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Preparing a Sheep Trap
I’m waiting anxiously for the sheep shearer to contact us to say what day he will be here to shear Eddy and the girls. It has dragged on for weeks with us on alert for that call to come. The … Continue reading
The Tedium of Warping
I am enjoying learning to weave, but am blown away by the sheer tedium of hooking up the lengthwise strings, or in the proper terminology, “beaming the warp.” It is quite possible I am doing something wrong, as I am … Continue reading
Remembering to Play
It’s been cold, 18 degrees at mid-day. Still, I was thinking that Michigan is really a special place in the winter and I need to get out there and quit hiding from it. I am so glad that I forced … Continue reading
Horn Quintet
I play the french horn, in fact I have done so since elementary school with a 30-year break to have babies and build a career. Now, in retirement, I am back to playing in a couple bands but the pandemic … Continue reading
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Tagged french horn, Over the Rainbow, St. Joseph Municipal Band
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Mountains of Fluff
The next step in processing my pretty fiber is gently pulling apart all the locks, clumps, and mats so that they can air-dry and easily be fed through the drum carder. It is a tedious task, but I am quite … Continue reading
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Time’s Up for Broody
My experiment with my hen who was determined to hatch a brood has ended. I did all I could for her, but it just wasn’t working out for me and she wasn’t getting anywhere. She had learned to move over … Continue reading
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Butterfly Weed Works!
We have scattered plantings of butterfly weed, (different from Butterfly Bush), in the fields, but one nice plant in our backyard perennial garden. Walking by it last night I saw this weird growth that I stopped to examine. It turned … Continue reading
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Mystery Hen
I have not much to say recently, as most of my farm experiences have become routine and not worth a big announcement on the blog. We’ve just returned from a week away, visiting for Christmas, and I am so grateful … Continue reading
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Who Are These Tufted Toddlers?
I’d posted a couple months ago about the many varieties of new chicks we’d brought home. They are now big enough that I opened the trap door on their playpen so they can learn to wander among the big grownup … Continue reading
Playing God with the Pond
The pond (Bluestem Pond, we call it), has taught me the need for an ongoing tussle with Mother Nature, who wishes to make it into a cattail garden. Last year, I used a long-handled cutting rake to break them off … Continue reading
Garlic
We purchased a big bag of garlic at Costco last month. It was way too much but you can’t buy a little of anything at that place. So, I tucked the bag away in the pantry and have been pulling … Continue reading
The Pond Awakens
(Enough of sadness, lets get back to wonder.) Our farm pond has been sleeping through the long winter. The fish and frogs have gone down deep to sleep through the cold season, and the only movement is from the dried cattails … Continue reading
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Signs of Spring 2017
We are having an early thaw and it’s fun to see all the harbingers of spring around the farm. We met this little guy in the driveway this morning and the dogs were thrilled. He “played possum” and waddled away as … Continue reading
My Poor Ely
Yesterday, I was mystified when I checked on the goats for the night because Ely kept his head down even when I reached out to scratch his head. It was raining and cold and I had things to do so … Continue reading
Spring Teaser
We are in a temporary thaw, with furious winds last night shaking the house and helping to evaporate off some of the excess moisture. The animals are taking this as a sign of spring and everyone is frisky. I opened the door … Continue reading
Building a Community
It seems to me that life in the barnyard must be pretty dull. Each day is pretty much like the last and visits from those at the house come only a couple times a day. And so, it is heartening … Continue reading
Pastoral Experiences
I looked up the word “Pastoral” to make sure I was not misusing it. No, it means, “having the simplicity, charm, serenity, or other characteristics generally attributed to rural areas.” Some days are just like that. My boys seem to look … Continue reading
One Down, One To Go
Yesterday, I took the plunge and sheared my first goat! When I took out my shearing machine for the first time, it was pretty intimidating – large, heavy, and with “sharp pointy teeth.” I read the tiny print in the … Continue reading
Bluestem Pond 