I am really happy that last night we had a good six inches or more of snow!!! :0) I was NOT happy last night while out driving in it, but once I got home the warm fuzzy feeling, that I always get during snow storms, came back to me. :0) I love the white fresh blanket the drapes the field and love the crispness that comes along with it. Though I do enjoy spring, I am not willing to give up winter just yet. I would love to have a couple more good old fashioned snow storms before the ground breaks forth with new life. :0)
Blessings2u! :0)
I got the last issue of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine and they had a very simple recipe for homemade laundry soap. I showed it to my hubby and told him that I would like to try it, because it REALLY does look that easy. :0) I think that I am going to plan on making some next week and I will let you all know how it goes.
After I told my hubby that I wanted to make the laundry soap, he suggested that I make homemade soap for the family. I must confess that I am NOT that thrilled about making homemade soap, I have looked at many recipes and it kind of scares me. I don't know if its the lye thing or what, it just sort of freaks me out. If anyone can lend some encouraging stories about soap making I would appreciate it. :0)
On another note, it is pretty cold up here but that is to be expected since we live in northern New England. I really do not mind the cold, but I would like some snow to go with it. ;0) Yes, we have snow on the ground but I would like a good old fashioned snow storm. You see, people around here use the snow to bank up their homes, barns, ect..... it may sound wierd but snow is a good insulator.
Well, thats enough of my ramblings for today...I will visit with you all again tomorrow. :0)
Blessings2u! :0)
Today was a busy day and unfortunatly is was not spent here, but instead it was spent running, running, and more running around doing errands. I used to be pretty good about scheduling things like grocery shopping, library day, feed store day, ect.... Lately however, it has been more of a whim thing and it is really starting grate on my nerves. :0( I know that I have no one to blame, but myself and that there is only way out and that is to schedule my time better. So, once again I am back to the preverbial drawing board and I am making a schedule. I don't know why I always balk at the whole schedule thing, it must be the rebel in me. ;0) However, I know that when I have a schedule, even a loose one, my day goes much better and in turn everyones day goes much better. ;0) Do any of you have a schedule and if so what does it look like? Do you use a certain schedule tool to keep you on track or is it just in your head? ;0)
Blessings2u! :0)
As many of you know my son has 6 ducks that we are all very fond of. 
They are the biggest, fattest, featherist (is that even a word?), quackiest (is that another word?), and funniest ducks that I have ever seen.
These ducks sleep in the old dog house, which is filled with shavings and pretty toasty considering it is outside in the cold. You would think these silly ducks would love to be IN their snug house, right? But no!! 
Not these silly things. My son opens their house door every morning and they come running out and he then fills their pool with warm water so they can drink. Well, they do not just drink that JUMP right in the pool!! They could care less that it is below zero, they still jump right in. We have always watched them closely, just in case the pool freezes while there is a duck in it.
It may sound funny, but that is EXACTLY what happened today!!! My son went out to check them, and there was one of the ducks in the pool with the frozen water around it!! My dd and ds brought warm water out and poured it in and then picked the duck up and then he or she waddled away like nothing had even happened.
I just wanted to share the joys of having animals with you all. LOL 
BTW--this happened several hours ago and the duck is fine and they all pretty much have stayed out of the water since then. 
Blessings2u! :0)
"Sallie over at A Gracious Home started a fun new meme. Feel free to post the questions and your answers on your blog. Then go over to her blog to let her know that you're participating. She's using Mr. Linky so this is always a fun way to find new blogs!" this is copied and pasted from Nancy Carter.
I love these question and answer things and the best part is that with our new technology, aka computers, we can fill in while we have time and then save and come back. :0)
Aprons – Y/N? If Y, what does your favorite look like?
No aprons as of yet, though I used to have a really cute one but it was well worn before I even got it and then I pretty much wore it out. ;0) If I do get another one, it will be a full apron with 2 pockets.
Baking – Favorite thing to bake?
Brownies, LOL!! :0) No, seriously I really do enjoy baking but I do not think I have a favorite.
Clothesline – Y/N?
Not at the moment because we have free range chickens and I think that they would perch on the clothesline.
Donuts – Have you ever made them?
Yes, I have made several kinds. :0)
Every day – One homemaking thing you do every day
Hmm.... I clean and cook, does that count? ;o)
Freezer – Do you have a separate deep freeze?
Yes, but it is currently no plugged in.
Garbage Disposal – Y/N?
No
Handbook – What is your favorite homemaking resource?
Carla Emerys Handbook for Country for Living
Ironing – Love it or hate it? Or hate it but love the results?
Do you want to know my method of ironing??? If the clothes are wrinkeled I stick them in the dryer.
Junk drawer – Y/N? Where is it?
Yes, more then one and in more then one room.
Kitchen – Color and decorating scheme
Right now my wall color is white and I have no scheme. LOL
However, I have been planning and in the spring we will be painting the kitchen/living room yellow and the trim will be a dark red....maybe red is not the right way to explain it, I will post pictures once its done.
Love – What is your favorite part of homemaking?
I love hanging out with the kids and teaching them things. I really enjoy cooking, baking, sewing, learning to quilt, ect.....right along with the kids.
Mop – Y/N?
Yes, very often LOL
Nylons – Wash by hand or in the washing machine?
I am not a real nylon type gal, LOL!! :0) However, when I do wash them it is by hand.
Oven – Do you use the window or open the oven to check?
No, it is really not suitable to look through...LOL
Pizza – What do you put on yours?
Veggies and lots of them!! :0)
Quiet – What do you do during the day when you get a quiet moment?
Read, go online, go outside and play with the kids, ect....s
Recipe card box – Y/N? What does it look like?
Yes, I have one but I do not use it. I have all my recipes in a notebook or on the computer or both. :0)
Style of house – What style is your house?
Our house was built in 1988 and it is a ranch style house..
Tablecloths and napkins – Y/N?
No, I love tablecloths but hubby hates them. Yes, we do use napkins but not the cloth kind. I have been thinking about making some reusable napkins.
Under the kitchen sink – Organized or toxic wasteland?
Toxic Wasteland for sure!!!! We have had a leak for quite awhile and there is a dishpan under there that catches the fallout. LOL I have been thinking about putting my ds to task to fix it.
Vacuum – How many times per week?
At least once a day, but many times more then that.
Wash – How many loads of laundry do you do per week?
I would say at least 10 if not more.
X’s – Do you keep a daily list of things to do that you cross off?
I don't keep a list of things to do but I do keep lesson plans for the kids for school. If I have an extra busy day then I will write out a list, but I usually forget to use it or I leave it at home. LOL!!!
Yard – Y/N? Who does what?
All of us, though I must confess that I really enjoy mowing the lawn. :0)
Zzz’s – What is your last homemaking task for the day before going to bed?
Usually I try to tidy up the kitchen and living room.
Blessings2u! :0)
I had copied and pasted this a couple of days ago and I really meant to post it sooner. I got these fun homesteading questions, but now I cannot remember whose blog I got them from. :0( If the person that I got them from reads this, please leave a comment and let me know. :0)
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Do you pasteurize your milk? No, I don’t have a cow.
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Are your hens laying? Yes and the ducks are too!! :0)
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Do you still use your clothesline in winter? No, but I do use my dryer. ;0)
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When is the last time you left your homestead? Yesterday, for church.
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How many dairy animals do you have? We have 4 goats and they all would give milk but none are lactating at the moment.
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Laundry soap-homemade or store bought? Store bought, but I have been thinking about trying some homemade.
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How much canning did you do this year? I did not can anyting, but I did think about it....does that count?? LOL
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What type of meat is in your winter store? Home grown or store bought? Well....I am a vegetarian so obviously I do not eat meat. ;0) However, most of the family does so we have some chicken and beef.
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Plumbing- outdoor or indoor? Indoor.
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How often do you tend to the animals each day? We have 4 goats, 30 plus chickens, 6 ducks, 2 dogs, and 1 cat. We tend to the farm animals probably 3 or more times a day, it really depends on the weather and other activities.
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Chickens-free range or chicken house? Free range
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Chickens- butcher yourself or have it done?
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If we butchered them, we would do it ourselves.
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How big was your garden this year? No garden, I was busy working over the summer. However, this year I long to have one but I have no idea about the size.
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How many acres is your homestead? 6.9
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Do you rise with the chickens? Only if they sleep in. LOL
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Last time you made a new quilt? I never have completed a quilt, I started one last year but never finished it....maybe THIS will be the year. :0)
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Last time you did any sewing? 2007
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How many wild berries did you pick this summer? I don't know how many, but I picked strawberries and blueberries.
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What kind of jelly or jam did you make this year? Strawberry
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What wild animals did you kill this year(for food)? None, but we did get a road kill moose. ;0)
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Washing laundry- by hand or machine? machine
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Is using the computer a waste of time for you? Some times, especially when I am on it too long. :0(
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Most hated chore on your homestead? Cleaning the hen and duck houses in the spring. :0(
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Favorite chore on your homestead? Cleaning the barn.
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How do you plow your garden? N/A
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How often do you hoe your garden? N/A
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Do wild animals raid your garden? When we had a garden we were visited by lots of animals, however the main ones were ground hogs.
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Favorite homestead pastime? Not sure
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Do you like being a homesteader? I don't think that I am technically a "homesteader", but I do love the country life!! :0)
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When was the last time you purchase any food item from outside of your homestead? Last week
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How close is your nearest neighbor? We have one next door, not that far away but none on the other side for a little bit. ;0)
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What color is your barn? The color of worn boards. ;0)
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How many of your animals are bread at this time? None, that I know of. LOL
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What were the last three animal births on your homestead? 2 kids
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How much TV do you watch at your homestead? No tv, just dvds here and I am not sure how often we watch them, it really depends on the day.
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Can you make good bread from scratch? Yes, and I enjoy it too!!
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Are you afraid to go outside at night? Nope.
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How do you define homesteader? Someone who lives off what they have.
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Were you raised in the city or country? suburbs
Blessings2u! :0)
My son has 6 White Peiking ducks that are very well taken care of, meaning they are plump, feathery, and healthy. The ducks seem quite content, even in the very cold weather to be outside and even in their pool amongst the ice. My questions are:
* Is this okay?
* Will they freeze?
* Should we make them stay inside their house during the day?
I had heard that the only thing you really need to watch for is their feet freezing and give them a dry place that they can get to. We have the dry place and so far their feet look good, but my son does worry about them so I figured that I would ask here. :0)
Thanks for any help that you can give.
Blessings2u! :0)
Today is cold and blustery, which is actually fine because as far as I know the ground here still is not frozen and it is January. It worked out well for us last Tuesday when our cat got hit by a car and killed, because we were able to bury her right away. My sils cat got hit by a car a couple of years ago and he spent the whole winter our big freezer in the basement!! She wanted to bury him under a tree that she was going to buy in the spring and she did not have a big freezer. So, Merlin, ended up in our freezer for several months. Such is life on a farm. ;0)
Other news on the homefront is pretty mundane, and that is a good thing. :0) The goats are all snuggling in their hay, the chickens are warm in their coop, and the ducks are outside in the cold as usual. LOL They don't seem to mind the cold at all so out they stay. Their house is always open to them, but they prefer laying in the snow and even jumping IN their pool!! They have been laying really good and we have been enjoying fresh duck eggs.
Well, thats it for here...I hope that you all have a blessed day in the Lord!! :0)
Blessings2u! :0)
It is a wonderfully white and snowy day today!! :0) I am glad too, because it has been soooo.... very warm here and the cycles were getting all mixed up. Some of the bushes were getting buds, bugs were coming out, and bears just were not hibernating. I don't know if things will get back to 'normal' this year, but maybe a nice blanket of snow will quiet things down. ;0)
On a side note, but son has 6 ducks and they have started laying!! :0) Last weekend we got our first duck egg and they have been pretty faithful ever since. I have eaten a duck before in my life, that I am aware of, and they are pretty good. It did take an egg or two for me to get used to it but now I really enjoy them. One of the local farmers told me that we could sell them at his stand if we want to and he also will take our chicken eggs. He said that he would buy them from us for $1.25 a dozen and then sell them for $1.75. The money that we make could be deducted from our gain bill, so it is definatly a viable option. :0) I told him that my dh and I would talk about it and let him know.
Well, I think thats it for now...I hope that you all have blessed day in the Lord and enjoy it to the fullest!! :0)
Blessings2u! :0)
Wow, I have not posted in awhile so I will try to update as quickly as possible. :0)
New Years Eve was fun, the kids had some friends over and we watched movies, played games, listened to music, and cooked a lot!! :0) We all stayed up till the New Year and got to ring in 2007. ;0)
I went to a scrapbooking weekend with my sister and I had a great time!! :0) I was a little nervous because the only person I knew there was my sister, who in turn knew pretty much everyone. LOL I had no need to worry the ladies were very friendly and opened their arms and hearts to me very quickly. I also got a lot of scrapbooking done, which was the whole purpose of going. ;0) I got 16-18 pages done and I was happy with the way they turned out.
On the way home from scrapbooking I was able to stop by and see a friend of mine that is taking care of her mil. In my opinion she is one of the most selfless and genuine people I have ever known and I am blessed to know her. :0) I visited with her for an hour or two and then made my way home to my own family. :0) It was nice to see them, even though I talked to them at least twice a day on my sisters cell phone. ;0)
Now for the sad news, my sons cat got hit by a car on Tuesday and she died. :0( She was THE sweetest cat and we all miss her terribly. I felt soooo...bad for my son (10), that was his cat and he really took total care of her. That is the toughest thing about having animals, you love them and chances are good that you will outlive them and its sad to see them go.
Well, on that sad note...I need to get headed and start the day. I hope you all have a blessed day in the Lord!! :0)
Blessings2u! :0)
Todays post is all about snow!! :0) I was pleasantly surprised when I woke to falling snow, it was the little tiny flakes that come down a lot at a time. :0) I know that I live in northern NH and should not be surprised about snow, but this year I was. It has been wayyyy...to warm up here and honestly the area does depend a lot on tourism and snow brings them in. LOL!! :0) The ski areas are probably very happy, because they have had to make snow in not so great conditions and basically bring it down the mountain. Also, you cannot cross country ski, snowmobile, snow shoe, ect...without a good amount of snow so we did really need it and more.
The animals all seem to be faring well. The goats pretty much stay in the barn, though they do pop out every now and then and meander through the snow. The baby, Snookie, seems fascinated yet a little timid about it. I love to watch her, she is really cute though at times annoying. LOL!! Yesterday I went out and brushed them all down, it was so funny they seemed to be standing in line each waiting for their turn. The ducks are as funny as ever!! We were a little worried about them wintering over, but so far they are doing great. They still jump in their pool, especially when warm water is poured in and they lounge around in the snow. Yes, they can go into their house but they seem to prefer to be outside. We have been watching their feet for signs of freezing, but honestly they look really good. The chickens are in the coop, they do not come out for the most part on snowy days they stay in and roost. We have been getting more eggs, as the young ones are finally laying and fresh eggs are really good. :0) We were thinking the ducks would lay by now, but apparently they only lay in the spring. I am not sure if that is true, I will let you know in the spring. ;0)
Well, thats it for here....I will get back to cleaning for the New Years Eve shindig that we have every year. I will post about that after the 'event' . ;0)
Blessings2u! :0)
As we go into the New Year, I have to ponder the old one. Yes, I know it is still here and therefore not really "old", but I am pondering 2006 nonetheless.
Last year brought a lot of heartache with the passing of my mother. It was not just her passing, that was actually a blessing because it was her time to meet the Lord. However, as I reflect back I realize how tremendously busy I have been the past 3 years with her illness. She had lymphoma and I live in NH and she lived in Ma. so there was a lot of running the roads back and forth. Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining. I would do it all over again and more, if I had the chance. If you have ever had a loved one with a terminal illness then you know how difficult it can be. Any way, as I look back over 2006 there is a sadness of leaving it behind but at the same time I genuine happiness that it is over. KWIM? You could wonder what this has to do with "homesteading", and all I can say is that through this journey with my mother I have really been impressed with Gods timing. I always knew that He had things under control, but as I look back I am more amazed then ever!! There are things that we wanted to do, but never got around to doing and now I can see why. My hubby was in a job where he worked litterally 12 or more hours a day, six days a week. He wanted to leave, but all the avenues to do so seem to close. The Lord knew that even though he was working a lot, he needed to be in the place he was so that way when my hubby had to stay home for almost 2 weeks he could do it. Shortly after my mom died, he did get a new job that is better hours and also better pay. The Lord IS faithful!! :0) Another thing is that we really wanted to add some cows to our mix and we planned on doing that over the summer. At that point my mom had died and I was not running back and forth, but the Lord still seemed to say no. Any way, all this blabbering really does have a point...its to say that no matter the year the Lord has everything under control. :0)
Blessings2u! :0)
I have been playing around with the idea of going vegetarian. Yes, I know it may shock some but I noticed throughout my life my body responds better to veggies and beans then to meat. I also take into consideration that my father died from a massive heart attack at the age of 41 and I will be 40 in August. I also have been thinking that we are given one body and one time here on earth, so I should treat my body accordingly. I do not want to live in fear or be legalistic about things, but I do need to do what is best for this 'temple' the Lord has given me. So, all that being said I am planning on taking the "plunge" some time in January. I do not want to say that it is a New Years resolution, because it is more then that. I also do not want to get so bound in it that if I eat a smiggen of meat that I totally 'fall of the bandwagon'. I was talking to my hubby about it and he really thinks that this will be good for me, but like he said..."If your body needs something you will know."
So, is anyone here a vegetarian? If so, then could you share your vegetarian recipes, please??? :0)
Blessings2u! :0)
Another Christmas has come and gone. Today we headed out to T-J Max and the girls shopped for clothes, they each got shopping cards. They were a happy lot, as they roamed the store looking to and fro for the just the right outfits. Neither of them spent all their money and they got a good amount of clothes and other things.
Today the tree went out, yes it is soon but we do not have a huge house so we need all the room we can get. The goats love to eat the tree, so they are outside munching as I type this. :0)
I have been praying about my goals for the coming year, and though I am not ready to post them they are coming along. ;0) I can tell you that they have to do with our house, school, and ministry. ;0)
Well, thats it for now...I hope that you all had a blessed Christmas!! :0)
Blessings2u! :0)
I have not posted a few days, so I figured that I would update a litte. We have done most of our Christmas shopping, baked a lot of cookies, decorated the house, and homeschooled the kids. All that being said, we still have a little bit more shopping to do, a little more baking, and a little more school. ;0)
Other then all the "hustle and bustle", things are going good. My dd is playing basketball so we have been busy going to games and bringing her to practices. The kids are in a Christmas play at church, so once again we have busy bringing them back and forth--though fortunatly we share driving with another family which makes it easier. :0) Well, I think thats it for this morning I will catch up more later when I have more time.
Blessings2u! :0)