My Brother sent this to me...

In my emails this morning I received a forward from my Brother.  He generally doesn't send forwards unless he thinks they are especially good.  This one is wonderful and definitely speaks to and from the heart.  Hope you enjoy it.  The song is by Diamond Reo.

Thanks Big Brother for the wonderful video!

It is snowing really good outside...

Just looking out my window now and it is snowing pretty good.  Nothing big predicted.

Yesterday was kind of a wasted day.  We have been hunting for a new sofa, the old one is 20+ years, so it is time.  Only problem is...we can't seem to find one we like.  We have been all over and can't seem to get any where.  Looks like we might have to go to some real far off places, just for a stinking sofa!  There are a couple of places in towns like Sunfield and Alma, or maybe even Flint or Grand Rapids.  It shouldn't be that hard to find a piece of furniture!

We did manage to get groceries, so there is now food in the house.  Let it snow us in!

The weekend is here with nothing planned.  Maybe I can finish up the farm books from 2010.  That would be a good thing.

Trying a different morning routine, computer first, then exercise and strength training then breakfast.  Hoping the exercise will warm me up before going out to do chores.

Onward and Upward.

Does this tell you something about where I live?

Yesterday, while I was gone, Greg had quite the treat.  He said he was in the house and heard a strange tapping noise coming from the west side of the house.  He went to check it out and through the back west side bedroom window he saw this...

We have our bird feeders on the west side of the house between the house and the driveway.  There is a very large and old pine tree there as well.  Looks like Mr. Hawk decided to use the pine as cover while he waited for a bit of lunch to come to the feeders.

This happened once before when the feeder was on the east side of the house.  There is a pine there also and I was able to see the Hawk from our bedroom window that time.

They say to put the feeders near some protection, like hedges or trees.  It seems like "protection" can also mean a good hiding place for predators!  Oh well, only the strong and smart survive!

Onward and Upward.

I want to show off my helper that I had this past weekend...

As I said in my last post, my Granddaughter Daniella was here with us overnight.  She was a really big help when it came time for milking and other chores in the morning.  She even scrapped out the loafing shed while I was feeding the yearlings.

Her Daddy and Mommy came when we were just finishing up on Sunday, so Daddy filmed her while she finished milking out Ida.  She does a good job, it is always a surprise to her parents when they see her milking!

Thanks Daniella for all the help over the weekend.

On another subject, our neighbor Ashley came by last night with a favor to ask.  She asked if I could do an alteration on her...Wedding Dress!  She is getting married this coming July.  It had been discussed that I might make the bridesmaid's dresses, but they found a much cheaper and very nice ready made one, so there was no need for that.  The Wedding Dress only needs to be hemmed, so of course I said I could do the job.

Ashley was only 10 when they moved in across the road, the year after we moved  here.  She was just a bit older then Daniella is now.  There are six children and parents, Jim and Jennifer. They have been wonderful neighbors.  We share tools and equipment back and forth.  They store their hay in our barn.  Do chores for us and we in general watch out for each other.  Now Ashley is getting married!  Wow, time sure flies.

Right now the sun is coming over a cloud bank and it looks like it might be a pretty day with some sunshine.  Although, clear sky usually means cold temps!

Time to head down for breakfast and then chores.  Wednesday means Meals and Gathering day.  Time to roll...Onward and Upward.

It's been awhile...

Nothing really of note, just thought I should do some updating.

Had our granddaughter here over the weekend and her daddy took a video of her milking one of the goats.  I need to get him to send it to me so I can post it here.

The snow is back and more to come today.

Had Christmas with my Brother last Friday.  We had a good time and even got to see my niece and her family.

He also had finished the repairs on very old spinning wheel a friend had given me.  It is now a working wheel!  Great job big Brother!

I am fairly certain that there are two does bred.  Only two out of eleven, but at least there are two.  It will be an easier kidding season that is for sure.

There is one more Christmas that need to take place.  Jeremiah and his family.  I am hoping that maybe that can be arranged in the next week or two.

Been working hard on exercising and eating right.  Lost a few pounds last week, but still have more to go.  Need to keep up on the exercise...today I didn't do my strength training.  I did do 33 minutes on the bike, but that comes easy.

Yesterday we spent most of the day furniture shopping.  We are in need of a new sofa, but I can't find one that really seems like it is the right one.  There is a lot of money involved so I want to be sure I get the one that is right, so we don't have to shop again for a long time!  The old one is at least 20 years old!

Time to roll, my days are sure slow starting, but I usually get something done.  I will be glad when the weather breaks some...these REALLY cold days are miserable.  Right now 30 degrees would feel good.

Breakfast here I come...Onward and Upward!

The snow is back...

Looking out my window now and the snow is falling and the ground is almost white again.  Only had one bad day of mud then it froze again.  This is good...HATE HATE HATE MUD!

I am in my fourth day of being back on program of eating right and exercising.  So far all is very good.  Feel great when I exercise regularlly.  I am hoping to see 120 pounds come March.  That would be another 10 pounds lost since starting to eat right last January.  A total of 40 pounds lost!  I can wear comfortable clothes!

All the Christmas decorations in the house are down and stored away.  The house is back to a somewhat organized order and things will slow down some, at least for a short while.

Time to go get breakfast, get chores done, change and head off to do my Meals on Wheels route and then enjoy time with my knitting friends.  My day out.  Greg's day in.  It is all good.

Onward and Upward.

A new beginning.

Today is to be the start of a new all the time healthy lifestyle!  Eating right and exercising more.  I know that there will be times when I fall off the wagon and eat things I shouldn't, but I hope that they will be few and far between.  We are not meant to be perfect, but we should try to be. 

We spent January 1, 2011 quietly at  home.  Greg watched football mostly, while I was on the computer doing family history research.  I actually found a picture of his Mother's Grandfather!  Someone else was looking for the same family as me, and they had a picture of one of the patriarchs, very cool!

I will be spending lots of time doing research this month as I paid to join Ancestry.com  for one month.  There is much work to be done on multiple family lines and now is the time to do it.

Getting the Christmas decoration down and the house back in order will be some of the things I plan to do this coming week.  We also have to  make arrangements to spend time with my Brother and his wife to exchange gifts yet.  As well as with Jeremiah and  his family because we weren't able to be together because of colds and flu bugs.

Around the farm, things are just moving along.  I am still not sure about goat babies this coming spring.  There are only two does who might yet be settled.  Henrietta hasn't shown me any real strong heat signs yet.  She was due to cycle last Thursday.  I saw some tail flagging, but nothing else.  I hope that means she is bred.  Today is the day that Mildred would be cycling if she isn't settled.  Here's hoping that I see no heat signs from her.  That would at least mean that maybe I will have two does kid in May.  I will be keeping my fingers crossed.

The new chickens are really starting to lay now, so we are getting four to seven eggs a day!  Soon I will be able to put out my "Eggs For Sale" sign!

As I look out my window right now, it is snowing some.  The ground is dusted but there isn't much snow to speak of...it all melted away during the warm spell just before New Years Day!

I was thinking that maybe this year I would start cross country skiing again, but right now it doesn't look like it.  I would have to go way north to find enough snow to ski on.  Maybe later in the week we will get enough so I can go to Rose Lake like we used to back in the day.

Well, time to get my healthy breakfast and get the chores done.  Need to water the goats today besides the usual feeding and milking stuff.

Here wishing everyone a healthy, happy, safe, fun and prosperous 2011!

Onward and Upward!