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Today is the last day of January. The sun is out. The temp is hovering around 20, but with no wind and such bright sun, it feels much warmer.
Cue ominous music.
This can only mean one thing:
MAJOR SNOWSTORM HEADED OUR WAY!!
*shrugs*
It's that time of year. It really doesn't seem like the big deal is used to be. Generally, the last week of Jan. or first week of Feb, we get a big snow. Then blizzard conditions around Valentine's Day. A couple of weeks after that, the spring peepers come out, the vernal ponds are full, and life spins to fast forward.
I went out this morning to pick up a few things, just in case of power outages. I got an extra case or two of bottled water, and even some paper plates. The stores were packed. Even the library was full to overflowing. I guess other people had the same idea: I'll pick up a few movies to watch while we are stuck inside, assuming the power stays on, and a few new books just in case it doesn't.
I have one cord of firewood set aside in an area that will hopefully remain snow-free. We lack a barn or woodshed, so our wood is stacked and covered with a tarp. We learned the hard way that it's difficult to dig firewood out of 15 inches of heavy snow, thus the 'blizzard cord' set aside just for this type of weather. This spring we plan to purchase one of those portable garage/tent thingies. We already have one that we store hay in, and it's amazing. I do have to make a few runs out there to knock the snow off the top so it doesn't collapse, but considering there are no building permits or extra taxes involved in having a portable building, the pros outweigh the cons. I wouldn't say no to a real barn, if I do happen to win the lottery, but in the meantime, this works on a budget.
I still have a few last minute things to do: Make sure all the laundry is done, everyone is bathed, and the tub is full of extra water for washing up. I'll also fill any spare containers I can find. Oooo that brings me to another lottery wish list item: a hand pump for the well! That would be great!! In the meantime, if we run out, I can melt snow...lots and lots of snow. Did you know that an inch of rain can equal up to one foot of snow? So do that math in reverse, and it really does take a lot of snow to fill a pot with water. We have a creek within hiking distance, but with over a foot of snow on the ground and the ice that will most likely be on the creek, we'll end up sticking with the snow.
I also need to fill the firewood rings in the house, so I guess I'll get to work. If no one hears from me for several days, don't worry...Eöl and I are happily snowbound....
Monday, January 31, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
If I won the lottery...
Ok, so it's sort of a meme. Or maybe it's a theme. **shrugs** It's something to post on a snowy afternoon.
What would you do if you won the lottery? I'm talking mega-millions, more than you could ever spend in a lifetime. If you want to post about it, leave a link in the comments.
Personally, I'd be thrilled with enough to pay off our house. Heaven would be enough for an early retirement. But as long as we are dreaming, let's dream big:
I don't think our overall lifestyle would change. We'd still be homesteaders/farmsteaders, gardening by hand and growing our own food. Of course Eöl would quit his job. That would probably be the best part of the whole thing, having him home every day.
I'd love to have a HUGE custom built log home, with a kitchen that would accommodate a football team and then some. My kitchen is tiny. It's cozy, sure, but not enough room to have people hanging out while I cook. An enormous kitchen, with two ovens, and maybe a wood cook stove for good measure...yeah, that'd be cool.
This log home would, of course, be smack in the middle of a couple hundred acres, surrounded by forests and wildlife, preferably in a warmer climate. No neighbors closer than a day's walk.
That's it for me. That's my dream. Everything else would pretty much stay the same. We'd still homeschool, still do the garden by hand, still raise our own meat. Oh, we may throw in some beef cattle for good measure. I could deal with that.
What would you do if you won the lottery? I'm talking mega-millions, more than you could ever spend in a lifetime. If you want to post about it, leave a link in the comments.
Personally, I'd be thrilled with enough to pay off our house. Heaven would be enough for an early retirement. But as long as we are dreaming, let's dream big:
I don't think our overall lifestyle would change. We'd still be homesteaders/farmsteaders, gardening by hand and growing our own food. Of course Eöl would quit his job. That would probably be the best part of the whole thing, having him home every day.
I'd love to have a HUGE custom built log home, with a kitchen that would accommodate a football team and then some. My kitchen is tiny. It's cozy, sure, but not enough room to have people hanging out while I cook. An enormous kitchen, with two ovens, and maybe a wood cook stove for good measure...yeah, that'd be cool.
This log home would, of course, be smack in the middle of a couple hundred acres, surrounded by forests and wildlife, preferably in a warmer climate. No neighbors closer than a day's walk.
That's it for me. That's my dream. Everything else would pretty much stay the same. We'd still homeschool, still do the garden by hand, still raise our own meat. Oh, we may throw in some beef cattle for good measure. I could deal with that.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Slow news day
Ok, so it's actually a slow news season here at the farmstead. Not much to blog about. Not much to do. I'm good with that.
This time of year, resting is all we feel like doing. And eating. Mostly carbs. So, between carbo-loading and sleeping, I am quickly becoming the size of Jabba The Hut.
The longer we live here in the country, the more we become in sync to nature's cycle. Wow...that sounds oober-hippie-sappy...but it's true. Spring comes and I'm working at my seasonal job and rushing to get our garden planted, while keeping up (or not) with daily chores. Then summer is when we try to get outside projects done as well as tending the garden. And then harvest starts....and seems to continue right up until winter. I'm not complaining. That's just the way things work. So I don't feel too guilty for spending the extra time resting right now. At least that's what I'm telling myself. ;)
I have been quilting, which has been really nice. Our first years here, we were scrambling non-stop to keep up with the firewood and work to make the house livable. Having the free time to just sit and quilt is something I appreciate all the more after those frantic days of hauling wood, uphill, in the knee-deep snow.
As for my Jabba Butt, I'm sure it'll be gone once spring hits. Between biking 7 miles a day, working, and getting up way before sunrise (hard to believe I was ever a morning person), I'll once again be a brown stick. With any luck, just in time to visit the beach!!
That's our big plan for this year: a visit to the beach. We are still working out which beach. We live smack in the middle of Ohio, and are hoping to hit a southern beach within a reasonable driving distance, so Florida will have to wait. Little Sis has never seen the ocean, so this will be a very memorable trip. We're not looking for attractions like amusement parks (I still don't understand why people want to visit places that smell like vomit), just a nice area of beach and not too many sharks. I'm open for suggestions!
This time of year, resting is all we feel like doing. And eating. Mostly carbs. So, between carbo-loading and sleeping, I am quickly becoming the size of Jabba The Hut.
The longer we live here in the country, the more we become in sync to nature's cycle. Wow...that sounds oober-hippie-sappy...but it's true. Spring comes and I'm working at my seasonal job and rushing to get our garden planted, while keeping up (or not) with daily chores. Then summer is when we try to get outside projects done as well as tending the garden. And then harvest starts....and seems to continue right up until winter. I'm not complaining. That's just the way things work. So I don't feel too guilty for spending the extra time resting right now. At least that's what I'm telling myself. ;)
I have been quilting, which has been really nice. Our first years here, we were scrambling non-stop to keep up with the firewood and work to make the house livable. Having the free time to just sit and quilt is something I appreciate all the more after those frantic days of hauling wood, uphill, in the knee-deep snow.
As for my Jabba Butt, I'm sure it'll be gone once spring hits. Between biking 7 miles a day, working, and getting up way before sunrise (hard to believe I was ever a morning person), I'll once again be a brown stick. With any luck, just in time to visit the beach!!
That's our big plan for this year: a visit to the beach. We are still working out which beach. We live smack in the middle of Ohio, and are hoping to hit a southern beach within a reasonable driving distance, so Florida will have to wait. Little Sis has never seen the ocean, so this will be a very memorable trip. We're not looking for attractions like amusement parks (I still don't understand why people want to visit places that smell like vomit), just a nice area of beach and not too many sharks. I'm open for suggestions!
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Friday, January 7, 2011
Does your mechanic own a car? (Warning: Girl talk!!)
Have you ever driven on the German Autobahn? No? Can you talk to a few people and tell me what to expect if I drive there? The experience is probably different for everyone, right? For some, it would be exhilarating. For others, frightening.
How about the moon, ever been there? No? Can you tell me what to expect if I go?
Parasailing? Sky diving? Swimming with sharks?
Silly questions, huh? Why would we expect someone who has never been to these places or done these things to be able to tell us about the experience?
And yet, that's exactly what we do when we go to a male obstetrician/gynecologist!!
Ok, they aren't perfect analogies, because in reality, a man could do any of those things. The most apt analogy would of course be something he'd be incapable of doing himself, like ...um...I dunno...maybe giving birth? Or maybe getting a pap smear?
Oh no...here comes the rant....run away!!
Big Sis is expecting her first baby. I am her support person, so I go to all of her appointments with her. Every appointment reminds me of why I chose a midwife. But that's not for her, and I respect that. Unfortunately, her insurance offers limited choices, and she's stuck with a male OB. One with hands as big as his head. Poor girl!
***Side note: I won't be posting much about Big Sis and her little Chipmunk. She is entitled to her privacy. Besides, there are a few prying eyes, ex-friends and the like, that use my blog as a way to see what is going on with her. To those particular people: I see you. Shall we be smart enough not to piss off the crazy lady??
I now return you to your regularly scheduled rant....
Where was I? Oh yeah, the male ob/gyn. It's akin to going to a mechanic that doesn't own a car, don't you think? Personally, I prefer a woman ob/gyn because she is familiar with the equipment. And she's not going to say something stupid like: You may feel a little pressure.
Or, even worse: That really didn't hurt you, now did it? I've never so badly wanted to plant my size 10 hiking boot in someone's arse and then tell him: You may feel a little pressure.
Before I get a ton of email about how unfair I'm being, and how there are good male ob/gyns out there, blahdeblahdeblah....let me remind you that it's my blog and I'll rant if I want to. Ok, I'll concede there may be a few. I've met one that had a nice bedside manner, was polite and respectful, and did his best not to send me off the table onto my head (you know what I'm talking about). But only one.
On the other hand, every female ob/gyn/midwife I've been to ...well...they are everything they should be. No female dr is going to walk into the room and try to have a chit chat type conversation with you, from across the room, while you sit, bare arsed, on the paper covered, germ incubating exam table, with nothing but a sheet over your lap. Not in my experience, anyway. Chit chat and consultation type stuff take place with both parties fully clothed, usually across a desk, in, can you believe it, chairs. What can I say? There's something special about being treated like an actual person.
Ohhh...and here's another tip for the OB: Whatever you do, don't fuss at a pregnant woman about her weight, unless, of course, she's putting herself and her child in danger. Women are sensitive enough about their bodies. Pregnant women, even more so, especially when you toss all those hormones into the mix, add a bit of fluid retention, and maybe some constipation....stir in a bit of "You really have to try to gain 6 pounds in two weeks," in a very sarcastic manner...and watch the fireworks. This is especially true if you are misreading the weights, or maybe just can't do simple arithmetic, and the weight gain was, in fact, a quite reasonable four pounds. You may also want to consider that patients are weighed before the urine sample is collected; an ounce of fluid weighs one ounce, you know. But I digress....let us simply say that a woman who has gained around 30 lbs her entire pregnancy is in no danger, so back the feck off!! By the by, if said OB is a bit on the chunky side (read: fat arsed as well as fat headed), well, I'm sure he really had to try to gain that much weight.
As long as we are on the subject of arithmetic, perhaps someone should work on their metric system. After all, Big Sis was told on an earlier visit that her baby "probably weighs about 2000 grams right now, which is about 2 pounds." Yah...you do the math. If that truly were the weight at the time, we all should have been extremely concerned.
Proper terminology is a good idea for any medical professional. "Down there"? Really?? You know, we are big girls, wearing our big girl panties and big girl boots, so maybe you could actually say birth canal, or uterus, or even...gasp...(don't look if you are easily embarrassed)....vagina.
One more thing, to any and all OBs: When speaking of your holidays, try to be positive. Telling us that it would've been great if you didn't have to work...not good. Nope. First of all, it could've been my family you were working for at the time. Secondly, it's not as if you were serving chicken nuggets, mining coal, or scraping road-kill off the highway. Helping a woman become a mother, a couple become a family...that sure doesn't seem like an awful way to spend the holidays. But thanks for the insight into how you view your patients.
**Must not spork the OB to death...must...not*** Sigh. The things we do for our children.
Love ya, Big Sis!
How about the moon, ever been there? No? Can you tell me what to expect if I go?
Parasailing? Sky diving? Swimming with sharks?
Silly questions, huh? Why would we expect someone who has never been to these places or done these things to be able to tell us about the experience?
And yet, that's exactly what we do when we go to a male obstetrician/gynecologist!!
Ok, they aren't perfect analogies, because in reality, a man could do any of those things. The most apt analogy would of course be something he'd be incapable of doing himself, like ...um...I dunno...maybe giving birth? Or maybe getting a pap smear?
Oh no...here comes the rant....run away!!
Big Sis is expecting her first baby. I am her support person, so I go to all of her appointments with her. Every appointment reminds me of why I chose a midwife. But that's not for her, and I respect that. Unfortunately, her insurance offers limited choices, and she's stuck with a male OB. One with hands as big as his head. Poor girl!
***Side note: I won't be posting much about Big Sis and her little Chipmunk. She is entitled to her privacy. Besides, there are a few prying eyes, ex-friends and the like, that use my blog as a way to see what is going on with her. To those particular people: I see you. Shall we be smart enough not to piss off the crazy lady??
I now return you to your regularly scheduled rant....
Where was I? Oh yeah, the male ob/gyn. It's akin to going to a mechanic that doesn't own a car, don't you think? Personally, I prefer a woman ob/gyn because she is familiar with the equipment. And she's not going to say something stupid like: You may feel a little pressure.
Or, even worse: That really didn't hurt you, now did it? I've never so badly wanted to plant my size 10 hiking boot in someone's arse and then tell him: You may feel a little pressure.
Before I get a ton of email about how unfair I'm being, and how there are good male ob/gyns out there, blahdeblahdeblah....let me remind you that it's my blog and I'll rant if I want to. Ok, I'll concede there may be a few. I've met one that had a nice bedside manner, was polite and respectful, and did his best not to send me off the table onto my head (you know what I'm talking about). But only one.
On the other hand, every female ob/gyn/midwife I've been to ...well...they are everything they should be. No female dr is going to walk into the room and try to have a chit chat type conversation with you, from across the room, while you sit, bare arsed, on the paper covered, germ incubating exam table, with nothing but a sheet over your lap. Not in my experience, anyway. Chit chat and consultation type stuff take place with both parties fully clothed, usually across a desk, in, can you believe it, chairs. What can I say? There's something special about being treated like an actual person.
Ohhh...and here's another tip for the OB: Whatever you do, don't fuss at a pregnant woman about her weight, unless, of course, she's putting herself and her child in danger. Women are sensitive enough about their bodies. Pregnant women, even more so, especially when you toss all those hormones into the mix, add a bit of fluid retention, and maybe some constipation....stir in a bit of "You really have to try to gain 6 pounds in two weeks," in a very sarcastic manner...and watch the fireworks. This is especially true if you are misreading the weights, or maybe just can't do simple arithmetic, and the weight gain was, in fact, a quite reasonable four pounds. You may also want to consider that patients are weighed before the urine sample is collected; an ounce of fluid weighs one ounce, you know. But I digress....let us simply say that a woman who has gained around 30 lbs her entire pregnancy is in no danger, so back the feck off!! By the by, if said OB is a bit on the chunky side (read: fat arsed as well as fat headed), well, I'm sure he really had to try to gain that much weight.
As long as we are on the subject of arithmetic, perhaps someone should work on their metric system. After all, Big Sis was told on an earlier visit that her baby "probably weighs about 2000 grams right now, which is about 2 pounds." Yah...you do the math. If that truly were the weight at the time, we all should have been extremely concerned.
Proper terminology is a good idea for any medical professional. "Down there"? Really?? You know, we are big girls, wearing our big girl panties and big girl boots, so maybe you could actually say birth canal, or uterus, or even...gasp...(don't look if you are easily embarrassed)....vagina.
One more thing, to any and all OBs: When speaking of your holidays, try to be positive. Telling us that it would've been great if you didn't have to work...not good. Nope. First of all, it could've been my family you were working for at the time. Secondly, it's not as if you were serving chicken nuggets, mining coal, or scraping road-kill off the highway. Helping a woman become a mother, a couple become a family...that sure doesn't seem like an awful way to spend the holidays. But thanks for the insight into how you view your patients.
**Must not spork the OB to death...must...not*** Sigh. The things we do for our children.
Love ya, Big Sis!
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Gonna
I guess I'm gonna stop saying 'gonna'.
I don't know if it's a leftover of my southern dialect, or if it's just a bad habit. But recently amondo sporktard very rude person actually mocked me for it. To. My. Face.
Oy. The audacity of some people! It was in a professional setting, although this person was certainly less than professional, which is why saidasshole person still has use of all of their limbs.
I didn't even realize I'd said it. I just asked a simple question, one that needed a simple yes or no answer. Instead, I get a smart assed response, using "gonna" rather emphatically.
I may use it one more time, though: I'm GONNA get my chainsaw!
ETA:
I thought maybe I should clarify this post. I even got a few emails about it.
It's not that I care what this guy thought. I was upset at myself for actually saying "gonna". I did it and didn't even realize it until Captain Rude Pants mocked it.
We're a family of grammar Nazis. True, our grammar isn't always perfect. Especially here on this blog, where I'm trying to type with three people yacking at me about three different subjects. Often, I will catch myself typing what did you feed the cats one of them is saying instead of what I'm thinking.
The gonna thing, though, really bugs me. I have a pet peeve when it comes to crutch words. I knew one lady that constantly bragged about the college she graduated from, yet she added, "and everything" to almost every sentence. "I went to blah blah blah college and everything." "Yesterday, I drove to the store and everything."
Another gal I know always added "and that" to the end of her sentences. It sounded more like "annat".
Even Johnny Depp tends to overuse "you know" when he's not reading from a script.
Stuff like that bugs me.
That I said gonna is like, well, public flatulence. I'm embarrassed.
I was also pretty ticked that, instead of a reasonable answer to my question, I got the smart arsed response. This was a conversation with a medical professional who should have been able to carry on an adult conversation. Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure gonna was the only word in my question he understood, which is why he gave the response he did. Maybe I should bring him a thesaurus.
I don't know if it's a leftover of my southern dialect, or if it's just a bad habit. But recently a
Oy. The audacity of some people! It was in a professional setting, although this person was certainly less than professional, which is why said
I didn't even realize I'd said it. I just asked a simple question, one that needed a simple yes or no answer. Instead, I get a smart assed response, using "gonna" rather emphatically.
I may use it one more time, though: I'm GONNA get my chainsaw!
ETA:
I thought maybe I should clarify this post. I even got a few emails about it.
It's not that I care what this guy thought. I was upset at myself for actually saying "gonna". I did it and didn't even realize it until Captain Rude Pants mocked it.
We're a family of grammar Nazis. True, our grammar isn't always perfect. Especially here on this blog, where I'm trying to type with three people yacking at me about three different subjects. Often, I will catch myself typing what did you feed the cats one of them is saying instead of what I'm thinking.
The gonna thing, though, really bugs me. I have a pet peeve when it comes to crutch words. I knew one lady that constantly bragged about the college she graduated from, yet she added, "and everything" to almost every sentence. "I went to blah blah blah college and everything." "Yesterday, I drove to the store and everything."
Another gal I know always added "and that" to the end of her sentences. It sounded more like "annat".
Even Johnny Depp tends to overuse "you know" when he's not reading from a script.
Stuff like that bugs me.
That I said gonna is like, well, public flatulence. I'm embarrassed.
I was also pretty ticked that, instead of a reasonable answer to my question, I got the smart arsed response. This was a conversation with a medical professional who should have been able to carry on an adult conversation. Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure gonna was the only word in my question he understood, which is why he gave the response he did. Maybe I should bring him a thesaurus.
Monday, January 3, 2011
List time again!
Here are the homesteading goals from last year's list , plus some notes about what was actually accomplished, what wasn't, and some yammering about nothing important:
Expand garden at least another 4000 square feet
We did expand the garden. I'm not sure how much, though. I don't think I wrote it down, and I just can't remember at the moment. I think it was 6000 square feet. I have no idea how many square feet our garden is now. I do know I have very little area left over to mow, thank goodness.
Make soap
Nope, didn't happen. I have several books and am pretty sure I can do it, but just haven't had time to get around to it.
Make wine
Also didn't happen.
Grow popcorn
Yes! Eöl grew at least three varieties.
Raise beef cow
This is one that we just changed our minds about. At least for the time being.
Finish writing book
I'm working on it! The problem with writing a homesteading book is that I'm so busy homesteading, I don't have time to write! Ok, I guess I could, but usually I just blog (this is where I keep my notes) or fall asleep.
Plant more fall crops
Done! We even left some in the ground, and just this weekend had fresh turnips!
Can lots more garden produce
Done! I have no idea how much stuff I actually put up this year. I canned, froze, and stockpiled all sorts of goodies. I had been sort of keeping track of what went into the freezer, but just kind of gave up on getting the numbers. The freezers got filled, and that's what counts. Here's the link to a post with pics of canned stuff, and squash.
Stock up on canning jars, lids
Thanks to mom for getting me canning jars for every occasion, plus picking them up at yard sales, etc! I didn't even fill up every jar I had.
Build frames for stretching hides
Done!
Strive to be debt free
Still striving.
Try my hand at the Farmer's Market
I did, and I really loved it! I didn't make a ton of money, but I met some interesting people, picked up a few tips, and had fun. I won't be doing the market again this year, though. I am always overstretching myself, anyway, so this year will be sort of a break with just working my seasonal job in the spring and then tending our garden.
Feel better!!
I do! I never got around to posting about the mysterious illness. It was scary enough at the time, and when things worked out, I didn't really want to dredge it all up again. I do feel better. I even rode my bike to and from work last summer. I miss riding my bike, especially now that I'm wearing my winter butt.
Finish remodeling projects
Most of the inside ones are done! Yay! Woooo hooooo!!! Do I sound happy about that?
There were other homesteading accomplishments last year:
- Started free range bantam flocks; those hens hatched more babies.
- Hatched, raised, and butchered Muscovy ducks.
- Purchased 9 cords of wood before the snow fell. We still have one cord on order.
- Learned to live without a dryer.
- Became a one vehicle family. (The bike doesn't count.)
- Started all of our own garden plants from seed.
- Built a temporary smokehouse.
- Used haystack instead of baling method. Seems to work better and certainly saves time.
Now, the Goal List for 2011:
- Get new internet!! I WILL have it!! I am sick sick sick of dial up. It just can't get any slower.
- Plant more fruit trees.
- Take a vacation. We usually prefer to stay home, but Little Sis has never seen the ocean, and I'd like to be with her when she sees it for the first time.
- Experiment with new garden methods.
- Build new goose/duck pen.
- Hatch guineas.
- Build new woodshed.
- Finish exterior remodeling.
My biggest goal this year is to enjoy life. Heck, I may even get new furniture.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Too early for spring fever!
 |
| Photo by Little Sis |
I have spring fever already!! ACK!! How will I make it through the rest of the cold, snowy, icy, crapsnackity days?
We had a warm front New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. The snow melted. It rained. The sun came out. The birds sang. Eöl and I went for long walks in the woods, without coats and snow gear. We even let one of the wood stoves go cold.
Now it's frigid outside, both fires are blazing, and I'm wishing for spring.
*grump* I'm going to find a seed catalog and sit by the fire.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
A Stabbity New Year
Every year, we make a list of things we want to accomplish.
I haven't even started this year's list. Right now, I can only think of one thing:
GET FASTER INTERNET!! I guess a better pc wouldn't hurt, either.
I'm growing old waiting for this page to load.
I hate-hate-hate-stabbity-loathe dial up internet!!
I am one error message away from stabbing my pc to death with a spork.
I have the spork. I hope my pc is listening.
I haven't even started this year's list. Right now, I can only think of one thing:
GET FASTER INTERNET!! I guess a better pc wouldn't hurt, either.
I'm growing old waiting for this page to load.
I hate-hate-hate-stabbity-loathe dial up internet!!
I am one error message away from stabbing my pc to death with a spork.
I have the spork. I hope my pc is listening.
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