Filed under: November 2022 | Tags: Barn chores, deer season, Suffolk Punch horses, youngsters
November 27, 2022
Today was a good day for just resting. The rain started coming down at daybreak and continued on and off all day. The weatherman says it will continue through the night. We were soggy from the snowmelt, but the ground is saturated now for sure!
The horses all had some indoor time today. I spent time after church doing the same thing as the horses…just resting.
Yesterday, we had a family visit us. These photos are from that visit, (Thanks Jennifer) Maggee made up with this little boy. They shared a moment together. Our littlest filly is growing fast. She stays with Grace and Bree. They are the three amigos. Maggee is learning a whole bunch of things. She has learned her stall. She comes when I whistle, with the rest of the girls. She is a bit bossy, but the pecking order seems to keep everyone happy.
Tomorrow is the first day of Ohio’s deer gun season. The ditches and creeks will be running over. The tracking snow has long melted. It will prove to be a wet day in the woods. I am undecided if I will hunt tomorrow or not. I much prefer to chill indoors on a rainy day!
Filed under: November 2022 | Tags: firewood, Suffolk Horses, Suffolk Punch horses, Wood hauling
November 26, 2022
We took advantage of a warmer day yesterday to haul wood. The sugarhouse woodshed is filling up. We have a ways to go but made a good amount of progress again yesterday. We set the log splitter up right at the woodshed. We can cut and split as we go, stacking the wood as it comes off the splitter.
A wagon load like this makes for quite a bit of split wood. I would say that we have less than a third to go. I hope to finish up this coming week. The mares had a good day and did a great job as usual. They sure are good working partners. I am glad to have them for my work…especially wood work!
November 23, 2022
Here in northeast Ohio, we get some fantastic sunsets in the autumn and early winter. My sister Mindy, loved them. She had many photos she had taken over the years in scrapbooks. Mindy has passed from this world, but every time I see a pretty sunset, I feel her in my heart.
That feeling fills my world for just a brief second, but resonates across my soul. Her birthday was yesterday. I captured these shots then. How fitting!
In other news, I have been busily working to get my younger sister Charlie’s house built. Getting materials and services has been a challenge, but things continue to move forward. We were able to finish the exterior siding Monday. The house is now closed in. What a relief. After a nine week lead time, we even got the garage door installed.
The back of the house.
The garage door, simple yet attractive.
The front porch, with vinyl stone entryway. It is a low maintenance option that won’t need paint and should last a lifetime.
The walkout deck and covered patio is taking shape. A few jobs, like pouring the patio and sidewalks, will wait until spring. My hope is to have her in soon with a few plans for next year once the weather breaks again.
This has been a big project. I am a jack of all trades, but master of none. I have been humbled several times, but I keep moving forward. We can now move to the inside where insulation and drywall are the next efforts. I am satisfied so far. We broke ground on July 5th. I’m pushing hard to be able to have her in by Christmas time.
Filed under: November 2022 | Tags: firewood, Small Farming, Suffolk Punch horses, winter preparation
November 12, 2022
What a fabulous November we have enjoyed so far! The temperatures here were in the lower 70’s F. It dried out enough for the harvest to continue at a rapid rate. Our corn crop is in and all the summer hay tools have been stored away. Yesterday we received almost 3 inches of rain. Today snow is in the forecast. Gone are those 70 degree days…boy does that stink.
Many of the outside jobs at my sister’s house are wrapping up too. The siding is the biggest job that remains, but it too is on schedule. There is a lot of planning and work to build a house. I have been reminded of this fact almost daily as I chase materials, parts and manpower. It is coming together and completion looms on the near horizon.
I have quite a few people watching my progress. Many have lent a hand and I appreciate it very much.
The woodshed filling for the sugarhouse, though well started, is still progressing. The hope is to have it full by next week. I just made more projects than I could complete during the good weather, but no worries, I will get it done.
The snow and winter will come if we are ready or not. I can do a lot of work on cold days, as long as it isn’t raining. I hate getting wet, especially working in a cold rain. I would say that stinks too!
Happy Mid-November everyone. Get your outside water hoses in, the air conditioners inside, your tools put away and your firewood finished up. The winter winds will soon blow hard. It will be nice to be able to sit inside on those nasty days, looking out the window drinking a hot beverage, while smiling because all of your work is caught up.
RicelandMeadows 