Before the Rain

Where's Noah?

We Want an Ark!

Iced Bud

We have had a beautiful stretch of weather. some great snow for the ski areas and the gardens in the way of protection. We have been able to get the dogs out for some good walks most days. Some of our favorite routes are not useable because of the snow cover, but we still have plenty of roads we can walk. The dogs get filthy with mud and road slop, but it is that or no walks at all and that wouldn't be good.

The forecast isn't looking good at the moment. It is raining cats and dogs and the temperatures hovering at freezing, meaning that there is ice on all the trees and bushes. Beautiful yes, but with the heaviness of the ice, there will be limb breakages and power loss. The lights have already been flickering today. We are ready for the power outages, but not looking forward to them.

The goat frat house in the lower pasture is under water. We did a great job siting the goatage for wind and sun protection, but the water runoff from the driveway is flooding the inside and the boys are not happy. we will have to make a temporary fix by putting down some pallets and screwing down a floor. at least it will keep their feet dry. Then come spring we will have to get in a bobcat and make some drainage swales to carry the water away from the shelter.

Soon I will be starting some of the vegetable seedlings, and stating more salad greens that will be able to be planted out next month is the greenhouse. We had some beautiful days last week so I was able to get in and water and feed the remaining salad the the resident mice haven't eaten.

The days are getting a bit longer, yeah! We almost don't need a torch to do evening chores now. isn't that sweet! Spring will be here before I know it. Thank goodness.

2012 So Far

Good Times

Pets and their "masters"

Tubby

Watching the New Year Ring In

Fireworks for the New Year

Honestly, where does the time go! It was only this time last week that we were up at the lake (Little Sunapee) with Steve's family celebrating New Years. This is our tradition, getting together with his family up at the lake, skiing during the day, then having dinner with all three generations, skating on the lake, a dance show by the younger girls, fireworks and seeing in the new year. It is just marvelous. Even thought there isn't a lick of snow on the ground, all the ski areas are making snow as fast as they can. We honestly didn't think the ice was going to be think enough this year with all the warm weather we have been having, but the cove where the camp is was frozen enough for ice hockey and the fireworks show that Peter and Beckett put on for us all. It was a lovely beach party to welcome in the new year.

Winter still is wide open, no snow in the immediate forecast. We have has dustings of snow, but the snow is gone within a day or two at the most. Interestingly enough, not too many our friends are complaining about the lack of snow. Life is just so much easier not having to deal with it. Farm chores are easier, getting the wood in is easier, and it is actually a bit warmer without the cold of the snow surrounding you. As long as the ski areas can make snow, I'm happy. In fact most of the landscapers I have talked to are also happy. They seem to have plenty of pruning jobs, hardscaping jobs and brush clearing jobs to make up for the lack of snowplowing jobs.

Speaking of brush clearing, I have been working hard on my "new project". This is clearing out all the trees and brush between my brother's and my property line (building a berm on the line,) and the goat fence. What started out as just a little project has amazingly enough escalated into a full blown project. Tim has come and dropped a bunch of trees which we have cut up, hauled brush, cut into cord wood, split and stacked. With all this good weather I want to continue, but then I think how long can the good weather last ? I am ready for more trees to come down. I hope that I can have it all done by spring, then I can have an excavator come in and stump, de-rock and smooth, before I plant all the trees I have ordered. If not, I will have to grow the trees in pots until I can get the space cleared.

But no farm work today. A friend called and invited us on a hike down to a little pond for a cookout. We met up at 10:00, got Tubby the horse packed up with all the important picnic stuff, food and grog, or should I say grog and food. Anyway, we set out, one fully laden horse, 11 dogs and 12 people. It was a beautiful clear and warm day (for January) and we hiked down dirt roads, fire trails, and through fields till we got to the clearing for lunch. What a day for an excursion. It was perfect day.