Monday, February 7, 2011

Monday Morning's Commute...

Armed with vital supplies, Dr Pepper and a good book,
just in case no one came out, we began our commute.
My car stayed home.
I was not allowed that priviledge.
The mail must go through.
The weather conditions do not matter.
Nor does it matter, the danger the employees must face.
I was lucky.
I was transported in a 4x4 by dear hubby.
His dream has always been to be a go getter.
Now he can take his wife to work and go get her.

Making Tracks...

to break the ice,
and feed the stock.
Feeding waits for no weather condition.

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Through The Screen...

 of the Dreaming Porch, the sun peeked over the horizon, lighting our snow covered valley.  The snow arrived quietly during the evening, with no fanfare, no marching bands and no parades...it just came.
It clings to every structure, every limb and greets the first light with a twinkle of beauty. 
I see the beauty although my hands are numb from breaking ice and feeding animals.  The sun amplifies the beauty and brings hope that the snow will leave quickly.
We won't be dreaming on this porch today.
It will have to wait for warmer weather.

Saturday, February 5, 2011

The Great Ki-Anne Caper

The flash made the snow sparkle
as Ki made her rounds.
She flew through the snow
as if she had never seen it before.
Every sniff was a mystery.
Every track held the possibility of adventure.
Politely asking the boys to play,
she taunted them.
Ki finally convinced them.
To her, it was a winter wonderland.
To them, it was just cold.

Snow...

my words are frozen.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

They Welcomed Me Home

The beautiful sunset after days of clouds was a welcome sight.
The temps are cold but we got little ice or snow.
Ki always greets me.
It does the heart good to know you've been missed.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

The Life Blood Of The Farm...

or of any place is water.  This is The spring, our main source of water.  Where you see the circle of rock work used to have a wooden barrel.  The spring bubbled up into the barrel and water was dipped from there.  The rocks, laid by Grandpa, are still there but the barrel is long gone.  Now the circle of stone conceals a submersible pump that supplies water to both houses here. 
The pump house, also rocked to keep the pipes from freezing, sets behind the circle of stone on land.  The pipes are buried to each house and supply all our water.  This is the biggest of three springs we are so blessed to have on this property.
You may think this is terrible to drink this fine, cool, pure spring water, especially with the blanket moss growing, but this is below where we pump and does not affect any thing.  First warm day, we will shut off the pump.  I will take off my shoes,  and enter the spring with tools to loosen the moss to wash down stream.  We will remove the water crest and help ease the flow.

This spring runs into a pond and then from the pond to creek and works it way to the river.  Before it leaves our place, it graciously supplies all the fine clear water we ever need.  It gravity irrigates our garden, it waters the stock and makes the finest tea and coffee you have ever tasted.

I do not remember the volume this spring produces but the spring by the old garden pumps seven gallons a minute and is but a trickle next to this one.

No chlorine, no fluoride, no chemicals added, just fresh clean spring water from deep within the earth.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Making Like A Cow Pile...

 Jake and I hit the trail.  There were enough fencers so we left them to it and attended to more important things.  I am glad he had on a red hoodie, otherwise, I would have never been able to keep up with this boy!
Lil thought there was something under every rock.  There may have been but we never discovered what it was.
This is one mountain side of just rocks and trees.  Many of the trees were either blow down with the tornado or damaged during our ice storm.
We walked, we ran, we climbed.
This was one big rock!
Makes you wonder what geological wonder formed these.
I do know it was easier climbing up
than it was coming down!
Jake and I had a great time exploring
and the work continued without us.
Looking toward the farm houses from our rock.
The view was spectacular.
The day was perfect.
Thank you, Jake.