 |
Mars was on a mission to finish the interior walls on the barn before it got cold. He did a great job with it. He's fired up the wood stove and it gets pretty nice in there. I can see why he wanted it finished. This RV gets really really small in the winter time and the barn is now a good place to escape. He's got tons of projects lined up. I don't even ask what he's up to anymore. At least I'm usually pleasantly surprised with what he comes up with.
I've been trying to get things re-organized and clutter cleaned out. That's another thing about living in a small place. Things go from clutter to full blown disaster much quicker. Counter space is prime real estate around here and sometimes I feel like I should be pushing a shopping cart like a bag lady.
The hen that was sitting on a big bunch of eggs decided that she was tired of sitting. So she got up, stretched her legs, got a drink of water and a big meal. And didn't go back.... Danged if she was only a week shy of them hatching. Maybe she knows something I don't?
Mars put together a really good soup for dinner last night. He took the carcass of the chicken left from Christmas Dinner and tossed it in the pressure cooker. He made a nice chicken broth and then started adding dehydrated ingredients. It was fun watching him look through all the dried foods and build a nice solid chicken, rice and veggie soup. The chicken was actually the only thing that wasn't dehydrated. Really tasty meal with some thick sliced bread! He did use up the last of the onions I'd dried from the garden which means we really need to look at planting much more this coming season. We are both crazy about onions and it seems like we use them in more meals than not. From using the things we grew this summer I can see the things that we need to grow more of next year. Like onions. And Carrots And... well you get the idea!
Speaking of the coimng season this is the perfect time of the year to start planning your spring garden. I know I need to do an inventory of what seed we have and what we need. I also need to make a list of things I'd like to try. With the amount of garden space we have one of the plans is to suppliment as much feed for the critters that we can. Of course this is just in the "thought" phase at the moment. I'll have to budget the groceries for the next couple of months to include some seed purchases. That's the only part of the budget that I can wiggle just a bit. Sometimes I wish there was such a thing as a seed fairy!! LOL!
I wish I could say that I've been busy and just haven't had time to write. Honestly I think it's just that time of year. I have all sorts of things that need to be done yet the energy it takes to get them done has been eluding me. None of them are really large projects in themselves but I can't seem to accomplish much this past month or so. I think it has something to do with the lack of sunshine. That's what I'm blaming it on anyway!
Christmas around here was quiet. We didn't exchange gifts. The money was better used to pay the land taxes. We had a really nice dinner and waited for the snow. The weatherman had been hyping up the chances of snow so much that I was just SURE we would have a white Christmas. Errr..... they got the cold right but the snow was mainly to the south and east. We didn't see a single snowflake. BUT... Yesterday while I was out feeding the critters I looked up and saw a bit of a snow falling. Tiny snow flakes turned into huge fluffy flakes for about an hour. It was just enough to dust everything and was gone inside an hour. It was fun while it lasted though. I'm still like a kid around snow. Of course I've never dealt with it on the same level as many of you. I admire those of you who can take it all in stride. I will probably always be awed at snowfall and the glorious way the sun reflects off it. Like tiny diamonds strewn across the land. Can you see this Texan trying to to talk herself into liking winter yet??? LOL Now that's truly a work in progress.
Good to hear from you again. I hear you about the motivation thing. After I bake and cook a meal I really could care less about more projects. I have started a box to take to charity (again) to thin out the ranks around here. Seems like a good time to get oneself organized before we can be outside doing what we do.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like we both have the winter "thing" going on. You are so right about getting organized now while there is time. One of the big reason's this place got to looking like this was because there was just no time at all this spring/summer to worry about things like housework.
DeleteWe had an inch or so of snow too. Fun! Do you live in a rv full time on your property or?
ReplyDeleteI might have fudged just a tad with the picture. That little dusting was from last year. This snow didn't last long enough for me to get the batteries charged on my camera. :0)
DeleteAnd yea ma'am, we do live in our RV full time. One day we might have a bigger place but until we get the land paid for we'll be living here.
Seeds I can help you with! I have plenty I buy too many and can never use them all. I try to get mine from Heavenly Seed,so most are heirloom. If you are interested let me know!
ReplyDeletezztop what a nice offer! I would most certainly be interested. I might have some seeds you might be interested in as well. I doubt it though since it seems that the seeds I DID save are pretty easy ones to save. Someone told me what I have to offer in excess seeds are things that no one really needs more of. LOL! Thanks for the offer... lets talk!
DeleteHey, RL is RL whether you're busy or not. If you don't write, no biggy.
ReplyDeleteI must say I can commiserate with you. It's funny. The last 4 years we kept going back and forth, we'd always say "I could full time in this trailer"; and now that we are, it's not too bad, but it does get small.
Don't know how big yours is, ours is 29' with us and 2 cats. (Well, according to the tag it was 29', but I don't know if it includes the tongue or not.)
It definitely takes some creative thinking until we can get into the house.
Congratulations on getting your barn finished! And with heat. That is wonderful! Heat and water are what is slowing us down right now. With wind and rain, we are very thankful for the RV. It gets really small after 2 days of downpour, though. ;o)
We use a lot of onions, too. What kind do you plant? This coming spring is going to be our first real try at a garden in almost 20 years! I'm looking forward to it, and anxious, too, of course.
We didn't exchange gifts either. Hubby has never been big on holidays, and he believes in just buying what he wants when he wants it.
He is also learning about trying to not do that now that he is retired. ;o)
The sister-in-law near Houston had a white Christmas, we just got more rain than Hurricane Isaac left!
I think you're just resting up for next year, on a subconscious level. I can tell you the weather has certainly slowed us down.
Enjoy your relaxation and have a Blessed New Year!
LindaG, I guess I didn't realize that you were also in an RV. Small world! (Literally... LOL) You are so right about how much smaller they can seem after you've been cooped up for a few days in one. Thank goodness for the barn! At least now there is some "other" place for one of us to be. Very important in keeping your sanity.
ReplyDeleteAs for your onion question we planted three different types. A red onion that did well enough, a sweet white onion (these and the red onions were planted from sets. The big white onion's were bulbs when planted. I think the bulbs did much better than the sets. Of course they were all planted in different places so that could have had something to do with it. I didn't write the names down (shame on me) last year so I can't help with that. I got all of them from our local feed store though.
Don't be nervous about a new garden be EXCITED!!!! Mars keeps telling me that I won't recognize the garden in a couple of years. By then the soil should be responding to all the love we are trying to show it!
Have a Wonderful New Year!
Yup. The property we bought from BIL does had a house - the one hubby grew up in; but it has been poorly cared for. No water lines, no heat (except for fireplaces - we need a better way to dry wood) and iffy sewer lines.
DeleteThe 50s metal cabinets were torn out by who knows which renter, and no telling where they ended up.
So we are slowly redoing kitchen, water, sewer and heat. Hubby's back has been really bothering him lately so between that and the weather, we've been taking it easy.
Thanks for information on the onions, still! We found a local feed store that we really like and I am thinking we'll get plants and seeds from them.
I am excited. But nervous, too!
Thank you. ♥
Probably a good idea to get all rested for when the warmer weather arrives!
ReplyDeleteI'm looking at some land up in your neck of the woods...so maybe someday we might be neighbors (sort of)! Can't ever tell!