Simply stepping outside or listening through an open window, I can hear the melodies of springtime songbirds. They are enjoying this week's good weather, which is a welcome change from recent snows!  It's just about perfect outside...blue skies, puffy clouds, and warm breezes. 

The girls are happy to leave the confines of the hen house behind as they stretch their legs and enjoy this breath of spring. They continue to gift us with delicious eggs each day.

Our bees have been out buzzing around bringing in pollen...yay! It's a thrill to know they've made it through their first winter...now to keep them healthy through these critical weeks in early spring. 
  

And  whether it's Cocoa the rabbit...
 
 

or Mr. Myrtle the cat…

we are all enjoying the early days of spring.

This time of year we try to give our house and yard a close inspection. And while I've been spring cleaning lately, anyone who stops by might think that's debatable. In my opinion, it always looks worse, before it looks better. 

Cleaning out clutter is never enjoyable (to me, at least). In the bright sunlight, surfaces seem hopelessly dusty, while dust bunnies are clearly in view from their winter hiding spots. Paperwork seems to have a way of multiplying, and has sadly ended up stacked in perilous disarray.

Outside however; the first tender shoots of daffodils are pushing their way through the warming earth. There are buds on the lilac bush and red maple tree. With a little work, sticks and branches from winter winds will be collected, flowerbeds tidied, and the garden tilled.

Yes, spring fever has a way of winning the battle each year with spring cleaning. The warming days certainly tug at us to come outdoors...the days are fine, and Sweet Girl has already brightened my heart by giving me my first bouquet of spring flowers. 

It's truly a time to make plans and enjoy the spirit of rebirth...a time of promise and simple pleasures.

March is a time when our thoughts turn to spring. We find ourselves dreamily browsing seed catalogs, planning for herb & vegetable gardens, and adding just a few more outdoor fix-up projects to the must-do list. Soon the scents we love will surround us…newly-plowed fields, freshly-mown grass, and spring hyacinths
in full bloom.

Today; however, my mind is on last-minute threats of snowy weather. While we missed most of the nearly 10
inches of snow predicted for our part of the Midwest, today’s cold March wind has created a lingering chill in the air. Yes, this wind is up to its usual business. The tarp covering the chicken run is flapping as if it’s ready to blow away, and
the bird feeders in the old maples are swinging back & forth at such a pace no bird could possibly sit down to enjoy a meal.

March has earned its reputation as both lion and lamb. Someone mentioned to me that a year ago this week it was nearly 80 degrees in our hometown. And while that’s much too warm for a March day, I think we’re all waiting for those first balmy, blue-skied days to raise our spirits. Here, at least, it’s been a long, bone-chilling winter.

March, this milepost of spring, has us firmly in its grasp. Soon the winds will slacken and warm, there will be sunshine and the first hint of green. We’ll tentatively open a window and taken in the sweet aroma of an awakening world.

But until that day arrives, this farmgirl has a pot of chili simmering on the stove, and has just put another log on the fire. And so, before the  gardening chores beckon me, I try to remember all that needs doing inside. Yes, even when there’s still snow on the
ground, spring cleaning is in full swing here. My goal? To tackle room-by-room before that seasonal malady known as spring fever hits!

Lately, the winds have howled furiously around the old farmhouse. Waking up to frosty temperatures between 4 and 10 degrees, we feel as if the wind is bearing down around us. Inside we hear it rattling windows, while
outside, chores are done with heads bent down against its icy fury. Oftentimes, it feels as if the entire house will sail away…thankfully, it never does.  For 149 years it has been defiant against wind, rain, sleet, and snow.

Today, the kids have an unexpected day home from school. Freezing rain and ice have made it a January day to be blissfully content inside by the fire. It’s been a day of playing games, watching movies, homemade doughnuts & hot cocoa. Simple pleasures, indeed.

Days like this are also perfect for puttering. Sitting by the warmth of a crackling fire in the kitchen, I’m working to finish a knitted
shawl I began last winter.  Yes…last winter. Time flies. And so, if I want to enjoy it anytime soon, I’d best be knitting away. I also have a skein of lovely llama/alpaca yarn that is calling me. I’m thinking it will become a warm & cozy hat. (Perhaps to be enjoyed next winter!)
  

Farm cats don’t seem to mind the snow…Tinkerbell can be found observing the world from a high spot on  top of the coop, while Azreal and Midnight are content to stay a little closer to the back door in hopes of sneaking inside for a bit. Yes, they come in a cozy up by the fire on frosty nights and are quite content to settle in for a long nap. However; by morning they race out the door to see what the new day has brought.

Today seems one of those rare days when there is enough time…time to cook & bake, time to play, time to settle in and enjoy kids while they’re still kids.  It’s almost time to make lunch, and then I think I’ll put on a pot of soup to simmer until dinnertime.

With the wind continuing to howl, a crackling fire in the fireplace, and the laughter of children in the next room, it seems the perfect day. A day with plenty of time, when nothing seems impossible. 

HOMEMADE CRACKERS

The next time you make your favorite soup, try this homemade cracker recipe shared with me by a friend...they're so simple!

1-1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1-1/2 t. cream of tartar

1 t. salt

3/4 t. baking soda

1/4 c. oil

1/2 c. water

1 egg, beaten

2 T. water

2 t. sugar

Sift together flour, cream of tartar, salt, and baking soda. Slowly add oil, stirring until mixture resembles crumbs. Stir in water, then continue to blend until a soft dough forms. Place dough on a lightly-floured surface and roll to 1/8-inch thickness. Whisk together egg, water, and sugar; brush over dough. Cut out crackers using cookie cutters. Place crackers on a lightly-oiled baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, or until crackers are golden. Amount of crackers depends on thickness of dough and size of cookie cutter.

I sprinkled dried garlic and minced onion over the dough right after brushing it with the egg mixture...but you can use anything that's a favorite. Try dill, rosemary, sesame seeds, or coarse salt.

Mary is a Midwest farmgirl who enjoys the simple pleasures of living in the country. "For us, living where there is plenty of room for gardens, animals, and for kids to play and explore is the best kind of life." You can visit Windy Meadows Farm at www.windymeadowsfarm.blogspot.com . 

The more I learn about beekeeping, the more I love our chickens! 

Just kidding...while I do love the girls and their farm-fresh eggs, they're really
pretty low maintenance. This time of year I'm keeping an eye on the temperature
in the coop, plugging in the heated waterer on frosty nights, surrounding the
coop with straw bales, and adding lots of shavings & straw inside the coop
to keep the girls snug for the winter to come.

The bees, on the other hand, have given me much more reason to read...read...read.
They too were pretty low maintenance in the summer, but now my goal has shifted
from hoping not to get stung, to doing all I can to keep them alive through the
winter. 

The bee inspector says they have plenty of honey stores, and that's a good
thing...it's the food storage they'll use to survive this coming winter. My
mouse guard is in place (evidently hives are considered a cozy winter spot for
the field mice!) and now that the temperatures have dropped to the 20's at
night, I have straw bales surrounding the hive to screen it from the chilly
winds. This weekend I'll wrap the hive in tar paper, replace the bales, then
cross my fingers and wait for spring.

With a break in the weather recently, I've put a ventilation box on the hive. Our neighbor 
has one she used successfully last year, and so we patterned ours to be very similar.

The box is used to give any moisture that builds up a way to escape. Filled with
fiberglass insulation, it also works to prevent condensation from developing on
the underside of the outer cover. If this cold condensation is allowed to form,
it drips down on the bee cluster chilling them to the point that they may not
survive.

To make the box, start with a spare super that fits your hive. A 1-1/2
inch spade drill bit is used to add holes to the sides of the super...2 on each
side.

Each hole is then covered and secured from the inside with #8 hardware cloth. A
length of fiberglass screen is stapled across the bottom opening of the box and
insulation is added as the final step.

Our neighbor's box has several narrow slats across the bottom; however, she
fills her box with sawdust, so the slats work to keep the sawdust in
place.  We opted to use fiberglass insulation in our box, and so didn't
add the slats.

To install the box, remove the outer and inner covers. The ventilation box
will sit directly on the frames of the top hive body. Replace the
outer cover (no inner cover needed) then add two bricks to keep the cover in
place during the winter winds. Periodically during the winter, if a warm days
occurs, I'll quickly peek inside the box to see that it's doing it's job.

And so my learning continues! 

Here's hoping all is well in the hive, and that they've settled down for a long winter's nap.

I obviously don't exercise enough.

After stacking wood with my family this weekend...
My back and shoulders ache.
I'm feeling old.
It's time for the heating pad.

However, on the bright side, we have a terrific amount of firewood ready at a moment's notice should it be needed! 

The barn is filled with the sweet scent of freshly-cut wood as the aromas of cherry, hedge, and ash mingle to greet us each time we step inside. And while it's a delight to take in, on the more practical side, it has a very important role to play in our preparedness.

Should we have a power outage, this wood will not only keep us warm, but will help to feed us as well. Living in a farmhouse that's 148 years old has blessed us with 3 fireplaces...one each in the kitchen, dining room, and what was most likely once a parlor. 

Those fireplaces most certainly kept the original homeowners warm from many a winter storm. However, somewhere along the years, a previous owner decided it was a good idea to remove the chimney of the fireplace in the dining room, and toss it down the flue passageway. Sadly we couldn't rebuild the structure to make it safely usable, however, we did have the firebox reworked and then refinished an old mantel to keep the home's original look.

Now, how to store that firewood to make sure it's ready when we need it...

1~
Choose where you store the wood carefully. Find a spot that's dry and allows for air to circulate around the woodpile. A barn or an open-ended wood shed are both ideal. Wet wood will rot, crumble, and give off very little heat. It's essential to keep the wood dry.

2~
Remember to stack the wood off the ground. Wood pallets work well, or you can easily put together a log rack you'll find available at your home improvement store. (I say "easily" because I didn't put it together...hats off to my hubby on this one!) Look closely at the wording on each log rack box...it will tell you how much wood the rack support. Most come ready to hold 1/2, 3/4 or 1 cord of wood. It's important not to overload the rack.

3~
If you choose to place the log rack outdoors on the ground, instead of on a cement pad, stake the rack to keep it steady. If that pile begins to lean, eventually the entire log rack will come with it.

4~
If the woodpile it outside and no barn/shed is available, be sure to cover it with a tarp to keep it dry, and secure the tarp from the winter winds. If you happen to get a sunny winter day, you may want to even uncover the wood to let out any moisture that's trapped inside.

5~
While wood is generally sold by the cord (4'x4'x8') how do you know how much wood you'll need? Well, that depends on many factors. How many hours a day do you need a fire? Are you cooking in a large fireplace or on a small wood stove? Is it your only source of heat/cooking, or are you also using coal, wood pellets, canned heat, or kerosene?

I've read that Montana pioneers needed 12 cords of wood to make it through a winter. However; that was a 24-hour a day fire for warmth and cooking, with winter lasting often from October through April. And while most of us wouldn't need anywhere near that amount, it would be wise to do the math and find out how much wood would sustain your family through a hard winter.

6~
How long will your wood last? Well, the experts say indefinitely if you keep it dry and the air can freely circulate around the woodpile. I have to agree. Last year we finished burning several logs tucked into a corner of our barn that were at least 10 years old!

Yes, a crackling fire on a Sunday afternoon is a favorite around this old house. Good for curling up beside with a good book, some knitting, or even a little nap. But knowing that we're prepared for the winds to blow and the snow to fly, also gives peace of mind. 

The days are crisp now and the colors glorious. Bittersweet tangles over old wooden fences, the scent of woodsmoke is in the air each evening, and fields are covered with burgundy, gold, and russet leaves. This magical time of year has always been my favorite season, and I continue to be astonished by it's beauty.

The temperatures are below normal this fall, making us wonder if winter will be harsh. So amid the fun of hanging bunches of Indian corn, setting out arrangements of mums, and carving pumpkins, we're stacking firewood, bundling up the chicken coop, and learning the best ways to keep the beehive warm & snug during its first winter on the farm.

October is a time of harvest...the fields of corn and soybeans that once surround our home have been removed, and our own garden has been put to bed for winter. Except; however, for two prolific pepper plants which continue to shower us with their bounty...I just couldn't pull them up yet! It's a time for tucking away baskets of potatoes in the root cellar and stocking up on needfuls for the winter days ahead. We feel an old-fashioned stirring that it's best to be ready for cold and snowy weather.

 Apples are plentiful at the local farmers' markets, and in country kitchens everywhere, October means apple butter, jams & jellies are being put up for winter. Two of our favorites from the farmers' market are Dutch Apple Jam and Apple-Cinnamon Jelly...both are so good spread on warm rolls, buttery biscuits, or just-baked bread.

 Yes, these clear October days are worth enjoying to the fullest. It's a fine time to walk a country road, bike thorough fallen leaves, or simply putter outside. These days are made for warming the heart when winter's chill arrives.

 As I've heard, "Life is a series of memories..." so let's fill October with the best memories possible.

 ~fetch a plump pumpkin and carve it a cheery grin

~take a walk, a  hayride, a Sunday drive and enjoy the brilliant trees

~rake all the leaves in your yard...then jump in them!

~visit a local orchard or farmstand...bring home a basket of juicy apples

~sit by the fire and read

~travel the back roads

~put extra quilts on the bed

~make s'mores around a campfire & tell stories

~laugh, create magic moments, enjoy every minute...

 
Only a few weeks ago, these were the weather warnings appearing for the Midwest...

   "Destructive thunderstorms carrying a punch with gusts of 80-mph will pepper residents with significant power outages left in their wake."

"Potentially destructive thunderstorms will be the center of weather chatter.
Dangerous, even record-setting, heat will remain a daily battle
for the Eastern U.S. for the next few days."

If you read my last post, you'll remember the tale of our vacation and the storms that caused so much damage. It's still hard to imagine 3 million people were without power.

After that incredible storm, we decided it was time to double-check our food & water storage, and rethink our emergency preparedness supplies. I also decided it would be a good idea to have a frequent post and share some ideas...things we've learned along the way, what works (and hasn't worked) for us, and ask you to share your ideas as well.

So today is the first post for Practical Preparedness...

  Emergency Water Purification
  

One of the biggest needs when an emergency hits is the need for safe drinking water; however, making water safe for your family is truly quick & easy.

Boiling is the best way to purify water. Bring it to a rolling boil and keep it boiling hard for one minute. Add one minute of boiling time for each 1,000 feet above sea level.

Unscented liquid bleach will kill bacteria and also provide you with pure drinking water in 5 simple steps. 

1- pour water in a clean container, allowing particles to settle to the bottom 

2- pour clear water into a clean container; use an eyedropper to add liquid bleach, following these guidelines...2 drops for one quart of water, 8 drops for one gallon of water, 1/2 teaspoon for 5 gallons of water

3- mix well

4- wait 30 minutes...water should have a slight bleach odor

5- if there is no bleach odor, repeat dose, wait 15 minutes

Keep an eyedropper taped to your bottle of bleach, along with the guidelines above, and it will always be at your fingertips should you need it. Bottles should be replaced every 3 months to ensure the bleach is at full strength. For some terrific information from the EPA, click here.

I hope this information is helpful...and if you have any hints or how-to's to share, please feel free to leave a comment. We can all learn from one another!

Mary is a Midwest farmgirl who enjoys the simple pleasures of living in the country.
"For us, living where there is plenty of room for gardens, animals, and for kids to play and explore is the best kind of life." You can visit Windy Meadows Farm at www.windymeadowsfarm.blogspot.com.