After more White Stuff and a Coyote kill we end the week with a bang

During another white winter week we grappled with yet another snow fall and continued our seed catalogue marathon as we plan this summer's crop.
We celebrated Burns Night with whisky of course and haggis from a can! It was actually quite nice, and I made us another tart from the Popina book - very tastey.
Poor Bessy (the 1964 Tractor) couldn't quite cope with the amount of snow on Thursday and in an understandable huff, over-heated, leaving Jamie stranded mid-driveway up to his knees in snow. Fortunately owing to the freezing temperatures, her hot flush didn't last long and Jamie was soon back on the blower shifting the snow, not that we wanted to leave but we do like to welcome visitors!
After hearing eerie noises from our furthest field and noticing an unusual gathering of enormous birds with huge talons and beaks, we snow shoe-ed off to investigate. It didn't take much tracking ability to follow a small trail of blood to a deer carcass, possibly left by coyote, long gone surely but that didn't prevent us from scooping up Eddie. In any case, the bald eagles were surveying him with anticipated pleasure.
To finish up the week I begrudgingly accompanied Jamie as a participant on the Firearms Safety Course. To my absolute horror not only did I have to sit through a whole sunny Saturday listening to trigger happy hunters talk about guns when I could be skiing but this was followed by a written exam on firearms and ammo and culminated with a practical. (Yes, Jamie explained that does mean that I have to pick up a gun). How someone who has no intention of ever shooting anything ever ended up in that class room I do wonder. Anyway, the worst part of the whole weekend was that I actually enjoyed myself! And as a result, we both passed our written and practicals 100%. What geeks we are. Though I still have no intention of ever shooting anything but as Jamie quite rightly points out, that's actually because I can't aim straight and talk far too loudly.

The big freeze

I guess you know it's winter when the window panes of your porch freeze overnight and then stay frozen. Jamie says "I should start to worry when it's the toilet bowl that freezes up." Perhaps I'll just move house. We woke up to -20 degrees C with -30 wind chill. They said on the radio that skin could freeze outside in 10 mins, well we managed longer than that but it wasn't exactly pleasant. Not that we need an excuse to stay inside by the fire, we're in the midst of seed catalogues and I find them addictive. Have finished knitting my scarf so am looking for a new craft project (guess what everyone's getting for Christmas next year). Made a yummy pie thing from Popina book (Christmas pressie from Jamie's ma). Ran a yoga/meditation retreat on Saturday with my yoga buddy Josette so apart from eating, knitting and lounging by the fire am managing to do something useful while Jamie sweats over farm plans.

Eddie in the snow

 The scarf

glamour shot

The Pie (thanks Penny)

snow shoeing home

Berkshires Escape ...again!

Since our last posting we've had a week of farm planning, skiing, bright sunshine and a huge snow fall which has seen Jamie digging us out and even the pigs. As the electric fence lay buried under the snow, our curious friends hopped over it, leaving the confines of their snowy sty and enjoyed a frolic in the snow creating havoc all the way to the barn and back again. Luckily they are safely back in their snowy pen, for now at least!

Jamie digging

The Pigloo (Pig house insulated with snow)

Yesterday despite waking up to minus 18 degrees, we braved the sunny ski slopes.

Snow blowing

Jamie at work clearing the drive way for Fay's Reiki clients to come. What a star! Luckily with all that reverse tractor driving involved, the possibility of Fay doing it has never been discussed.

Crafty bunch

Wintery weather has brought our nimble crafty fingers out to play.

This week I'm trying my hand at upholstery

Before

After..

(only 3 more to go)

Jamie's busy whittling

And Eddie...appears to be waiting patiently for his moment to scoff the remains of the Christmas booty



Roosters meet their Maker

My serial attackers finally earn their place in our freezer. The yard is now safe for me again.
Following the loss of his partner to a neighbouring fox, Tweedle Dum agrees to sacrifice himself, producing a tastey chicken curry and lemon roasted legs...thanks!

SNOW finally arrives

With the arrival of the white fluffy stuff (over a week ago), at last Jamie and myself have a chance to slow down work outside and begin the farm planning (and snuggling by the warm fire) inside. Well that's the theory...
The epic length of our drive way and a steady stream of visitors means that snow blowing is a key feature of Jamie's mornings which leaves messing around in the snow on skis or snow shoes to me!
No idea how to cross country ski but someone told me "if you're moving, you're doing it!"