Archive for December, 2006
December 31, 2006 – Old Fencepost
Today Linda and I finished the north fence. I’m a bit tired from post pounding. It was another warm, rainy day in the 50′s.
This is the post of a fence perpendicular to the fence we moved – I was struck at the different color lichens that grow on the north and south sides of the fencepost – the north side of the post is green and the south are yellowish.
Had an example of someone who wasn’t thinking at the farm store. I needed just a few more 16 foot combination panels. There are three main kinds of panels – cattle panels with wide spacing and tall. Pig panels with tight spacing and short, and combination panels that are tall with narrow spacing on the bottom and wide on the top. I needed a few of those as they do a pretty good job of keeping chickens out.
There were a number of rows of different kinds of panels at the store. Row 1 was 1 stack of cattle panels. Row 2 was 2 stacks of cattle panels. Row 3 was 3 stacks of panels, piled 4 bundles high and you can guess that the combination panels were on the bottom of the pile furthest back.
It took three guys and a forklift digging in the mud, fork blades, a boom, and about 45 minutes to an hour to move the hundreds of cattle panels to get the 5 combo panels I needed. I was able to run some other errands so I didn’t have to waste all that time.
December 30, 2006 – Pulling Fence in December!
It’s not often December 30th brings 50 degrees – we used the opportunity to get a start on some work that is usually done in late March or early April – pulling up and putting in fence. We’re moving the entire line of fence on the north side out another 10 feet so we can plant another row of trees in the north windbreak/Christmas Tree patch.
Here’s Marty working the post puller. It was actually so wet, that we didn’t need this – the posts could just be pulled out.
There’s something about working in a warm rain – I’m not sure it reminds me of camping, or if the rain provides a slight sense of urgency to get done before the rain increases. It was not unpleasant and good to get out.
December 29, 2006 – Photo Friday “Best of 2006″
This week’s Photo Friday Contest theme is “Best of 2006.” Here’s a few shots that generated the most comments on the blog this year.
Marty befriends a fledgling just out of the nest by finding and feeding it worms.
A foggy spring morning just before the trellised raspberries begin to leaf out.
A brave young Kindergartener’s first day on the bus.
An egg getting candled to look for cracks.
December 28, 2006 – Thingamajig Thusday #55
Ok, I’m not looking for candles as the answer to this thingamajig, but what this is and a story behind it.
Also check out last week’s answer.
As always, put your guess in a comment below.
Answer…
This is a “Yule Log,” well a modified Yule Log since the “original” logs were meant to burn for a long time (when the log finished burning, the party was supposed to end) so this is a kindler, gentler version outfitted with candles with the yule colors.
December 27, 2006 – Fencing Me In
Now that the cows are gone, the tree-destroying job has evidently been passed onto the rabbits. I noticed some chewing around the base of the trees, particularly the maples. So, now we are starting to put chicken wire around some of the trees.
Today the girls made the cages, pounded the stakes in, and protected 17 trees. More to do tomorrow!
December 26, 2006 – Shepherd’s Crook
Here’s one of the most uniquely wrapped gifts of the holiday season.
It’s a shepherd’s crook – it will come in handy catching sheep whenever we need to catch sheep! No more running and lurching around like kids in a greased pig contest.
December 25, 2006 – Kids at Christmas
December 24, 2006 – Christmas Letter Page 4
Today it’s the last page of the Christmas letter.
December 23, 2006 – Delayed Thingamajig Thursday #54
Here’s this week’s “Thingamajig Thursday” entry. Also check out last week’s answer.
As always, put your guess in a comment below.
Answer…
The sparks from a fire.
December 22, 2006 – Post-Solstice
Twenty-two hours after lighting the fire and a day-long drizzle, the solstice fire is not yet totally extinguished!
The biggest logs are still burning – helped by a change in wind direction. This was the warmest Solstice ever, and the first for a long time that didn’t have snow. A few years ago, there was such a snowstorm that I wasn’t even able to drive the car all the way home that evening- had to leave it on the blacktop road as the gravel was impassable.
December 21, 2006 – Winter Solstice
Today is the darkest day of the year – made dark even so much more so by the heavy overcast and fog. From here on until June 22, the day length gets longer. This was the most rewarding Solstice fire ever – mainly due to the fact that it had been raining for two days and the wood was very wet. I acquired a few extra gallons of fuel oil, anticipating the trouble, and even with 5 gallons, it barely started – but once it did, it was a spectacular fire!
We gathered around with candles and were amazed with the height and thousands of sparks flying out of the fire.
The fire was followed with a potluck meal. The house is lit only with white Christmas lights throughout – no regular lighting and it does turn into a rather magical place. We reckon about 75 people showed up, braving the drive in the night-time fog – a little bit fewer than previous years, but still a good turnout.
December 20, 2006 – Lying in Wait
The burn pile awaits.
After an all day rain/drizzle, it’s dripping, soaking, and wet. Tomorrow’s forecast is 100% chance of rain. The fire may not be a go, if not for the soaked pile, for the rain and mud and scores of people tramping to the fire and back into the house.
December 19, 2006 – Christmas Letter Page 3
Today it’s page 3 of the Christmas letter.
December 18, 2006 – Christmas Letter Page 2
Yesterday was page one of the Christmas Letter. Today it’s page 2.
Today, the last of the lambs went into the locker. Now, I have five lambskins salted down in the barn, the first stage of tanning.
