2/13/26  Soft hands and an empty pantry won't serve you when the world gets hard.  Learn to do things.

Clear and 13 degrees.  Sunshine today, a stiff NW breeze, high 32.  Clear tonight, low -3.  The warm spell forecast a week ago has gotten much shorter.  Don't put your sap buckets out yet.  Mostly cloudy Saturday, a west breeze, high 35, low 9.  Partly cloudy Sunday, a brisk NNW breeze, high 33, low 9.  Cloudy Monday, a SSW breeze, high 37, low 26.  Snow showers Monday night.  Snow showers Tuesday morning, a SW breeze, high 40. low 27.  Partly cloudy Wednesday, a stiff NW breeze, high 36, low 14.  Partly cloudy Thursday, a NNW breeze, high 34, low 5.  1-3 inches of snow next Friday, a north breeze, high 29, low 16. Partly cloudy next Saturday, a brisk NW breeze, high 32, low 16.  Sunshine next Sunday, a brisk NW breeze, high 36, low 11.  Clouds the first three days the week of the 23, snow at the end of the week.  How much changes every day.  Brisk NW breezes all week with highs around  30.  Lows around 11 until Friday.  Friday's low 16.

    Even though I have lights making the hens days longer, the naturally longer days are triggering the hens to lay more.  The pullets are laying nearly 100% and the old hens have all their new feathers and are starting to lay again. Warmer temperatures may be helping.  No ice in their water buckets.  Deviled eggs for an after school snack today!  A few times this winter there were no eggs in the "eggs and milk for sale" refrigerator.  Now there are enough to keep it full. There are two refrigerators in the house entryway. one for grass fed hamburger, one for milk and eggs.  Self-service.  Customers just walk in, choose what they want and put payment in the money jar.

    Lots of green showing in the germination trays.  Giving the tiny seedlings TLC is now on Bekah's to do list every day. Filling the bird feeders after the birds go to roost is on my list every day..  I forgot last night so I was out there just before daylight.  I could fill the feeders during the day, there are times the birds all seem to take a break.  But they often take their break right there in the kitchen garden, hiding in the bushes or Christmas tree.  Yesterday several doves were lined up, dozing in the sun.  I don't like to disturb them.

    May your day be blessed, Sally

    

 2/12/26  Love in your heart wasn't put there to stay. Love isn't love until it's given away.

Thin clouds, 25 degrees.  Partly cloudy, a strong WNW breeze, high 33.  Clear tonight. a NW breeze, low 11.  Sunshine tomorrow, a stiff NW breeze, high 32, low 5.  Cloudy Saturday, a north breeze, high 35, low 12.  Sunshine Sunday, a NW breeze, high 34, low 10.  Partly cloudy Monday, a south breeze, high 37, low 25. Morning clouds /afternoon sun Tuesday, a WSW breeze, high 41, low 27. Rain/snow showers Wednesday, a WNW breeze, high 40, low 19.  1-3 inches of snow and ice Wednesday night.  Morning snow showers next Thursday, a north breeze, high 35, low 10.  Morning snow showers next Friday, a brisk NNW breeze, high 32, low 12.  Partly cloudy next Saturday, a NNW breeze, high 30, low 15.   Morning snow showers next Sunday, a NNw breeze, high 34, low 14.  Snow showers the week of the 23rd with significant snow at the end of the week. Highs around 30, lows around 10.

     I've been looking for bulbs for one of our shop lights we use for plants.  The light is only two years old and I can't find bulbs to fit it.  Probably we'll just buy another light. When  I bought them, they looked different from other lights.  I thought it was because they were led. An Education!  There are times when a trip to the local hardware store is wiser than Amazon.

    It doesn't look like there will be any sun to help warm up the greenhouse the week we start the fires.  I just read a maple syrup forecast .  It said March weather looked like warm days and chilly nights, perfect sugaring weather.  A good snow pack helps.

    I'm starting a raising bees class today.  And catching up on some classes I missed last month.  First I need to vacuum the front room rug.. I dusted it with baking soda last night.  Spring cleaning is starting in that room.

   May your day be blessed, Sally

 2/11/26  The garden is resting but the gardener is dreaming.

Cloudy, calm, 24 degrees.  2-3 inches of snow overnight. Snow showers this afternoon.  A NNW breeze, high 32.  A few snow showers tonight, a brisk NNW breeze, low 23.  Partly cloudy tomorrow, a strong NNW breeze, high 33, low 12.  Sunshine Friday, a strong NW breeze, high 33, low 6.Partly cloudy Saturday and Sunday, NW breezes, highs 36, lows 15.  Cloudy Monday, a NW breeze, high 40, low 22.  Partly cloudy Tuesday, a NW breeze, high 43, low 23.  PM showers Wednesday, a west breeze, high 41, low 27.  Rain/ freezing rain next Thursday, a north breeze, high 39, low 22.  1-3 inches of afternoon snow showers next Friday, a strong NE breeze, high 32, low 18.  Snow showers next Saturday, a NNW breeze, high 34, low 16.  Clouds Sunday the 22ed and Monday the 23rs, brisk NW breezes, highs about 30, lows 11.  Snow showers Tuesday the 24t and Wednesday the 25th, NW breezes, highs 28, lows 10.

     The snow didn't amount to much.  Just covered up the icy spots so we'll have to be careful. Lots of snow showers in the forecast but no big storms.  I said no more single numbers, Friday night may make me a liar.  But one single number out of 14 isn't too bad.  The house is warming up and we aren't as worried about the eggs freezing or the animals' water freezing.

      Spring cleaning starts today.   This room still has items from the benefit that the winners haven't picked up sitting around.  We'll start in a different room.  The cookie jar needs to be filled.  And there isn't any cottage cheese.  The to-do list is never ending!

    May your day be blessed, Sally

     

2/9/26  If February gives much snow,  A fine summer it doth foreshow.  –Weather folklore

Clear, calm, 10 degrees.  Sunshine today, a light WNW breeze, high 31.  1-3 inches of snow tonight, low  19.  1-3 inches of snow tomorrow morning, a north breeze, high 32, low 20.  Partly cloudy Thursday, a strong NW breeze, high 32, low 12. Sunshine Friday, stiff WNW breeze, high 33, low 7.  Partly cloudy Saturday, a WNW breeze, high 35, low 10. Sunshine Sunday, a NW breeze, high 36, low 15.  Cloudy Monday, an ESE breeze, high 40, low 22.  1-3 inches of snow Monday night. Mostly cloudy next Tuesday, a NW breeze, high 40, low 22.  Partly cloudy next Wednesday, a NW breeze, high 38, low 19.  Partly cloudy next Thursday, a NW breeze, high 34, low 19,  Snow showers Thursday night.  Snow showers Friday, the 20th, a brisk NW breeze, high 33, low 17. Partly cloudy the weekend of the 21st and 22ed, highs about 30, lows about 10.  Snow showers Sunday night.  Snow showers Monday the 23rd, a NW breeze, high 7, low 10.  A brisk NW breeze Tuesday the 24th, cloudy, high 27, low 10.

    Bekah had seventeen packets of flower seeds to plant yesterday.  They spent the afternoon putting wood in the greenhouse back room.  They'll fill it today before it gets snowed on.  Forecasters are going back and forth from 1-3 to 3-5 and back for tonight's snow totals.

    One of Bekah's lights isn't working.  I have a doctor's appointment today, so I can pick up a package of bulbs.  Most of the winners have picked up what they won.  Now there is room for a table in front of the window to put the rhubarb on when it is transplanted.

    May your day be blessed, Sally

 2/9/26  Winter is the time for comfort, good food and warmth.

Clear, calm, 4 degrees.  Sunshine today with a stiff NW breeze, a high of 24. Clear tonight, a low of 4 with a NW breeze. Sunshine tomorrow, a WSW breeze, a high of 31, low 14.  1-3 inches of snow tomorrow night.  1-3 inches of snow Wednesday, a stiff NE breeze, high 31, low 20.  Partly cloudy Thursday, a stiff NNW breeze, high 33, low 11.  Sunshine Friday, a north breeze, high 32, low 10. Partly cloudy Saturday, a NW breeze, high 35, low 10.  Partly cloudy Sunday, a NW breeze, high 38, low 19.  1-3 inches of snow Sunday night.  1-3 inches of snow next Monday, a NE breeze, high 38, low 23.  Mostly cloudy next Tuesday, a stiff NNW breeze, high 39, low 23.  Snow showers next Wednesday, a brisk NNW breeze, hgh 37, low 19.  1-3 inches of snow Thursday PM, the 19th, a NNW breeze, high 35, low 19.  1-3 inches of snow Friday the 20th, a NNW breeze, high 33, low 16.  Partly cloudy the weekend of the 21st and 22ed and Monday the 23rd, brisk NW breezes, highs about 29, lows 11.

   A new week,  sun is pouring in the windows, one more night of single numbers.  Two weeks from today we'll be deciding which day to start the greenhouse fires.It is good to have snow piled up against the greenhouse, helps with the heat.  But not too much, greenhouses can't handle a lot of weight.  Greenhouse walls will have to be watched closely.  Starting Wednesday germination shelves will start filling  up with seed trays.  Some seeds that germinate slowly have been planted and are showing a hint of green.

   Two weeks to get spring cleaning done.   Winter curtains come down, spring/summer curtains go up a month before spring in this house.  Come 3/20 the greenhouse is taking all our time.  March 1st seems like spring to us, the 1st greenhouse is warm, smelling of damp soil by 3/1.  By Friday morning March 20th, the official first day of spring, the second greenhouse is up and warm.

    May your day be blessed, Sally

 2/8/26   Above all, Love each other deeply. 1 Peter 4:8

 A few clouds, calm, 6 degrees,  Sun and clouds today, Sun and clouds today, strong NW breezes, highs 20, low 4. Sunshine tomorrow, a strong NW breeze, high 24, low 5.  Sunshine Tuesday, a NW breeze, high 31, low 17.  1-3 inches of snow Tuesday night.   A NNE breeze Wednesday with snow showers, high 31, low 21.  Lots of snow showers in the forecast for the next ten days but not much accumulation.  Highs in the thirties.  No single numbers for lows.

     Last night's benefit was a success.  Lots of money was raised but the real success was the way the community came together , supporting Barbie and the rest of the family  with love and caring.  Barbie, Rachael and Evan got there at four, not planning to stay all evening.  But they did stay because people made it a special evening, surrounding them with sunshine and warmth.

     May your day be blessed, Sally

 2/7/26   People do not recognize an opportunity when they meet it is because it usually goes around wearing overalls and looking like Hard Work.

Cloudy, calm 10 degrees.  Clouds, snow flurries, a north breeze and a high of 25 today.  Cloudy tonight, a brisk NNW breeze, low 8.  Partly cloudy tomorrow, a light NW wind, high 19, low 4.  Sunshine Monday, a strong NW breeze, high 23, low 7.  Sunshine Tuesday, a NW breeze, high 32, low 14.  Snow showers Tuesday night. Snow showers Wednesday, a NW breeze, high 32, low 23.  Cloudy Thursday and Friday, north breezes, highs 35, lows 15.  Partly cloudy next Saturday, Sunday and Monday, NW breezes, highs about 36, lows 14,16, and 20.  Cloudy Tuesday the 17th, a NW breeze, high 38 and 23.  Rain/snow showers Wednesday the 18th, a SW breeze, high38, low 25.  Rain/snow Thursday the 19th, a NW breeze, high35, low 18.  Partly cloudy Friday the 20th, A NW breeze, high34, low 17.  1-3 inches of snow Saturday the 21st, a stiff NW breeze, hgh 31, low 14.

    This room is filled up again with items for the silent auction.  There will be something there for everyone.Bekah, Darel's Heather, Maegin and Lexi worked cataloging and setting up the paperwork yesterday.  Today our other Heather will take over the cataloging and paperwork.  When the town team basketball practice gets over at nine-thirty everyone will start setting up.  Everyone but me,  I'll keep the home fires burning.  A lot of the donors have chosen to be anonymous.

    I'll also be calling the provider of my medical alert button.  My old button had stopped charging.  At four yesterday I set up the new one.  At ten last night everyone listed on my information got a call that I had an emergency.  I was asleep, the button sitting on my desk.  I think when I was pushing the button with the provider to test it she forgot to flag it resolved.  But I need to check, no one needs that kind of stress.

    Monday the greenhouse will move to the top of the list.  Some plant requests have come in. People start thinking spring as the days get longer.  Bekah will be checking to see if she can add them to any of the orders.  In our minds Valentine's Day means the start of planting seeds nearly every day.  This week both Bekah and I will go over the planting schedule to make sure every flower and vegetable has a planting date  scheduled.

   May your day be blessed.  Sally