Around the Farm

Thank you everyone for all of the lovely birthday wishes that you sent my way earlier this week :)

We still don't have a drop of snow even though it has tried the last couple of days with the constant grey and drizzle but it looks like we just might be in for a green Christmas! Not that I mind terribly as it makes winter driving much nicer but I know the children are longing for it and just itching to try out their new snow gloves that we just bought. We've got all the appropriate gear now and nowhere to wear it *grin*.

Despite the wet weather we have ventured outdoors to say hello to our baby. Well actually he's really not a baby anymore but he likes to think he is especially with all the ruckus he makes if we don't pay enough attention to him when we're nearby :)

The children collected a good pile of cedar boughs, laurel bush and this lovely cotoneaster for our mantle and it looks and smells so festive in our family room now with it above the fireplace. I've tried numerous times to get a good photo to share with you but it has been so dark and grey that my photos just look terrible so hopefully the sun shows up soon so I can get a good shot *grin*.

We ventured up the mountain behind my mom's house to the look out...

and even spotted a few mushrooms that are still thriving beneath the cedar trees.

I've had a little sack of Kamut grains in the cupboard that my mom had given to me and they have just been waiting to be used in the perfect recipe and yesterday I finally found one! Tasha at Clean Eating Mama shared the most delicious recipe for little Kamut/walnut thumbprint cookies and oh my word they are SO good *grin*. Luckily I had all of the ingredients on hand and we whipped up a double batch so we would have plenty to share on Christmas eve :)

My nutrimill made a beautiful fine flour from the Kamut and it truly is a caramel color when it comes out like she notes in her recipe and such a wonderful flavor. Now I'm going to have to see what else I can make with it! If you have a tried and true Kamut recipe or one you've been eyeing up I'd love to know about it :)

Hugs,
Rosina

Green Pastures and Rainy Days

I can't believe how green everything is getting around here. It just seems like the fields grew knee high overnight! We've moved our personal lawn mower up closer to the house to *grin*. Before we take Bee down to the bottom field he's making the rounds around my house. I love waking up to him mooing in the morning and having him close so we can scratch his ears and of course try and avoid those licks he loves to slather us with :)

Our baby chicks are growing at lightening speed to. Believe it or not I haven't taken any photos of them lately. I must be slipping! They've pretty much got all of their feathers now and are quite the lively bunch :) I'm still getting the kids to pick them up and hold them as much as possible to keep them from becoming to skittish around us. My plan is that as they grow bigger we'll be able to take a few of them each day out to the garden with us this summer to let them scratch around and eat bugs :)

While the chicks are thriving, my garden could use some work. I feel like I'm terribly behind all of a sudden. I know that planting time for us has just begun but for some reason I just can't get it together *grin*. The soil is tilled and ready to go but we spent our week of sunny weather camping and now it's raining again :( I can just see my dad shaking his head and saying you never waste a sunny day! Travel and visiting is best saved for those rainy days *grin*. Wise words but I guess I could use hearing them again since I just did the complete opposite LOL.

I guess I'm just going to have to put on my boots and get ready to be soaked!

Hugs,
Rosina

Nosy Cows & Potatoes

Come now... don't be shy! *grin*
My baby just wants to get a closer look at you and perhaps snuffle your pockets for some treats and lick your hand as a light hearted gesture of friendship LOL.

I just love this guy :) We picked him and his brother up last spring as 2 month old bottle babies just starting to be weaned and he is such a sucker for love. Never makes a peep unless you go by and don't pay attention to him and he loves to get a good scratch. Beware though he's a licker teehee.

All three kids headed out first thing this morning to lend a hand with the massive job of hilling the potatoes. I think perhaps someone was a wee bit hungry when they planted this year *grin*. They're growing beautifully though. Very healthy and if all goes as planned we're going to have a bumper crop!

I think they got the majority of the work done before it rained so hard late this afternoon that it soaked you in less than 10 seconds! The kids rather enjoyed the downpour and brought me a lovely fresh batch of grass, dirt and whatever else happened to get stuck to their boots today into the mud room. I swear with all the wet weather we've been having I'm going to start calling it the 'muddy' room! *grin*

No matter how much mud I had to clean today I had this beautiful quote on my mind:


Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. ~Marcel Proust

Oh how I just love that as my children bring so much joy and laughter to my days :)
~ Rosina

Meet Our Newest Family Member

Say hello the 'Bee' :)
The kids and I took a trip down island yesterday to pick up a couple of little calves and they are the sweetest little things. They're Ayrshires, a good hardy Scottish breed and I am so in love with this ones cute little doe eyes *grin*. Yeah, I know all babies are cute but we just love cows around here with their whiskery noses and inquisitive nature :)



The fellow we bought them from had named the above one Bee because apparently when he was born he had huge bugged out eyes that reminded him of a bee and the other little guy (don't have a photo) was named Appy because his coat looks like an Appaloosa but the kids changed his name to Bumble so now we have Bumble & Bee *grin*.

They took to the trailer really well and were quite content to spend their time peaking through the crack between the doors while they waited to be unloaded. I don't think we've had a quieter pair before either, not a peep out of them! No mooing or bawling from the change, just happy to be piglets in all of the lush green grass that has sprung up finally :)

I think we're going to make them into a nice 4H project for my oldest and he can spend time halter training them and learning how to care for them. Should be fun!

~ Rosina