Hello friends,
We have winter break this week. Who exactly gets a break? Teachers and kids but certainly not stay at home moms! I am thankful though that the weather has been so good. At least we can get outside. On Monday the girls and I went out back and we alternated between sledding and playing in the sand box. The snow has melted down far enough to see the top of the sand box cover and Anna was stomping to show that she really wanted to jump in! I dug out the rest of the box and plopped her down. Then I took turns with Anna and Jane sledding down the hill, and pulling them back up. We ALL took a nap that day!
We are expecting more snow tonight but Spring is certainly coming... some time. We have an estimated 13 weeks before we are frost free. Almost time to start perennial flowers, herbs and onions from seed! It's so encouraging to see green sprouts in March. I'm reading a book called "Animal Vegetable Miracle" about a family who tries to eat locally for a year. Some of it is a bit much. I start to think I shouldn't eat anything, nothing is safe. But some of it is funny, interesting and useful. I'm also researching my far off dream of Sheep! Just a few sheep grazing in the apple orchard would be a dream come true for me. I just want the wool, by the way, no lambs unless they are here to stay. Does anyone know if it is oak tree or poisonous oak that are toxic to sheep? I'd hate to have to cut down our single oak tree.
Heather, we were thinking of you and your family when we heard about the plane crash. Did you know the people involved? I'm sure you know the neighborhood where it happened.
Hm. Jane is very quiet. I'd best go check.. Talk to you Hunnies later. Have a blessed day!
posted by Kareemsa @ 10:22 AM
8 comments
8 Comments:
Hey- I don't know much about sheep, but I would think if they rubbed against something like poison ivy poison oak, then rubbed against you- or you used their wool, you'd be getting a good dose of it, as the poisonous oils would be on their wool.
Not fun for spinning. Just a thought.
I heard a good layer of wet newspaper will kill poison ivy in a few weeks.
I'm planning on some veggies this year,and maybe strawberries, too. I'll have to cut back a bit from my original plans, as I don't think I should be hauling 40# bags of dirt around- almost half my weight. The ground needs more working than I might be able to handle, too. We'll see.
We're looking into participating in a CSA this year. With the amount of fruit and veggies my kids eat (Aidan is somewhat of a self-proclaimed vegetarian) we could get a huge basket of stuff delivered each week......sounds good to me! What is nice about the one close to us is that you can get on their website each week and opt out of stuff you don't want. Really, who wants brussle sprouts!? But it will also give us a chance to try stuff I don't normally buy too.
That plane crash in Clarence was actually really close to my parent's. They moved to a new house in Dec that was really only a mile or two away. The new place was actually right under the flight path the plane took. Where it landed was behind the house of the people that lived across the street from them at their old house. Had they still been there they definitely would have heard/felt the explosion and seen the flames. However they were actually packing in the new house to leave for Mexico that next day! Mom called us about 6:30am so we wouldnt hear it on the news first (like I have time to watch the news on a school day!). Needless to say they were shook up pretty bad. Someone from their church was on the plane but they may not know that yet as the passenger list didnt come out till after they left. I must say, looking up and watching all the planes over their house now has lost some enjoyment. Thankfully the kids dont know it was so close so they can still watch in awe and innocent wonder!
Hi all. Karen, it's always fun to hear of your future ponderings like sheep and such! Heather, that is just so sobering that they knew someone on the flight. It's just so sad. I can't even wrap my brain around it . . . life is just such a gift, and I need to remember not to take it for granted!
Well, I'm off to a period film and rice krispie treats. God bless, everyone!
I dream of a day my family would eat vegetables. They will do fruit, but caleb is definitely a carnivore. If he smells some one grilling or smoking (different meaning here in Texas :) outside he immediately says I want some Salt Lick (BBQ). He used to eat any and all veggies and fruit I put in front of him, but that has changed. Thankfully he'll still do fruit!
As for sheep and poison ivy, yeah sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. I'm sure Kris is right. I'd definitely identify all plants on your property first to make sure it wouldn't happen. Wouldn't you have to put up a lot of fencing to keep them on your property? You should also ask others who have them about how much it would cost to feed them, keep them fully watered, Oh and shots. I'm sure there will be state rules on shot maintenance. through out the year. Might be cheaper to just buy your own wool.
Just to clarify, thankfully there is no poison ivy or oak on the property, just an oak tree that I was wondering about. A book I read said that "oak" is poisonous if ingested by sheep. My neighbors raised sheep on this very hill that our house stands on! So it's a former sheep pasture, but not used as such in years.
Glad your parents are safe Heather, though shaken. The CSA is a wonderful idea! (Brussels sprouts are great when fresh!)
Ahhhh . . . I have to say, Karen, I don't know about the oak tree thing. But you know that friend who has the website I sent you? She might know- she has one ewe. I'll ask her.
Also, she's mentioned selling wool. Would you be interested? She lives 90 miles from you, so unless you can mail something like that, I'm not sure if it's worth it.
Hey thanks Kris. I did check out her web site. Sounds like she's in NH. No, I'm not ready for a fleece yet. It takes a lot of cleaning, carding, spinning, etc. until you actually can do much with it. I'm thinking in ten years I might be ready to get into that more!
The girls have had stomach bugs this weekend so the vacation continues...
get some acidophilus chidren's tablets. that will boost the bacteria in their intestines and help them get over it faster. I swear every time I give it to my family we recover a lot quicker! Hope this helps! It has been going around here too.
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