Looking Back..2010, Looking Ahead...2011

Happy New Year to you all, 
and thank you for your patience.
I so enjoyed the holiday season,
spent with family.
We cooked, we ate, we played, we laughed...
a chance to connect and enjoy each other's company...
all together...
several generations.
Our lives are full of blessings for sure!

But the holidays are over now.
That enormous 12+ foot tree that graced our great room was chain-sawed (yes, right there in the living room) and taken out of the house in three pieces.  Those pieces are  now in the goat pens...
a delicacy for our goatie friends.

Looking back at 2010 reminds me of so many farm stories.
There was menacing Hank,

and our dear departed MoJo,

the addition of sassy little Scarlett...

not to mention 3 canine friends
young Sam and Oakley

and little old Hickory

 who joined our clan.

Our feathered flock grew by leaps and bounds
with chicks who matured into fine layers,

ducklings,
who have grown and continue to thrive on our pond,


and baby turkeys, that matured into quite lovely creatures,
 and are now just pets....


All of whom are still happy, healthy and safe from predators
largely due to Oakley's daily forest forays.

We converted our vegetable patch to raised beds and jumped
headlong into container gardening. 


 Happily, we had one prolific garden
harvest and continue to enjoy the fruits of our labor from our overflowing freezer and pantry shelves.

Looking ahead....

Well, I am spending my free time perusing the seed catalogs,
getting an order ready for this coming spring.  I hope to add some exciting variety to our vegetable garden.   I have ordered a playhouse that will sit in one corner of the garden...
a safe place for Tyler to play while Grammie gardens!

I cannot wait to move my salad table up to the house.

Here I will grow lettuce and spinach for fresh homegrown salads.

I have already placed an order for a flock of Cuckoo Marans

 (chocolate egg layers).  

These chicks will arrive in the beginning of April.


Then, in mid-July, a new flock of guinea keats arrive.  I ordered a batch of mixed breeds hoping to get some unusual colors.  I am sure that my three surviving guineas will be ecstatic when their new friends join them for free ranging around the farm!


This Thursday, Becky and I are heading off on a little journey to look at a red goat buckling who, we hope, will eventually mate with our red haired gals, O'Malley and her daughter Sally.
O'Malley in her summer coat...post delivery of baby Sally.

I hope to start working with Red and Ollie this Spring in the big arena.  Ollie shows great potential as a mini jumper.  Who knows, maybe we will have a little Miniature horse show for you by the end of summer.  We'll have to see about that.

I have more ideas percolating in my brain and will use the coming
winter months to sort them out and make plans.
I look forward to sharing them with you.

Lastly, I want to thank all of you who enjoy following my blog.  I enjoy your comments and usually visit your blogs in return...although I admit I am not always good about leaving comments.  My New Year's Resolution is to try to be better about leaving comments for others.  It's wonderful to have friends with whom to share this journey.
Thanks for being there!!


Comments

Unknown said…
And I love visiting your blog almost every day. You are an inspiration. Many thanks, and a prayer that you will continue sharing your little bit of paradise.
Junebug said…
Thank you for the look back at 2010. I will be here following you into 2011 and look forward to all the fun at the farm. Happpy New Year!
This N That said…
SO..whatcha got planned for 2011???
I doubt that your brain ever rests..that's a good thing for without it, BeeHaven Acres wouldn't be the nurturing "Bee hive" of interesting and fun activities that it is...(Love the little playhouse)...
Ms. Bake-it said…
Loved the 2010 recap as well as the peek as to what 2011 holds for Bee Haven Acres! I love to visit and see what the residents of Bee Haven Acres have been up to.

~ Tracy
Farm Girl said…
Lovely year and lovely post, I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoy my Cuckoo Marans. They are just a great hen and the eggs are beautiful. If I was getting chickens this year, I would get more, I do really enjoy them.
Dianne said…
Lovely post. Enjoyed the pics as always. Happy New Year!
Wow what a great year. I am a new follower to your blog so this recap of the year was really nice.
Unknown said…
I love visiting your blog everyday. Wonderful recap of the year! You certainly accomplished a lot this year. I don't know how you find the time for all of it! Have a wonderful 2011!
Sandy said…
Thanks for the great year visiting your farm and all the animals! I look forward to 2011 at Bee Haven Acres.