The Busy Season

Hello, friends.  Last week, I downloaded a free Amazon first read book, and sewed a button on a shirt.  Our upright freezer didn't get fully closed again, and defrosted overnight.  This makes five or six times over the past few years.  J had a good bit of meat in it.  He cooked up all the chicken, and refroze it for himself.  Quite a bit of other meat had been previously cooked, so he put it all in a pot, cooked and froze it in portions for Guinness.  He's loving it.  The chickens got some too, and were happy campers.  I'm not really worried about fruits and vegetables, but will try to use them up quickly.  The good news is J got a freezer alarm, to alert us if the temperature rises.  I think that's a great idea, because it's obvious it happens much too easily.  The chicken bones, skin and bits were simmered, then got canned up (without the bones) for future meals for Guinness.  The bones will go in the compost, so nothing will be wasted.

  

I'd been using bird strike stickers on the windows near the bird feeders, but they don't last long before degrading, so that they're no longer effective.  This time, I decided to put up a grid, purchased from Audubon.  It supposedly lasts 10 years.  Before applying it, we were getting lots of bird strikes, and we've not gotten one since.  I'd say that's a success.  I've been wanting to clean up the asparagus beds, and got started on it.  A good thing too, as I saw several 1" tall asparagus poking up.  They'll likely get killed back with the nights in the 20's this week, but maybe this will be the last of the frigid temps.  

I met my sister and niece on Friday, and we thrifted three places, then had dinner.  None of us found much, but I did find the perfect basket, to fit in a long space, under the dinette in the skoolie.  It will make getting things in and out of there much easier.  On Saturday, I went with a friend to see Temple Grandin.  She was delightful.  I was pleased to hear the event was sold out.   She was at another local venue the day before, and it was sold out as well.  One of the things she spoke about was how the world needs various kinds of thinkers, working in collaboration.  The diversity of humanity really is a strength.  Due to cold weather, our chicks did not ship as planned, and are supposed to arrive late this week.  J closed in the area below their coop, so none of the little gals can get under there.  He put up new gates on one end of the garden, and at the chicken yard, so he can get to the compost area with the tractor.  I picked up a six pack of chard, and prepped a bed for it Sunday.  When I started planting, I realized I got three bonus plants.  As I had run out of time, space and oomph, those will have to wait for another day.  I's a good problem to have.  Lots of the planted seeds have sprouted.  It's quickly turning into the busy season around here.