One little family’s endeavor to live in the trees, surrounded by the birds and the bees
This week is my birthday and yesterday I got the most amazing gift I have ever received. We have a tradition of handmade gifts here on the homestead. Money is always tight and gifts are usually better when thought and effort create them, rather than a factory somewhere out there. I had to work but when I came home all... Continue Reading →
This summer has been one of the most tumultuous seasons in recent years and that's saying something! I thought it right to spend some time on simple things. Like our couch. No, wait. I know how that sounds and it's not like that. I don't mean that I'm going to spend more time with my tail planted on the... Continue Reading →
This spring was interesting to say the least. We leaned a lot about ourselves, each other, and people in general. - and (most importantly) managed to come out on the other side just as happy as before. Adaptability always has been one of our greatest assets as a couple and I am more grateful than ever... Continue Reading →
Since the bees had such a hard time storing honey this summer and given the collapse of last year's supper strong hive in February I think it is safe to say that I am dubious about these new hives making it to spring. We had to start feeding with sugar syrup during the fall and a few... Continue Reading →
Last week's pre-Thansgiving snow storm left us with over a foot of frozen clouds in our yard. I thought to myself- "self, I bet we could make a snow pyramid. WAIT!!! I bet I could get the boys to help me make the whole Giza Plateau." Since I have been blessed with the two coolest... Continue Reading →
When we left for my sister's wedding we had 11 eggs going in the incubator. For the first time this summer they were not chicken eggs. I declared my desire for guiena fowl one night this past winter. Thanks to the magic of the internet I was able to have fertile eggs sent to us. Our local feed... Continue Reading →
Devoid of purpose, I wandered. Making my way down the worn path to that old familiar place of fire and metal. The overgrown jungle of iron and found "treasures" from years of my dad's ramblings. It was as he left it- when he left us. The spiders now sewing everything in their place. High on a shelf I saw... Continue Reading →
What felt like the shortest week ever in California looks like it was the longest seven days back in Maine. We knew it would be fun to see how much our garden had grown while we were away but neither of us was ready for the greeting we received upon our return to the homestead. The... Continue Reading →
My sister requested I make her a rice crispy treat mountain for her wedding. Preferable, this confectionary mountain would have marmots fighting dragons on it. Fine. My little sister wants a breakfast cereal mountain adorned with rodents fighting mythical beings- whatever. This request resulted in a late-night-marshmallow-covered adventure of epic proportions. I decided that the cereal... Continue Reading →
We have a few patches of wild asparagus that grow in our yard. Yesterday was so cold and dreary I decided it was time for some soup. I haven't written much about cooking on this blog and for those who know me, this might seem a little odd. First of all- I have been cooking since I... Continue Reading →
Five years ago, back in California- I would have said that a 50 degree day with rain was the worst possible weather for an outdoor market. Now I know better. There are things like sleet and snow that could make the day way worse. Yes, we were chilly but we were surrounded by hot soup, coffee,... Continue Reading →
Last year we learned an important homesteading math lesson. (Chickens + planting a garden) x (no fence)= fat chickens/no plants. The chickens have been contained! It was time. I constantly worried about predators and neighborhood dogs (not to mention Isis) having free access to the flock. We knew that we would have to build an enclosure... Continue Reading →
Well You Should. Actually it's packages. Filled with bees. Are you impressed yet?! No, fine. I was pretty pleased yesterday when I got to pick up my bee packages from Sparky's honey and syrup. In contrast to a nuclease- a package of bees contains only bees and a mated queen, no comb or brood like... Continue Reading →
Well... The bees did not make it through the winter. I am not really surprised and neither are my bee mentors who have lost a few hive themselves this year. A bee can only preform cleansing flights when the outside temp is above 50 or so and this winter full of -20 degree days did no... Continue Reading →
Like so many of the things we see everyday I have rediscovered two of the items in my living room. They have been hanging on my walls for almost half my life- and there are long periods of time when I cease to see them. I have been welding since I was 12, but... Continue Reading →
More goofing around with clay- I like rainbows! There I said it. I like stained glass too. I have found it is easy to create clay "stained glass." Start by making logs of all the colors you want to include. Then wrap them in black. Grey and white work too, but I like the... Continue Reading →
I started quilting last winter and while I only managed one full sized quilt this season I have done a bunch of other smaller sillier projects. For instance-I was messing around with overlapping progressions of fabric and decided that they looked like fish scales, so I made a koi. The mouth is actually a... Continue Reading →
The snow is still falling but I have decided to grow some flowers anyway. Clay flowers that is, no danger of snow or frost impeding my progress. I started making roses out of clay when I was pretty young. I have always given them aways as gifts and used them myself. Other's reaction to them... Continue Reading →
Confucius say: "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." I have not always gotten along with Confucius but here and now I find some solice in his words. I have been cooking professionally for more than half my life now. I have built a career out of burns, blood, sweat and... Continue Reading →
The snow and the eggs keep piling up! Looks like today will be another day of being homebound for me. I'm not sure if it's a good sign that I am totally OK with this. I have only left the house once or twice a week for months now and I don't think I have... Continue Reading →
Eggs, people I'm talking about eggs. Boy do you need help! Through my adventures in egg decorating I discovered an incredable simple way to hang the finished product, which is good since I seem to be unable to stop making them. You can do it too, all you need is some wire and fishing line. Here goes: Make... Continue Reading →
OK, brace yourselves. Are you sitting down? Yesterday it snowed, again (or is it still?) You are shocked I'm sure. Good thing you were sitting down! Our yard now looks like this: There is still one person here who is beside herself. Please do not tell her she could now easily jump the fence, it's... Continue Reading →
Even if you don't have bees you can still make your own chap stick. It is one of the simplest things ever, I promise. You can find all the supplies you need at Bulk Apothecary or your local health food store and it doesn't take much money to get started. Unfilled tubes go from $.0 7-$.12... Continue Reading →
I have often heard people talking about activities and situations that they "could never do with a spouse without killing them." My husband and I have done so many of the things others recommend not to I have lost count. For example, we have: -Worked together in a high stress industry (running the front and... Continue Reading →
Have never known a manicure or file. And they are bitten rather than clipped. They have been painted less times than there are fingers to paint. In many places they are more scar than skin. The fingers on the right appear to have been badly broken long ago, though they never were. They often spend... Continue Reading →
