Playing in the Snow

Hello Family and Friends, Jeremiah here.
I got to play in the snow today.  Yesterday and last night we got over 12 inches (30.48 cm).  Before it started snowing there was no snow on this deck.  It came down so fast and we didn't even get an early release from school.  I really thought that we would get out early (it would have been my 1st snow day).

Adin, Elle and Lizzy do not have school today, tomorrow or Monday because of Easter, so that is why we are home and get to play in the snow.  I was so excited to go sledding with Lizzy, but we had to find the sled first.  It was buried under all that snow right up next to the house.

Tonight I get to go to a Seder Meal at Adin's church for Holy Week.  I'll post more tomorrow about that, but right now, I'm going back out in the snow to play.  It is cold, but fun.

Hugs and Love,

Flat Jeremiah

Guest Blogger

Good Day.  I am excited to announce that for the next few weeks we will be having a guest blogger from time to time.  His name is Jeremiah and he is from Australia.  Jeremiah isn't your average kid, he is special and he is "flat."

My son's 2nd grade class read the book "Flat Stanley" and made themselves flat.  We chose to send "Flat Adin" to a special family I worked with many years ago at Luther Park in Danbury.  They have a son Adin's age and a 4 yr old daughter.  I think the world of this family and hope to someday see them all again in person.  Anyway.... Adin went on his journey to the Green Family and now "Flat Adin" returned this morning with his new friend "Flat Jeremiah".  So as an easy way to let his family and friends know about his visit here to Northern Wisconsin (where the snow just doesn't seem to want to leave this year) I am letting "Jeremiah" post on my blog.

Here you go "Jeremiah," it is all yours.

Hello family and friends back home, Jeremiah here.  I have arrived here in Danbury/Webster Wisconsin, U.S.A. safely and a bit chilly.  Adin's mum, Anna is right, the snow doesn't want to leave.  We are supposed to get anywhere from 4-12 inches (10.16-30.48 cm) of snow tonight and tomorrow.  That is crazy.  Here are a couple of pictures of me when I first got here.

Here I am with Adin and his twin sisters Elle & Lizzy who are 6 years old.

After we got ready for school, Anna drove us to school so she could take some pictures and this afternoon I got to ride the bus home with Adin, Elle and Lizzy.  Very fun.

Here I am sitting in Adin's desk in the class room.  Adin is in 2nd grad just like I am.

This is Adin's class and his teacher Mr. Salquist after the morning announcements and the Pledge of Allegiance was said.

Here we are playing on the play yard equipment together.  Adin's teach Mr. Salquist lent me his jacket.  It was pretty cold.  It is supposed to be spring here, but I'm not too sure about that.  

That is it for now, but we have lots more posts ahead to check it out every once in a while to see what I am up to.

Love from,

"Flat Jeremiah"

Tidbits #4

Today is a tidbit day, nothing big, just tidbit thoughts.

1.  I see grass in our yard.  

2.  I still see some 4 foot piles of snow.  

3.  Lots of rain helps in melting of the snow.

4.  Just when you thought the snow was over..... we are under a Winter Storm Watch.

5.  The poor deer are wandering into the rye fields to eat the sweet green leaves.  Amazing how that is the only green thing out there.  

6.  Deer hunting in the fall is going to be sparse, no or very little doe tags.  We are going to have to rethink our meat supply for the next winter.

7.  I have little green things sprouting in my sun room.  :)  Now if the snow would really "go gone and stay gone!" as my kids say.

8.  Started another blog to help me on a personal journey.  halfofmeforhealth.blogspot.com

Well I think those are all of my tidbits for today.  

Spring Fun

This is our driveway with a rather large puddle.

 One of the things that I have always loved about spring is the mud puddles.  Even up here in sand country with the spring rains and the melting snow we occasionally have puddles.  I still find it fun to make channels for the water to drain from one puddle to another and then off to where ever it will be absorbed into the earth faster.

Here is my channel.

Us adults can play in muddles too, as my son has called them.  This is how I spent my 5 minutes while I was waiting for my kids to get home on the bus yesterday.

How do you enjoy the spring?

April Showers.... Um.... April Blizzards?

It just doesn't seem like April in Wisconsin without a blizzard at some point.  Yes this winter is getting long, but it's days are numbered.  Thursday and Friday were lovely this week, well not really.  I think in the 18 hour period we got well over 12 inches of snow (my sister got over 18 - so I'm not complaining) but now the sun is shining and the slush and puddles are forming and the snow piles are shrinking.  The blizzardy drive on Friday morning is now only a memory and I am thinking green growth.  I have some seeds sitting in my sun room that are itching to get planted and start growing.  I had planned on starting them a few weeks ago, but there was just too much snow outside.  Now, I don't care.  Gardening is relaxing for me, my escape, and I need an escape right now.  Is anyone trying anything new this year?  I am going to try sugar beets.  Just for something interesting and to see if I can actually make sugar.  I know it can be done and is done, obviously, but I want to see if "I" can do it.  If it doesn't work, I'll just feed them to the deer or chickens or what ever other critter wants them, "Pigs" if that happens this summer.  Who knows yet.  Someday.  Our list of "someday" things keeps growing: pigs, green house, shelves in my root cellar, fencing in part of the side yard & field for the dogs.  It just seems like more important things keep popping up: new brakes on the car or truck, new tires, back surgery, broken arm on a little girl, school.  At least we have a plan and are working toward it.  So... April Showers/blizzards bring something.... that is just yet to be determined.  Happy Spring all.

Will Winter End?

This is a question that my kids ask me on a daily basis.  I also believe that the chickens are also asking this every time I stick my head in the coop.  I answer my kids, "Yes, it will end."  They ask "When?"  I say "June!"  I hope that it ends much earlier then June, but this way I have a pretty strong feeling that I won't be letting them down.

Adin is in the middle, the other two boys are my nephews.

Some things that we have been doing to keep us entertained with all this snow (when there isn't Arctic Temps blowing) is teaching the kids to cross country ski and snowshoe.  My sister brought down some smaller skis that the boys don't fit into any more and a pair that is just too big for them jet.  The kids love them, especially Adin.  Every chance he has gotten since January 25 he has been skiing.  He even skied in Ashland's Book It (the kid's version of the Book Across The Bay.) While the Olympics were on, we watched every cross country ski race and biathlon that was on.  Ole Einar Bjorndalen from Norway became a favorite in our house.  I think Adin may become a future bi-athlete.  The girls are getting pretty good also.  We just have to switch between skiing and snow showing with them.  I tried to break out my old old old skis and I need different boots.  I have decided that snow shoeing is more my style with my weak right ankle, much harder to roll the ankle with snow shoes.

There has also been lots of sledding, shoveling and snow-blowing/plowing.  We are running out of room.

We have also been enjoying some snuggle time with the 3 beagle ladies.  No bunny hunting this year, we would loose these 3 girls in the snow.

 They will take all the snuggling that they can get.

 

I have found my self on Pinterest more often looking at gardeny things.  I NEED to get my hands in the soil.  Soon I'll be able to start some seeds and pray the cat doesn't make a mess.  He can be trouble.  Here is a happy summer garden picture to warm us all up.  Hope it helps.  I know it brings a smile to my face.

No Sugaring This Year

The family has decided to forgo the Sugaring season this year.  We have much to much snow and we still have about 3/4 of the syrup that we canned last year left.  Time to give the trees a year off, they deserve it after this winter.

The Chicken Saga

It seems as though when ever updating our laying hens, comes into conversation there is a soft hearted 7 year old that bursts into tears and says "Not Cricket."   He has a special bond with this one.  She was one of the first and fell asleep in Adin's hands as a chick.  :(

You see our girls are getting older and not producing they way they used to... they didn't produce a single thing for months this fall.  Then I started talking about butchering all the girls but the 2 youngest and now, with the cold and everything I have eggs.

 I don't think all of them are laying, but it is so hard to figure out which egg goes with which lady.  I know Lucy's egg, she is a Leghorn = white egg.  But then there are Lady Cluck and Red who are Buffs, Cricket who is a Dominique, Fancy Nancy who is an Australop and Cinnamon who we think is a Rhode Island Red (she was an "oops" in the first meat chick batch last summer - she was not a Cornish Cross).  All of these ladies lay brown eggs.  Miss Cricket has always laid these petite perfect eggs and we just haven't gotten one in a while and Cinnamon is just now starting, I think they are her's, giant eggs (we have only had 3 so far.)

In the winter we have only one of our two coops running as we only winter over 6-7 birds (Swamp the roo included) and use the 2nd in the summer for our meat chickens.  But I am thinking of firing up the 2nd one a separating some out to see which lady is laying what or not at all.  Then I can do some selective butchering and maybe get a few new pullets from a co-worker of my hubby and get some more egg production going.

We'll have to see.  I keep telling the kids that this is what raising chickens is all about: food.  It is it too much for him, I may have to seek retirement housing for Cricket at my sister's coop.  Sis had a hard time putting any of her girls down and seeing as I took Swamp off her hands, maybe that will work.  Hmmmm.

A Time of Firsts

The last few weeks have been a time of first's.
1.  Adin had his first time of going deer hunting with us. (On my birthday - I was a happy mamma)

 2.  We had our first family Christmas cookie baking session with my Mom, Sister, one 2nd grader and 4 kindergartners.  Lots of fun and flour all over my kitchen.  I can't wait until next year.

3.  My first adventure making Grandma Deloris Donuts.  She said that they passed the test.  :)  Yay!

4.  First time we celebrated Christmas at our house with everyone, instead of at my Mom and Dad's.  Their house is in the process of being built.  It would have been a bit chilly.

And hey, it is the first day of 2014.

I am hoping for many more firsts this year and a great year ahead.