Monday Drivel

I'll guess you won't be surprised when I tell you that it is still cold here.


And Sunday graced us with more snow.


Which we needed...
just to top off all the ice.



Every step we take outside is treacherous.
I can't tell you how many falls I have had in the past week.
So many I am thinking of changing my name to Grace (sorry Grace)!



The goats come out of their houses only to eat...
and skate on the top of the frozen ice-covered snow.



Luckily, we are all still in one piece.




Grazing our way through the winter.
Hay for horses...


Monster popovers for humans!


We've been spending as much time by the fire as possible.
Which is great, because lots of knitting is being done.

This farmgirl scarf was a gift for a friend.
(It has no ends to get caught in farm equipment...hence the name.)


This piece will become a headband like the one pictured...
I am doing my own interpretation, however...with a cable added.


So life continues with a quiet rhythm...
tending to the needs of the animals, household chores, cooking, knitting.

And although we usually think of winter as a time of rest...
gearing up for the business of spring and summer gardening and outdoor chores...


I have to say...this winter has been rather exhausting!


I'm still not complaining, though.
All of this cold and snow and ice will make Spring all the more lovely to behold
when she finally arrives.
The days are getting longer and birdsong once again fills the morning air...
so it won't be long!


Even the guineas (with the exception of one) have had enough winter.
They spend their time in one of the chicken coops.
(Driving the hens mad with their infernal noise!)

PS:  love the chicken waterers...since we installed them, 
we no longer get flocks of wild birds roosting in the henhouse.  
They cannot drink from the waterers due to their height.  
And I believe it was water they were after.

The only drawback to these waterers is the fact that they do tend to drip a little,
so there is always a wet spot beneath them.
I have installed a rubber stall mat on the floor of the henhouse to keep this
moisture from rotting the floor.

Otherwise...a big win!












Comments

daisy g said…
Your knitting is lovely! What a wonderful way to spend the cold winter.
Sending sunshine your way!
colleen said…
Good Morning. Nice refreshing morning read!! In the beginning I thought...enough of the snow and ice already :) ... then we get onto knitting, ahhhh.... then dreaming about spring and the garden to come.. I made myself an infinity scarf it is the warmest ever. I love the new twist (cable) you put on the retro scarf!! Well I put my knitting down just long enough to check in on Bee Haven Acres now I must get back at it. Have a great day!!
Cleats! please get some cleats so you don't fall anymore!
Wish I could send you some of our beautiful Tampa weather. It couldn't be beat yesterday. First Sunday with blue skies in longer than I can remember. (So unfair nice during the week, only to cloud up and rain on the weekend...imagine, me whining about weekdays in the high 70s...and I'm not bragging...well...maybe. But your part of the world has its beauty too.)

jaz@octoberfarm said…
i have never made popovers and i have no idea why. i don't think i've ever eaten a popover. weird! we got snow all day yesterday too. i just hope cold weather killed some stink bugs!
Anonymous said…
Glad to know everyone is doing okay and getting through this harsh winter. We have a snowstorm on the way on the 12th. Sounds like it could be a doozie. Love that scarf and the headband by the way... xox
Bee Haven Bev said…
Good morning.

Popovers, hot out of the oven with butter and jam...to die for!!! Best breakfast ever....and high in protein because of the eggs!!
I use this recipe...try it....so simple and the ingredients are basic! RECIPE FOR POPOVERS
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/popovers-recipe

We have been lucky....almost no stink bugs here on the farm. In town they are terrible....so they can just stay there!!!

Have a great day!
Bee Haven Bev said…
HAHA...tell that to my frozen toes!! Enjoy your sunshine! :)
Bee Haven Bev said…
I actually put yak traks on the bottom of my muck boots yesterday....but it is still hard navigating the ice and snow mounds. We just need a little thaw!!
Junebug said…
I think I would get cabin fever if I had snow that long. We are gong on day five but I an required to show up at work!. So no cabin fever for me. We got freezing rain on top of the snow so it is also very treacherous out, I dug a path from the house to the coop and then sanded it. I think your coop might be a little far, LOL! I also got the new water and I sure hope they are using it. I have one tiny bantam so it was a challenge at the height to hang it. Let's stay warm and have happy Sprng thoughts!, Hugs!!
Anonymous said…
You need to order you some type of ice grippers (http://www.amazon.com/Stabilicers-Lite-Ice-Cleats-SM/dp/B000GUEAUK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392042446&sr=8-1&keywords=shoe+ice+grippers ) so you won't fall! marsha@tubbslanefarm.com
Anonymous said…
Those popovers look wonderful! Thanks for sharing the recipe. Beautiful scarves as well!

Sorry to hear your chicken waterers are dripping. Try the Premier1 chicken nipples with the rubber gasket. Those do not drip in my coops at all. You will not be disappointed.

I have had enough of this winter. What did our farming ancestors do to keep their stock hydrated in the winter without the benefit of heated waterers I wonder? Hauling buckets and chipping lots of ice I suppose! I sure do miss my hose!! This winter has been an exhausting one caring for our animals, I can commiserate with you on that.

Think Spring!

Heather in PA

Bee Haven Bev said…
Thanks Heather....I will order some and change them out!
Country Gal said…
Morning .
Lovely photos . It is cold but sunny here today , we had snow falling all weekend ! Yes it can get pretty slippery around the place ! Hope your butt is better after all the falls . Thanks for sharing and be careful out there ! Have a good day !
happyone said…
Your blog has become one of my favorites. : ) I so enjoy stopping off here. Have a great day.
Unknown said…
I wish mother nature would split her time equally between the east coast and the west coast, because she seems to like you all better. We did get some significant rain, but we need so much more of it. Happy Monday to you and stay upright!
Patty Sumner said…
Great photos's I can just see in the faces of the animals how what they are thinking about Winter...It is amazing how a great pic tells the story. Your scarf looks warm and the headband is going to be great too.. I know Spring is going to be extra special for me this year.. I know God is allowing everything just to rest..and Spring will burst forth with beautiful color and life.. Have a great week. Blessings!
Bee Haven Bev said…
So much in life is a matter of perspective, isn't it? I have to admit I have had my moments of melt down, asking why Mother Nature is punishing us like this! But given the two choices, I would rather have a little too much precipitation than not enough. I would gladly wrap up all this snow and ice and send it your way, so that it could melt down into much needed water for you all!!
Bee Haven Bev said…
I am on headband #2 now....loved the way the first turned out. And yes...I agree...Spring will be the best gift ever!!
Ellen in Oregon said…
The animals seem to be handling the cold weather pretty well. Although the goats don't look thrilled & I'm sure the hens would like to throw the guineas out of the hen house. I how much harder chores are to do when the weather is treacherous. The foot of snow & ice we had in Oregon is starting to melt today and temps are almost above freezing. They say we will be back to 45 degrees tomorrow and have a week of rain that we so desperately need with the drought conditions this Winter.
Your Farm Girl scarf is beautiful with all the Wintry neutral colors. Someone was thinking when they made a pattern minus the fringe that can be so dangerous around farm equipment. What a great handcrafted gift to give your friend. The headband is very pretty& adding the cable really goves it some character.
Your popovers are humongous! Popovers prove that some of the best things to eat are those that require minimal ingredients & can be ready for the oven in a few minutes. Have you ever tried adding some orange or lemon zest to the batter? It really adds a nice bit of flavor & aroma when eating them with butter & homemade jam. A pinch of thyme, savory or tarragon gives a nice savory taste..
Our snow storm is over & should start melting this afternoon once temps. are above freezing. I hope warmer weather finds it's way to your place soon. I'm sure you could use a break from the eternal cold & falling on the ice can get really old really fast.
Bee Haven Bev said…
Well, Ellen, I hear that warmer weather (30's) is heading our way next week. Tonight, however, is to dip down close to 0. Yikes! Yes....a little warmer weather would be a welcomed break. But I have come to the conclusion that "it will be what it will be" and so, powerless to change it, I trudge on! Great ideas for flavoring the popovers! Thank you.
As for the scarf...I had no pattern, just wrote down a pattern for the cable, etc and started knitting. I made it long enough for once around the neck with a little hanging for bulk....sort of similar to those infinity scarves...but much shorter. Scarves are dangerous on a farm!
I hope your snow melts quickly and that you get back to your great maritime climate!
This N That said…
OMG..Just saw the weather forecast..A foot of snow on Thursday..Snow showers Thurs and over the weekend..I could just cry!! Every time walking gets a little better, it gets a lot worse..I lost a pair of Yak Traks in the snow last week..Guess they got caught on the ice covering the snow... Love your scarves..They look great..
Popovers !! Yum... Me want :) xxoo
Lynne said…
A warm up is on the way . . . "they" say!
Sarah said…
Wow! Your knitting is gorgeous! I can handle a basic scarf...that's it!
Bee Haven Bev said…
Sarah...don't be afraid to try other things. There are great instructive videos on You Tube for anything you might want to try! That's how I learned...and am still learning. I just decided that one could have just so many scarves. So I decided to push myself outside my comfort zone and I am really enjoying it. You can too!