2016 going to bed

Wishing everyone a peaceful and calm end to 2016.

We're out of hay until we start haying next season.

My sister Cate sent us a "pet blanket".   We've always kept old throws around, but according to our 21 year old cat, this is better.   He is pretty much living under it now.

The bird feeder has been filled, steps sanded, stove wood brought in, and a mid-day hot meal consumed.   Lots of snoozing going on here in the quiet.  I think I'll make some banana bread.

Happy Holidays.

Hay

We have mulch hay for sale.   $3 per bale at the barn.  

Stored under a 3-sided overhang or in the barn.

This mulch hay was cut in 2016.   Pls email us to arrange a time to come by, and feel free to inspect the hay before you buy.

New views

 The first two pictures show views we didn't have before the trees blew down.

The first view is from the parking area looking toward the kitchen gardens.

The second view is from the parking area looking toward the hay field.

The last picture is looking over part of the kitchen gardens toward the wooden garage.   One of the nice things about a veggie garden is that it is new every year, so the view changes a little.   But the trees blew blew over, I couldn't see this garage from the gardens.

Update on the great tree clean up:

•  George did most of the chain sawing.
• We cut everything to 4 or 8 ft lengths and stacked away for future use.   The  smallest diameter 8 ft lengths worked great for holding down row cover in the kitchen gardens this year.
• I cleaned up all the branches except for 2 piles.  Piles were left in various places for wildlife habitat.

Wind

Underside of cedar

There was a lot of wind and rain a few nights ago.

Usual stuff mostly:  no power for awhile; I worried about the veggies warming up in the freezer; and family members said things like "Wow" and "Hear that?"

In the morning, I glanced out the kitchen window and noted "several trees down".

If we hadn't had such sodden ground combined with all that wind and rain, the trees would probably still be standing.

A friend commented later that day: "You people got very lucky last night."   Yes, we did.

The trees missed all buildings, vehicles, and farm equipment.  One missed the hay barn by less than a foot.

This one just missed the hay barn.

Yesterday evening George gave me a lesson in using a chain saw.   I've spent years avoiding chain saws, but it was time to get over myself.   If I can run a cutter (for hay), I should be able to use a chain saw.

Wow, they are both scary and cut wood like butter.

These trees are lying in Vegetable Bed #1.