Country-style.
No, not country-and-western. I am not a C&W girl.
Real country-style. Last night the fireflies were out in full force, making the nearby field look like someone had snuck in and strung twinkling Christmas lights all around. There are, no exaggeration, thousands out there. The lights, on and off, move about the field as they blink and we could even track the flight of some of the closer ones. I know they are just bugs, but the light is enough that I will perch by a window sill and watch them every night for a while. Our field is a big, twinkly singles bar for fireflies.
The sound, meanwhile, was provided by the local chorus of frogs. We were able to pick out three different types by their calls. From the low rumblings of bullfrogs to the higher pitched leopard frogs, it was a constant stream of sound - the creek is, apparently, also a place for single animals.
Who knew the farm was so sexy?
Tuesday, 17 June 2008
Monday, 16 June 2008
where to start
Direction would be a good thing right about now. Lazy days of summer? Ha!
The lawn is still long and will continue so until the tractor is fixed. Unless I mow it with the push mower (and here I fall over laughing slightly hysterically). Uh-huh, a couple of acres of long grass with the push mower. It'd be easier to bring a few cows over and let them graze my lawn, except that my garden would be decimated and there would be a bit of ... um ... cleanup after. And I thought the dogs were something to pick up after!
The farmers' market last Saturday was loads of fun, selling and chatting and feeling very grassroots about life in general. Meeting farmers and beekeepers and such. R did a great job on both the selling and chatting fronts. We are selling preserves - jellies and pickles and jams. The bread & butter pickles sold well and the cranberry-wine jelly was also a big hit. We got to know some of the customer base and saw that there was definitely a market for sugar-free products. The sweetener will coast a lot more than sugar, though. I am contemplating going to every coffee shop in the area and stealing all the little sweetener packets on the tables. But then I'd be blacklisted from Timmy's and we just can't have that, can we?
So this week we have jellies, more pickles and such to make.
The rat is still at large in the coop. There are various trappy things around. I'm considering explosives.
New layers (12) will be arriving next week, as well as this summer's farm experiment: a dozen chicks to raise for our own farm-raised meat. They'll not be in the coop until either the rat is gone (but then, how do you know? Do they leave forwarding addresses?) or the chicks are large enough to not be a snack for it. Of course all this means a coop cleaning before the new birds and redesigning the outdoor run to allow for more birds and keeping the meat birds separate from the layers (since their feed is different - calcium supplemented for the layers' eggshells, higher protein for the meat birds to grow nice & plump).
The garden is growing well except for the chickens' raiding. The one poor broccoli plant that had survived the pre-vacation raids disappeared yesterday. Then hens whistled and looked away when I asked them what had happened. Perhaps a fence is in order. More things to plant (or re-plant, as the case may be).
Annuals in the planters around the house would be nice. So would weeding the flower gardens. Yup.
M starts her four-lesson tennis sessions tomorrow night. Botany/survival/orienteering day planned with other homeschoolers on Thursday. Gotta get R and A registered for some archery lessons. Band rehearsal Thursday night. A's birthday Thursday, her party on Friday.
Oh, and buying a pavilion tent today will also be on the list for the market and other outdoor events. We had one that involved some 1,837 pieces of pipe carefully labelled by the Committee for Completely Screwing up Anyone Trying to Build a Tent and several hundred plastic joints put in by the Sub-Committee for Making Sure One Piece is Missing, but the market organizer saw it when we came and very kindly let us use one of his that comes out of the bag, unfolds like an accordion, and is ready to go.
So, a-shopping we will go for tents and produce and sweetener and maybe, just maybe, the nice man from the tractor store will call back from D's message and come to our rescue.
The lawn is still long and will continue so until the tractor is fixed. Unless I mow it with the push mower (and here I fall over laughing slightly hysterically). Uh-huh, a couple of acres of long grass with the push mower. It'd be easier to bring a few cows over and let them graze my lawn, except that my garden would be decimated and there would be a bit of ... um ... cleanup after. And I thought the dogs were something to pick up after!
The farmers' market last Saturday was loads of fun, selling and chatting and feeling very grassroots about life in general. Meeting farmers and beekeepers and such. R did a great job on both the selling and chatting fronts. We are selling preserves - jellies and pickles and jams. The bread & butter pickles sold well and the cranberry-wine jelly was also a big hit. We got to know some of the customer base and saw that there was definitely a market for sugar-free products. The sweetener will coast a lot more than sugar, though. I am contemplating going to every coffee shop in the area and stealing all the little sweetener packets on the tables. But then I'd be blacklisted from Timmy's and we just can't have that, can we?
So this week we have jellies, more pickles and such to make.
The rat is still at large in the coop. There are various trappy things around. I'm considering explosives.
New layers (12) will be arriving next week, as well as this summer's farm experiment: a dozen chicks to raise for our own farm-raised meat. They'll not be in the coop until either the rat is gone (but then, how do you know? Do they leave forwarding addresses?) or the chicks are large enough to not be a snack for it. Of course all this means a coop cleaning before the new birds and redesigning the outdoor run to allow for more birds and keeping the meat birds separate from the layers (since their feed is different - calcium supplemented for the layers' eggshells, higher protein for the meat birds to grow nice & plump).
The garden is growing well except for the chickens' raiding. The one poor broccoli plant that had survived the pre-vacation raids disappeared yesterday. Then hens whistled and looked away when I asked them what had happened. Perhaps a fence is in order. More things to plant (or re-plant, as the case may be).
Annuals in the planters around the house would be nice. So would weeding the flower gardens. Yup.
M starts her four-lesson tennis sessions tomorrow night. Botany/survival/orienteering day planned with other homeschoolers on Thursday. Gotta get R and A registered for some archery lessons. Band rehearsal Thursday night. A's birthday Thursday, her party on Friday.
Oh, and buying a pavilion tent today will also be on the list for the market and other outdoor events. We had one that involved some 1,837 pieces of pipe carefully labelled by the Committee for Completely Screwing up Anyone Trying to Build a Tent and several hundred plastic joints put in by the Sub-Committee for Making Sure One Piece is Missing, but the market organizer saw it when we came and very kindly let us use one of his that comes out of the bag, unfolds like an accordion, and is ready to go.
So, a-shopping we will go for tents and produce and sweetener and maybe, just maybe, the nice man from the tractor store will call back from D's message and come to our rescue.
Sunday, 15 June 2008
the whims of machinery
Our yard is still a hayfield. Not because of the weather, not because we haven't had the time, but for the simple reason that the tractor is misbehaving. No, I haven't lost the key again. Before we went away it had started strangely and quickly overheating, so that mowing had to be done in shifts, going until the needle climbed up to the high section, then stopping it and letting it cool down for a bit. D has worked on it, taken the front panels off to see inside and clean it up so that the tractor looks pretty well naked, but it's beyond his expertise and the tractor manual. And the grass laughs and keeps waving in the wind.
Meanwhile, the pool pump didn't want to miss out on the action and so has not been pumping very well. The water does move, but there's not enough pull to use the suction and vacuum the leaves and such from the pool bottom.
I won't make the mistake of saying, "well, at least the (insert item here) is still working." Whatever it is would hear me and promptly break.
Meanwhile, the pool pump didn't want to miss out on the action and so has not been pumping very well. The water does move, but there's not enough pull to use the suction and vacuum the leaves and such from the pool bottom.
I won't make the mistake of saying, "well, at least the (insert item here) is still working." Whatever it is would hear me and promptly break.
Friday, 13 June 2008
and the green grass grew all around
Home.
We arrived last night, having enjoyed our cave tour and then been amazed during our walking/rafting tour of Ausable Chasm. We drove home through Lake Placid but as the ski jump towers weren't open to see the view from the top, we continued home.
Man, does grass ever grow a lot in 2 weeks. The poor farm looked neglected and sad and very overgrown. But after some mowing it's looking better. Now the gardens are crying out to be weeded; the veggie garden got some attention today but it will be many days' work before it's all up to where it should be.
Another surprise awaited us in the chicken coop. The surviving hen from the attack 2 weeks ago was not in fact Honey, but Ninjy (named by R after D said her funny noises sounded like a Bruce Lee movie). So she and Biddy were happy today to come out into the run, but with all the mowing and long grass that's where they stayed. Lots of work to do in there over the next two weeks to prep for the newcomers.
The cows are here. I do like looking out and seeing them. Not enough to get my own, mind you, but it is nice to have them back. The calves are cute and I recognize some of the cows. Yes, I know that's sad.
More to do tomorrow, but the impending rain will hold off some work. And tomorrow will be our first day at the Farmer's Market - not sure what the rain will mean for that, but we'll head down and see if it's a go.
We arrived last night, having enjoyed our cave tour and then been amazed during our walking/rafting tour of Ausable Chasm. We drove home through Lake Placid but as the ski jump towers weren't open to see the view from the top, we continued home.
Man, does grass ever grow a lot in 2 weeks. The poor farm looked neglected and sad and very overgrown. But after some mowing it's looking better. Now the gardens are crying out to be weeded; the veggie garden got some attention today but it will be many days' work before it's all up to where it should be.
Another surprise awaited us in the chicken coop. The surviving hen from the attack 2 weeks ago was not in fact Honey, but Ninjy (named by R after D said her funny noises sounded like a Bruce Lee movie). So she and Biddy were happy today to come out into the run, but with all the mowing and long grass that's where they stayed. Lots of work to do in there over the next two weeks to prep for the newcomers.
The cows are here. I do like looking out and seeing them. Not enough to get my own, mind you, but it is nice to have them back. The calves are cute and I recognize some of the cows. Yes, I know that's sad.
More to do tomorrow, but the impending rain will hold off some work. And tomorrow will be our first day at the Farmer's Market - not sure what the rain will mean for that, but we'll head down and see if it's a go.
Wednesday, 11 June 2008
too much to say
So we are most of the way through the 2008 Family Vacation and Adventure Tour With a Wedding and Much Driving and a Big Surprise for the Girls. Needs a catchier title, but there you are. I'm going into point form mode; apparently I can say more. Right?
- drive to Minnesota: fun. The girls do travel awfully well. Some scary weather on the way with insanely heavy rain, hail, and a temp drop of 7C so fast it had us watching for funnel clouds. Spent our night on the road in Grand Rapids, Michigan, reconnecting with two very dear friends and enjoying the sunset over Lake Michigan. I had no idea they had such big sand dunes there.
- week before the wedding: fun. D got in several rounds of golf, I shopped a bit, spent a day at Mall of America, helped out as we could, and I had a muchly-enjoyed coffee time with Bean.
- wedding: fun. Beautiful bride, handsome groom, lovely service, family fun. My song for the couple was loved by them (and others, but the main audience - Bean and J - loved it and that's what mattered). Several quiet tears on my part, wishing (do I ever stop? No.) Josh was there with us.
- weather: wacky. Went from cool Canadian late spring to tornado warnings and scary looking skies over Minnesota, seeing the aftermath of high winds in Wisconsin, and outrunning severe thunder and rain in Illinois. Didn't stick around for the flooding in the midwest but did get into the heat wave of the eastern states.
- big surprise of the first week: email from Seren who has been watching the farm, to say the one remaining chicken was fine, but my garden was dug up by - wait for it - Honey, the presumed-eaten chicken. So the solo chicken is now two again. The question: where did she spend her time from Saturday to Thursday? Once again I wish they could talk.
- big surprise of the second week: springing two nights at Great Wolf Lodge on the girls. Oh, the looks on their faces when we sprung that one on them. We were in the huge lobby "to see what it looks like inside", and they were gawking at the lobby and the waterpark when D told them that we had booked the reservation two months ago. And oh, there's a MagiQuest too. The room was a huge hit with the built-in cabin for the kiddies. Two days of the biggest decisions being what to eat and what to play. Not bad.
- the journey home: driving today through the Poconos, past the Catskills, and into the Adirondacks. Very pretty. Took longer because we decided to ditch the interstates for a while, but led to us discovering a cute little town with a cute vintage diner where we had lunch with real, live, ice-creamy shakes. Mmmm. R wondered after one taste, "why don't they make them like this any more?"
- the field trip: a visit to a cave system in NY state, walking and seeing cave formations we'd learned about in science lessons. Beats a book. Tomorrow, continuing through the Adirondacks to a chasm explored by Champlain. So really, it's all part of the kids' education. Really.
I'll post photos later.
- drive to Minnesota: fun. The girls do travel awfully well. Some scary weather on the way with insanely heavy rain, hail, and a temp drop of 7C so fast it had us watching for funnel clouds. Spent our night on the road in Grand Rapids, Michigan, reconnecting with two very dear friends and enjoying the sunset over Lake Michigan. I had no idea they had such big sand dunes there.
- week before the wedding: fun. D got in several rounds of golf, I shopped a bit, spent a day at Mall of America, helped out as we could, and I had a muchly-enjoyed coffee time with Bean.
- wedding: fun. Beautiful bride, handsome groom, lovely service, family fun. My song for the couple was loved by them (and others, but the main audience - Bean and J - loved it and that's what mattered). Several quiet tears on my part, wishing (do I ever stop? No.) Josh was there with us.
- weather: wacky. Went from cool Canadian late spring to tornado warnings and scary looking skies over Minnesota, seeing the aftermath of high winds in Wisconsin, and outrunning severe thunder and rain in Illinois. Didn't stick around for the flooding in the midwest but did get into the heat wave of the eastern states.
- big surprise of the first week: email from Seren who has been watching the farm, to say the one remaining chicken was fine, but my garden was dug up by - wait for it - Honey, the presumed-eaten chicken. So the solo chicken is now two again. The question: where did she spend her time from Saturday to Thursday? Once again I wish they could talk.
- big surprise of the second week: springing two nights at Great Wolf Lodge on the girls. Oh, the looks on their faces when we sprung that one on them. We were in the huge lobby "to see what it looks like inside", and they were gawking at the lobby and the waterpark when D told them that we had booked the reservation two months ago. And oh, there's a MagiQuest too. The room was a huge hit with the built-in cabin for the kiddies. Two days of the biggest decisions being what to eat and what to play. Not bad.
- the journey home: driving today through the Poconos, past the Catskills, and into the Adirondacks. Very pretty. Took longer because we decided to ditch the interstates for a while, but led to us discovering a cute little town with a cute vintage diner where we had lunch with real, live, ice-creamy shakes. Mmmm. R wondered after one taste, "why don't they make them like this any more?"
- the field trip: a visit to a cave system in NY state, walking and seeing cave formations we'd learned about in science lessons. Beats a book. Tomorrow, continuing through the Adirondacks to a chasm explored by Champlain. So really, it's all part of the kids' education. Really.
I'll post photos later.
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