Snow hike

Well so much has been happening here lately. NOT! We are just right smack in the middle of January. School is going wonderful the kids are awesome. Home is good. I got to go to the big city if Dayton yesterday. We went to trader Jo's and target! Got a little bite of pizza. Went down town to a huge warehouse liquidation store. Then we noticed on a tv they had on the radar that snow was close and we were still an hour away from the farm. So we headed for a snowy drive home. Stopped by Kroger on the way then home. Where the snow fell for most of the night. Today the sun is out which makes life happier. After will plowed the drive with our great 8N tractor we took a little hike to the back field. With the dogs! Gosh they were happy to be out! And so were we. We are now just waiting for the broncos game. Being Payton manning fans we just want him to win a Super Bowl. We both hate what the colts did to him. So I leave you with some Indiana winter snow pictures and maybe a video if I can manage it.

Polar vortex

Brrrrrrrrr! Well the polar vortex of 2014 has been here for a few days and I do believe it has worn out its welcome! With several days of -22 + or - I  am ready for it to leave. Living in a 100+ yr old house has lots of charm and farm living is most of the time idealic. However not with these temps. You must waste and ungodly amount of water from your well because you must let all of your faucets run or you will be dealing with frozen pipes under your home. You would have to tear up all those lovely old growth wood floors to replace the busted pipes! And old beautiful windows with that historical wavy glass is all frosted over so much you can't even see outside! 

Now let's talk about rural living down an old dead end drive a half mile back to your lovley secluded charming country home. You will be stuck inside for many days. The county will put out warnings telling you only to travel if it's an emergency! And yes all that wonderful Christmas candy will be staring you down! But by far the most wonderful thing about these temperatures is knowing you have two big ol horses that depend on you! And that means hay and fresh drinking water. Drinking water from a tank that has tank heaters that don't so much like the polar vortex! So let me be the first to nominate the pick axe, as this centuries most valuable tool! And let's not mention animals who love to go out and run can't ! Not for long anyway. Animals get cabin fever too ! And so does your partner who cannot get to work because of frozen car doors, batteries ect.... But the sun is shining today and it + 4 at the moment so hey please disregard any negativity here. I so love this old farm and can't imagine myself any where else!

Teacher tree

I posted some pictures of my teacher tree, for many years now I have had two Christmas trees, a live one in the living room, and a artificial one in the dinning room. This year we were far enough along in the guest area/farm stay that I thought I would put the teacher tree in there. Good choice it fit in perfectly with the little bit of furniture I had in there. But ahhh the teacher tree! Every year I put it up I remember so many of my past students who had gifted to me the wonderful gift of a tree orniment. Handmade or store bought no matter. I've collected many over the years and some years back decided to give them there own special tree. Starting out with a small  table top tree and for many years now a full size. How much fun for me every year to have these lovley items to remember each student an wonder where they are now. I say a prayer for each child. So Christmas is over and time to take down the trees.  Ok I am currently snowed in so maybe I'll leave them up one more day!

Teacher tree

Merry Christmas

Ok I couldn't help myself! Hope if you are reading this that you have time to just relax and do the things you love to do. Spend time with those you love. I hope this finds you cozy and warm!

Winter has set in

Not much new around here. Went to open the shop on Saturday and the weather was just horrible ending in a cold yucky rain and no one was out! So I closed up shop and headed home early . Yesterday we ventured out to do a little Christmas shopping and we did have fun! When we got home we were unloading the truck, when I noticed it was sliding backwards on the ice. It wasn't running and was in park!!! I was on the passenger side but was able to climb into the truck and push on the break with my left foot, and grab the wheel. Resulting in a pulled muscle but saving our 3 cars parked behind the truck! What a night. Feeling much better today. Hoping to gather up boxes from the basement and do some Christmas decorating before it's over! Thinking of our little place in Maine with 8 to 10 inches of fresh snow!

Snow

Well there is nothing like a little snow to put you in the Christmas spirit ! Hope to start a little decorating today! We got about 5 inches in the last days. Now it seems we will get the big chill! The horses were standing in the morning sun and you could see the steam coming up from there warm bodies. They have free access to the barn and come and go as they please. They are always up before me! Here are a few pics of the morning while out feeding the birds! Yes the whole clan goes with me!