::this moment:: I See You!

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savour and remember.

Stop by Soulemama's blog to visit more moments!

Dreaming

The exceptionally warm weather a couple weeks ago has put summer thoughts in everyone's mind.  When it was 28 degrees Celsius and the seasonal temperatures are usually around 5 degrees you can't help but start looking to summer. 

When I look to summer, this is what I dream about.  Flowers, vegetables and EVERYTHING that goes with it.  I get excited by it all.  And FREE SHIPPING with my order - yes please!

I have to remind myself that I am one person and still have the kids that I must feed, chickens that need looking after, a job to keep etc, etc.

I still will sit here and dream of all the beautiful flower beds I can build or all the vegetables that will grow in my garden.  I will most likely look through these magazines over and over again imagining, dreaming and maybe placing a *sensible order.

I Wonder....

It always amazes me when you turn off the T.V., computer, video games, and even put the books away what the children will come up with.  I am a big believer in sending children outside to play and pass time, especially when the phrase, "I"m bored" comes out. 

Going outside is not a problem for my children though, they love it outside and usually can't wait to get out.  So while we were working on the chicken coop, the children were working on a project all their own.

They took a lot of time to make this animal shelter.  I had to make a sign so the animals knew that they were welcome anytime.  The creativity and imagination that is always working in the minds of young children always amazes me.  When I look at empty margarine containers I see recycling, the children see doors and tables.  When I see torn off kite tails I see garbage but they see flags.  Old sticks?  Throw them in the furnace to clean things up but they see bridges, roads, walls and more. 

They are so proud of their little animal house and can't wait to find out what animal is going to choose to live in it!

Chicken Coop Part Deux

Well with the count down on for when we get our new chickens, it has been a busy couple of days her on the homestead.  We put two calves from last summer in the barn to sell at the auction barn today and I, with the help of the little ones, put all our laying hens in the cages in the coop to see what ones are laying and what ones aren't. 

But we are still busy trying to get our chicken coop done for our new arrivals.  This means laying blocks for a foundation, taking out old feed troughs, taking down walls and putting in new walls, windows and doors.

Laying down the foundation inside the barn.

Seth has to keep the year old bulls back from pushing on the blocks.  You can just see the bulls ear but he is there!

Taking down one of the walls in the barn.

Oh to be a boy and able to drop your pants and pee whenever you feel the need!  I guess I should be happy he is peeing in the barnyard and not my chicken coop!

Chicken Coop Begins!

The new chicken coop begins.  I found some old windows on my parents farm that weren't being used (most likely never) and thought they would look perfect for my new chicken coop.   Some of the glass panes were missing and they needed to be repainted and re-cocked.  Luckily my helper Orangy was always close by to keep me company. 

The chickens are coming on the 3rd or 4th of April so I will have more pictures posted from building the coop.  That's only a little over a week!  Yikes!!

Free Range Chickens

My chickens have been enjoying this warm weather SO much.  They can't wait for me to get to the coop and open the door.  They literally fly at me as they try to get outside. 

I had to shoo them away from the road too because they like it in the ditches where the puddles are, which also means lots of worms.  YUM!!!

I just feel bad for them because once we get the new coop made and them moved in they will only have a 'yard' of their own to be in.  They will still get to go outside but it will have to be limited.  

Enjoy this time my friends!

That Time of Year Again!

I love and hate this time of the year all.  I LOVE that the snowsuits are slowly being replaced with lighter, less clothing, that the snow is slowly melting away and that the signs of spring and warmer weather are all around us.

I hate that I still have a list of 'stuff' that was suppose to get done in the house over the long winter, that we need to start switching the wardrobe and finding out what still fits and what doesn't from last summer.  Most of all I hate that I am drawn outside to start new chores when I should be inside finishing up that list of inside chores.

What is calling me outside this time of year though is a very strong pull towards making maple syrup.  My father use to make it from his sugar bush with the help of family members.  He passed away this past December leaving his love of tapping, collecting, and boiling down the sap to me. 

We combine the old with the new for our method of maple syrup production.  We tap the trees with a hand drill and put in a spout.  Then we put a plastic bucket underneath it.  We collect the sap in big barrels on a sled pulled by our 4-wheeler.  Once it is collected we bring it back home and boil it over an open fire in a cauldron.  It takes a long time to boil it down with the open fire concept but there are advantages to that method too.

My dad's sugar bush sits quiet this year as I take over the maple syrup production from our sugar bush.  I now have my own cauldron with my own fire and lots of warm memories to reflect on while I sit around the fire. 

We have boiled down our first batch of sap and need to clean it now and then test it to see how well it tastes. I hope I can make mine as well as dad's, but I'm sure I'll take a close second!

Secret Admirer

It's not very often that you see a love note hanging around this house.  It would be nice and maybe something that we should do but it just doesn't happen.  When I was putting the laundry away tonight I glanced at the bed and noticed a special note on my partner's pillow.

I went over and was so touched by the simple note and thoughtfulness behind it.

The note says " I love you.  To Dad.  From Sadie-May. "

There is a bracelet made from a pipe cleaner under the note.  It was so simple that it made me stop and wonder what would it be like if everyone left little love notes unexpectedly for the ones they love.  Take a few minutes today and write a love note for someone.

Seth is 4!

Happy Birthday to my little man Seth!

At 4 years old

o Seth loves playing with trucks.

o Seth loves playing make believe with his big sister.

o He never passes up a chance to ride on the tractor, skidoo, or 4-wheeler.

o He can’t wait to start school. (with his sister)

o Seth loves giving hugs.

o He loves getting kisses and then wiping them off and laughing when his mommy is shocked he would do that.

o Best of all he LOVES to snuggle.

Outdoor Imagination

At some point in our lives it seems that our imagination gets squashed by everyday life.  Whether we are too stressed, too busy or just too over stimulated with images very few of us hold onto that spark that creates so much imagination in young children. 

I am a big believer that when the children start to say I'm bored, I say, "Go Outside Then!".  Fortunately that seems to work for me right now.  One of the advantages of living on your own farm is that you have lots and lots of space and I can send my kids outside to play on their own. (don't worry I do check on them....often)

When they were outside the other day I looked out the window and saw them hauling our firewood and cut branches into a pile of their own.  What were they doing? 

Creating a house with 3 rooms and a secret gate for only those worthy to enter through.

Two very happy children with rosy red cheeks and a very active imagination.

Play under the light of a fading sun and a rising moon.

Unleash your imagination this week!

::this moment:: Fun at Lunch

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savour and remember.

Stop by Soulemama's blog to visit more moments!

Welcome Chinook!

Every year it seems that we get a couple days of warm weather to keep us through these last few weeks of winter.  It is almost a gentle reminder to get to all those inside chores that we seem to think we have 'so much more time for'.  It is also a great time to GO OUTSIDE!

I have been busy painting my mom's living room, hallway and ceiling in those rooms this past week and a half but I just couldn't stay inside with all this beautiful weather.

I took a visit down to see the little babes that are in the barnyard.

And what is a Chinook without mud.



Welcome Neighbour

We have a new animal on our farm, well she really isn't right on the farm, about 50 feet off the barnyard.  She moved in unexpectedly last fall.  Everyone in the village has been talking about her, telling us so that we can get rid of her. 

The thing is, we don't want her to leave.  We like having her here.  I don't know what brought her so close to our property ( maybe the allure of the laying hens) and so far away from the bush but we are all happy she is here, as long as she stays away from the chickens!

I stopped on the side of the road to try and get a picture of her but the camera kept focusing on the trees in front.  She is actually fairly close but I was afraid that another car was going to come down the road so I tried to take a quick one.



Then I got a little braver and left the truck to go across the road and take a picture.  That blur is her running away from me!  ha ha.

We ordered 50 more chickens for this spring so hopefully she can find enough food that she doesn't start 'snacking' in my coop!

::this moment:: Tired Out 
{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savour and remember.

 

Stop by Soulemama's blog to visit more moments!