Tangle Tree Ranch

We got spring, and the snow is gone, all gone. So now we must hope for a fast dry up, so the sloppy yard dries fast. I have been stucked in the mud, so I hope to avoid that.

I could not stand straight this morning, so to my friend the chiropractor I went. Now life is good, 2 rooms somewhat cleaned, a puppy might be sold, 2 children in bed, and it is not 9pm, yet.

Life is good, most days, you just have to look around for the bright spots on the days that are not so great. I know it is hard to do, but it could always be worse.

When we lost our stallion a few years back, we came from a wake for an infant girl. Thru our grief with the loss of our Norwegian Dole horse stallion, we had to remind our self where we had been a few hours earlier. I have promised myself to always look for the best, even on bad days. 

36F that is snowman building weather, So Bob took our oldest child out side, and they made 2 snow men. Both of the snow men are on cross country skies, like any good Norske would be in this beautiful weather. I am sick, it started with being nauseous,  then tired and more tired, I have slept and slept, and want to sleep some more. I hope I am back to normal tomorrow, I have things to do. Bob had to stay home from work, to take care of our children. I have not been to good of help, I kept the little one with me for his nap, that is all I have contributed to this family today.

We are still trying to decide what to do for this summer, but I believe we will start seeding this weekend. I will get peppers, some flowers and artichokes going.

Yes, we got a snowstorm in, not too bad of one, but no school tomorrow. So I can sleep in, as much as you can with a baby in the house. But we have some doings in Grand Forks tomorrow, so we got to make it out of here. The roads are not too bad, but who knows by morning.

This is life on the prairie,  snow and wind can make life interesting. But never boring. I need to pick up vermiculite in Grand Forks, so I can start our seeds. There are a few bags of seeds, trust me. So they have to get started. 

I just did 4 loads of laundry, and no dryer, just clothes line in the house, made a pie, a snack bar, supper and hot lunch. Not bad......

Our family of 3 have become 4, no I did not hid my pregnancy from you guys. I was not pregnant, we are adopting, a boy, 3 month old. He came to use on the 5th, but finally our blog is fixed, so I could tell you. 

He is adjusting well, and so are we, well almost. I am getting used to get sleep when I can, and I enjoy getting up to feed him. 

We might have to do some thinking about this summer, but I am sure we will find out before April, how we are going to do things, and get it done. If not all, but what needs to be done. On a farm you are never done, you just switch seasons, and work tasks.

Books and more books, no not the reading kind, well, you can read the numbers, but there is not more text. Mostly numbers.

You got it, I am preparing for our taxes, so we can pay what we owe, or get money back. We do not mind paying taxes, as long as it is fair. So I guess I hope it is fair, I mean the tax laws, I can hear some of you laugh, well I am blond, so I am using this to my advantage for this tax issue. 

Let us talk about more fun issues, like house cleaning, wood cutting, and laundry. You say that is not fun, well we make it fun and a family affair. Everybody helps, it goes faster, is more fun and we spend time together.

We got snow last night, so now we can ski, cross country ski. Our daughter likes to put her skies on, and take her puppies for a run. It is a nice sight.

I am not sure what tomorrow will bring, but cats are to meet the vet, for fixing issues, so no more kittens.

I like seed catalogs, dream of spring and summer, enjoy growing different looking vegetables. In my head I have plans for low tunnels, high tunnel and green house. The last one passive heated from the sun, maybe a circulation fan run off a solar panel. 

Does this sounds like fun, or just plane work????

For me it is work on something that is fun, so I guess I get the best of 2 worlds. I am lucky, do you not agree??

Yes, the miserable weather is here, and I do not enjoy it. Bob did the outside chores today, so I have stayed in the house. I have made Norwegian brown cheese, kept the house warm, cleaned and tried to de-cluttered. This will be a never ending project, but I know I will win. It is going to take time, but organized it will become.

Our sick goat is still not walking, but she eats and drinks, so she is not dead. I think we will keep trying for another week or so. You just never know........

Well, thank heaven the pipes in the kitchen did not freeze up, just the bathroom sink.But I am making cheese tonight, and thawing out frozen pipes. What a combo, you just can not buy that on in the drive thru.

The pipes for the bathroom sink is rum a bit odd, sorry Doug, but it is straight out dumb. It freezes once every winter, so this summer I am rerouteing the pipes. I have 2 heathers going, and is waiting, something I do not always do patiently, but I am trying.

The cheese is in the press for the night, actually until tomorrow afternoon, so we will see how that turns out in about 6 weeks. I just made farm cheddar, but the real reason I made cheese: I need the whey.  I make Norsk brunost of it.  If you think cheese is spendy, try to look for the price of Ski Queen cheese from Norway, or Norwegian Goat cheese. I payed enough for a small chunk, to feed 4 goats for a year. So I am again making my own.  I have made it before.

My family NEVER stopped making cheese, so I am the eminent generation making cheese. My Mom makes cheese, my Grand Ma did, her mom did and so on. I like home made cheese, and will teach our child to do so. My future milk cows, Anabel and Tinkerbell, are heavy with calves, so I am closer every day to my own, farm raised milk. I get water in my mouth just by writing about it.

I guess when you are not afraid of work, you can enjoy the bountys of you own seeding.

I know we are not certified organic, but we strive to do everything we can the organic way.  This is the issue for alot of small producer like us, so I know we are not the lone ranger in this field.

I have actually been called The Lone Ranger. That happened while I was herding cattle up in the mountains of Norway, on my trusty mount Silver. Yes, my Døla horse, from Norway, that I brought with me, is Silver. He is a sorrel gelding, and is mine, all mine. Well, Bob and our child can ride him, now, but he tried to buck Bob off the first years we where married. So talk about being protective of his owner. 

We are in full swing on seed ordering, and plant schedule. All those event that says SPRING. It is cold out side minus 2F and wind, so it is cold. I have to get outside to cut up some wood. Not my favorite, but ok.

PS the wood is not certified organic, that I know for sure. I even know it is lazed with spray, but it burns the same.

So long, stay warm, and remember USDA.

So, since I have done nothing, Bob have hauled out manure from one of our barns. A job that is nice to get done, before it gets too cold or hot.  He spread the black gold on our garden plot, so we are ahead of schedule for this spring.

So, I just did nothing, grounded feed, fed poultry, goats, peafowl, one load of laundry, made lunch and supper, put Christmas decorations away, started to clean house. Worked on our tangletreeranchcsa.com website. All of these things take time.

He came back, or Bob found him in the trees, on the ground, almost like he was waiting to be caught. Maybe he missed his other friends. We have 4 peafowl, Thelma and Luise, our peafowl hens, and 2 male, who are nameless. I am not sure what to name them. Maybe Houdini and Sherlock. I do not know, but I will find name for them, sooner or later.

Other that that, we have not thing planed for tomorrow, or this weekend. But I am sure we will have a plan by tomorrow at noon.  I will keep you posted.

Oh, I forgot, Bob weaned our 2 calves, so now we have 2 cows mooing, and 2 calved answering, in each end of our farm yard. FUN!!! If you do not believe me, come and listen. It will stop, but who knows when????

I got a phone call at work today: Your peacock has taken to his wings, and is in the highest tree. We are under a winter storm warning, so this could mean one less peacock. 

I am hoping for the best, but I will save his tail feathers if he is dead. They are beautifully right now. I am hoping he is sitting safe on his feet, so they do not freeze, high up in the tree. I hope he come down in the morning, so Bob can put him back in. The wind had blown out the window in the door to their house, so that is how he found his freedom. 

I will let you know how it went.

Our International 4700 has street tires on, not lug farm off road tiers like it should. So when we haul hay, in the snow, we get stuck. That is why I, as an woman of experience, bought chains for ALL 6 tires. My Dad in Norway guided me thru the different types of tire chains, so I got the ones that I knew how to put on, by myself. So guess who put them on the first time out??? Well, Bob tried, he struggled, and I showed him how it is done in 5 min flat. My Mom and Dad did not raise a dummy, just 2 girls who can do most of everything. My sister can weld, I will learn. I can run a cutting torch, and I like to take a part. I am sure Bob is happy we do not have this wonderful tool, yet!!!

But back to hay hauling, Brad helped us, so I did not have to get stuck. He got stuck once, and only once, but he had that baby flying!!! He missed a pick up with 4 inches, so he can drive my truck any day.  B and B, Brad and Bob hauled 90 bales, and are starting back up tomorrow morning.  We might get all the hay home, before Christmas this year. That would be great.  It helps to have good friends that know we can not get everything done by our self.

While the brave B and B hauled hay, I made a small greenhouse addition for our peacocks.  We used two cattle panels, a frame of 2by4, plastic, and voe-la; a flight pen. Then I put square hay bales around the bottom, to keep the frost out, and hopefully they will enjoy it.

Other that that, we are still just good old folks.

PS deer hunting is over, and B and B brought home a nice doe, so now we will have deer sausage, deer stew meat, deer that and deer this. Yes dear, I like deer.

A good day to make ketchup from our last green and yellow tomatoes. So said, so don. Right now the jars are in the water bath, for a 45min boiling experience. We got 10 1/2 pint jars of greenish ketchup. 

Tomorrow I am planing on making a pink ketchup. I know, I just have to be different. But why be ordinary, when you are extraordinary???