Gutting the house

For months, my husband, and a few others who help when they can, have been gutting almost the whole main house.  

In the fall, we got a new roof. There were 3 ceiling panels and walls, even.  When there was damage, seems that the previous owner would just cover it up.  So much space was lost.
We are thinking about adding another window here, this is facing east.  

For now, we live in the 2nd house on our new property, which is small, but sufficient. 

Our kitchen is nice and there's a washing machine in the corner, and refrigerator on the left. 

To dry clothes, we use this rack and set it in front of the woodstove, but on warm days we have a clothesline.  The sun coming in from the south windows is excellent! 

We still use a compost toilet, which needs to be emptied once or twice a week into the outhouse.

Here are the chickens. They are almost 6 months old. We got 3 eggs so far and look forward to more every day.  Our rooster has started his morning song about 7am which is a delight. Below, you can see Bella the cow, who looks like a small black spot behind the chicken house.

Reading, painting, chess, hiking, baking and happy about getting mail have been joys from this past week.

Ice skating

I have my own ice skates that I bought a few months ago at the thrift store.  There's a free community ice skating rink nearby and dozens of skates were donated and are hanging up in a shed for anyone to use.  It's been nice since neither of them last very long, but are eager to try! 

My husband got 7 stitches in his finger this past week, also got a tetanus shot and an antibiotic, as he had been doing work all day and didn't know what could've gotten in the wound.  Thank God all is healing well.

Rosey red cheeks and cold temperatures, but the sun is shining!  The kittens will be 5 months old in a few more days.  They followed us out to the hike in the woods in the back.

Sometimes one can't tell if it's sand or snow, they both blow and make beautiful drifts.  

 I bought these beeswax candles last week!    The boys were delighted to receive a surprise in the mail from Uncle Mitch!  

We started a women's book group in January and are reading Green Dolphin Street by Elizabeth Goudge. It's my 1st time reading a book by her and I'm entranced.  It was published in 1944.  Have you read anything by her? 

Slippers + snow

I crocheted these green slippers. Also, crocheted a little purse for a 6 year old girl whose birthday we just went to...she wore it during the whole 2 hours of her party, which made me happy.  

Bella our shorthorn cow seems happy.  She's expecting a calf in March.  Burning brush, mostly branches from the willow.  

Hiking in the snow is different everyday, sometimes the snow is hard and crunchy, other times it's very soft and powdery.  When it's windy outside the drifts are rippled just like the ones you see at the beach in the sand.

After church Sunday, Fr. Theodore gave us a batch of his homemade Scottish shortbread!

The silver cupola is on the church in the cemetery up the hill.  Paul started taking a class this semester on church history and art.  He worked on calligraphy and they went into the church for their study.  In the meantime, we went to my father's grave and lit the candle.  We visited his Godfather's grave and a few friends, also, Anna and Rebekah.  We will go again tomorrow.

Naptime on my lap still melts my heart. 

We got beautiful fabric for just from Joann, the store, and plan to sew a simple altar boy robe. I got 3 yards. $12.99/yard isn't too much, but it's currently 30% off brocades, so we got it for $9.09/yard!

Blue

So many animal footprints in the woods behind our home.  Snow is white and the sky so blue!

One of our classrooms is our backyard, even now, in the midst of winter, learning so much.  A chickadee calls and flies down to a branch near the children and I.  We read a Robert Frost poem inside our home later.  I also like Emily Dickinson, who was my grandfather's favorite.  There's Ezra Jack Keats A Snowy Day, a children's book that is one we can relate to...  

Bracelets for sale!  I accept cash, Venmo or Paypal, free local pick up or drop off can be arranged, or I will mail off to anyone in the U.S. for $4.  

Below is a small one made of all geometric Amazonite beads for $15, the two below it are olive wood and Amazonite $12 each.

The five bracelets below made with round or geometric Amazonite + olive wood beads are $12 each.

This is like a plate, a thin slice of snow and so fun to toss like a frisbee across the field! Many icicles, too.

It's the Lunar or Chinese new year today.  I got these stamps at the post office last week and made a few more crafts with Paul.

Our friend who is from China said this means "blessings!"  The website we used said it meant "good luck."  We bought a new packet of construction paper and gold paint. Wishes for blessings to all you in the year ahead!