How we spent a rainy Sunday on the Homestead

I love cloudy rainy days and today was one of them. 

We started with chores, breakfast and workout. I am going to get fit without medicine.  My doctor gave me a medicine that I have been taking for 3 months to lose weight. I lost 15lbs. She told me I could quit the medicine if I wanted. I did (the side affect is constant nausea) and I gain back 10lbs!  So this weekend I quit peanut  M&M's, ice cream and upped the exercise to twice a day.  I still can't give up cheese... not yet! 

Anywhoooo, I began the day painting cans I have been saving.  My aloe is ready to be split ...again plus I am really into container planting. 

The rain did come and it was wonderful. It was a steady flow all afternoon... no hail, no tornadoes, just wonderful rain. 

The cool weather had us working the greenhouse today.

You can see with Dude in there where the tomatoes are about as tall as he is. 

I found a beet growing in the middle of the lettuce plants. 

Isn't she beautiful?

I picked a bunch of lettuce...not even putting a dent in the rest that was left.  Last year we had an abundance of cantaloupe, the year before it was spaghetti squash, this year it is greens. 

The beets say hello. 

Carrots are growing. 

The kitchen sink is full !

Some look like little bouquets. 

Midday I had a little visitor...remember the one in the cup for the dogfood? Well, here it is. 

Yes, Gracie eventually caught, played and ate the wee one. 

I got eggs ready of one of my customers. I wanted to surprise her with a couple of turkey eggs...heehee. 

Made a salad … all from the garden. 

Then headed out to the woodpile. I wanted to make my son a little gift. 

He loves going to the mountains so I decoupaged a piece of a mountain map onto a scrape of wood. 

I finished up more newborn caps.

Got my dinner ready to bring to work tomorrow, Meatless Monday, with canned beans from the pantry. 

I went to plant in the containers I had painted but found Dude had used all the dirt before I could get out there.  He planted cabbage for the fall. I can't wait !

This wasn't the sewing I was planning for but Norman's Pinky (the dog's pillow) was repaired. It may not have very more lives left. 

Dude brought in more beets for our juice in the morning. 

And he surprised me by making pork chops and twice baked potatoes for dinner to go with my salad. 

It is a chilly rainy evening and that calls for cocoa and a book. 

Who needs television? 

peace

First Day of Advent and other new things.

Started the day early with mass at 7:30am.  I love Advent and the preparing for Christmas. The weather changed from yesterday's 60's to cold and drizzling rain. 

The first Advent candle was lit today.  (Did you know that only two writers of the Gospels address the birth of Christ? Matthew and Luke)

On the way home I notice some cattle running after something.  Can you see it in the center? A fox. He was chasing a hawk that was chasing it's next meal. I think the fox was hoping for a freebie.

After mass we headed to town to return the nonworking log splitter that turned Dude into a cussing machine. The feed store had a new one ready for us.  Before we loaded it up we made sure it was in FULL working order. 

The goats were very curious. 

Dude set to unloading it.  I was going to help when I got a text my daughter-in-law was in labor. She was at a hospital in the foothills over an hour away. I left Dude to his new machine and headed west. 

No pictures yet of the new little guy (yes a baby boy) or a name.  He arrived just as I got to the hospital. Of course, he is adorable, huggable and loveable!   The Brothers suggested a few names ... LOL, Ajax, and Noname.  What are your suggestions - smile. 

Kindness of the Day

I stopped to get a hotdog and drink since I hadn't eaten since this morning. I went to pay and realized I had no cash with me. I was embarrassed and said I couldn't get it and apologized. The cashier told me to take the Coke... it was only a Coke after all. Then the manager came over and said, "it's the season of Thanksgiving... here's your hotdog on us." I was so grateful and tired, I cried. Their kindness was what I needed today. 

I got home around dinner time. Dude couldn't wait to try out his new log splitter. Needless to say we are warm and toasty on this chilly night. 

The coyotes sound very close tonight. We made sure all the animals were locked up tight tonight. This morning we watched as a hawk tried to snatch up one of our hens! The horse thwarted its endeavors. 

Letting the dog out for a run , Gracie the cat came in and very proud of her catch. Ohjoy. Yes, good job Gracie but I don't need the gift right now. 

I still have a little bit of time left in the day to get a crochet project done and lay out our new grandson's curtains to hem and hope to deliver tomorrow. 

peace.