The Truth Will Out...

The Airman showed me what he really does. BTW.. the suit weighs about 80 lbs.... Enjoy!

First Day Musings -- Immortal Spring

Flowering quince, covered in bees, by the back door...

Spring – An experience in immortality.

       ~ Henry D. Thoreau

What is it about the brilliant sunshine, gentle breeze, and singing birds that makes one feel as though they are coming alive for the first time? This is how it feels this weekend at Lazy Bee Farm. It is as though I have been asleep for years, as Rip Van Winkle, and am waking to discover the life around me.

It is delicious.

Just last week there was snow on the ground and I was in wool. Today, I am barefoot and the windows are fllung open to allow winter out and spring in. While they are not speaking to each other, I feel that each is ready to take up residence in their new home and is making their exchange willingly. And, as for me, I am happy to see the relocation.

I am a spring baby and it is this time of year that I feel it most. Summer is too hot for me and winter, while I can wear wool, wears thin after a few weeks. Spring is my time. It is a time of possibilities and opportunities. We are certain that this will be the year that our tomatoes will not blight and just as certain that this year we will get the shed cleared out once and for all. For me, spring is the time of hope and ambition. I have not yet suffered the disillusionment of dreams unfulfilled. All is pregnant with new energy -- ready to burst forth and flourish.

Today, I am giddy happy. Flower boxes that the Mister and I built this morning and I have painted a soft lavendar are drying on the porch. The round planters with dwarf spruce pines are overflowing with a ring of purple pansies who cheerily dance in the breeze by the front door. Dark, dusky earth has been turned up and is nearly ready for seeds to nestle down for a  little sleep before erupting into lettuce, radishes, greens, and onions. Stones we gathered yesterday tumble on each other as they wait to be placed as the outside of one garden bed, raised slightly, to accommodate more lettuces. Baby bee bottles glisten in the wings to replace the ones on the feeders that we use to help the girls with a head start on honey.

Isn't it beautiful?? What is your spring day like? Are you feeling immortal??

A Little Construction

THE New Greenhouse is going up and we are so excited! This is where the old barn was many years ago before I bought Lazy Bee Farm. The little building on the left was the old chicken coop that the Mister and I built four years ago, but we outgrew it and built another on the hill that is much larger. This one will come down and a hay building is going up along the side of the greenhouse for protection of the greenhouse and the hay.

Many, many years ago, when my parents, siblings and I all lived in Florida (for about ten years), Daddy had two orchid greenhouse. He loved them! He had everything from cymbediums to oncydiums -- about 5000 total. Then, we all decided to move back to God's country, but keep the greenhouses. This worked well, fall and winter there with spring and summer here, until Hurricane Frederick came ashore. Both greenhouses were nearly destroyed along with all the orchids.

We salvaged what we could of the two greenhouses and brought them here where they have been stored in the edge of the woods until two years ago when Daddy decided he wanted to put up a small one from the remnants. His is about 20 x20, but he has only hardy plants -- no more orchids for him! The Mister and I brought home the rest of the legs and sorted out what could be used and replaced what couldn't with chain link fence posts. We ended up with 20 x40 greenhouse which is Perfect!

We are so excited about having the greenhouse up and plan on using it in the fall and winter for greens and starting seeds. It is my hope to have a CSA in another year and the greenhouse is a big part of how we will keep our members supplied in the late fall and winter months.

And, the best part is that it is nearly all recycled material!

Don't forget Amy's Farm Friend Friday!

Let Me Go!

We have had lots of rain lately which results in the runway between the chickens and the goats not only being flooded, but slippery as well. Rubber soled boots and leather gloves are always worn in the pastures so there is little to fear from the electric fences that run around the top of each paddock. However, today, even those did little good for a certain farm gal.

The Mister is at band rehearsal tonight so the feeding duties fell to me. Between the snow (yes, snow), rain, and sunshine, I dressed and scurried to the barns to feed. The boys' paddock is a total wreck, so I had to gingerly walk into the slush and mud to retrieve their bowls for feeding. To do so, I reached up and held to the top of the fence.

But, then, the fence wouldn't let go of me! I had hold of the electric fence line while standing in water. And, to add insult to injury, the Mister had just upped the power on it last week when the bucks realized the does were in heat and were trying to get out.

Let me just say here: ANY buck who can go over that kind of charge should be able to date all the does.

Needless to say, once the fence let me go, I had to crawl back to the house, flop on my back like a flounder and cough until my heart rate settled down.

Thank goodness only the goats saw that....

First Day Musings -- Indulge Me

from Bing images

We have been clearing out the Mister's brother's belongings these past two Saturdays. We have learned many wonderful things about him: he kept thank you notes from the elementary schools where he spoke on the court system (he was a lawyer); he was an avid Civil War buff (a major Confederate General is in the direct family line); and, he felt emotions very deeply. We have also learned that he was a collector and saved nearly everything he touched. This means we have made two huge loads of just magazines to the dump.

As another piece of what I have been pondering is the class trip on Friday. We saw the base poverty of the coal miners and yet how the women tried to make home pleasant with flower beds and handmade items such as doileys and quilt as well as hand embroidered towels. And, I listened to a colleague explain to the class how "having a good credit score is great! You need to have all the credit you can get!" I begged to differ and actually got to say one sentence: "The borrower is slave to the lender." Personally, I would rather do without than lose my freedom by owing money.

All this has me thinking about choices and how I will be remembered. There is a lot of clutter in my life: stuff, projects, people, negative thoughts, bad habits, and, sometimes, an overwhelming annoyance with other's negativity. A few weeks ago Brenda at Coffee, Tea, Books and Me had a great post about how we never know when someone is inspired or touched by us. It might be something as simple as keeping flowers on the porch, but someone will see it and be inspired. I want to be that inspiration.

Thus, I have decided the following:

I will not use the word SHOULD any longer.

I will surround myself with positive people.

I will sit down when I tired or sleep when I need it.

I will avoid activities that I have no passion for.

I will be responsible for my choices only.

I will eat dessert.

I will use treasures such as decorative candles, note cards, or my good dishes instead of saving them.

I will return to singing "The Doxology" every morning when I open the blinds.

Will you join me??

The Fatted Calf

The Airman will be home tomorrow for a two week visit before he ships out for a long while... a long way away...

And so, we are getting the fatted calf ready for him. I have cleaned, shopped, and planned meals galore for him. Then he tells me, "Mum, don't bake for me. I have to keep in shape while I am home. When I get to my new duty station I have some hardcore Physical Training to complete and I need to keep my weight down." Now, what do I do with a pound cake AND cookies?? Chickens or goats??? I think both will enjoy them!

In the meantime, here is something fun for you to watch:

Working in a coal mine...

Today we took a class to the Beckley Coal Mine Museum in Beckley, West Virigina. Of course, it was snowing. Lots. This is a photo from their webpage that gives a deceptive look at the weather... but, anyhow...

It was a fascinating trip. We toured the mine in coal cars! The exhibits included a well restored coal school (for the miners' children), the church, the superindentent's house, a single man's house, and a married family man's house. Coal was king in this part of the world and miners worked hard for very little. It is true that they "owed their soul to the company store." They were paid in script, which was company money, and it was only good in the company store. Why they couldn't even tithe with it as the church would not accept it!

If a man were killed in the mine, his family would have two weeks to leave their home, which was owned by the company, unless there was another male family member to take the dead man's place. As in every other part of the U.S., women had no rights at all in the mining community. Everything centered around the man and his relationship with the company. Women had to make do with very little for their families as every item in the company store was marked up. Usually workers ended up owing money at the end of the week or brought home less than a dollar.

The Union came into this region in the 1920s and organized the workers so they would earn a better wage and to break the company structure -- home ownership and script. And, provide for much safer mines for the workers. Workers were typically paid 20-cents per ton. Most miners earned $2 a day in 1920. Do the math. Isn't that tragic??

Although we live less than 100 miles from the mines, most of our students had no idea about the extreme hardships these people faced. It is a powerful thing to connect with one's culture. Trust me, I think a bus load of students returned home feeling pretty doggone blessed! I did!


Enjoy Tennesse Ernie Ford singing "16 Tons" with some great photos of actual miners!