Short of ideas for blog posts this month so here's one from 11 years ago - February 2014.................. still at the smallholding of course.
You know how some days you can be busy without seeming to achieve much, well today I was busy and I can actually see what I've done.
The day started with my usual walk around the field to let out the chickens from their 3 different sheds, check they are all still upright and collect the eggs. Then a basket of washing was hung out good and early with sunshine and a drying wind forecast.
Next job was to get two loaves of bread started and rising in front of the Rayburn.
After a cuppa, I pricked out the next batch of seedlings comprising of a few of each of three types of tomato and a few peppers. Then the small seed trays were refilled with seed compost and some more tomatoes sown and popped into the windowsill propagator.
Then I got a shout to go over and help put the plastic over the small poly-tunnel at our neighbours. Him outside has now finished the job, the boat has been wheeled inside and our neighbour is very pleased.
I had a tidy up in the shed and then a tidy up indoors.
The postman brought me some books that I'd ordered using my Christmas money. "5 acres and a dream" and "Skeoch - our new life on a Scottish Hill farm". Both look like a good read and both are by people who write blogs.
The bread was baked and turned out well.
The washing dried.
I covered two clumps of rhubarb with bottomless dustbins to get them going.
Leeks done for fritters to go with bacon chops for dinner.
But the best job of all, which will make such a difference, is that after 4 dry days with drying wind Him Outside managed to get the middle sized chicken shed moved away from the sea of mud onto fresh grass - AT LAST!
So many weeks of rain had turned more than half of their run into a sticky mud mess.
The shed is on 2 wide metal skids, with a chain attached, they can be moved with the tractor.
A while later after moving water butt, feed bin, straw bin, drinkers, electric fence and the connection to mains electric for the lighting, the chickens are in seventh heaven on fresh grass.
So a good productive day. Our neighbour is happy with her boat shelter, the chickens are happy on fresh grass, Him Outside is happy to have done both those things and I'm happy with two new books, dry washing, fresh bread, seedlings growing and seeds sown.
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Days were always as busy as this back then...........now is so different.
Such a sea change in your life. You sound so happy in that post. I hope that you're just as happy now.
ReplyDeleteBeing widowed isn't a happy place, but I have to be content with what it is
Deleteآهنگ من یه خونه روی آب از محسن یگانه mp3 اصلی و ریمیکس
DeleteSuch a poignant post this morning-thank you for sharing. I have followed your blog for years and was always amazed at the amount of work you both did on the smallholding. Catriona
ReplyDeleteIt was even busier when we had goats, sheep, 3 children at home and Colin was still working full time!
DeleteI remember that post, and thinking how hard you both worked, to achieve so much. I admired then your commitment to make the most of life. I continue to admire your resilience after the "sea change". Nothing will ever fill the loss of bereavement, but the good memories soften the pain a little
ReplyDeleteThe years after Colin retired after working full time were the best fun - they were supposed to last longer
DeleteOur younger selves lived different lives.
ReplyDeleteWe certainly did - with a lot more energy!
DeleteIt would be good to be able to go back now and again.
ReplyDeleteAs long as it's not to the haymaking season, lifting bales about was the hardest work!
DeleteOh yes, the hay! It was always the hottest day in August, when husband would announce the hay is ready! Because daughter and I were not as strong, he and son would throw the bales up to us in the hay loft, which had to be 15 degrees hotter than down in the breezeway/drive through of the barn. There we would lift and stack the bales (40 lbs each if not heavier) in 100 degrees F. or more with NO breeze. Back then I was 50 lbs lighter and 3 or 4 sizes smaller than now.
DeleteLife has a way of making 90 degree shifts for all of us.
ReplyDeleteYou have many wonderful memories of growing and harvesting crops, raising farm animals and chickens. Raising children that are now successful adults.
Today is different, but equally lovely in many ways.
Thank goodness for the blog that documented those busy days after Colin retired from full time work.
DeleteIt's nice to look back at all we have achieved over the years isn't it, and just think we used to read each others posts back then too. It must have been a very wet January in 2011,as I've just looked back and found a similar sort of blog post on my Our New Life ... blog for February, seemingly we had put a piece of AstroTurf down outside our henhouse and we were modifying it.
ReplyDeletehttps://ournewlifeinthecountry.blogspot.com/2014/02/modifying-henhouse.html
I think there was so much mud I must have spent an age cleaning eggs but never thought of giving the chickens a doormat!
DeleteI think it was more for my benefit than theirs as I kept slipping getting up to the henhouse, just one of the drawbacks to living on a hill. :-)
DeleteI've never lived a life like that. I've mostly lived in a suburb of Chicago in a subdivision of homes with lawns and sidewalks. You sure were busy, Sue!
ReplyDeleteColin was always a busy person, even before the smallholding we had an allotment or were fixing up houses
DeleteHow many chickens did those three sheds contain? There is something about being productive, isn't there? I mean, I am busy. I am busy a lot. But it always feels as if I'm working on projects which need to be finished, and there is no joy in it. No satisfied feeling...just the knowledge that tomorrow, we need to do x. And y. ad infinitum. It's different some how, and I cannot explain to you why.
ReplyDeleteWe used to have 120 chickens most of the time and 180 when a new batch of Point-of-lay were brought in and before the older 60 had gone
DeleteThank you for sharing this day in your life - it makes bitter sweet reading for so many reasons.
ReplyDeleteAnd I love hearing about chickens.
Ceci
It was always fun to see them moved to new grass around the meadow, not so fun was chasing them if one got out!
DeleteHappy memory. Your hands were full..Your day was full...Your heart was full.
ReplyDeleteAll so true
DeleteHappy days. We took them so much for granted. You achieved lots and
ReplyDeleteobviously had a satisfying day.
It was a good life - have to remember that
DeleteWhat a lovely memory and post.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Thank you
DeleteWhat lovely memories. It's good that you wrote it all done and included photos. Definitely some good written/photographic memories for both you and the family to have.
ReplyDeleteThank goodness for the blog. Wish I'd started earlier but then I was even busier and wouldn't have had time
DeleteThank you for this post. Happy memories.
ReplyDeleteIt was a busy but very good time
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