tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75431514119515029232012-01-30T12:44:55.447-08:00My ongoing journey to tame my land, to create a thriving mini farm and garden.Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.comBlogger841100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-53735553887620723362012-01-30T12:44:00.001-08:002012-01-30T12:44:55.454-08:00

I'd like to know how 5 hens can produce 6 eggs in less than a day...

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-84587948786878235582011-12-31T12:37:00.000-08:002011-12-31T12:42:23.468-08:00

Well, our first real snow came in a few days ago (really late for this part of Canada, I might add) and the weight brought down the bird netting roof over the chicken pen. So our poor hens have been coop-bound for a few days now while M gets a new roof (chicken wire this time) put up. Our girls learned that they could get over the fence so a pen roof is necessary. We also got them a heated

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-68869175602581991662011-12-05T15:17:00.000-08:002011-12-05T15:25:10.480-08:00

Since trying to sell anything in a small town can be a chore, I've taken to the Internet. I am now running a little craft shop on Etsy where I will be selling my crafts, home-grown goodies and an assortment of vintage items too. Take a peek.new Etsy.Mini(6634895,'gallery',2,3,0,'http://www.etsy.com');If you see something interesting but don't have an account with Etsy, send me a message or leave

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-58549847893045421762011-12-04T11:27:00.000-08:002011-12-04T11:33:02.826-08:00

Ok, I have had my share of good freecycle finds and other bargain-hunting successes in the past, but this one may have set a record.I bought all this yarn for $60 and an hour's drive worth of gas. Buying new, that little batch up on the couch would have cost me that amount. I am in craft-addict heaven right now. And considering I am now trying to sell my handy wares online, this is going to

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-54337486343893958102011-11-19T14:37:00.000-08:002011-12-04T11:34:34.332-08:00

I guess summer is one of those seasons where there is the most going on and the most to talk about, and the least amount of time to do it. So the next few blogs will be all out of order and just be me going on about various things that happened this year and using all the great photos that I took and haven't bothered to get out of the camera yet.First of all, we've taken a big step in getting

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-65828603522779225402011-10-01T13:28:00.001-07:002011-10-01T13:28:38.166-07:00

Augh, let's face it. I'm not a blogger. I have a camera full of pics I wanted to share and never enough time to get it put together in a post....humbug....

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-91748878484368059942011-08-30T10:50:00.000-07:002011-08-30T11:00:28.837-07:00

Been a busy summer. :) My other half is outside dispatching our roosters. We had hoped to wait until they were a little meatier but they are getting aggressive with us and with the hens. So Drumstick, Alfredo and Popeye are now in the freezer. Our first "harvest" so to speak from our first year of raising chickens. Still no eggs to be had though. I am hoping any time now. We're down to 5 hens,

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-61675452060091937482011-07-25T10:09:00.000-07:002011-07-25T10:33:55.098-07:00

I refuse to lower myself to the obvious rhyming title for this. I do have some literary integrity.I bought an ice cream maker a while ago, and wanted to share the success of it all. So far we've only made vanilla and chocolate ice cream but both have turned out better than most store-bought versions (at least the ones I can afford). The best part is there are no weird fillers, artificial flavors,

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-50551754951441575572011-07-17T14:37:00.000-07:002011-07-17T14:41:44.666-07:00

Ok, it hasn't rained in about 3 weeks and the lawn is brown and crispy. We're trying to keep the veggie garden alive but the water barrels are down to the bottom and I am worried about putting extra strain on the well. It had better rain tonight or Mother Nature is going to have to answer to me.We got several pounds of peas though we're just eating them raw because they are just too good to cook

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-64481126232026530442011-07-01T06:51:00.000-07:002011-07-01T06:54:37.849-07:00

I've been dallying with the idea of moving this site to a facebook page since I find I am on Facebook more often during the day.... but that hasn't really caught my fancy after all. I like the look of my own page here..... So I will probably be posting again in the near future.I do find that Bloggers photo upload process to be a pain, so I will try to find a fix for that.Garden is growing well

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-39235278124325342972011-05-03T13:28:00.000-07:002011-05-03T13:32:10.711-07:00

I'm swamped with work (and another book deal is coming down the pipe, methinks) not to mention that I screwed up my camera a bit. But here is a quick shot of our latest additions.We have 10 fuzzy little chickens living in the laundry room, in a fantastic brooder box that M made. I've got the lid open for this pic, but there is a lid made with chicken wire that goes over the whole thing, and a

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-69219914319242506622011-04-23T17:11:00.000-07:002011-04-23T17:15:45.097-07:00

I fear I may have some gluten sensitivities and have been trying to cut down on my wheat intake, which is hard since I love pasta and have been trying to master several good cookie and muffin recipes lately.I've stopped eating pasta and bread mostly. So far so good. Tummy seems better. I am now baking my first attempt at a flourless chocolate cake. My pan is too big so I'm guessing my cake will

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-1303909444535293732011-04-09T12:25:00.001-07:002011-04-09T12:42:09.853-07:00

Been too busy to post lately, and frankly there hasn't been much to write about. Snow has finally melted and spring has arrived. The new man (we shall call him M) has made himself at home, and we are both anxious to get outside and get some projects going. First up is the chicken coop. We're building it into a pre-existing overhang on the side of the barn. For the most part, it just means that

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-650311378760907302011-03-10T12:28:00.000-08:002011-03-10T12:36:43.003-08:00

You may recall a post last fall about a wonderful green caterpillar we caught and were having great fun watching and feeding. He did eventually turn into a cocoon, and his bug box kind of got shelved. His little chrysalis hung from the top of the box all winter, and yesterday he finally made his grand entrance.We now have a grand swallowtail butterfly in a box. I'm guessing the warm house

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-63248297155342959742011-03-03T12:16:00.000-08:002011-03-03T12:43:47.204-08:00

Tomorrow I will be entering that grown-up era of my 40s. I'm not sure my 30s were all that grown up and I'm not sure anything is going to change once I begin on decade #4, but yet I can't help feel that being 40 makes me a bonafide ADULT. I don't feel like one...My boyfriend got me a lovely silver necklace, which I have been wearing since he insisted on giving it to me early a couple of days ago.

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-878761632544486092011-02-14T12:42:00.001-08:002011-02-14T12:47:52.994-08:00

After being alone for more V-days than I can remember, it was nice to have someone special to share the day with. The dozen long-stemmed red roses weren't too shabby either.Not many recent events going on. Snowed in for 2 days after the big blizzard. I learned a little about relying on the help of neighbors too. I called my neighbor who owns a plow truck and asked if he'd clear out the driveway.

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-83668358411076797932011-02-01T09:42:00.000-08:002011-02-01T09:49:05.221-08:00

Drinking a hot cup of Postum, with added soy milk and Stevia sweetener. I feel very One with Nature, or something.I've kind of given up coffee and trying to start my mornings off a little healthier. One cup of Postum and/or a glass of juice instead of 3 cups of coffee ever day. I had a splitting headache for a couple of days which let me know that I did have a little caffeine problem.Little to

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-83246375295059378502011-01-11T17:54:00.000-08:002011-01-11T18:03:53.137-08:00

If you were reading closely at one of my recent posts, I mentioned a hot date. Did you catch that? Well, it's been several more dates since then and we've made it official.That's right. We've both changed our Facebook status levels to "in a relationship".I'm not sure if this makes us hip and trendy, or superficial and dorky. Maybe a little bit of all 4.And if you're my Mom reading this... I was

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-34856637642122529452011-01-06T17:21:00.000-08:002011-01-06T17:30:38.517-08:00

Been busy with work and more work, but here are a few photos from the bathroom reno. Here is a bad shot of the before bathroom. The walls are blue, though the photo would imply otherwise.A big empty space over a big empty tub. A wall was added at the foot of the tub, plumbing was rerouted and tiles put up:I somehow managed to pick up 2 different shower curtains. The tub is so long, that I need

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-54807322017165399892010-12-25T08:43:00.000-08:002010-12-25T08:46:46.936-08:00

As the winter blahs are taking over, the itch to renovate is growing. I've started a few small jobs, and found someone to help install a shower in the bathroom. Three years with no shower is long enough! I've been taking a bunch of "before" photos but won't post them until I have the "afters" to go along with them.So my winter holiday is filled with work due to the delays with this book. We did

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-26167811457987172612010-12-14T11:48:00.000-08:002010-12-14T11:59:26.802-08:00

Our doily snowflakes turned out nicely, I think. We now have 4 or 5 of them hanging around the house looking sparkly and festive.As with most craft projects, it's the making that's fun rather than the final product. Em had a good time sticking stuff all over these things. We have enough doilies for a few more, should she get in the mood.Next, we are sparkling up some large cinnamon-scented pine

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-82670510034266035202010-12-08T08:03:00.000-08:002010-12-08T08:12:26.427-08:00

Now that the snow has arrived, there isn't as much to do outside, so my days are filled with work and inside chores. Mostly work.We will be celebrating Christmas here in about 2 weeks (a bit early as my daughter goes to her Dad's for the 25th), and since it is just her and I around here, I am trying to make the season fun and special. The tree is up, and the house is decorated. We'll be baking up

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-57208617054827240162010-11-30T18:36:00.001-08:002010-11-30T18:44:09.258-08:00

Sound dramatic? Well, it's not. I'm talking about hair bangs. The kind that dangle over your forehead. Exciting, huh?I have been wearing bangs forever, if you don't include my big-hair perm days of high school. I've always been generally annoyed with them, as I can't be bothered to pay a stylist to trim them. So I cut my own bangs and I suck at it. There are always little bits on the side that

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-83450163615075500622010-11-22T07:20:00.001-08:002010-11-22T07:29:43.364-08:00

You know winter is around the corner when the local flocks of wild turkeys start strutting around the yard.I always love to see them. They seldom come close to the house though. Maybe I will try to put out more seed for them. I typically seem them every day or two, usually following the same path each time. Almost as fun as watching the neighbor's cows:That line of trees in the foreground is

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-63758560941545129652010-11-09T12:53:00.000-08:002010-11-09T12:59:33.908-08:00

I want to thank all the great computer help I got via email. Thankfully it wasn't necessary.After a week in the shop, the guy told me the computer ran fine and he couldn't find anything wrong with it. Frustrated but relieved, I went and picked it up. Got it home and stared at the black screen some more. Furious, I took it back (an hour's drive in total... again).The tech guy took another look and

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-49797059195933246892010-11-03T04:20:00.000-07:002010-11-03T04:26:01.865-07:00

Besides having too much work and a sick child (who is pretty much finally over it all), I have had a computer disaster. For reasons unknown, it decided not to turn back on. And since it's been months since my last backup, the thought of losing all that work makes me just sick. About 2 years of photos, and the first 7,000 words of my book project. That's just a start.I sat on the floor and cried,

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-68998925800424825622010-10-27T10:52:00.001-07:002010-10-27T11:02:03.155-07:00

Well, here's a shot of my newly cleared fence-line. One of them. There are a couple downed trees that have to be moved before this can get finished up, but I am actually on the move towards having some animals around here.See how overgrown my pasture is? I wasn't exaggerating. It's rained the past couple weekends, so this has been put on hold. Hopefully we will get all the fence lines cleared out

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-59061672997340010162010-10-20T13:10:00.000-07:002010-10-20T13:13:14.210-07:00

Well, that's a lame title but its stuck in my head.I tried to reduce the amount of waste produced with my daughter's school lunches by buying a few of those little Rubbermaid "litterless lunch" drink bottles. Humbug. They leak. I've washed out her lunch bag too many times and am going back to the old drinking boxes. It's a shame because they are great little drink bottles and they weren't cheap

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-37581030794402123222010-10-15T04:49:00.001-07:002010-10-15T04:51:07.791-07:00

No posts for a while. My daughter has been sick with her traditional winter asthma/cold cough. She's basically been coughing non-stop for the last week, and sporadically for another week before that. Cough medicines don't work, the inhalers don't help... makes me crazy to hear her barking away with no relief. She's back at school today then off to her dad's for the weekend. Phew.Just in time to

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-41140608656969471792010-10-06T07:12:00.000-07:002010-10-06T07:24:49.893-07:00

Not sure what's up today, but there are about 20 yellow-rumped warblers outside. They're not a common sight for me, and they are all over the place. They're dive-bombing the house to get the flies swarming around on the warm siding, and dive-bombing each other for reasons unknown.Add in a handful of flycatchers (not sure the exact species) and it's pretty busy out there. They keep thumping the

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-60817004567315478602010-10-02T10:04:00.001-07:002010-10-02T10:08:29.213-07:00

I have no problem with technology, given that even though I live on a "farm" I make my living as an online writer. But I think that gadgets are getting too pervasive in live, particularly mobile ones.Yes, I'm a hermit who never goes out and therefore has never really taken to the whole cell phone madness. I understand that having access to the Internet while out on the town can be helpful and

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-35667057191929103472010-09-25T14:37:00.000-07:002010-09-25T14:45:23.346-07:00

Remember that kid's game, Jenga, where you pile up the wooden blocks and then pull them out one at a time without tumbling the pile? Well, I have a life-size version in my basement.This is my basement door. It leads to a short walk-out to the yard, and its where I get my firewood delivered. I was too lazy to get the first cord completely out of the way before the second cord came. So now I have

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-5157146204845477602010-09-20T08:54:00.000-07:002011-03-10T12:40:53.061-08:00

I'm dedicating my post today to bugs. No particular reason, I just happen to have a few good bug photos to use up, so here it is.First, our latest addition to the menagerie is this beautiful swalllowtail caterpillar (or as my daughter says, callerpitter). After a little Googling, we identified him and figured out what he needed to eat. Thankfully, we have lots of Queen Anne's Lace in the yard,

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-35416280484781393022010-09-17T05:29:00.000-07:002010-09-17T05:54:07.149-07:00

Well, this will be a bit of a ranty post so consider yourself forewarned.My daughter came home soaking wet from school yesterday, nearly in tears. She told me that she had been crying on the bus. The things she had made that day were wet in her bag, and pretty much wrecked and her socks were soaked through her shoes. I got the story from her about why she had been standing in the rain waiting for

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-30633665204508029112010-09-13T13:06:00.000-07:002010-09-13T13:14:11.244-07:00

I got motivated this past weekend, mainly by the fact that we had a whole day without rain for a change. I finally got moving to build the compost bin I have been wanting for about 2 and a half years.And I did not go halfway on the job. (halfway... get it?). I took 4 pallets that had been living in my yard and screwed them into a big sturdy box. Trying to hold one pallet upright while

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-10290157035109529002010-09-07T07:50:00.000-07:002010-09-07T08:01:18.853-07:00

they pull me back in!Ok, I may have used that one before. It's just a great line from some movie I've never seen. Well, I have been waiting for a long-deserved break in work as of the 10th. I think "waiting" could be an understatement there, actually. Just 3 more days and there will be NO work on my plate at all.Ya well, I got an email yesterday from an old client with a new batch of articles.

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-56075862664446414142010-09-06T07:35:00.000-07:002010-09-06T07:50:28.102-07:00

It's cold today. A week ago, it was too hot to comfortably walk to the mailbox, and now I'm in a sweatshirt contemplating a fire. Fall is on the way and I am desperately trying not to dwell on my too-short list of summer accomplishments. It rains here a lot in the summers, so most outside chores didn't get done. I think I will have to get that through my head and plan better next year. I need to

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-40564949735290048352010-09-03T06:26:00.000-07:002010-09-03T07:05:32.244-07:00

I guess I should write about non-garden things occasionally but there will be plenty of time for that during the winter that is creeping up on us. For now, it's veggies galore. Here is a shot with everything I gathered last time I was out there:I used a Fisher Price grocery basket, just like the pioneers used to use. I got about 5 tomatoes, a ton of beans and a respectable little green bell

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-70324357783961787622010-08-31T13:36:00.001-07:002010-09-17T18:29:34.313-07:00

Ok, very cheesy title but actually appropriate. Now that work is winding down, I'm trying to get back into the kitchen for some domestic creations. My daughter and I fired up the dehydrator for a batch of banana chips:I'm finally getting the hang of knowing when they are done so I don't end up with overly brittle chips. I prefer them to be more "leathery" than hard. It doesn't help that my new

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-31789761205594072402010-08-29T07:29:00.000-07:002010-08-29T07:33:02.409-07:00

How do you lose a new T-shirt in a house populated by one adult and a child? I just bought a new shirt (from Value Village of course) and now it's gone. I've worn it once, I think. I checked all laundry hampers and dresser drawers twice and my closet three times. I pulled the sheets off my bed in case it got mixed in with that, since I don't make my bed very often. Nothing.I am the only one who

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-53543567161462480332010-08-25T10:39:00.000-07:002010-08-25T10:40:36.163-07:00

Ok, I joined Facebook just for the Farmville game and I am already addicted. My virtual crops grow SO much better than my scraggly real-life garden.Anyone want to be my neighbor??

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-54550406199384794782010-08-23T10:33:00.000-07:002010-08-23T10:48:08.104-07:00

My daughter has just returned from her second week-long sojourn to her fathers, and I am not sure where all my "free time" went. I got a few chores done, and plenty of actual paying work but I didn't have the days of freedom that I had foolishly expected. I painted the hallway, moved some junk, pulled down some fencing and did take a day for shopping. And I worked, of course.My current writing

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-5001026426421814052010-08-15T12:35:00.000-07:002010-08-15T12:43:34.377-07:00

Gawd, today has sucked. Our geocaching /playdate got canceled so my daughter and I went out on our own. But the trail we were supposed to take didn't really have any place to park, so as I was doing a U-turn to get oriented, I went off the road.A ditch filled with tall grass does look very convincingly like solid ground. So the passenger side of the car was in the ditch, leaving the car at a 45

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-21780020431509954442010-08-11T08:41:00.000-07:002010-08-11T08:47:01.003-07:00

After his injury, Chester's attitude has changed noticeably. He is much more attached to us, and has come inside the house will only minimal coaxing.In fact, after a few initial explorations, he's almost made himself right at home. Even our current indoor cat, Spook, doesn't seem to mind. His gaping wound has healed up dramatically, and is now only about the size of a loonie though he has licked

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-19172701625535552412010-08-03T08:13:00.000-07:002010-08-03T08:22:31.649-07:00

And by green, I mean more environmentally-friendly. We ran out of paper muffin cups a while back and I thought about a reusable replacement instead of paper that gets thrown out. Yes, I know that muffin papers are hardly smothering the planet, but waste is waste. So I found some cute little silicon cups that are meant to be reused. I got a baking sheet while I was at it, so my next batch of

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-6458380300478375262010-07-30T15:41:00.000-07:002010-07-30T15:46:21.240-07:00

Well, as I deliberated on how to deal with the cat, he disappeared for 4 days. I figured he had passed over the rainbow bridge and was just hoping my daughter and I didn't stumble over a corpse somewhere in the yard.He just returned, and the side of his face exploded. It was an abscess after all, and it burst. He head and neck is covered in blood and "fluids". He seems in generally good spirits,

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-41272508120792122392010-07-26T17:54:00.000-07:002010-07-26T18:02:21.711-07:00

This is Chester, one of the strays we've been feeding. Well, he's pretty much the only stray since Taffy died and Tiger has become a no-show lately. He's really friendly, and gotten very regular for breakfast and dinner. He lazes around on the deck now instead of wandering off after his food, which is a bit more grateful.I was getting him used to the idea of coming into the house by leaving the

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-57840011583463642762010-07-22T10:13:00.000-07:002010-07-22T10:16:01.267-07:00

Gah, I hate working. I haven't been out of the house in days and I think my muscles are going to atrophy and wither for lack of exercise. So much for taking the summer easy. humbug.Though being able to pay all my bills and buy groceries and stuff is kind of nice too.I should be on a much easier pace in about 2 weeks, which means I should still have a chance to enjoy my summer and get some chores

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-5453011466928803372010-07-20T11:05:00.000-07:002010-07-20T11:11:32.802-07:00

Sure I lost most of my work day today, and am still itching from all the fiberglass fibers under my skin, but it was SO worth it.Someone in a nearby town had their basement contractors reschedule their major renovations to start tomorrow instead of September, so they were desperate to get rid of all the stuff in the basement. No time to sell, so they were just giving it away.I got 3 boxes of 2x4

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-46373965504878623992010-07-16T08:36:00.000-07:002010-07-16T08:47:12.396-07:00

Ok, I suppose the berries were kind of a harvest, but that was more like foraging since I didn't plant the blackberry bushes. The peas didn't count because we haven't gotten more than 4 or 5 pods at a time. So, last night we picked enough green beans to actually cook and serve as our vegetable with dinner. Yeehaw.I am actually quite proud of this photo. I think it makes the beans look so luscious

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-61794127265835818542010-07-11T11:25:00.000-07:002010-07-11T11:29:42.196-07:00

Never use waxed paper to line a cookie sheet when making cookies. My smoky kitchen smells like an out-of-control candle, and the cookies that my daughter and I are baking may not make it....

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-28515660126633334662010-07-08T17:08:00.001-07:002010-07-08T17:13:34.412-07:00

I think this needs no introduction. Sorry for the blurry pic, but I wasn't going to fiddle around with a skunk walking about 4 feet in front of me. He really was a cute little bugger, and I was surprised that he didn't smell in the least when just walking by.I am going to tape this photo next to my computer monitor as a reminder why I need to get outside and build a proper bin for the compost.

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-15957334386642084532010-07-03T05:08:00.000-07:002010-07-03T05:11:24.999-07:00

I added this video on how to make espresso with a moka pot to Youtube years ago when I wrote about coffee for About.com. I had kind of forgotten about it, but it's gotten something like 13k view. I'm a Youtube star! Ok, not really but I want to brag.

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-949093711986429992010-06-25T14:40:00.000-07:002010-06-25T14:45:05.057-07:00

Lots of things are finally starting to ripen up around here. Well, the peas and the wild raspberries. I guess that counts as "lots".These ones are just about ripe, though we try to leave them until they are more black. I'm not sure if they are blackberries or black raspberries. I always call them raspberries but I don't really know if they are.We're also snacking on fresh peas too. There won't be

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-64200771042617044512010-06-22T08:59:00.000-07:002010-06-22T09:06:40.124-07:00

It was only a few moments, but last night I had the best solstice "celebration" I could have imagined.Right at sunset, I was going to bed (almost 10pm) and when I checked on my daughter I found that she was awake for some reason. On the spur of the moment, I got her out of bed to watch the fireflies in the yard.So right at the close of the longest day of the year, I stood with my little girl

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-35132156618675599872010-06-21T11:26:00.000-07:002010-06-21T11:30:32.615-07:00

Well, I'm entering the expected "ran out of money, must find more work" phase of my work cycle. I'm pretty predictable that way. I get so lulled by the periods of non-work, that I can't seem to motivate myself to pick up more gigs until I am broke.The garden is doing ok, though I am still a bit disappointed that I didn't plant more this year (who doesn't feel that way *every* year?). I think

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-43079203470494251002010-06-15T11:01:00.000-07:002010-06-15T11:04:50.842-07:00

Woohoo. Since a lack of oil is what finally killed my last mower, I figured I would take extra care with this machine. I did the first oil change, and it all seems to have gone off without a hitch. I'm mowing now (well, not *right* now), and there aren't any clouds of black smoke or horrid grinding noises. And as far as I can tell, it's not leaking either.I would like to know the logic behind

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-38868526751724699102010-06-08T07:36:00.000-07:002010-06-08T07:51:52.852-07:00

Ok, I'm ready to start harvesting something. Why do plants have to take so long to grow! Sure, if I had my act together back in April, my peas would be nearly producing now and I'd be eating fresh radishes. That's really not the point. My plants are actually doing well, and the early peas are just starting to show their first blossoms.And I think I may have gotten the hang of using the close-up

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-38152148909733845082010-06-04T08:14:00.000-07:002010-06-04T08:17:57.067-07:00

To green up my life a bit, I'm starting to make a few changes. I've started to use the shut-off switch on the power bar to kill the power to my computer system and TV/dvd equipment every night instead of just turning each device off. Electronics can suck a lot of power even when turned off apparently.And I am getting in touch with the local newspapers to cancel delivery. I get 3 to 4 papers each

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-39484713097458270932010-06-02T10:42:00.000-07:002010-06-02T10:49:13.351-07:00

As I promised, here is my latest toy:I kind of wish I had something else in the shot for scale, now that I see the picture. Oh well, such is life. It's a great machine and is doing a fantastic job taming this beast/farm. It mows down the tall grass, even the fresh green stuff that's 3 to 4 feet tall. Unfortunately, I can't see any obstacles in such high grass, so my mowing is a bit slow as I have

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-5715017505912843362010-05-28T12:14:00.000-07:002010-05-28T12:18:56.569-07:00

I have a large hill/meadow next to my house, that I had planned on mowing down to a usable yard but I just don't have the heart to do it. I'm sure it's a big part of my hayfever suffering but the expanse of wildflowers every year are just too pretty. It's getting started with some daisiesAnd as you can see, I need to work on figuring out how to use the close-up feature on my new camera. You'd

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-21990832515985024382010-05-25T08:35:00.000-07:002010-05-25T08:50:07.277-07:00

Over the long weekend, I finally planted a few flowers. I've never been a big flower-person, preferring to grow stuff I can eat. Yes, I know some flowers are edible. Don't confuse things. To make it easier on my, I'm using long window boxes instead of planting in the ground. Yesterday, I planted 2 boxes of petunias. And this morning:All my hard work, strew about in a destructive and haphazard

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-79982591321040921002010-05-23T13:20:00.001-07:002010-05-23T13:27:43.795-07:00

Well, I'm kind of introducing it because it's new around here. I'm pretty sure I'm not the first person to try (and love) this stuff.As I've mentioned a few times now, I am working towards a better and healthier lifestyle with regards to food, that is also as environmentally (and ethically) friendly as possible. My recent decision, is to reduce or eliminate our dairy consumption.Though I can't

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-59832781980564208322010-05-22T16:46:00.000-07:002010-05-23T13:17:25.346-07:00

Well, my camera died. Not sure what happened but it won't turn on, and the cradle is dead. I'm not too bothered, as getting a new one was on my upcoming to-do list. And I apparently can just use the little memory card inside to get my photos out. I felt like a real twit when the guy told me I could do that. A computer genius like me should NOT have had to ask.So I've been out of picture-taking

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-86635328581243965132010-05-20T12:55:00.001-07:002010-05-20T13:00:31.863-07:00

Ok, that's it. After obsessing over the oil spill disaster in the Gulf, I have *had* it with all of this environmentally destructive industry. I'm cashing in my meager savings and going solar.Well, I'm seriously considering it.The whole planet is getting flushed down the drain, and I can't be part of it anymore.Gaddammit.(photos of new lawn tractor coming tomorrow)

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-43424629025091202442010-05-15T08:55:00.000-07:002010-05-23T13:16:22.921-07:00

Ok, this aren't eggs from my chickens. I don't actually HAVE any chickens yet, but I thought I'd brag about my friend's eggs. Well, not *hers*. Her chicken's eggs. You know what I mean. Her chickens produce more eggs than they can use, so I get a dozen every now and then to get rid of the extras. They are just gorgeous.They are a beautiful mix of browns, beiges and creamy whites. And I notice the

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-75623447878081137802010-05-13T18:29:00.000-07:002010-05-13T18:33:10.937-07:00

Bought me a new riding lawn mower yesterday. Just a basic machine but it should totally kick my old one's butt in power and startability. That may not be a word....Pouring rain again, but I ran out before it started to finally get my bean seeds out. So this rain is giving them good drink. So far, I have beans, broccoli and peas planted. Not a single sprout yet. I swear, if my garden is a dud

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-44030222454139786782010-05-09T14:28:00.000-07:002010-05-09T14:30:04.248-07:00

As usual, Mother's Day fell on a weekend when my daughter is at her dad's house. So I get to celebrate my wonderful motherness alone. But that's ok. I got a ton of cards and pictures last week about how much she loves her mommy.And I've decided that on Mother's Day, chocolate has no calories. So now I don't feel quite so guilty about eating an entire pan of brownies for "supper". Right?

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-43072586586449509212010-05-06T05:45:00.000-07:002010-05-06T05:49:45.208-07:00

Well, I had planned on taking some photos of the various things in bloom around here but it's been raining for a few days now. By the time I get to it, things will be past the newly blooming stage but should still be lovely.So here is a quick pic from the bird feeder that hangs over the front deck near my desk window.Today's bird is an American Finch, one of my favorites. Brilliantly yellow, with

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-82864739093501779592010-05-02T07:23:00.001-07:002010-05-02T09:53:30.872-07:00

I was finally getting a hold on the "lawn" and getting several wild areas under control, and my riding lawn mower has seized up. Won't start at all. I suspect it needed an oil change and my lack of engine knowledge did me in. That's what happens when you get large machines.... they need to be taken care of. Had I bought new, I would have had a manual with instructions, but that wasn't to be.So

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-31391197536585809192010-04-30T14:38:00.000-07:002010-05-01T05:02:55.843-07:00

After contemplating my food choices (see post about Orthorexia), I'm doing a from-scratch dinner tonight. In an attempt to be healthy as well as cheap, I bought a package of chicken thighs instead of my usual boneless chicken breasts. I'm trying a pretty simple mushroom soup recipe for them from Allrecipes.I'm proud to say I skinned the chicken pieces myself. Seems sad, but I do think that was

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-3533842837510560482010-04-30T08:16:00.000-07:002010-04-30T08:28:28.352-07:00

While I am still quite heartsick over my last post, I thought I should add something a little more cheerful to my fledgling blog. My tray of seed pots has finally shown some life!The photo isn't great because of the bright sunlight coming in my wonderful south-facing window. But you can clearly see the little sprouts! These are 2 of my beans. So far, there are 5 bean sprouts, 3 cucumbers and a

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-261877394591069302010-04-29T05:37:00.000-07:002010-04-29T05:48:12.226-07:00

Remember a few posts back I talked about our new herd of strays we were feeding? Well, Taffy was hit by a car this morning and was killed. It must have happened right before we found her because she had been sunning on the deck just 10 minutes before. My daughter and I saw her on the road when we went for the school bus. Not a pleasant surprise.I went and checked on her, and Em insisted on seeing

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-22606568711571240342010-04-28T06:04:00.000-07:002010-04-28T06:28:34.030-07:00

Sound scary? Well, orthorexia is an eating disorder that has people obsessed with eating the right healthy foods to the point of near starvation. Ok, I am not even close to that level but I do find myself having a hard time making choices lately. Once I weigh in the cost of foods, how healthy it is, and how environmentally friendly it is, I always seem to get stuck. Healthy foods are more

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-35766139549670654782010-04-27T10:47:00.000-07:002010-04-27T10:57:04.012-07:00

After mentioning my garden carpets, I thought I'd post a quick pic showing what it looked like under the rug.This is after being covered for part of the fall, all of winter and this early spring. There are still some roots through the soil but digging this up is way easier than trying to start with healthy lawn.

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-34800390688359957702010-04-27T08:50:00.000-07:002010-04-27T10:57:21.034-07:00

As a Canadian, I suppose I really shouldn't be surprised. Almost the end of April, and more snow.Now, I think it's pretty normal to have snow in April but yesterday it was hot enough to wear shorts, and its expected to go back to summer-hot in the next 3 days. Very weird stuff. Thank goodness climate change is a big hoax....No matter to me. I did do some digging in the new garden patch yesterday,

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-2338442756874822442010-04-26T08:26:00.001-07:002010-04-26T08:41:54.403-07:00

After reading my last post, it must sound pretty sad that I am only planting a couple dozen plants in my so-called "farm". But it's not my fault! I don't have a tiller or any way of clearing the lawn areas for gardening. So, I've gone the easy way and used pieces of carpet to smother out the grass. Works great but I can only clear a fairly small patch at a time.I got these carpets through

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-41713980573940136962010-04-21T11:57:00.000-07:002010-04-21T12:20:11.646-07:00

I really should have started some of these weeks ago, but better late than never. I'm not sure when the last frost date is around here, so I typically put my plants out on the May 24th holiday weekend.That means seed started today will be about 4-weeks along for that date. I think that should give me some sturdy seedlings. I'll be putting out the carrots and peas right outside later in the week.I

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-66292670887527248582010-04-18T07:23:00.000-07:002010-04-18T08:11:45.704-07:00

Ok, I am finally getting a move on with my gardening. I still have to check the planting times and whatnot, but I did bring my two boxes of seed packets up from the basement. Now that they are staring me in the face, I will have no choice but to go through them and decide what I am planting this year.We are still getting some frost at night, so not everything can go right outside. I'd rather

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-32039669312253293522010-04-15T14:19:00.000-07:002010-04-15T14:25:48.287-07:00

Bear with me, I don't often get to use the word "conundrum". But I do think it works here perfectly. I make a living doing online freelance writing, which gives me with the ability to work from home. This has allowed me to get this lovely rural property and begin my journey to sustainable living. It also means I make very little money, leaving me to work 7 days a week just to get things

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-41081055065497722702010-04-11T14:05:00.001-07:002010-04-11T14:05:51.455-07:00

A very important life lesson today. No amount of cussing will get the lawnmower to start when its out of gas.

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-3146436452710220492010-04-10T07:37:00.000-07:002010-04-10T07:44:00.824-07:00

After several days of cold rain, it's sunny out and I am dying to get out there. Once I get my writing work done for today, I'm going to spend the entire day out in the yard. I have junk to move, pallets to move, wood to move.... I guess I'll just be out there hauling stuff around. That's ok, I need the exercise.May even get a few of those pallets moved to the front of the house so I can finally

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-84334665037436100752010-04-09T09:20:00.001-07:002010-04-09T15:08:22.800-07:00

Eventually, I hope to have a bustling farm with livestock and whatnot, but I have to start somewhere. After spying a stray cat in the yard a few times, I thought I would try putting out some cat food and seeing if he/she/it would like to stick around as a barn cat. This lovely gray tabby has now been christened, Chester.He's still a little skittish, but he'll sit patiently on the deck without

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7543151411951502923.post-23872316857701283752010-03-31T06:59:00.000-07:002010-03-31T07:15:26.148-07:00

I thought my first post of substance should talk about the name of this site, and my informal name for my property: Halfway Homestead.I've never lived anywhere for more than a year and a half since leaving home. I always seemed to get tired of my apartment by then, and was off to the next place after the first year's lease was up. Same pattern kicked after I bought my first home. Bought and sold

Terrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961498274302254493noreply@blogger.com0