Winter Wonderland

It's like a winter wonderland outside. Although just hovering around freezing, ice has built up on the pines. I tried to take some pictures of their beauty this morning but they pictures aren't capturing the subtle white frosting on the evergreen boughs. I stepped out with camera in hand, Shadow happily trotting at my heels, until she spotted a huge herd of deer in the backyard. There must have been a dozen of them grazing on the patch of millet we left long and tall for the wildlife. The deer raced down the hill through the woods and towards the creek, Shadow galloping at their heels. I called and called her and she didn't come back, so I went inside to drop off the camera and grab the whistle we used to call her (not one of those silent dog whistles; just a regular old whistle John trained her to respond to). By the time I got back outside near the driveway, I gave one brief toot on the whistle - and there was my dog, rolling in the cow manure we'd picked up from the Hertzlers. Great. Now I have a wet, very smelly dog. Still waiting for spring.....!

The picture with this blog was actually taken during an ice storm, just not this one. I took it of the oak trees in front of our old house in Huntington.

Seed Starting Countdown

There's something about gray, wintry days threatening snow showers that makes me just want to put a big crock pot together of pot roast or stew, brew more coffee, turn up the heater, and focus on my writing. Hmmn, that sounds like my day today! Roast is perking along nicely in the magic pot as we call it, fresh coffee is on the burner, and I have my writing worked out for the day.

This weekend was filled with fun and friends. My neighbor Patty took me to visit Donna, a lady I had met at the goat seminar. We also went over to Donna's sister's farm, and enjoyed some quality time with her horses and inspecting their hen house and chicken coop. I came back full of ideas for our own little menagerie area. Our priorities right now are to finish up the front porch, finish the garden area, and get that growing this spring so we produce our own vegetables.

The picture with this blog are some of Patty's newest additions to the farm! She raises Boer Goats and Boer crosses. Her goats are so friendly and sweet, they come right up to you for pets.

It's countdown now to seed starting. I found a great free template online on You Grow Girl. It's in Microsoft Excel. You simply plug in the frost free date for your area, and it calculates everything - when to start seeds, when to sow outside, when to transplate. Some of it seems a bit off (four weeks from starting watermelon seeds to having actual watermelons must be a mistake) but in general it was great. I made up my own chart, printed it out, and put it in the kitchen so we are all set. I am also ready to try the crepe myrtle and hibiscus seeds. I hope they grow - we want more in front of the house!

Farm Day

Busy day on tap today, so short post. Spent the morning updating my articles on eHow. I'm really enjoying writing for them, and I hope you'll stop by and check out the latest.

This afternoon, my neighbor Patty and I are going to see her friend's farm. I am so looking forward to time spent with friends! Then if time permits, this weekend the first of the seeds get planted. I have to consult my handy-dandy spreadsheet to find out when seed starting times are, but I know I can start the crepe myrtle and hibiscus seeds soon. I saved them myself, so that's even more exciting. And my Parks order DID arrive - still without the November order - so time to add those seeds to the list of what to plant. Peppers, watermelon, cantaloupe and about a dozen herbs came yesterday. I look at them seed packets and smile. Spring is just around the corner!

Seeds of Change

Today's post title is a double entendre...not only do I feel as if I am metaphorically planting the 'seeds of change' in my life now, but it's seed starting time here at Seven Oaks. Just got emails from Parks & Burpee that all my vegetable seeds are en route (although the November Parks order is still missing!). I cleaned off the seed starting lights last weekend. John has to help me pull the trays and pots from the crawl space though - with the spiders and snakes around here, I am NOT going down there. And I think I'm going to move them all into the shed. At least the shed has windows so I can see what I'm touching. I'm shuddering just thinking about it. I hate spiders. I'm not phobic - I just don't like them. I leave them alone in the garden but they are not allowed in my house!

So what are the metaphorical seeds of change? Well, unfortunately I lost a client this week and a client I had truly hoped to work with for several more weeks. I was really, really upset. I was upset because I didn't think they got what they needed and I never want to leave anyone with work unfinished. But it was their choice to leave the relationship. The really odd thing about the situation was that just that morning during my prayer time, I was asking God once again to guide my business prospects. I put them into His hands daily. And suddenly, business that I thought was locked in was abruptly pulled out from under me. Once again I got the God breeze, the inspiration for a project that I believe He wants me to work on. It's scary though. It's something that will take time and generate no income for a while. But I keep getting the feeling He wants me to write a specific book. So I took about an hour yesterday to start writing it, and will do so again today. And I'm back to my freelance writing, the truly freelance stuff where I pick the topics.