Let's Start With Spring 2014

Spring on the farm is our welcoming of young animals.  This year was no different than the others, we got more birds.  Chickens, ducks and turkeys, oh my!  We had the standard bird losses for several reasons, one being young birds are fragile.  We had a few get trampled and a few disappear, it's pretty standard around here.  We have one on the block, so to speak...Thanksgiving is next week...

We welcomed several litters of kittens and sent them out into the world, to neighboring farms.  We lost several cats this year, a new kitten this past week being the most recent.  We didn't even really get a chance to know her.  Some of our "seasoned" kitties must have met with bigger predators and I know of one who worked his way down a few miles to another farm.

We had 4H pigs this year, from April to August.  Each of the kiddos had a pig and we had an extra in case of any loss, four total.  Kyleigh had Sue, Lucy had Bubba and Nick had Awesome Sauce, and then there was Extra.  We had a good time watching them play around but when it was time to go I can't pretend I was too heartbroken.  For any of you who don't know, pigs STINK.  It's a horrid smell and what better way to attract flies than with horrid smells.  I think we still have a fly in the house and it's been way below freezing for a week.  There will have to be adjustments made before the next cycle of pigs. Period.

In addition to the new animals, we added some structures to the grounds.  We now have the "big" barn started and the "mini" barn up for the birds and bunnies. The big barn has the first of three sections up making a sort of lean to with stalls and room for some tools.  We still have work to do on the mini barn but it is functional.  The trim pieces never went up and we haven't put up the chicken run yet.  I have a really hard time making design decisions, I'm thinking Brian will end up just doing it himself this next spring when he tackles the fencing and new pig area.  There's always something to do on a farm, hobby my butt!

I'll be back soon with a summer re-cap.

Hobby Farm Fire

*Disclaimer* This post was written Friday the 10th, it's taken me a bit to navigate through the new picture adding on the blogs.  Why can't they just leave things alone?  LOL


Howdy Do all.  The last week has been a blur of chaos with an extra serving of WTHeck?  Last Friday, one week ago today, we were settling in a bit after picking the boy up from the bus stop.  We came in the house, got comfy and prepared to chill...  HA!  I wish!  Actually, I was on this technological nightmare and Brian was doing his most favorite of things, cleaning/rearranging/sorting in the basement.  Yes, you read it right...I'm a lucky girl!  Anyhow, Nick let the dog out to run and decided to join him.  Mr. Brown was barking enough to get Nick's attention, Like, Really.  I hear a squeal and then Nick's plowing through the door terrified.

All I can see is FEAR and all I hear is FIRE!  Brian only hears FIRE!  

Brian was trying to get upstairs thinking I had a kitchen fire or something...  I was haulin' out the door and around the house...  This is what greeted me...

I was actually speechless.  ME.  SPEECHLESS!

Brian made it outside and we just kinda stood there for a minute.  At this point it was obvious there was nothing we could do, it was large and in charge.  We called 911 and stood outside waiting.  As you can see in the photo, our propane tank is between our house and the shed.....Major concern there!  Here's another look.

It had started to calm burn down by the time the crew arrived.  It's good to have friends and neighbors, ours are the best!  Nick and I stayed on the opposite end of the house in case the fire spread but we could see the propane tanks for the grill blowing light torches and then a rogue camp fuel bottle managed to escape it's confines.  What a sound, whistling through the air towards us after diverting away from our house and Nick's bedroom window.  It landed about 10-15 feet in front of Nick and me.  Then there were the pops from assorted spray cans, inching up the 'ole tension meter...  It didn't last long.

Hey!  Here's the shed's fire extinguisher!

In all honesty, I'm pretty ok with it.  I'm trying to see the bigger picture like we did with Hurricane Katrina, a blessing in disguise if you will.  Fortunately we don't have to go through as much this time, emotionally.  Most everything is replaceable, even the girls' Christmas horse tack.  The saddle loss is a big downer too.  The worst was knowing our bunnies couldn't get out.  They would've been gone before I even saw the fire, hopefully from the smoke inhalation.  Four sweet little bunnies, bless them.  I had been out haying the horses earlier in the morning.  I also had the chicken scraps to deliver so I left the run open so they could free range for the day...note where the run is now attached to no coop.  Grateful birds, Grateful people, Grateful cat....Yes, when I had been out there in the morning there was a loud calling from inside the shed.  Nutters had been closed in overnight and was none too pleased.

So, in reflecting upon another WoodsFam life moment, here's how I choose to see things:

*My family is safe.
*We didn't lose more animals, it could've been horrific...remember the Massacre of 2012?
*We still have a home.
*Brian's home for this one, I didn't have to go through it alone!
*Stuff is replaceable.  We learned not to form much attachment to things after the hurricane.
*The WIND was blowing in our favor, away from the house and propane tank, and it was snowing and not dry outside!!!

All this by the third day of the new year, Way to Go Woodsies!

Hoping everyone has a relaxing weekend.
(We're to expect a little wind this weekend, like 100 mph.  I'm sure there will be tales to tell.)

Blessings

~Ash

5 Random Things About the WoodsFam

1. The Woods Animals are just as crazy as the people, maybe even more so.

2. Brian and I love to watch the sunsets out here, there's nothing like it.  Can't wait for him to get home!

3. Kyleigh is our "Crazy Cat Lady."

4. Lucy actually has animal DNA...seriously, she's the dog whisperer.

5. Nicholas is a down and dirty farm boy!  A hard worker, when he chooses.

So, apparently this posting of random things is somewhat popular on blogs.  I thought it would be easier, not so much.  I kept these farm related and a little more on the personal side.  Not too personal...  I am slowly working back to my posts and trying to determine what might be entertaining or inspiring.

If there are any questions, requests, ideas out there, please let me know.  I want to keep you coming back, if only to watch the "train wreck" that is our life!  LOL  We are all about humor here and I hope to share with you those moments, as well as other not so funny moments.

Thanks for reading,

~Ash

Hiiiieeeeeeeee

So, here I am again. It's been over a month since my last post, it's been crazy around here.  "Grannie" came to visit and spent three weeks, I'm not sure how she did it.  It was a busy few weeks but I still don't know if we really accomplished anything.  I did get some much needed sleep but it didn't come without the guilt of sleeping in while mom was up with kids.  Of course, now my schedule is completely off and I'm trying desperately to hop back on some kind of routine.

I'm "Baby Stepping" my way and I am hoping to be better about getting some posts going again.  We've added to our little farm and I've had requests for more pictures so I'll be working on that too.  I even took pictures while out and about with my mom.  I am certainly no photographer but I think the scenery helps make up for that.

See ya soon.

~Ash

Our "Guest"

It's Finally Friday, can I get a Whoot Whoot???

Today is rainy so I spent time working on Nick's bedroom today.  I'll post pictures once I'm done but for now it's not quite ready.  I did get the rest of his furniture moved upstairs, sweet!  I'm in search of some fabric and paint and ideas.

So, for a little Farm Friday entertainment I've decided to share a few pictures of this week's guest, from yesterday.  Here he is helping himself to the horses' water.  It's been very helpful to have him visiting as he keeps pushing our fencing down.  This is the turkey/duck pen, temporarily including horses. It was a preexisting area and not meant for big animals, obviously. I did get a start on the horse fencing yesterday.  I got the gate installed but hey, it's just me and Kyleigh working on it and that stuff is H-E-A-V-Y!  Fortunately, our friend showed up to visit and volunteered to come back later on and pound some serious posts for me, YaY!, and possibly help stretch the fence. I Love living here!  He was paid in tamales.

Mr. Brown trying to get his attention.

So, later on he came back and was just outside our door.  Mr. Brown was desperately trying to get his point across, to no avail.  He's gotten very comfortable here.  He seems pretty docile but I'm not willing to challenge him to a showdown...

I'm Right HERE!  GOOOOO!!!!  LOL

You'll note Mr. Brown is a little confused and offended to be ignored.  The first few times, the bull listened and sauntered on down the road, not so much now.

Mom, he's not listening...WTHeck?

So, there you have it, a typical WoodsFam day.  The bull was rounded up later yesterday afternoon and was back at it this morning.  Fortunately, I didn't notice until I heard a truck and saw someone trying to wrangle him again.  Too Funny...except the fence part...UGH!  LOL

Have you ever had an uninvited guest who just won't leave?  Share it here!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend.  We've got another busy one planned and hope to share pics next week.

~Ash

Step 1

I focused on foundations yesterday.  Today I am looking at the bricks of this foundation.  Us, the WoodsFam.  In order to succeed in any venture, one must first focus on themselves.  This is not selfish, it is absolutely imperative, it's your "footer."  (Jiminy, can we tell my hubby is a structural engineer?)  A farm depends on it's people.  To be successful in any way, you have to be able to work physically and mentally.  Your home depends on you to keep it running.  The garden can't take care of itself and neither can the animals.  Yeah, the horse grazes and the birds free range but there is a little more to it.  Without the people, the farm dies.  So, we must take care of ourselves and each other.

The goal is to be healthy, productive, happy.  I know I'm loved and I love.  Loving myself is not always so easy.  Visualization is key to improving your outlook on yourself and your life.  We have to see ourselves the way we want to be.  I have battled this for a very long time.  I've always been hard on myself.  I have made a conscious decision today, it ends here.  It's been something in the works for a very long time and I am finally at the point where I can say it out loud.  I will be held accountable for my declaration.  I AM A GOOD PERSON!  LOL  I AM LOVABLE!  I DESERVE ________!  Got it?  It's so freeing.  "I'm good enough.  I'm smart enough.  And doggone it, people like me." ~Stuart Smiley aka. Al Franken

So, I am hoping to take you step by step through our journey here on the farm.  I realize it's a hobby farm blog, it's also a WoodsFam blog...the two go together.  It's for the betterment of all, here on the 'ole homestead.  Healthy, happy people make for healthy, happy animals.  Please, don't go, it will get better...esp. when the weather stabilizes.  Hehe

Thanks for reading and be sure to leave some ideas or examples for our growing home.

~Ash

Foundations and Dreams

Have you ever really thought about how long it takes to build something almost completely from scratch?  From the ground up?  From a sparkle in the eye?  From some odd, random thought?  How long it takes to actually SEE the progress?  Anyone?  Well, I'm here to tell you this family takes its time...not always by choice...

We all live in the more is better, instant gratification, entitlement world.  It's difficult to wait for our dreams.  When Brian and I started talking about our future and our dreams we could see everything all laid out in front of us.  We knew we wanted children, a small farm and each other.  Two of those were "easy".  We made a commitment to each other and entered the sacrament of marriage.  Young, "dumb" and in love we began our trek together.  We had a child, moved around, had a child, moved around, had a child and moved a few more times.  In our years together we've been successful.  We've had our ups and downs.  We've had the joy of babies, moving around the world, buying our first house.  We've had the ache of loss, people, things, places.  All of these moments have made us stronger.  All of these experiences have brought us to this place. Today.  The now.  We've been together almost 16 years.  Slowly building the foundation for our family.

NOW.  Today is now.  We have a healthy, happy, loving family.  Our children are amazing.  We are more in love now than ever.  We can see the little sprigs of hope and promise (promises...right, lol).  Our family is in a good place.  We live in a house on land.  The foundation.  Yes, we have work to do but the foundation is set.  We have room inside and out.  We see the completion of things, slowly.  We have work to do.  Hopefully we will always be able to do the work which needs to be done.  We have small areas growing outside for our animals.  Fences, shelters, pastures...  One step at a time, steady as she goes.  The dream is coming to fruition.

We have a ways to go.  I don't believe we will ever be finished.  Life is for living and while we are here we plan to do it all the way.  We are closing in on Brian's retirement years.  We are looking forward to spending our time together, working the farm and enjoying each other.  It's been a road for sure.  We are approaching another separation, geographically.  It's difficult to be apart for the better part of a year.  I am so grateful we haven't had to go on longer stretches.  It can be taxing, physically and emotionally.  The most difficult is watching the children and knowing there are moments in their lives Brian will not be able to witness firsthand.  There have been too many already, just ask Kyleigh.

We are Blessed.  We are Hopeful.  We are Faithful.  We are Loved.

If anyone would like to share their story, please feel free.

Much Love,

~Ash

Resolutions

Good Afternoon.

Today I will be revealing a little about my New Year's resolutions.  In the grand scheme of things I am hoping to change my lifestyle a bit (LOT).  Every day seems to remove a little more "city" from this girl and add a little more "country."  For those who aren't "schooled" in WoodsFam history, here is a quick background.  Brian and I married in 1997.  We have three children.  We have lived in four different states and one other country, thank you Air Force.  We've been Blessed to see so much of the world and we take things away from each place we live/visit.  We are Catholic, Catholics who have a hard time making it to mass.  No excuses, it's just how it's been lately.  I am a SAHM and have been since the birth of our first, Kyleigh.  We have learned to cherish our privacy.  We enjoy time with family and friends.  We are looking forward to Brian's retirement and the next stage of our lives...full time hobby farming.  We have been on this little nugget of land (20 acres) since May 2011

As for the first of resolutions I am working to maintain this blog on a regular basis to record our history.  To share with any and all who wish to read.  I appreciate you all and thank you for taking time out of your lives to read a little about mine.  It's also a way to keep family and friends up to date on our little world.  Our family and friends are spread out, really spread out.

I am looking to have a more "natural" lifestyle, resolution #2.  It can be called many things; homesteading, hobby farming, sustainable living, etc.  I am interested in all aspects.  I am especially interested in reducing our "footprint" and learning to rely on ourselves and our land.  I am not a "survivalist" nor do I see zombie attacks in my future.  I like the idea of having a well stocked pantry, a healthy garden, happy children and animals and much more.  I am interested in so many things.  I have so many ideas.  I have so got to start somewhere, babystepping like "Bob."  Since we are so far north I have focused on things I can do INSIDE the house.

Inside the house it's saving money and DIY plans.  I have been making my own laundry detergent for about four months now.  It is simple and it works for us.   I use a powdered "recipe" which I have thrown together after much reading, researching and questioning online.  It smells good and works even better.  I NEVER thought I would leave my Tide, I LOVED Tide.  I also stretch my liquid fabric softener.  I don't remember where I saw the idea, sorry, but you just soak a cloth (I use old socks), in the softener then wring out and let it air dry and it's good for a LOT of drying cycles.  I use vinegar for my softener in the washer as well but the store bought helps with the static we have in our winter home.  I am tweaking a dishwasher soap "recipe" but its not quite there yet.  We have well water which is extremely hard and leaves spots all over our dishes.  So far I can only use the Finish tablets and rinse aid.  I use baking soda to scrub my tub and sinks.  I use vinegar for cleaning and mopping.  I made my own liquid hand soap, another I need to work on as this one is a bit on the drying side for me.  No smell of onions or garlic are left after washing with this soap, Yay!

This week I have taken the plunge and started working on making bath soap, shampoo, conditioner and face cleanser.  There are so many ideas and "formulas" online so I am sorting out and just going with my gut.  Today was the first day I used the shampoo/conditioner.  I'm really hoping it works well because we have a lot of hair in this house and shampoo is getting ridiculously expensive.  ~Did I mention I am a tightwad?~  I'll report back on the results of the hair at a later date.

Also on the list is resolution #3, more healthful eating.  It's a goal of mine to grow as much as I can here on our land.  Vegetables, fruits, herbs, meats and more.  I have a small area of raised beds and I was able to get  a little bit of veggies this past summer.  I didn't take care of them as I should have, I accept the blame.  I am hoping to do a better job of it this year and expand in the years to come.  I would like fruit trees/bushes and maybe one day I'll even have grapes...we have a perfect area for them.  As for meats and such, we have poultry for now.  We don't eat our birds, we are gonna have to get over that but the kids won't quit naming them all!  We do use the eggs and I've realized just how much I've come to depend on the ladies.  The turkeys and the ducks are just pure entertainment for now.  Eventually we would like to get pigs, goats and a cow.  Oh, we do have bunnies but they are not for consumption.  ;-)  Nor is the horse...lol

With having all of the "food" items, I will need to learn to preserve everything.  I have canned before but I'm not great with it.  I will certainly need more schooling there.  Also, smoking meats would be useful.  I am the family jerky maker...hehehe  and with the fall animal harvesting we've done, I really need to figure out sausages and such for the venison.  Good Lord, I don't know how we'll get that out of the freezer!

So, there you have it.  It's the first installment of my resolutions for 2013.  I'm a work in progress just like the farm.  There is always something new to learn and I like learning.  Every day is a new opportunity for us...

Carpe Diem

~Ash

Tech Tuesday

Helllloooooo Out There...

Today is Tech Tuesday for me.  I've spent the better part of the morning working on this blog business.  I am about cross eyed at this point.  It's a slow progression but if you look closely, you just might see some changes going on.  Then again, maybe not.  Not all changes are on the blog page.  There's quite a bit of admin going on here.  I started out on a whim and I guess it's time to get a little more serious.

I haven't been on here for several days.  I know, boring, but I haven't really had much to share.  We've done more work downstairs but I'm not ready to post any pics yet.  It's just not at the point in which to share.  Laundry and cleaning is only so fun and I'm sure no one cares about mine.  I've made a few things and I'm testing them out to see if any are worth sharing with you all.  I'm hoping to post some new recipes, organizational ideas, renovation progress and maybe even some animal fun.  It's supposed to be a bit on the warmer (above freezing) side of things this week.  Yay!

So here's a a picture describing my life, indefinitely...lol

Have a wonderful week.  I hope to be more entertaining this week.

~Ash

Kitchen Gardening

Welcome Everyone.

It's Monday, again.  A new adventure on the 'ole farm.  Today I am planting a few seeds to see if I can get them to grow indoors.  Winter is just so long here, I can't wait.  I've focused on herbs for the most part.  I did plant some beans and tomato seeds, you can never have enough tomatoes.  I love to cook.  Why is it I have never maintained herbs indoors?  I've planted and grown and forgotten.  I've been a lazy gardener the last couple of years.  Time to change that one.  No more excuses!  It doesn't matter if it's pretty so long as it grows.  What is my obsession with patterned raised beds anyway?  Neat, clean lines in a garden...I am a little OCD about some things.  I am in awe of those who can place plants haphazardly.  Most of the time, it looks fantastic.  I am trying to loosen up a bit and get out of the "meticulously landscaped yard of suburbs."  I miss my yard and my old house.  I do not miss having neighbors on top of neighbors.  I am trying to embrace the natural landscaping.  I should probably sketch out some ideas.  I will be taking it slow this year and only grow a few different veggies.  Think quality, not quantity.  I have a bad habit of getting overly optimistic and usually plant too much and get overwhelmed, resulting in disaster.  I should also admit to being a composting nightmare.  I always put off and then forget the whole "stirring" of the pile.  I have found a few interesting ideas on Pinterest I may try, we'll see.

So there it is.  It's 7 January and I am already itching to get into the soil.  One babystep at a time.  I am thankful to have had the turkeys and ducks working on the garden areas for me.  I should let the chickens out soon also.  They have been staying close to the coop with all the cold weather.  I'm sure they are ready to get out and roam in some sunshine, warm sunshine.  It's also super windy again today.  I can't blame them for staying in, I am too.

What are your ideas/plans for gardening this year?  Please share.

TTFN

~Ash

Goodbye 2012

Tonight we will bid farewell to the year 2012.  It's been a year of triumphs and struggles all around.  Here at the 'Ole Homestead we've seen the slow changes of our city life becoming our country life.  We've learned so much along the way.  From water pumps to branding cattle, we've been fortunate to experience these moments in life.  We are settling into our little town and our little farm.

We have strengthened our friendships and neighborliness.  The kids are enjoying school and have become more interested in sports.  It really is amazing how much more we are experiencing.  Having the kids in a smaller school offers them opportunities they weren't so lucky to have in the bigger schools.  The sense of community here is something I've never really witnessed first hand until now.  It's just a great place to live.

We have added to our farm this year.  After the "Massacre of 2012", we have added chickens, bunnies, cats and a horse.  Soon, we should start to get a little more egg production.  We have a lost (she prob doesn't think she's lost) dog, Cora, who is deeply missed.  Just today Lucy woke up crying after having a dream she had returned.  It really stinks.  With the animal additions, we have also added fencing and a new coop/shelter.  It's definitely slow progress but progress none the less.

Looking forward to 2013, we are hoping to continue building up our little area here in Big Sky Country.  We will definitely be setting new goals and continuing to work toward a better life for our family and the world we live in, spiritually, financially and healthily.  I wish everyone a safe and happy new year.  May you all continue to be blessed in the future.

Adieu 2012,
Tchuss, Ciao, BYE BYE

~Ash

Back to It...

Well, we've had a wonderful Thanksgiving week around the Woods household.  Lots of fun, food, friends and family.  We had such a good time with everyone!  Our upcoming week will hopefully settle down a bit.  Kyleigh starts cheer practice four days a week, Parent-Teacher Conferences, Advent...  The kiddos have requested I make an Advent calendar again this year so I will start on it soon.  Maybe they'll be able to help with some daily ideas for celebrating.  Saturday, the 1st, it will be my aim to get everyone up in the mountains and find the "perfect" tree, weather allowing.  It will also give us the opportunity to stop in to the Lazy Doe.  It's a wonderful little place to grab a bite and a beer.

We've got some things to take care of around the house/farm as well.  For starters, the car and truck need some attention.  The turkey coop still needs to be shingled.  We need some updates with our extension cord supply and another heated waterer.  And those stinking bunnies...I just don't know the best way to keep them happy, healthy and warm!  It's a mind bender and I intend on triumphing. I've got many ideas jumbled up in my head which I am trying to decipher and plan out.  As for IN-side the house, there is always something to work on.  The kids have been putting Christmas stuff out downstairs today while Daddy and I were in the kitchen.  He was butchering deer and I was cooking...and cooking and cooking.  They were actually getting along and helping each other AND cleaning up!  Someone Pinch Me, I MUST be dreaming!  THANKFUL!!!!

So, I guess it's early to bed tonight.  I'll be driving the Hubby in to work tomorrow.  Also, it's a Monday which is clean sheets and towels day...I can't wait, I LOVE my clean sheets.  I will also be able to get some of this CHAOS under control.  It's my Weekly Home Blessing day.  I'm a Baby-Stepper for sure.  (My Thanks to FlyLady *a wink and a smile*)  Hmmm, maybe this week won't be quite so settled.  LOL  Just another day in the life of the Woodsies.  At least I already have dinner for tomorrow.  Turkey Soup, Yum.  Oh, and hunting season is OVER!!!  Woo Hoo!!!

Here's to a Wonderful Week.

~Ash

A toe in the water...

Well, this morning will be my first real venture to test the waters of blogging life.  I've been searching and researching different ideas for our little area.  For now we are focusing on upgrading some shelters for our pets.  One day, hopefully soon, I will be able to paint the coop for the turkeys and ducks.  Unfortunately, we lost a turkey yesterday due to unknown reasons.  No, it wasn't related to the coop... RIP Patrick, you are already greatly missed.  A tough one to swallow following the devastation that was the "Massacre of 2012" a few weeks ago.  Something (we think a dog) managed to kill 16 of 19 chickens while I was doing the grocery shopping.  It is still a sensitive topic in our home.