Beautiful Snow On The Farm!

Winter on the farm!

As winter was passing this year, I was longing for some snow to go along with the low, low temperatures we were having.  As days turned into weeks, and weeks into months, I began to think that maybe the snow wasn't coming this year.

What a beautiful world!

But, alas, the beautiful snow arrived last night, and was it gorgeous as it was falling! Huge, huge snowflakes, the biggest ones I've ever seen.  But, I am a Florida girl, so

Raising New Baby Chicks!

Twenty-five on these on the farm!

It's always exciting to get new babies here on the farm!  Here is a picture of the brooder all set up and waiting for the chicks.  We used a 3 foot kiddie pool placed on a large square of cardboard for added warmth, wrapped it all around with 18" high brown construction paper.  My husband had some paint sticks around and used them to help hold up the paper.  We lined the pool with newspaper, attached the heat lamp to a wooden ladder-back chair, and placed the feeder, waterer, and thermometer inside.  The red heat lamp makes it a bit difficult for the camera to take a great picture.

The brooder ready to go!

Today twenty-five brand new baby chicks came home to live on the homestead.  We purchased Red Star pullets.  According to Murray McMurray Hatchery, these are the very best extra large dark brown egg layers they offer.  We will see how they do for us.  

Here they are, settling in their new home.  Oh my goodness, they are so stinkin' cute!

Little fuzzy balls of cuteness!

According to the hatchery's instructions, we added 3 tablespoons of sugar to their

Sewing With Sarah!

I just had the best few days spending some time with my two granddaughters, Sarah and Hannah.  Please humor me as I share some 'Grandmother's pride'.

When sweet Sarah, my favorite ten-year old granddaughter, first asked me if I could help her sew an apron, her first sewing project, I casually said, "Sure, we can do that".  I then began to reflect on how I needed to begin teaching this as she wanted to do it herself, but had never had any experience with sewing, or a sewing machine, before.  I said to my husband, "Oh dear, what have I gotten myself into?"

Sarah intensely working!

As I began to reflect on when and how I first learned to sew, a million years ago in Home Economics class in 9th grade, I wondered if I still have the patience and the 'know-how' to do this.  In addition, I haven't as much as looked at a sewing machine for at least ten years or more.  As I began to dissect the process, I formulated a plan.  Here's how I thought it would go: