Archive for January, 2006

January 31, 2006 – Firestarter

I just purchased a new package of firestarters to help get the corn stove lit. Here’s the front of the package. When I turned the package over, there was the following warning on the package of firestarter: Evidently there is some chance that the firestarters may actually combust as intended and start a fire! I’m ...Read more.

January 30, 2005 – Stored Summer Heat

As a testament to the warm winter, later this week we will use the last of the corn from the first of two wagons we use to store corn for the corn stove. Usually, we are well into the second wagon by now. January was 14 degrees above normal – warmest January since the dust ...Read more.

January 29, 2006 -Basketball Season

We have tickets to 5 Men’s and Women’s BB game this year. Today, we had a couple of extra seats, so we could all go. Grandma Jo and Emma got the choice seats today. Unfortunately, even though we did root, root, root, for the home team, it did not matter! We got home just before ...Read more.

January 28, 2006 – The Season Begins

Last night it got about as quiet as it gets around here. Sent the kids to bed, went for a short walk in the thick fog (a cloudy, foggy night is very dark in these parts) and then came back and started to order seeds for the coming season. We’re excited to try some new ...Read more.

January 27, 2006 – Can the Groundhog See Shadow Retroactively?

This is a philosophical question. What if spring comes before the groundhog has a chance to come out of his hole? It felt like April (the month, not the dog) again today – yesterday it made 60 and today mid-fifties – not too bad for January! Grandma Jo is now home from Fiji. Did mundane ...Read more.

January 26, 2006 – Thingamajig Thursday #8

Here’s this week’s “Thingamajig Thursday entry.” Also check out last week’s answer. This is something we couldn’t use today. As always, put your guess in a comment below. Answer:…. A binding from a cross-country ski (used to connect the ski to the ski boot) I know, not fair for the southern reader!

January 25, 2006 – More Success and Home Spelunking

The good news today is that Linda got another $15,000 grant today for the SEA program! That makes $40,000 this week! You go Girl! On the home front – I temporarily got the two computers networked together, sharing an internet connection, and connected one to the home stereo so I could stream Sirius, shoutcast stations, ...Read more.

January 24, 2006 – Internet Radio

OK, the world is changing faster than I can keep up. I have a sister who is a “terrestial dj” and I just activated my Sirius Radio subscription (you’ll find me most often on channels 09 the Pulse, 18 Spectrum, 22, First Wave, 30 Coffeehouse, 65 Outlaw Country, with lesser times on 16 the Vault, ...Read more.

January 23, 2006 – Success!

Today Linda was informed that two small grants totaling about $25,000 for the Sustainable and Entrepreneurial Ag program were funded by the Leopold Center! One to plan for the college farm, the other to research an incubator kitchen on campus. It means Linda will have some time to devote to the planning and research of ...Read more.

January 22, 2006 – Which Window?

As we are in the midst of attic building, we are soon to decide on windows for the new dormer. To help us think, I made some crude drawings of some possible arrangements of the windows. Mind, you, I haven’t had these estimated by the window company yet, but I’m leaning towards #2 or #7. ...Read more.

January 21, 2006 – Little Things

This morning I went to Emma’s basketball games in Collins. They dropped two games, but played very strong defense. Not like Iowa State. Had a 4 point lead and the ball with 2 minutes to go and a freshman forward who has not attempted a three point shot all year decides that is the best ...Read more.

January 20, 2006 – Farm Bell

One of the nicest “extras” we bought for the farm is a real farm bell. We ordered it from Lehmans – an Amish catalog and store full of basic homestead and farm tools, including lots of non-electric devices. We have pretty strict rules about the bell. It is really loud and is not supposed to ...Read more.

January 19, 2006 – Thingamajig Thursday #7

Here’s this week’s “Thingamajig Thursday entry.” Also check out last week’s answer. This is an old device. As always, put your guess in a comment below. Answer… . . . . . . . A hand corn sheller – just twist the cob around and the dry kernels come off.

January 18, 2006 – Making Room for the Good Stuff

Today we went to the locker to pick up a hog and half a deer. I’m eager to try the hog as it is the first Berkshire we have tried – an old breed bred for flavor. One of Linda’s former students raises a few hogs and loves to deer hunt, so we are beneficiaries ...Read more.