I'm still here!

Good day dear readers.  Please forgive my absence of late.  I have not forgotten you.

It’s been a crappy week and half around the farm. 

Mentally and emotionally, I am creeping up on the 2^nd anniversary of the loss of my soulmate, best friend, husband, my sweet Robyn. I keep seeing memories pop up on my FB page where I was detailing his medical condition in the hospital.  Even though it tears me up inside, I read them. 

Physically, I had my 3^rd bout of covid.  I’m still coughing and lose my breath when I have to do much physical labor.  Just walking to the barn I have to stop half way and just try to breath.  It’s slowly getting better every day, however the colder air we now have makes it tough on my poor lungs.

One thing about farm life, you don’t get a day off.  It sure helps to have a second pair of hands here.  During the week though, my son is off to work before the sun comes up now, so the chores are all up to me.  Needless to say, it does take me much longer to get stuff done.  Michael does help and does the bulk of the running for evening chores thankfully.

I haven’t even wanted to do anything crafty.  No knitting, no spinning, nothing.  Wrapping up in a blanket and sleeping are the bulk of my agenda when I’m not at work.

We are also trying to get the last of the big projects done before winter does its solid hit on us.  Today, tomorrow, and into Friday we have a storm moving in.  Rain and quite possibly snow on the way.  They are not anticipating any accumulation for us yet. 

Here is one project we did get accomplished.  If you were following my notes page on Substack a few weekends ago, you saw the start of it until we had an equipment breakdown.  Michael and I were able to fix the skid steer enough to get the job done.  I am so grateful to my across the street neighbor for trusting me with that expensive piece of equipment. 

Back filling over the water line

The reason for this project to start with is as follows.  Many years of erosion, prior to Rob and I having a retaining wall put up, took away about 2+ feet of fill dirt away from the main water line into the house.  Last winter with our -52 degree wind chills and way below zero temps had that line freezing several times.  Rob and I had planned to back fill that area anyhow, and we did get a start on it before hell broke loose here.  Granted, we planned to put sand on the area over a foot of the bentonite and create an outdoor cooking space on it, with an antique wood cook stove in a shelter to keep it out of the weather, an earth oven, and an open fire/cooking ring. 

The wood stove is sitting in pieces in the shop, destined to stay there unrepaired for a long long time.  Rob was working on that when he got sick.  The entire bottom had to be removed and he was working on plans in his head to refabricate that particular piece of metal work.  It had rusted out.  It breaks my heart every time I go in the shop and see it laying there, knowing I have no way to repair it. 

I hope someday to get the earth oven built.  Right now its far down the priority list. 

At the very least, once I score some more big rocks, I can get the fire ring built.  I’m sure there are many such rocks hiding on my property just waiting for me to dig them out.  Michael is keeping his eyes open for them.  No rush though.  With winter coming, I doubt I’ll be doing much outdoor cooking. 

What do they say about the best laid plans??

All the critters are doing good.  Gunny kitty has put his winter fat on and is a walking grey chunk of a cat.  Brandy is fattening up and putting her winter coat on.  Lucy girl is the fattest I have seen her in several years and actually runs around the yard now.  And Tally the barn ram is fat and sassy, feeling his oats, and tries to push us to get his grain out to him faster than we actually move.  The rest of the flock is putting on a great load of wool, and we need to change out coats on them since they are getting tight.  The lambies are all fat and sassy.  They are distancing themselves more now from their moms, and venturing around on their own.  Course mom is always just a baa away. 

I still have 5 hats available for sale! Your purchase will help me pay my property taxes this year. You can read the details in…..

Well friends, I need to hit the shower and get into town for some errands before the rain starts. 

Blessed Be!