Tuesday, February 27, 2007

February 27, 2007

Still snowing here in the great white north. The weather is gray and dismal. Haven’t seen the sun for many days. At least the temperatures are mild. Still not melting but pretty darn close.

I have some vacation time that I need to use or loose so I was off work today. Bein the good husband and dad I am, I took it upon myself to make supper. Now I got to tell ya, I make the best home made soup in the area, the whole country, and maybe even the world. And, I out did myself again today with another great soup. When the wife got home from work she whipped up a batch of homemade biscuits and that was our supper. Hmmmm good! Ya ain’t goin to find better food than that or food that is better for ya. Soup has everything a body needs. Grain, vegetables, meat, water (couldn’t work any fruit or dairy into it though). So now that ya all know I am the best soup maker in the whole world what else do I have to tell ya.

The other day I was walkin through the hardware store pickin up a motor and bearings for my chicken plucker. They had these little hand crank gristmills on sale for 15 bucks. Well I had to have one. Don’t need one, didn’t want one (until the moment I saw them) but I just had to get one. So I did. I am not usually one to make unnecessary purchases but every once in a blue moon ya see something ya just got to have. Anyway, I bought it and bring it home and the wife says what ya goin to do with that? Well um, ah, um, well, Then as quick as a wink it comes to me. I blurt out; I’m goin to make my own grits. So that is what I am goin to do with the little hand grinder. Lucky I bought it when I did. I knew it was a necessary purchase, just hadn’t figured out what it was necessary for until that moment.

Got to buy some more hay for the horses. Man, those things go through that stuff. Guess that is why they call them hay burners. With the cold weather they packed it away double time. Of course what goes in has to come out. For every 10 lbs. that goes in 20 lbs. comes out. Not sure how that works but it sure seems like it does. Come to think of it, it works like that for all animals. Especially when ya have to clean it up and move it around.

Wood is getting low too. That’s it once the wood runs out, I demand the weather warms up and we get on with spring. There that does it, all I got to do now is use up all my wood and spring will be here.

Tonight at supper we got to talkin about food and what a person really needs to survive and be happy. As I mentioned before we were havin my world famous soup, which is about as basic as food gets. We started talkin about how cool would it be to have Jesus over for supper. To have him sit down with us and have some of my famous soup and the wife’s home made biscuits. Would he approve of a meal like that? Would he enjoy that type of meal? What would ya talk about? Think about it! Your sittin down to supper there is a knock at the door and it is Jesus. Ya say welcome Jesus how about some supper and he says sure don’t mind if I do. Hey Guy, I see ya made some of your world famous soup. Ya all must of known I was comin. We sit down and have supper and chew the fat. Man that gives me goose bumps just thinkin about it. What a wild thought. Or is it? What ya all think? Could happen. Could happen anyday. If that don’t make ya think, nothin will.

Well that is it for tonight. Time for a cup of joe and off to bed for this ol boy. Ya all take care.

Monday, February 26, 2007

February 26, 2007

Snow, snow and more snow. It has been snowin here for 4 days. I have stopped tryin to clean it up and am just goin to let it stop and then clean up once and for all. Spent a good part of yesterday clearin drifts away from fences so the horses couldn’t get out. Even though we have been getting snow the temperature is mild. Not meltin yet. But close. I can hardly wait for spring. I can feel it. It is just around the corner. Another 3 to 4 weeks and the geese will be back. In my little mind that will be the official start of spring. Things will start warmin up and growin. It will be wet and mucky for a spell but we’ll get er done. This will be our first year we are goin to put in a garden at the new place. Man, we got some big plans. Hope our energy and time can keep up to our plans.

It has been quite a spell since I last blogged. Not sure why I have let things slide unless it has been cause I have been doin some readin in my spare time instead of bloggin. I read Joel Salatins book, Family Friendly Farming. Now it takes the normal fella maybe a week or two to read a book like that. Took me a month and a bit. I am the slowest reader in history. Not sure why, just am. But when I am finished a book I can tell ya exactly what I read. I read every word. Getting back to the Mr. Salatin's book. I sure did enjoy it. The book is about farmin but really it could be related to any vocation. The book is really about family, raisin children, moms, dads, wives, husbands, work and really life in general. He (Mr. Salatin) tells it like he sees it. I like the way he thinks. I didn’t agree with everything he said but lets just say both of our trains of thought are on the same track. His concepts on family and raisin children in a materialistic world (a world that really doesn’t value either) are refreshin to say the least. 5 stars to Mr. Salatin. We need more like him in this world. Wife is readin it now. She will read that thing in under a week no problem. Me and her are at opposite ends of the scale when it comes to speed readin. I am readin The Contrary Farmer now. Actually I started the Contrary Farmer first then got ahold of Mr. Salatins book and started readin it. Now I got to finish the Contrary Farmer. Man, know wonder my life is so unorganized. Can’t focus enough to keep readin the same book I started in the first place. Once I get er done I will tell ya all what I thought of it.

Wizbang Chicken Plucker is comin along. Got all the bits and pieces just need to do the final assembly now . Shouldn’t take long just need to find the time to do it.

Chickens are startin to lay again. Days getting longer and the mild temperatures help. Youngest daughter had to be picked up from school this mornin cause she got sick on the school bus. So she is down with the flu. Then next week it is off to the hospital to gether tonsils out. Wife hurt her back today at work, so she is hobblin around here like an old lady. 2 out of 5 down. Hope nothin gets us 3. Got to get lots of sleep and make sure our systems are in top form to fight of all the bugs goin around.

Well that is all the news I have from Cooks Creek. Keep your stick on the ice and if they don't find ya handsome they should at least find ya handy. See ya all soon.

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

February 13, 2007

Hi all. It has been almost two weeks since my last blog. That can't do. Need to fill ya all in on what has been goin on up here in Canada. Well, I have been shiverin and then I shiver some more. A couple times I stopped shiverin because my body went numb from the cold. Well that is about it. Talk to ya all real soon.

Just kiddin. Actually there has been a bit more than shiverin from the cold goin on around here. It has been cold though. 35 to 45 below has been the norm every morn for the last couple of weeks. Thing is, we are gettin used to it and it don't seem so bad when we go out in the mornin now. Do all the chores at double pace but that is ok as long as they all get done. Say it is goin to warm up by Friday. Guess we will just wait and see and if it don't it will be cold and we'll just keep on, keepin on. No use complainin cause it don't help.

Things are gettin back to normal around here this week. Wife and oldest daughter are finished with the church play and it was another huge success. They were at it 3 weeks for 3 or 4 nites a week. Helpin with the play was good in itself but they spent time together and made memories that both will cherish for the rest of their life. Towards the end of the play the wife was sayin she will never do the play again but only a few days have past since it has ended and she is already talkin about next year. Anyway it was allot of work for all the people involved and it raised a mess of money for a good cause. It also provided some good wholesome entertainment for a bunch of people. Time well spent.

I have been doin some readin on these cold nites. The book I am readin is by Joel Salatin called Family Friendly Farmin. I do believe I am goin to have to edit my profile and add this book as one of my favorites. I am about half way through and it is more a lesson on daily livin than farmin. The farmin part is brought into it because that is what Mr. Saletin does for a livin but the lessons taught on child raisin and on the general outlook of life are quite astoundin. All in all a real good read. One of the best books I have read. Truth is I only get to read it part time. Wife is readin it too. So there is a bit of a battle on who gets the book, since we only got one copy. One of my favorite quotes in the book is “All work and no play makes Johnny a sad boy and all play and no work makes Johnny a spoiled brat”. How true is that. The only thing that saddens me is we (wife and I) didn’t start this deal 20 years ago. But then again no use cryin over spilled milk. Good thing we are startin now and better get on with it because time is a wastin.

Daytona weekend comin up. Now for the most part I don't watch much TV but when it comes to racin I have a bit of a weakness. Sunday will find me in front of the box starin at 43 cars goin round and round in a big circle for 3 1/2 hours. Don't sound too excitin but I can't help but love it. Yea I know, it is a waste of time and I could be doin somethin useful but it’s the Daytona 500. If I didn't watch it my life wouldn't be complete or the earth would stop revolvin around the sun. This is a big deal for me. Bigger than Christmas or my birthday. I need to get a supply or snacks and pop. Better get extra just in case there is a rain delay or allot of cautions.

Well quarter to ten, better have a cup of coffee go put Indy away and hit the hay. Five o’clock comes quick. Hope ya are all loved, warm, dry, full of good food. Ain’t much more a fella needs than that. Take er easy.

Thursday, February 1, 2007

February 1, 2007

Well here it is the beginin of February already. I guess the weather is on everyone’s mind. At least up in these parts it is. Extreme cold with high winds makes it dangerous for travel and hard on all things livin and mechanical. Vehicles won’t start and if they do it is by luck or by golly if they break somethin or not. I like to hunker down in times like this and just wait things out. Suppose to be Groundhog Day tomorrow. I’m tellin ya no groundhog is comin out in this deal. Wife and daughter have gone off to church to help with the play again. Wish they didn’t have to go because I don’t like them on the roads when it is like this. But they committed and I guess ya should stand by your word. I read on the http://ndhomekeeper.blogspot.com/ND Homekeeper blog this evening that they are havin some problems with their animals because of the cold. Ya wonder how any livin thing can survive in this stuff. Actually I think they are worse off than us because if I’m not mistaken I think I heard a blizzard went through their area a day back. The forecast says it is goin to get worse before it gets better so we better take er as she comes and get er done.

I had a vacation day from work yesterday and decided to go to the Brokenhead Ag Conference in Beausjour. I had a fine time. Listened to a couple of talks. One was on grazzin cattle on turnips and the other was on biodiesel production for the farmer. I also sat in on a talk about hirin farm help and how to hire and keep good people. Now my little two bit operation is never goin to require me to need staff (that’s what we have kids for, right?) but I do have those requirement in my other job so I found the info interesting and I think I will be able to put some of it to good use. The biodiesel deal was interestin but unless ya got 75 grand to invest in equipment it ain’t going to fly (or at least that is what the fella said). The cost of production of biodiesel per gallon is actually higher than regular diesel. The only thing its got goin for it right now is it is produced from a renewable resource. The conference cost 10 bucks but with that ya got a good lunch, all the donuts and coffee ya can get in ya and spent the day in a warm hall learnin stuff. Good way to spend a cold winter day.

Got some of my chicken plucker parts ordered from the Wizbang Chickenplucker guy. I think his name is Herrick. Should be here next week (I hope). I will get the frame finished and painted this weekend (again, I hope).

Another birthday comin up this weekend. Oldest daughter had her 18th last Saturday and now my youngest daughter is goin to be 13 this Sunday. Man, life is goin by fast. Need to slow it down but there ain’t no way. Just got to hang on and enjoy the ride I guess.

Egg production is almost nil with this cold weather. Cost more in food than what we are gettin in eggs. I guess they are usin all their energy to keep warm. Ya know it is cold when ya look forward to gettin into that stinky chicken barn to get out of the wind.

I started doin my farm taxes this evenin. Man, that’s depressin. Ya start addin up your expenses and look at your income and ya got to wonder why would any person work like this for so little return. It’s a way of life and I can’t think of a better way to live. I really don’t care if I make a nickel. It’s like that old joke. One ol farmer says to the other, what would ya do if ya won the lottery. The other ol farmer says, Oh I don’t know, I guess I will just keep on farmin till it is all gone. That’s me. If I won a million dollars. I’d buy me some cows and hogs and some machinery. No holiday or new boat for me. Well, maybe a new boat for fishin but not one of those fancy ones. Just a 14 footer allum. with a 20 hp motor. Not that I have thought about it or anything.

Ya know I,m getting tired so I am goin to end this deal and head off to hit he hay. Talk to ya all real soon