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The last few days have been so nice. Spring has been slow coming here in Central Oregon. Yesterday and today have been in the low 70's. A perfect excuse to skip school today and enjoy the weather. The rest of the week is supposed to get yucky again.....ugh! It certainly feels like spring here on the farm. We have baby chicks, a litter of angora rabbits, and two new lambs!
Hansel is on the left and Gretel is on the right. I have been exploring the hobby of spinning my own fiber into yarn. I rented a spinning wheel a few weeks ago and am going to be purchasing one soon. So these sheep produce a very nice fleece that I can shear once a year and spin into some lovely yarn. They are Jacob sheep. A rare breed of sheep, their name comes from the biblical story of Jacob and how Lord blessed his spotted sheep into a numerous herd. Aren't they adorable?! The milk goats are on their dry cycle right now while they incubate their newest goat babies. Babies are due to be born end of May and early June. We are enjoying having a break from milking but are missing the milk. A half gallon of milk now lasts us a week or more because nobody will drink the cows milk! The family is doing well. Grace is talking in full sentences now, Seth continues on with his karate and is working part time at Brent's work, Ellen and Anna just finished up their play The Wiz.. They did a great job. Ellen still has choir and will be trying out for their Premiere choir next month. Nick is taking karate and will be testing for his blue belt in a few weeks. Sam and Grace are just enjoying being kids! I have been busy schooling, taking care of the farm, and carving out time for Brent and I to be together. Busy but good times! |
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After four and half short years, Tootsie, our pot bellied pig passed away yesterday. She had been sick for only three days but pigs can go downhill fast. I treated her for three days with antibiotic shots and tried to keep her hydrated with liquids. She slept most of the time in her house. We covered her with blankets. On Wednesday afternoon I went out and thought for sure she was gone. She was in a very deep sleep. I spent a long time next to her just rubbing her and talking to her. Brent went out on Thursday morning to check on her because I didn't have the heart to and she was gone. Poor Hammy is left behind (they have been together since six months old). He seems to be adjusting pretty well. Although last night was his first night to sleep alone. He pushed the fence over to where her body is (we are burying her tomorrow). He took the blanket off of her that covered her body (the same one she used while sick) and pulled it through the bars of the fence and layed on it : ( I know it is silly to mourn over the loss of a pig but when you are dealing with an animal that has the intelligence of a 3-5 year old human it is easy to get attached. We purchased Tootsie when she was six weeks old. I had been waiting fifteen years to get a pot bellied pig. I fell in love with my first one at a petting zoo when Brent and I were dating. Tootsie was housebroken, could sit, spin, and came when called. She loved tummy rubs and we have a lot of funny memories of her. Hammy will be getting some extra treats and attention. Rest in Peace Tootsie! May 2004-January 8,2009
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Winter has reared its ugly head here in Central Oregon. Last week the days were beautiful blue skies and in the mid 50's. Then in a blink it dropped to a high of 8 and a low in the negative numbers. We have been without water for two days as we are trying to figure out what pipes might be frozen. Tonight we finally got a small trickle from our faucets. Unfortunately when I went out to the garage this evening the walls and floor were flooded. Seems there is a broken pipe coming from around our hot water heater. So we had to shut off the main valve in our water pump and are back to no water again. Having no water when you have eight people and a farm is very trying! We are praying tomorrow things get back on track. The snow is beautiful though and there is nothing like the heat of a wood stove to keep things cozy. Life here has been busy and good. Goodness, it has been ages since I have posted something. Each day I have been meaning to get back on. My sister brought me six huge barrels of apples from her farm. I have been drying apples, making apple butter, applesauce, and baking pies. Seth injured his knees from growing so rapidly and participating in karate so he is doing physical therapy two times a week. Schooling all five kids and providing a preschool activities for Grace has kept me on top of things. One of our chicks decided to lay on eggs in November and hatch them out. Then she abandoned them in the cold so they are living in our bathroom in a box. Not exactly what I had in mind but you have to roll with the punches. Brent got me the best Christmas present and as soon as it warms up a bit I will post some pictures! |
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Wow, this month has been flying by. What a lot of living we have packed into the month. Some highlights: Seth turned fourteen on October 4- Happy Birthday Seth! You are growing into an awesome young man! Anna got braces on this month. Now we have three in braces. Yikes! Nick passed his yellow belt test in karate. Way to go Nick! A few new animals have come to live with us here at the farm: This is Maisy, Ellen's American Fuzzy Lop. I think she is the cutest little bunny I have ever seen.
These three are French Angora's. There are two females and one male. Isabella, Katie, and Casper. We will be harvesting their fiber and selling them to hand spinners.
We have a few other animals that have moved in but I will get pictures of them soon. Our kitchen remodel is finally done! We have a wonderful neighbor who is a cabinet maker and we hired him to replace our kitchen cabinets and drawers. The old ones didn't look terrible but they were such poor quality that they were always breaking. Here is the before and after pictures. Before:
After:
We still need to put on the hardware but I'm really happy with how it turned out. The final exciting thing this month is we had a surprise visit from our dear friends Marty and Sheryl Fenton. The Fenton's were the pastor at our church in Portland. They now pastor a church up in Washington and it has been a few years since we have seen them. They drove down to give us a visit. The Fenton's were some of our dearest friends in Portland. They have five great kids. The two youngest Robert and Nichole are Seth and Ellen's age and they have been friends since they were three years old. It was fun to watch them just pick up where they left off. There visit was short but sweet. Seth and Robert:
Nichole, Ellen, and Anna:
That's all for now! More pictures and news coming soon : ) |
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I found this years ago in an Amish book and it sums up the philosophy that Brent and I have lived under all of our parenting years. I hope it sums up yours too! ALONE IN THE HOUSE Once upon a time our house was filled with tears and laughter, quarrels and noisy play, the patter of little feet as in and out they went, the lisping of a baby making some first words. When washday came, it was a pleasure to whisk those dirty clothes into the washing machine and watch the clean things come out. The wash line was then filled and oftentimes the fence beside it too. When mealtime came the table was stretched out long and filled with simple foods. What a pleasure to watch it disappear! With hearty appetites it took a lot of cooking and baking. On school days after four o'clock, we'd listen for the sound of feet marching across the porch. On wintry days they would be stomping and sweeping snow off boots before they'd all file in. There was always a lot of sewing and also the altering of passed down things. Every time I did it I would have to marvel at the lenght of each new dress. The children were growing so fast. In our family, grandparents also had their place. They took care of themselves and thier rooms for many years. Through the busy summer months, they'd come and help us slice pears and apples, clean the beans and berries, and shell the peas. What a time we had, sitting on the porch, grandparents, half a dozen children, the hired girls and myself, each with a dish of peas. Sometimes while working we would sing or play some thinking game. Now the grandparents are gone. They are laid to rest in the graveyard yonder. Their house is empty. Nothing remains with us but memories. Some are very dear to the heart, but there are also memories of sickness and suffering, patience, and many lonely hours. Did we appreciate them enough while we had them? Those are the thoughts that came to me as I walk through the empty rooms, my footsteps echoing and reechoing. Only now do I realize how good it was to have the house so full of people, even if I was knee deep in work. Now I often think of those homes where there are young folks and old folks who are hoping and dreaming of better days to come. Please let me remind you that all too soon those children will grow up and be gone, and the old folks will be laid to rest. Then you may find yourself in a quiet and orderly home-yes, but in a lonely one. I know. I have yearned for those things, and now I have them. But something far more precious is gone, and for me never more to return. Now I am all alone in the house. |