Looking back

I was talking to a friend of mine on the internet lastnight. Made me think back on the things I wanted to do this year, and the things I want to do this coming spring, and wishes I have for the future. This winter I'm going to try and not turn the heater on at all. Scott cut down all this nice wood and split it for me, and I plan to use it exclusivly. Last year we set the thermostat for like 68-70 degrees. The heat was always coming on in the night. We have heated blankets. We can actually wear winter jammies to bed. The doors to the bedrooms need to stay open to let the heat in, and Jessers has a habbit of closing hers at night. I'm really good at stocking up the fire at night before I go to bed, and still have coals going in the morning. Scott tends the fire at night on his days off since he's up most of the night. The coldest it's been when I wake in the morning was 62, and that was when I was still learning how much wood to fill, and how little to open the dampers on the stove. By the time I get out of the shower in the morning, the fire is going again and warming the front room. It hasn't gotten to single digits yet, so we'll see how it goes.

Unrealized dreams

I had great dreams for this last spring and summer. I had over 100 plants started for my garden. Scott borrowed the tractor and some impliments from Uncle Mike, and worked so hard to till and furrow my garden for me. He brought boxes home from work to make my chiken coops. He went down and got the huge rabbit hutch for me from Honey Jo. All these dreams of growing and making my own foods. And then I had to go and get sick and spend 12 days in the hospital. All the plant starts died. No one thought to water them with all the crazyness going on with me. The rabbits got put on hold, the chickens on hold.

Dreams for the future

I harvested apples from a wild tree I found. I made applesauce. This so makes me want to plant fruit trees, and berry shrubs. I got appricots off the neighbors tree and made appricot jelly. My first attempt at canning. I have 4 pint jars in my fridge. I know they don't need to stay in there, but there they be. I want to get a pressure canner for all the meats and veggies I want to grow out this coming year. Salsas, and spaghetti sauces, and soups. Fruits and veggies dehydrated and just waiting in my cubbard waiting to be used.

I want critters. Rabbits for meat, and to show. Two types of chickens. Chix for eggs, and chix to raise out for my freezer. A milk cow to raise our beef steer on, and that I can milk once a day. Butter, cream, cheeses. A goat or two for weed eaters, see If I like goat meat for freezer camp. Some goat cheese is better that cow milk cheese. Two piggies, though it's almost more exensive to raise one than but the meat at the store. I'll know exactly what they've been eating though, and such a better taste.

I know this is all a huge ammount of work. I'd love to have a small section of the garrage walled off, or a small shed out side so I could groom from home. Then I'd have plenty of time to keep up with the animals, and the garden, and the food production. I already make home made bread. I save the carcasses from the chickens and the turkeys and make my own stock. Such dreams.