it looks really great. I also got the window and door trim painted, as well as the soffit and fascia. Now I am just looking forward to getting the rest done in the spring. I have big plans in my head!

It was snowing here, we already had about 12 cm, but that has nearly all melted now. I do believe that the weather network said it is supposed to come down all tomorrow afternoon. Yay, it makes the boys really excited when they see the snow and they have to dig out their snow pants because it is getting so cold out. They are looking forward to having enough snow to get out the snow mobile. Oh and lets not forget about Christmas, what kid isn't excited about Christmas. With a month left today I am going to have to get my shopping finished! About half done, and haven't even began my baking yet! So until next time, keep warm and hug those you love! Unless it's a goldfish, might be better for him if you just "kiss his glass"!!!!

Wordless Wednesday II

Life between shucking peas and shovelling dirt....

Summer in the North is so fast that it feels like its gone in a blink. So in the North on a small farm there is rarely a moment of rest, and NEVER a minute of boredom. All chores and tasks on the farm are completed by the whole family and they are nearly always learning experiences, or turn into one of those "remember when" chores. We can usually laugh together, then at the end of the day look out at what we accomplished as a family, while we eat our home grown chicken, and a salad with fresh veggies from the garden. Really I don't think that life gets any better than the one that my family has built for itself. I mean, ya, money is often a little tight and we have to keep watch of the bank account, but I wouldn't trade if for that little 30 x 90 lot EVER!!!

Civic holiday weekend we took off to a little town called Notre Dame Du Nord, its a quaint little town of only a few hundred people right on the Quebec/Ontario border. But for one 3 day weekend a year it turns into a redneck "big town" with well over 10,000 people crowded along the edge of one down town street while transports race up the hill with a full load of lumber, the black smoke rolling out of their pipes like an old coal engine train. Some even have train whistles on them, its really neat, and for my 3 truck enthusiasts life really doesn't get any better for them. As for myself, well I will put it this way, it takes a little getting used to, I found that at the bottom of the hill it smelled awful of burning rubber, and raw burning diesel fuel. Apparently to the guys that is a good smell, but too me, not too great, it was everywhere, choking and blinding you. So we tried the top of the hill where the trucks don't smell. But the trucks go so fast at the top of the hill it was scaring me, yes I am a total wuss. I am OK with that too. We had a great time overall and I got a few good pics of some great looking trucks, and some crazy hillbilly men! Next year is up in the air for me, not too sure if I will be attending or not. The boys go every year, and love it, they come home stinky with smoke and looking a mottled grey colour. I will see what next year brings for me....

We have also managed to make it out to my in-laws cottage a few times this summer, only about a half hour drive from home, we know that it will be a good afternoon. We eat great food, have better conversation, and create some dang good memories for my growing boys, who are actually blessed enough to have Grandparents, and Great Grandparents, in their early 80's they are still healthy and live out there for the summers, on the lake living the quiet and peaceful life like they have been for the last40 years or so. The other day was actually their 63 wedding anniversary. Holy Crow, that's all I can say!

My friend came out to the house one day last week and we butchered the last of the meat birds, aside for one. She is the one that was attacked by the dog and survived, we felt that she deserved to live a long life after what she went through. She has affectionately been named Tracy, after a friend that has had more than her fair share of battles. Anyways one of those hens must weigh about 12 lbs cleaned, they are just beautiful birds and the first one we butchered went right onto the BBQ grill, we ate like kings that evening, fresh chicken, sweet potatoes, salad and a raspberry cake. Well worth all the work of cleaning and plucking those last 6 birds. I tried to send a bird home with them last time, and they wouldn't take it so my solution was to feed them supper. It sure was fantastic too! :)

My garden is doing really well, my peas and beans are ready for picking, I have a few lbs of fresh peas in the house today that need to be shucked, and put into a pot to be steamed for supper. The beans are just to say ready, we have started picking the odd one, but in a few days we will once again have beans coming out of our ears, no one really complains about that either, the Swiss chard is growing like a weed and we have been eating from it for the last week or so. I have potato plants out there that are up to my armpits and must be 4 feet wide, I have actually seen hedges smaller than those plants, we are just hoping that the potatoes underneath are as well endowed as the plants above the ground.

My hubby brought me home a tandem load of sand last evening, so my old unused well in my dog kennel is now gone, and filled with sand, the top tile from the well was pulled off with the big truck and just kinda rolled off with out breaking, so I think that I might keep it, and use it for a planter, possibly filling it with fresh herbs to be used in the summer months, we can paint the concrete with pretty designs and flowers, now just to figure out where to put it. I still have about half that load of sand, and it will get spread in the low spots in the dog kennel, and on the front lawn where we yanked out the trees, to landscape. Then we can just plant the new pyramid cedars and spread topsoil and grass seed to finish up my front lawn. It really is never ending, the boys and bassets are loving the huge sand pile in the kennel. Hoover was so excited when he saw the pile through the patio doors, giving me that "really? for me?" look. The boys and the hounds have been busy digging holes and running around on top, well I should get out there and get to work, gotta spread it by the wheel barrow load..... Gonna be a long day, perhaps with a Mr.Freeze break and some fresh scrambled eggs for lunch...