The Overwhelmed Generation

Yesterday was one of those out of the ordinary days for us. Nice to have once in awhile especially if it is a pleasant out of the ordinary day! We had to go into town, as bill paying seems to demand that. We actually timed ourselves from home to the beginning of town being the Video Junction. Just under 2 hours. Not many logging trucks and roads were great going in. Dry and bare. That is nice.That is going the speed limit one could make it in an hour and a half without too much trouble.
Got to visit for a bit with our second oldest son and his fun family. The children were full of things for us to look at, see and watch! Just brimming with enthusiasm and energy. They ran around the house, jumped over the wooden stool. Showed me books they have been reading, drawings they have done. Told stories of things they been doing etc. Oh fun. Our son's wife made a beautiful big salad that we all sat down to and gobbled right up. Poor girl it was huge and not much leftover.
We did our town things and headed home. The wind started blowing in town. On the way home a few times we thought we were going to be blown off the road. Made it to oldest son's place and his wife had supper made so although we had plans for our supper when we got home we stayed and ate there. Which in the end was a good thing seeing as when we did get home the power was out and had been for some time. It came back on before midnight.
The wind howled and huffed and puffed all night. Sucked our bedroom window wide open and almost off the hinges. Sucked the big kitchen window open too so was a little chilly in here when I got up at 5.
All is well and the kitchen is warmed right up now.
On our way home from oldest son's we were listening to the radio. Do you realize how many different titles this point in time has and this particular generation has? ~~The risk generation, the age of persuasion generation, the ungrateful generation, the age of the great recession (we are always in a recession so not sure if it makes any difference to us or not) My dear Dennis goes they should call it the Overwhelmed Generation. It is coming at one from every direction. LOL
In the meantime here at home ~~the so called country home~~with the dogs laying around the kitchen fire guarding their bones and the cats on their favourite chairs ourhome~~we listen to the wind gust and howl outside and I am thinking to myself well we sure won't be trimming horse hooves today as planned. Not in this wind that is for sure.
I have just enough of some kind of cold bugging me as of last night that I think I will hold off cleaning out the chicken coop too. Dust and I do not get along too well at the best of times and with a cold starting I am just asking for trouble. I hate being sick so will just leave that chore for a few days and wait to get where I do not have to worry about breathing in dust. There is no real hurry for that at present anyhow.
I have been given a bunch of mending to do for a friend as I am using her sewing machine so that is the trade. Plus bread to make in trade for the eggs I have sitting here from her too. I don't think I will get bored.
I want to make a few potholders too as mine are getting kind of thin and holey. Not too good for picking up hot things anymore. I was thinking I would use the log cabin quilt square kind of idea. I love that pattern and the bear paw quilt pattern. Think they would look nice as potholders.I am still hand embroidering a stuffed elephant for one little grandson's very very late birthday present too really have to get that finished up.
Making soup for lunch out of my homemade beef broth or use up the last of the split pea bean soup will be part of the big agenda for the day. See what Dennis would like. Seeing as I have groceries now I am part of the overwhelmed generation ~~and have to make a decision of what to have for supper. That should keep me occupied for awhile.
a close friend and I are going to do our bible study together and check in over the phone on each other on a daily basis so we can hold each other "accountable" That is great challenge so have to get busy and read 1 Peter. We will be studying ~~Living with Discernment in the End Times by Kay Arthur and them.

I will instruct you and teach
you in the way you should go;
I will guide you with my eye.
Psalm 32:8

Love from the not quite yet overwhelmed
Sister in Christ
Roxanne

Country Look

Sleeping around the fire seems to be the thing to do this early Thursday morning. The dogs have been outside and barking over something. Which is probably the coyote pack that is hanging around. Or the big bull moose that is coming ever closer to the house.
Yesterday morning we watched him walk carefully on the little island that the river ice had crashed down over. It was tough trudging for him. The ice is all over in big chunks so he has to try to step around and through it. No small feat especially when it is all covered in a couple of feet of snow. His big dark shape could be seen through the willow brush. Him nibbling at the bottoms of the bushes. Trying for the nutrients hidden in the lower part of the plants. He did come out onto the river ice and walked up towards our house then back onto the island eventually down the river ice to the far side. Back into the bush he goes. There is a mama and calf not far from us too. Now the moose are moving down into the valley. Partly to get away fro the wolf packs and partly to eat the plants they need. Higher up plants being to deep in the snow or lacking the nutrients they need this time of the year. You will often see them eating at hay bales with herds of cattle. Or licking salt blocks. They are pretty awesome to watch.
On mail day(Tuesday) we actually got a parcel from my mom. It was 2007 Christmas present~~now that was fun. That is a well travelled parcel but finally it made it here. Two large bath towels, 2 large washclothes, and lots of homemade soaps. Mom had machine sewn some beautiful motifs onto the towels so we look right uptown now in our bathroom. There was a fat candle in it too so it is now in the bathroom with its cranberry something scent.
I often wonder about interior decorating. The country look from magazines. You know the gingham and calico and all that stuff. Well I do have red gingham ruffle on the one window in the kitchen with hand embroidering bordering it. I think it is called snowflaking It is lovely. But they never tell you in these magazines how to make the saddles, shovels,pitch forks, brooms, axes, power saws, and their parts, boots, various jackets. Feed bags full of feed, salt blocks, mineral blocks, large body parts of dead cow being drug there by dogs, jars full of nuts and bolts, lanterns for when the power is out,jars of needles and medicines,gas jerry cans, truck parts, compressor for pumping up the tire on the truck cause you can't afford to buy new tires. Now I sweep and organize it on a daily basis but should I put a gingham table cloth thing under it all or over it all. Or if it wasn't so cold I could put posies in a old tin or something so it looks "rustic" and pray the cows that are supposedly fenced in don't spy it and come and eat it~~and do you know what cows do when they get up on the prch and eat your pretty posies?Let me tell yuou somehow you had better hope you notice it before it freezes~~! Of course there is the straw bed that the dogs are constantly strewing all over the porch too.Well the battle goes on and some day I will get it right and we will actually have a country look to die for!!
In the meantime I have to figure out how I am going to clean these logs in here today. I don't want to pull out the moss stuffing between the logs so vacuuming them is not an option. The old tie back your hair and scrub with a rag trick coming up. I will just do the living room for today as it is fairly easy to get to the walls in here.
I have been looking over the old chicken coop and thinking of how to fix it up for the bunnies and some chickens in the spring. We want to move the bunnies out of the greenhouse come spring and get ourselves an flock of chickens again. Last ones got old and some that were farm bred great chickens I gave to some shirttail family members as we had no way to heat the barn they were in and it got really cold so they went to where life was a little cozier.The greenhouse will need some work too so there is things to keep one occupied around here and seeing as February is just around the corner one needs to get started on it all. I can start some plants in late February early March.
So I will be off to my indoor and out door chores. If any suggestions on making it look country come to your mind feel free to send me your thoughts. Maybe I could paint flowers on the jerry cans that might be a great idea. Dan you imagine my Dennis when all the men see him pull his flowered jerry can out of the back of his pick-up. He will be the talk for sure. They would hear about it all the way to Sylvia's Cafe which is the only place to get gas. An hour away. But all the local ranchers gather there for coffee especially on mail days. Oh that would be fun!!LOL I think I better go now

So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all men...
Galatians 6:10

Happy Day to You
Roxanne

Popping House Logs

With popping house logs and smoke filling the house this morning from some sort of backdraft I await the dawn. It is almost forty below this morning thus the logs popping. If I was outside I would hear the trees banging. They sound like shotguns going off when it is this cold. Everything lies still in the beyond crispness of the early morn. Think of it ~~it is warmer in our deep freezer than outside!
Our oldest son and family came out yesterday for supper and a visit. That was fun. Our grandson that I have been making the quilt for got his quilt too as I had finished it. Woo Woo!! If I could turn cartwheels I would believe me.He loves it and I am glad no one who is a professional at quilting sees it. They would freak! Some of the squares don't match up perfectly and the border is a little wider at one side as the quilt top got laid on the backing just off enough to cause problems that way. Don't know why I didn't notice it before but hey He is just a child, just turned seven and to him it is wonderful!! :) And I was making it for him not for a fall fair trophy or some such accolades!
Now to finish up the elephant I want to embroider and stuff and sew together for a VERY late birthday present. Not sure what I will do next. Have different ideas running through my head but would need a little money to buy some bits of material. I may have enough scraps of flannel to make a flannel rag blanket type quilt thing for a gal that is a friend of the family and having her first baby any day now. We shall see. I have to go through my scraps and that is quite the endeavour.
It is potluck supper tonight for our home church service. Have to think up something to make for that. Just got called late yesterday that it would be potluck so kind of caught me by surprise. I will come up with something.
We have had a moose camping out nearby just across the river. I am wondering if she will still be there today or if she has found a warmer bed.
All in all it is cold and it is clear and all is well.

By humility and fear of the LORD
Are riches and honour and life.
Proverbs 22:4

Happy Sunday
Roxanne

That's the Way the Wind Blows

We had a short spell of warm weather, where the snow was soft and wet enough to make snowballs. The cold has come back and with it the wind. The temperature on the thermometer is not really all that cold at only -20 or so but the wind chills~~?
Bundled up in a snow suit, down vest jacket and my scarf to save my poor ears with cotton baton stuffed into them. I managed to get the bunnies done. They were so happy to see me bring them water and food. The hay I brought them from the big round bale. That was a challenge breaking it off and fluffing it up but they happily got right into the hay and started digging at it and packing it to their nest. They are no dumb bunnies that is for sure! haha
I had to cut a bunch of the bale strings as the horses are pulling at the bale from the inside as it is not as frozen but somehow they are getting bale string all over the place and going to be tangled in it. That could prove disastrous. Don't want to be doctoring horse legs in this weather.
Hubert showed up late in the afternoon with another round bale for the horses so he and Dennis got that unloaded. They came in for coffee and cupcakes. Hubert is the first person we have seen in quite a few days. Had a good visit talking about rounding up slicks(wild horses) There are lots in this area. Doctoring animals and getting out of peat bogs. Some good laughs anyhow.
I am down to the last four squares to handquilt. Then I can do the border and be done with it. Yay!
In the meantime I have to plan the days menu. There is always the toilet to scrub out or dishes to do and the fridge is looking a little like it could use some loving attention.The dogs are good at keeping me on top of the floors.I really love dogs and cats too. I do not love dog hair all over the floor and floating around the house. We have five dogs in here in this weather. They are in and out all day long. The cats are in for the night and go out through the day unless it is really cold. In this wind we let them in. I don't want them to freeze their ears. The one old cat we have here that we are babysitting spent a winter in Saskatchewan one year and the folks there would not let him in when they were babysitting him and he froze his ears so is missing the tips. Poor old guy. One eye is gone as he had a fight one winter. I saved him from being put down but He lost the sight of his eye.It was a lot of hard and consistent work to doctor that eye and almost gave up But hooray the perserverance paid off. The old boy is alive and well. Has charcter ~~right!?
This day is getting on so I had better go do something of importance like make breakfast.

The rich and the poor have this in common,
The LORD is the maker of them all.
Proverbs 22:2

The wind blowing this way and that ~~
I try to stay focused on my plans for the day.
Keep your ears warm and Have a great day
Roxanne

Everything is stiff looking out there today. Trees just stand there grey and cold. Clouds are moving in so the dazzling snow is grey too One of the horses has his head hanging over the gate looking for water cause the water in his tub is stiff too. The other horse stands at the big round bale trying to pull the hay out of the stiff bale. Little shivers run through me as I sit here to type. Just one of those kind of chilly days in January. Back down to minus twenty-five. Not really warming up much as the day wears on.
House work is done except for drying the laundry which I am waiting for the dryer to thaw out. It hates to work in the colder temps. Hmmmm just like some of us!
Finishing this quilt is my goal for this week. I want to move onto another quilt or something else at least.
I have the turkey carcass from last night's supper in the pot cooking away for broth. We are going to have the night before's leftovers for supper tonight. so supper is pretty well taken care of. I don't have any baking to do either today we can finish up whatever odds and ends of cookies and muffins are here.
The basement heater got started so maybe it will warm up soon in here. Usually once that gets going it is like a sauna in no time.
The river water is coming in faster now. The sump pump is going to be on pretty well steady now. Hope it doesn't burn itself out.
Chickadees and whiskey jacks are busy at the cow carcass. The dogs are doing great on it. Everyone has put on weight even my Nellie dog who never puts on weight. We have fed her tons of dog food hoping she would fill out. But to no avail. Now she looks great. and no one is fat~ just nice. It would be nice to not have to go back to dog food ever. Not sure if that will happen but tis a nice thought. Have to find more old cows to put down.
This is the middle of the day which I rarely do anything on my computer this time of day but seeing as I had not done anything thought I would just to let the world know we are still alive and kicking here.
Have to go though as this holds up my phone line and who knows maybe someone wants to call ~~maybe we won something~~!! You never know someone may have put our name in to something.
Well anyways enough silliness I will go check my dryer and see if it is willing to work now.
No matter how unexciting my day may seem to be to others I am having a great day. And thinking some great thoughts. Doing what I can to the best of my ability.

Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God,
in the mountain of his holiness.
Beautiful for situation,
the joy of the whole earth,
is mont Zion,
on the sides of the north,
the city of the great King.
Psalm 48:1-2

In Christ
Roxanne

Sunday Morning Glory

How to tell of the morning we are having here. -23 and the sun rose shining its glory over our little part of the earth. Blue-white sparkling off of all the trees and willow brush. The ray's of bright gold slashing through the shadows turning all in their depth into a mauvish golden hue. The snow covered fields, river, sheds, and mountains all quiet in their own glittering glory. It is too awesome for words. My husband reaches out and shuts the hoopla of Barack Obama off the radio. Oh My!! What are you doing dear?' I am a Canadian and even if I were American I would never have voted for him.What is this bullhooey about anyhow? Since when do we pick songs for an American president? Do they pick songs for our Prime Minister?? So from the frozen north of my igloo and ignorance I will show the world how politically incorrect I am and shut it OFF!' OOOOh somehow that just doesn't match up with the beautiful morning outside our window. But the life of the opinionated bushwacked man is simply stated and not really cares how people think or feel about it.
In the meantime back at the ranch~~~I have many dishes to do as yesterday our system was overloaded with the laundry being done. Backed up in the toilet and tub and all over my wee tiny bathroom. So I scrubbed it down from ceiling to floor. Cleaned the window and the mirror, sorted the drawers and little cupboard. Washed the walls, door and cupboard fronts and inside of them. and scrubbed all the rest. It is now a shining glory itself second only to the great scenery out the window. Welllllll kind of!
I am doing the handquilting now on the quilt and have found another little pattern for our grandaughter whose birthday is at the end of February. It is a crib quilt but I am sure with some work I can make it into a single bed size quilt. That would be fun.
Off to church at the Pastor's home this evening so had better get busy and do the things that need doing around here. Funny but it seems the best way to get things done is to get up off one's hind end and do it.

For you shall go out with joy,
And be led out with peace;
the mountains and hills
shall break froth into singing befroe you,
And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
Isaiah 55:12

Happy Sunday and the Lord be with you
Roxanne

A Friday In January

In comes the coyote pack with their yipping and yapping. Driving the dogs crazy and making the horses just a little nervous. I am thankful for them though cause between them and the ravens they have pretty well cleaned up the ugly mass of cow guts at the back corral. Just what we were hoping for. Scavengers have their uses! I wonder if that could be called "green" disposal of garbage? Oh well~~~
I have had a bit of a time getting my internet service to stay on when using it or taking waaaay to long to load but this morning it seems to be in a good mood so I will take advantage of it whilst I can.
In the last three days I have managed to clean house, cook, bake, sew, feed animals, water animals, make a snowman and actually it turned out to be a snowgirl, walk in the deepening snow, pack firewood,talk on the phone, listen to coyotes, watch ravens, chickadees, whiskey jacks, a wolf, play with dogs, hmmmm the list goes on and on.
The puppies stole one of the arms off of my poor snowgirl and in the warmer temps the snow on one side kind of sunk a little so she is listing now. Poor thing!
One day we had 3 vehicles go by wow! Probably time to move the TRAFFIC!!hahaha that was after a week of no traffic. Except the snowplow truck.
My exciting news is the quilt top is done. So now I have to put it all together and hand quilt it. I should be done sometime next year! Not really ~~hoping it will be done in a week or so.
Mail day today and that is exciting. I think~~ I hope. Not that anyone ever writes handwritten letters anymore. I have started to write a letter here and there randomly just to do it. Think once in awhile someone out there might enjoy getting a piece of mail that isn't junk mail or bills.
I found this little definition in a book thought it was worth sharing:
DEFINITION OF STATUS: BUYING SOMETHING YOU DON'T NEED WITH MONEY YOU
DON'T HAVE TO IMPRESS PEOPLE YOU DON'T LIKE.
Dr. Eugene Swearingen
I had to laugh at that!
We may be heading into town later today so I should probably go before it is daylight here and get the things done that need doing. I would like to sew the backing together on the quilt and get the layers laid out and pinned today so really do have to go and do that.
This morning I will make bacon and eggs and fried potatoes. We can actually get some more eggs from a friend so Yay can have eggs for breakie!
Have to take some bread out of the freezer too. Will probably have to bake more bread tomorrow. It was sure fun to have made all that bread before the Christmas season ~~I haven't made any bread for a few weeks. Almost unheard of!


Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before Kings:
he shall not stand before mean men.
Proverbs 22:29

Have a great day doing the things that need doing
God Bless
Roxanne

"Busyness"

Yesterday was one of our grandson's birthdays. This one just turned seven and he was excited to have his birthday party on this coming Saturday. Mommy was going to make him a snowboard cake!?? So fun!
I spent my day working around here inside and out. There was housework to do. I got my beef broth skimmed and the tallow saved for my husband's reloading~~in case you don't know what they use tallow for in reloading it is used to help get impurities out of the lead etc. ~~I took all the bones out of the broth and scraped the meat off of them as Dennis bagged the jell into freezer bags for later soups. Got a nice pot of beef rice soup made. Put a stew in the slowcooker which I added dumplings to just before eating. There was cleaning to do and scrubbing things to do. Laundry then outside I went.
Shovelled my way into the rabbits and fed and watered them. Packed them some more hay. They are a happy little bunch. Walked down to the bridge and checked out the situation there. Not much change just lots of snow over the ice now. Made a snowman but haven't dressed him or her up yet. Shovelled some more snow. Came inside to get more work done in here and did the sewing I am finished the machine embroidering and now will hand embroider two squares and sew the squares together. Yay!!
Most of my plans today are going to work around the quilting. I need to take time out to reorganize the sewing area. I can see in my mind's eye how I want things organized but can't see the room! Hahaha~~not quite that bad but getting pretty close with going through bin after bin of scraps of fabric looking for the perfect little piece. YIKES!! Anyways you can see the sewing machine and there is a path through the fabric scraps to the machine and that is what counts. Isn't it??
It is Tuesday today which means it is mail day out here. We may take the skidoo and go check our mailbox. Hubert may come with a load of hay too this day sometime. That would be good. Think the horses have one more big round bale. There is water to be packed to them too. Would to be chopped and stacked on the porch and of course the naked snowman needs to be dressed. Never a lack of things to do. Sometimes a shortage of time to do them. The morning is lighting up the day. Sky looks heavy so if it snows I will be blessed with more snow to shovel. If I run out of ideas of thing sto do you can be sure God will give me something to do!
I have not yet decided the supper to have this evening ~~I could use up all the leftovers ~~or I could cook something special and have leftovers on another day. What do they call that day?? C.O.R.D. Clean out the refridgerator day. or you could call it being frugal or the potluck day or help yourself food is in the fridge day. Well there you have it. I have to bake something too. People do stop by once in awhile for coffee so it is nice to have something but we seem to lack discipline and eat it all up and now am scared of scales.

...for my heart rejoiced in all my labour..
Ecclesiastes 2:10

A saying I found to share with you:
LOVE WHAT YOU DO
AND FEEL THAT IT MATTERS
HOW COULD ANYTHING
BE MORE FUN?
Enjoy your day
Roxanne

One time my dad and I stood on the side of the mountain looking over an expanse of green. He touched my shoulder~~"all different shades of green, eh, Roxie!"~~quietly we stood there side by side no more to be said. A bond of understanding between us We eventually loaded back up into the vehicle and headed home.
Many times over the years I have thought of that quiet solid little sentence. It was a great profound sentence then and still is to this day. There are many different shades of green. To God be that glory!
It's the grey areas that I wonder about now as a Christian adult no longer a child. How many can pick up their cross and follow Jesus leaving their self obessesion behind. I think 'nuff said at this point on that subject.
Many years have passed since that day. My father and I had many times of just being. We could sit and just be together. It was not an awkward or uncomfortable time. My dad is gone now. Drowned in a logging accident. The ferry's tailgate which the back of his loaded logging truck was sitting on broke and his truck with him in it went into the frigid waters. My dad could not swim.
Sad story but being as it is my birthday today I think of my dad~~and my mom and both sets of grandparents~~~Actually my whole family and our children and their families. Thinking and praying for all of them.I practically need alist for everyone.
Believe it or not even for all my twenty plus years(plus plus plus years) lol I feel fine, am not on any medications ,and think I have my faculties about me. Whatever they are. My biggest problem being sighting in the rifle with bifocals~~grr~~I see well far off but not close up so the sites need me to wear glasses but the glasses have that blurr strip right where I need to line up the sites. I will figure it all out, in the meantime if you are a wolf reading this ~~feel safe! For my birthday Dennis and I target practised so that was a lot of fun.
Earlier in the day Hubert came and had coffee and pie. He loaded up the bull and cows so they are gone to the main ranch now. No more packing water to all of them. Just the horses. YAY!!
The appliqueing on the quilt squares is almost done.Should be able to finish that up this evening. Then I can start sewing them together. I can hardly wait!
So far our dark mysterious friend is behaving himself so we let him be. Its the dogs we have to watch now. Making sure they don't go chasing him. Which they think is their duty. No pack though. All is well.
My sweetie is making my birthday supper and he has a cake mix to make me a birthday cake. Fun!!
One time when we were out in the Forestry lookouts it was Dennis' birthday so I made him a cake with what I could find. We had a little flour and baking powder so it was a baking powder biscuit dough with sugar added to it and chocolate chips too. Sprinkled cinnamon sugar on top and Happy birthday!!That was fun too! We sat on the top of the world overlooking the Chilcotin country all the way west to the coastal mountains. North to Ramsey Creek area. East to McLeese Lk. South to Gang ranch. Not many can say that. The life of a lookout observer is an interesting life but not much for social life. Maybe the odd sasquatch!
Spaghetti sauce cooking away on the stove fills the house with this intriguing scent. I am so hungry.
The dogs sleep on their backs with legs in the air. The old dog lays on her side being her stinky self. OOOOhh! Poor old dear. Cats of different colours laze around on the back of the couch and on the couch and in a chair. They follow me around the house vying for the place closest to me. It is evening back at the ranch.
Tomorrow will bring another day of chores and excitement. No dull moments here.

To every thing there is a season,
and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
a time to be born, ...
Ecclesiastes 3:1-2

A great day for a birthday
love to all
Roxanne

Life This Side of the Moon

My mother use to play a song all the time~~In the Misty Moonlight by the flickering fire light everything is all right ~~~by Hank Snow Sr.
It seems so~~just that way in the moonlight that is lighting the wee morning hours. Casting shadows from the trees over the glistening snow. It washes over the river ice and all about us. Shining through our bedroom window. Cats sitting on the window sill basking in the moonrays. Watching for movements of mice running across the crusted snow. It also makes me think of Cat Steven's song ~~Moonshadows Moonshadows. It really does make one want to go out leaping and hopping in the moon shadows.
I sit here instead wrapped in a blanket getting the morning fire stoked up and tryping not to freeze my toes and fingers. It is chilly this morning but really only -12 so not that bad just need to get some heat to come into this room.
Our trip to town was fun even if we didn't strike it rich or anything like that. Actually got some things accomplished~~no money to pay bills but that is the way it goes sometimes. The good things are delivering Christmas presents to Grandchildren and our Malcolm even got his lumberjack monkey pillow. Hooray! and the little fleece sleepers that I sewed for his baby brother look like they are not as big as I thought they were going to be so that is fun too. got letters mailed and some other business done. Was given a $25 gift card for the grocery store so managed to get butter and flour. We even got cat food. Woo Woo!Got to go have tea with friends and stop by a ranch on our way home and have more tea and some anniversary cake they had left over. Fun
Today I can make some pies as my friend, Jean gave me some pig fat she had rendered down. It is beautiful white lard. And she gave me lots of wild blueberries and wild gooseberries and saskatoons too. She loves to pick and has way too many berries. I still have some saskatoons and wild blueberries. The gooseberries are a treat. Jean and I and Rose love to go picking wild berries together. Poor Jean has very crippled up hands ~~nonetheless I would like to see someone who could out pick her. There is nothing wrong with my hands and I can pick wild berries pretty fast and she can still out pick me.
So baking is on my list of to do things today and sewing on the quilt. Not much time left for that and not sure I can have it ready on the big birthday day but will give it my best shot.
In all the quietness of winter here there is still life going on around us. Chickadees are busy at the feeders and the cow carcass, whiskey jacks with their cheekiness show up with their antics. The wolf is coming around but still at a distance. We see him off and on now. I say him cause most of the time a lone wolf is a male but not always just mostly.
My Dennis hauled the cow guts out the back of the corrals. That was a job and a half as he had to dig the gates out of the snow and then got himself stuck. I was just going to go see how he was doing when he showed up back at the house.Time for tea dear!?
YUP!!
Dogs and cats are stretched out comfortably groaning in front of the fire. This is the life I tell ya! Sleep get up, go outside eat on raw beef, bark around awhile,(the cats check out the bird feeder situation) check out the cows and horses just to let them know you are around and come back in and stretch out in front of the fire. All in a days work eh!
Misty moonlight pours in on my morning covering the early day with its silent beauty.I empty my cup of tea and wiggle my toes to keep them from succumbing to numbness. The basement air breezes up through the wood floor boards. My toes are becoming wooden.
But my day has surely started. Thinking I will go soak up some of that crackling fire"light" warmth.

The night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.
Psalm 139:12

I found this little prayer I will share with you:
Lord of the day and night, pursue us with your love and find us
wherever we may be hiding.
Help us to recognize your love and care and
to find comfort in you. Amen
Amen Amen
Roxanne

Chickadees and Cow Carcass

What a warm day we have had today. After another big snowstorm yesterday. Just unbelievable. Today the sun shone brightly. The snow slid off the roof in heavy clumps. For the first time in a long time you can actually pack the snow into a snowball. That is how warm it is! If one was into taking the time you could probably make a snowman.
Instead I have been cleaning house and washed the dog bedding. I have all the squares and appliques cut out now for the quilt and am ready set to start the machine embroidering on them. That should keep me busy for a good while. Then there is the batting and the backing to put in place. I don't have many days left to have it all done. Quite a challenge all of a sudden.
It is so nice to see the little chickadees back. They are flitting into the feeders. And now that there is a dead cow carcass in the yard they are sitting on that and helping themselves to fat. Good for them. Poor little things have had a hard go of it the last few weeks.
The dogs are happy to have the cow to eat too. All round it is a happy place to be this day. Especially if you like to chew on a dead cow.
Yesterday while Dennis was over at a friend's ranch killing the cow and loading it into the truck in white out conditions he dropped me off at another friend's ranch nearby. We had a good time albeit short time and made a few cards. That is always fun!
Now as I listen to the crackling of the wood heater I am thinking it is time to make some supper around here. I am making pork chops and mashed potatoes, cooked beets, and some applesauce(canned from the last applesauce canning bout) Not sure if I will do any baking.

The grace of our LORD JESUS CHRIST be with all of you.Amen
Philippians 4:23

Have a nice cozy evening
Roxanne