11/13/25  For it is in giving that we recieve

Partly cloudy, 32 degrees.  A few showers this afternoon, some flurries.  A light NNE breeze, high 41.  Rain/snow this evening, cloudy after midnight, low 29.  Partly cloudy tomorrow, a stiff WNW breeze, high 39, low 27.  Sunshine Saturday, a stiff WNW breeze, high 39, low 25.  1-3 inches of snow Saturday night.  Rain/ snow Sunday, a north breeze, high 37, low 30.  Cloudy Monday, a light WNW wind, high 37, low 31.  Partly cloudy Tuesday and Wednesday, brisk WNW breezes, highs about 39, lows about 28. Partly cloudy next Thursday, a WNW breeze, high 42, low 31.  Showers next Friday, a WNW breeze, high 41. low 31.  Partly cloudy next Saturday, a NW breeze, high 42, low 31.  Rain/snow Saturday  night.  Partly cloudy next Sunday, a NW breeze, high 42, low 31.  Rain/snow showers Monday the 24th into Tuesday morning with WNW breezes, highs about 41, lows 31.  clouds Wednesday and Thursday, highs about 40, lows 28.

    Every day we get things checked off the get ready for winter to do list.  Nothing newsworthy, just getting it done.  The snow was gone by noon yesterday but it did in the red and blue salvia under the windows.  I think November 12th is a record!  They went in the compost pile yesterday afternoon.

   Doug and Darel hooked up Maegin's water yesterday.  The town inspector comes today. The power company  still hasn't come.  Since the stand closed customers have been asking about Maegin's baked treats.  She has decided to have them available Friday's.  

    Bekah made her first pound of butter last night.  She was pleased.  She is enjoying milking.  Already thinking about a second cow.  For now she's looking for gallon pickle jars and a good electric butter churn. The kitchen aid only churns a quart of cream at a time.

    May your day be blessed, Sally

11/12/25    If someone is tired to smile leave one of yours.  Nobody needs a smile more than someone who has no smile to give.

Icy walking, icy roads.  Cloudy, calm, 31 degrees.  Cloudy today with a strong SW breeze, high 41.  Cloudy tonight, low 29.  Cloudy tomorrow, a light NNE breeze, high 41, low 28.  Sunshine Friday, a strong NNW breeze, high 39, low 28.  Sunshine Saturday, a stiff WNW breeze, high 38, low 24.   Dusting of snow Saturday night.  Rain/snow Sunday and Sunday night, total two inches.  A NE breeze, high 37, low 30.  Mostly cloudy Monday, a light WNW wind, high 37, low 30.  Partly cloudy Tuesday, next Wednesday and Thursday with WNW breezes, highs 4, lows about 28.  Rain/snow Friday the 21st, Friday night too.  A north breeze, high 39, low 31.  Partly cloudy Saturday the 22ed, a NNW breeze, high 42. Rain/snow showers Saturday night.  Rain/snow showers Sunday the 23rd, rain Sunday night.  A NNW breeze, high 44, low 32.  Mostly cloudy the 25th and 26th, brisk NW breezes, highs about 41, lows about 29.

    Yesterday was quiet considering that sevn kids were home from school and in the house a lot.  It was damp and chilly outside.Too warm to leave the pellet stove on but chilly enough so I ran it for an hour a few times during the day.   The girls worked on wreaths.  The four foot wreaths some businesses have ordered use a lot of tips, they had to go tipping again in the afternoon.  

    A beautiful sunrise.  Pink,not red. We still need rain but we won't mind a few dry days.  No wind tomorrow, Jay is going to clean the chimney and put up a new weather station.

    May your day be blessed.  Sally

 11/11/25 Not just an ordinary day but a day we honor bravery and service.  Thank you to all who served.

A few clouds, 33 degrees.  No rain total, my weather station is on the fritz.   Sun and clouds this morning, rain/ snow showers this afternoon, snow shows tonight. A brisk west breeze, high 40, tonight's low 30.  Mostly cloudy tomorrow, a stiff WSW breeze, high 41, low 29.  Cloudy Thursday, a NNE breeze, high 40, low 31.  Morning clouds/afternoon sun Friday, A NNW breeze, high 39, low 28.  Sunshine Saturday, a strong NW breeze, high 39, low 25.  Rain/snow Sunday, a dusting of snow Sunday night.  A stiff ENE breeze, high 38, low 30.  Cloudy Monday, a strong NW breeze, high 38, low 30.  Partly  cloudy next Tuesday and Wednesday, Brisk WNW breezes, highs 40, low 27. PM/overnight showers next Thursday, high 41, low 33,  Showers Friday the 21st, a brisk werst breeze, high 41, low 31.  Evening snow showers.  Morning snow showers Saturday the 22ed.  AM snow showers Sunday, the 23rd.  A NW breeze, high 42, low 32.  Rain/snow showers the next two days.

   Quiet this morning.  No school so the kids are sleeping in.  Except Azalea, she's delivering haay with her mom and Doug.  Yesterday the school had their annual assembly honoring veterans.  Teachers work with the students to put on a very special ceremony.

   Mabel is producing all milk now, no longer any clostrom.  So added to our to do list, using all the milk.  Thankfully her milk has lots of cream.  We use a lot of butter, coffee cream and whipped cream.  Using up the cream will be easy.

    Maegin is making a 4 foot wreath this morning.  Several businesses have ordered four foot wreaths.  When Bekah gets back they are going to fill the dehydrator with orange and lemon slices for Thanksgiving/Christmas potpourri.  When they get everything they need for potpourri dried the dehydrator will go in the garage.  A small refrigerator will go in its place.  With the milk we need more refrigerator space.

    May your day be blessed, Sally

 11/8/25  To belittle is to be little.

 Cloudy, calm, 45 degrees.  Partly cloudy this afternoon, a stiff west breeze, high 55.  Clear tonight, low 27.  Cloudy tomorrow, light ENE breeze, high 42.  Rain tomorrow night, low 33.  Rain Monday, a NE breeze, high 48.   Rain early Sunday night, low 33.  Cloudy Tuesday, a stiff west breeze, high 38, low 28. Partly cloudy Wednesday, a stiff SW breeze, high 41, low 29.  Cloudy Thursday, a brisk WNW breeze, high 43, low 29.  Partly cloudy Friday and next Saturday, brisk WNW breezes, highs 39, lows 26 and 30.  An inch of snow Saturday night.  Rain/snow showers next Sunday, a SW breeze, high 41, low 34.  Morning clouds/afternoon sun Monday the 17th, partly cloudy the 18th and 19th, Stiff WNW breezes, highs 41, lows 30.  Morning rain/snow showers Thursday the 20, showers the 21st and 22ed, NW breezes, highs about 41, lows 30.

    Yesterday I put some miles on  the truck.  I made my regular feed store run I make  every few months for chicken feed. I came home, the truck was unloaded and I went to another feed store twenty miles further away.  That feed store sells bulk grain at a much cheaper price for cows.  Mabel is already giving three and a half gallons of milk a day.  Bekah will supplement her hay with grain so she doesn't lose weight.

      I came home and started deep cleaning the large refrigerator, the one we call my refrigerator.  For months I've been promising myself I'd deep clean it as I was spot cleaning it.  Now one large shelf will be dedicated to the large beverage containers Bekah is using for milk.  Today I will finish cleaning it so it will be ready on Monday when we start saving the milk for us.

     Jay didn't get a deer even though they hunted all day.  Still hunters they are not!  They did find the remains of an old foundry.  Large stoves of rock with big iron rollers.  They are thinking of hiking back in tomorrow after church to get more and better pictures.  Neighbors who are active in the Historical Society are trying asking around, trying to find their history.

    The girls worked on wreath orders most of the day.  May your day be blessed, Sally

 11/7/25 Choose to find the joy in this journey the Lord has given us.

Clear, calm. 28 degrees.  Sun and clouds this morning, clouds this afternoon.  A SW breeze, high 41.  Rain tonight, low 37.  Morning clouds, afternoon sun tomorrow, a brisk west breeze, high 56, low 28.  Partly cloudy Sunday, a light ESE breeze, high 43.  Rain Sunday night, low 36.  Rain Monday, a strong NE breeze, high 48, low 31. Partly cloudy Tuesday, a strong west breeze, high 37, low 29. Cloudy Wednesday, a strong SW breeze, high 44, low 31.Partly cloudy Thursday, next Friday and next Saturday, stiff WNW breezes, highs 42 to 38, lows 28 to 26.  Rain/ snow Sunday the 16th and Monday the 17th, stiff NW breezes, highs 39, lows 29.  Partly cloudy the 18th and 19th, brisk NW breezes, hghs 40, lows 28.  Rain/snow showers the next two days.

   Mabel calved, milking twice a day is back on the farm.  Bekah, new to milking, and Mabel new to milking are doing very well.  Mabel stood quietly why Bekah got the hang of getting all four teat cups on her udder.  The new milking machine worked like a charm.

   The winds didn't do any damage and we never lost powder.  We will be taking advantage of the few quiet days to finish buttoning up.  The chimney will be cleaned.  The pellet stove in the front room is burning.  Wreath making will be on the back burner for a few days.  Today and tomorrow they will finish putting a roof on Maegin's trailer.  Hopefully the power company will hook up the power soon.

    No deer yet.  May your day be blessed, Sally

11/6/25  Exercise should be regarded as a tribute to the heart.

Clouds, calm, 40 degrees.  Sun and clouds today with strong, gusty NW winds, high 44.  Clear tonight, a brisk west breeze, low 28.  Cloudy tomorrow, a SW breeze, high 42.  Rain tomorrow night, low 37.  Sunshine Saturday, a stiff west breeze, high 56, low 28.  PM showers Sunday, rain/snow showers Sunday night.  A NE breeze, high 43, low 36.  Rain showers Monday, snow showers Monday night.  A NNE breeze, high 44, low 30.  Mostly cloudy Tuesday, a light west wind, high 36, low 28. Mostly cloudy Wednesday, a strong SW breeze, high 44, low 31. Mostly cloudy next Thursday, a strong west breeze, high 43, low 27.  Partly cloudy next Friday, a strong WNW breeze, high 39, low 27.  Partly cloudy next Saturday, a stiff NW breeze, high 39, low 29.  Rain/ snow showers Saturday  night through Tuesday morning. A brisk west breeze Sunday the 16th, high 42, low

36.A stiff west breeze Monday, the 11th, high 43. low 31.  A brisk WNW beeze the next three days, highs about 42, lows about 31.  Partly cloudy Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday, rain/ snow showers Thursday.

     Mabel had her calf.  Milking will now be folded into Bekah's routine.  It will be colstrom milk for a few days, then milk for us.  And our own butter, whipping cream and yogurt.  It depends on  the volume of milk if Bekah branches into cheeses.

     Only a few more pumpkins to process, then butternut squash.  There are lots of ways to cook with pumpkin but so far everyone wants pumpkin pie.  Pumpkins and winter squash can be washed with one part bleach to nine parts water, dried and then stored in a cool, dry place.  A lot of our pumpkins and squash had small blemishes so I wasn't sure how long they would keep.  Plus toys have taken over the place I usually store squash.

   A few days ago I wrote about cutting back phlox.  I should have said tall summer phlox, not the spring creeping phlox.

   May your day be blessed, Sally

 11/5/25  Happiness If you look for perfection, you will never be satisfied. Leo Tolstoy

Sunshine, 34  degrees.  afternoon clouds, possible showers.  High 47 with a SW breeze.  Rain tonight, some snow mixing in, a strong NNE breeze, low 37.  Mostly cloudy tomorrow, strong, gusty NW winds, high 44, low 29.  Cloudy Friday, a SW breeze, high 41, low 36.  Occasional rain Friday night.  Morning showers Saturday, a west breeze, high 55, low 32. Afternoon rain Sunday and Sunday night.  An ENE breeze, high 45, low 40.  Rain/snow showers Monday, a brisk WNW breeze, high 43.  Low 28 Monday night with snow showers. Partly cloudy Tuesday, a west wind, high 34, low 28.  Mostly cloudy next Wednesday and Thursday, west breezes, highs about 40, lows 31 and 28.  Partly cloudy next Friday and Saturday, brisk west breezes, highs about 40.  Lows 29 and 33.  Rain showers Saturday night. Rain/snow showers Sunday the 16th, a brisk west breeze, high 44, low 32. Rain showers Monday the 17th and Tuesday the 18th. Stiff WNW breezes, highs about 42, lows about 30.  Freezing rain Tuesday night.  Showers Wednesday the 19th, rain/snow showers Wednesday night.

   Yesterday was windy, I had to brace myself against it when I walked out to care for the hens.   But not as bad as forecast, the straw stayed on the garlic.  Jay walked up and down the rows packing the straw down, thankful for the little rain we had.

   After delivering hay Bekah worked on wreaths.  A lovely one is on my door.  Early but it shows the quality of the wreaths the girls make  .Mostly they take orders.

   The flag can't stay up until Veteran's Day.  All this wind is tearing it up.  Lots of last minute things to do as winter approaches.

May your day be blessed, Sally