Home Again

We were able to get away to meet with beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ this past weekend. It was a wonderful time in the Lord and it went too quickly! Some day there will be no separation...Maranatha, Come Lord Jesus!

Still, back home means back to work. Lots of work. The gardens have been 'resting' for two years (maybe more in some spots) and there will be back-breaking, hard, tiring work to do until it's cleaned up and planted.

For those of you who asked...KatyJoy still has not had her kids! Hard to believe, but true. This has been going on for some time now, but her udder really is filling out and it has to be any time ...!!!

Mimi the doeling...is doing wonderful and now that I'm back home I'm weaning her and she'll be outside at night again. Praise the Lord for her restoration! It was a bit touch and go there, but when you pray and ask God for wisdom, He gives it! Between probiotics and electrolytes, and two injections, she's right as rain again. I learn as I go. Research done under the Lord's tutelage.

Lydia and I went out and tackled a portion of our pea fence this morning. It took us a while, but that little section shows progress. My garden is a sight to behold. It's shameful! I'm sure it would send chills up and down the spines of most avid gardeners I know. It makes me shudder too! But, I have vision for it and can see the beautiful finished product! It's going to take a lot of time and energy, but we'll get the job done. I am determined.

I'm going to keep it somewhat short tonight. I'm tired from the rush to finish my garden goal today (clean off fence section and get some peas in before it rains). I think I'll go read for a bit and try to put down the Kindle before it smacks me in the face as I fall asleep! Can anyone relate?

Blessed be the Name of the Lord for keeping us, providing for us and protecting us. The Lord Jesus Christ is the only answer I have for all of life's dilemmas. God is good and His mercy endureth forever! Praise Him!

What is your garden goal for the week at your Home-Sweet? May the Lord grant you the grace and strength to meet your goal!

Productive Day!

Today I felt as if I raced from one thing to another.

Tending to KatyJoy first thing to see if we had kids...nope! She's still breathing harder, but not much going on. Udders filling up quickly...really any time now!

Giving Mimi a bottle (she's still in the dining room!), little chicks...dogs...THEN...coffee!

Right away getting milking done and other chores.

Then the house was empty, so I pretended I had nothing to do except clean my kitchen and do laundry. Wow, did that feel good! I just really like to do the housework, especially when I am the only one home! I love my family a whole lot, but I am not alone much, so I appreciate alone time, I think it makes me productive!

Spent time taking photos of bees when Mr. Home-Sweet was checking his new package hives. They've been in there two weeks now so he wanted to get in there and take a peek to make sure there was a queen laying eggs. He found all the queens and there were eggs in all the hives. Good! Here are a couple of photos:

Wall-to-Wall Bees!

Here Is The Queen

Lots Of Capped Brood

Look At His Bright Yellow Pollen Baskets!

Then I had to go and plant a blueberry bush...and I did, with the sun beating down on me, but it was good to get another one planted. I gave them all a good watering and have to go do more tomorrow!

Happy Blueberry Bush

Had to run to Tractor Supply for kid feed and chicken stuff. Dawdled around in there and came home.

Took it easy later with Mr. Home-Sweet. Good day!

I am thankful for a productive day here at the Home-Sweet...little by little we are getting things done. Each year making more happen. Praise the Lord for a good day!

Busy Tending Doe...More Tomorrow!

This is just a quick post to say that I will be up all night watching and waiting for our doe KatyJoy to kid. We've been checking her all day and nothing yet. She's definitely in labor, the waiting is the worst!

Hopefully tomorrow I will be able to share pics of the little darlin'/s. It's her first time so it's hard to tell just how many she'll have. Just when we were almost done weaning the other 7...here come some more!

So, I'll be back tomorrow with some news!
 

Thankful For Simple Blessings!

Happy Day All!

Yesterday, I managed to get to a bit, a very small bit of thrifting...and was going to post some of the cloth-goodness I was able to purchase...but instead, I spent the day outside working and inside doing laundry. It was so windy today! What a good day to get several loads of laundry on the line! The stuff dries in no time! It brought kite flying to mind. Quite enjoyable...but you know me...I REALLY LIKE doing laundry! I'll try to share photos tomorrow.

I did get to take a few outdoor photos today while meandering around with my Home-Sweet #1 Son chatting about all the work there is to do this year around here. He's getting married in September, you know. They're trying to learn a bunch of things that will be useful for them throughout their married journey. She wants to learn handiwork, seed planting, canning...etc... They want to learn about caring for animals, and 9 of the Dixie Rainbow chicks I bought last week are theirs. I figured I couldn't go wrong at 50 cents a chick!

I'm not going to bore you with a bunch of chatting tonight, I'll share some photos I took outside today instead.  It was a lovely day even if it was windy. I enjoyed walking around with my son planning projects. We're going to be busy working AND getting ready for a wedding! This will not be a boring year for sure!

Blueberry Holes All Ready To Go!

Son #1 said he'd do it...and he did it! Notice how sandy our soil is. About a foot of topsoil and then pure river bottom sand. Not very nutritious for many plants, but blueberries don't mind bad soil, they love acid. Our yard used to be mostly pine trees, so we should be good and acid-y for them.

Pretty Bees Working In The Sun

Coming In For A Landing and  Communicating

Amazing...God's Handiwork!!! Awesome!! Notice How Fuzzy They Are!

Part of our livestock and livelihood is bees. Home-Sweet Husband keeps hives here and at a local farm. They provide beautiful dark honey for us and for many people each year. We already have orders for this year's honey...and it's not even harvested yet! It's in high demand!

This Is Lightning - He's A Proud Papa This Year!

Look at this handsome young Nigerian Dwarf buck! Home-Sweet Son #2 was astounded at how Amish looking his beard is! He's sweet too, not too rammy. He was one of the first kids to be born here two years ago. He's grown into a mighty fine buck! As I was walking past him I noticed he had hay on his head. He likes to use his horns to break up his morning hay flake. Silly boy! He smiles pretty for the camera too! What a ham!!!

He's Got A Wonderful Smile!

Flowering Quince Waking Up From A Long, Hard Winter

I have been checking on this quince for weeks now. Watching the buds get larger and larger. I was thrilled today when I went over to check it and saw buds and tiny leaves! Last year it even had one fruit on it . I think you can make quince jelly with the fruit from flowering quince. So pretty!

Well, that's a bit of my photo walk today. I was especially delighted and praised God to see the quince leaves out and the flower blossoms! I have been checking them for weeks! I like this photo and am going to send it off to my niece Alissa to make a new Spring header for me. She does a great job!

Now that Spring has arrived, we're going to be very busy doing many Home-Sweet Things! If we get to finish half of what we have planned, we'll be accomplishing much! There will be lots of hole digging for fenceposts, some butchering lessons, planting lessons and landscape things to figure out. In all our plans though we must say...'if the Lord wills'. It should be a very productive year!

Praise God for each day we have to see and appreciate the small blessings He gives. Take joy in each moment and breathe a prayer of thanksgiving for Our Heavenly Father gives us many things to enjoy, if we take the time to notice them! Thank you Father! Amen

What small blessings were you thankful for today at your Home-Sweet?

Blueberry Holes, Happy Doe and Baby Chick Update

Well, the inevitable has happened...the blueberries arrived this afternoon. :) It rained yesterday and the wind blew and blew. There was no digging holes yesterday.

Home-Sweet #1 Son has stepped up to the plate. He dug 2 or 3 holes this evening and will do more tomorrow. I did not remove the berries from their protective boxes in order to keep them safe.

With his help the berries should get planted in good order.

A Happy Ending!

The indoor menagerie is doing well. Mimi the little doe has bounced back, literally. She is hopping all around the dining room, kitchen and long hallway. We started taking her outside again to acclimate her to goathood. She thinks she's a lapdog like our two chihuahuas. This is not good. I have to force myself to let her be a goat.

The chicks are growing and kicking up dust, just like chicks do. I need to get them outside ASAP! I do not like chick dust all over everything. They are already growing by leaps and bounds!

The pepper and tomato seedlings are growing. I am just seeing the very beginning of true leaves on the peppers. Good, there will be a large amount of paper pot making and transplanting. I always feel better when they are transplanted, less chance of turning spindly. I think so anyway.

Tomorrow I am going with a friend to a large town near us. I hope to be able to do a bit of thrifting, if we have time. Then it's home to dig, dig, dig!

I do not lead a very exciting life! But I really do not mind at all.

Here's praying that the hum-drum of living and serving God at your Home-Sweet is as much of a blessing to you as the very, very exciting days...because you are glorifying God in all things! Blessings!

I Do Believe Winter Has Arriv-ed!

Early one cold morning, in the beginning of the week, I was outside snapping photos ...icy and nippy!

This evening, while I was outside taking care of evening feeding, I snapped this photo of Snow White. She is the friendliest little girl! She was born here and is a sweetie! Gentle and docile. So unlike some of the other goats around here! Mary Kate is in the background...she's a good girl too.

I'm playing around with my photoshop program, still can't figure out why everything comes out so brown/orange. Have to ask our friend who is totally in-the-know about such things. When I find out, I'll post the updated non-orange photo of the girls. Still, she is sweetness, to me anyway!

It's freezing outside. Bundling up is a necessity now. Head to toe! Fingers freeze after fixing water dishes, toes freeze after trudging through snow. Carrying water back and forth, feed back and forth, hay back and forth! Brrrrrrr!

This is just the beginning -  the end of Autumn and the foretaste of Winter...to everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under the Heavens...and so it begins for another year's end!

Praise God for a warm house to walk into after being outside doing chores. Praise Him for a warm cup of tea and heat and provision. All from His hand. Blessings indeed! Every good and perfect gift comes from the Father of Lights! Amen and Hallelujah!

What are you thankful for today at your Home-Sweet?