Our Turkeys 11/24/2009
 Now that we're almost to Thanksgiving, I thought it was about time to show you our Thanksgiving turkeys....   We ended up with 3 toms and 2 females. Our biggest tom weighed in today at 45 lbs. He's a BIG dude! It's hard to imagine that they were once such tiny little chicks...or poults!    We've really enjoyed raising these turkeys...they're very docile and friendly. The turkeys also herd very easily like geese or ducks when left to free-range. If you've seen the movie Food Inc. or read Joel Salatin's book, You Can Farm, you'll better understand the reasons and practicality of raising our own food this way. It's been a great learning experience...and lots of fun...for us. Our turkeys have been given a good healthy, humane life and our children have gotten to help raise them. We'll be 'processing' them starting tomorrow...and as sad as it will be....we look forward to the blessing of feasting on food that we raised in our own backyard. We can appreciate giving thanks for this Thanksgiving so much more! : D  Braving the Rooster 10/30/2009
 Blast from the past! See any similarities here?? That's me (1974) at 12...holding a docile looking rooster. The key word is 'looking'....appearances can be deceiving. Believe me! I'm holding this rooster only because this was not this rooster's normal tendency. Its true tendency was to attack us constantly...an obnoxious brute....putting it mildly. But we'd just tamed the beast...temporarily...and took advantage of its brief moment of 'docility'.....and 'brief' would be the operative word in this context. So putting it all into context, that's why my mom wrote, "Braving the Rooster!" at the bottom of the photo. I was quite brave...or crazy...whichever the case may be. It was a day of jubilation in my small world when The Roosters finally met their demise at the chopping block. We had 2 of them....and the minute they eyed me coming out the front door...here they came...zoning in...one from each side as I warily made my way to the sidewalk...promptly forgetting why I had even decided to venture this far in the first place. Or why I had even come outside! And they were ruthless....jumping up in the air into my face...tallons 4 inches long flying all over the place! Look how BIG he is...and I promise he could jump 5x that high....no prob! I had to chuckle when I stumbled across the infamous (now deceased) Chuck Klosterman over at Cold Antler Farm. Jenna's living out her saucy-homestead-style over in Vermont and her play by play renditions of Chuck, her terrorist rooster of the hen house, brought on waves of empathy from me...as only those who have been thoroughly harassed by mean, ugly roosters can appreciate! Maple's Good Morning 10/29/2009
 Heather brought Maple up...she felt that she wanted to wish everyone a lovely Good Morning... or Bon Jour!   "Cluck, Cluck....Brrrrrahck" For those of you who speak chicken-talk! : D  Fall Farm Festive 10/16/2009
 Last Saturday was the celebration Surprise Party at the Post Farm...and I put on the brakes just at the music part...first and foremost having to show you all the gorgeous decorations and that fantastic spread they put out...including the all-time favorite hand-cranked pumpkin ice cream. YUMMMMM-MY!!! So now lets get to the milling and the music! Cameras were going all over the place. Joe and I got into a 'shooting' fight. He shot me....   So of course, I had to shoot back! I think he won, though. His photo came out much better than mine did! And see that knitted hat I'm holding there? I just finished that one for Mandy's baby Auden. Here's a better look at it...           Now what about that music part??? The folk guitarist, a friend of Sarah's husband, was awesome! However, he did have some competition. Little Emma got up on stage and sang, "Shine up my boots"...or something super-adorable along those lines. And Great Grandpa Post sang a wonderful rendition of some old Railroad Engineer Song... BIG APPLAUSE!!!!! Happy 35th Anniversary Harlow & Jan!!!  Then There Were Deux 10/15/2009
 I've always enjoyed 'pairs'....most especially our twins...and their pair of blonde-headed sisters...and of course there have been many, many more enjoyable pairs! Here are a few more...   We have on Day Deux: Pairs of eggs now laid by our young hens...on pairs of mittens...yielding a pair of gorgeous deep yellow yokes...yielding a huge batch of cookies...which naturally yields lots of pairs of smiles! : D  Autumn Anniversary 10/11/2009
 Last night we celebrated a Fall Farm Festive Surprise Party at the Post Farm. And what a great evening was had by all! Don't ask me how Mandy and Sarah managed to pull this off and actually 'surprise' Harlow and Jan for their 35th Anniversary...when....Harlow and Jan had been helping prepare for the party all along! Yep, all under the auspices that this was a 'Girl Party' that they were having. Unbelievable! GO Mandy and Sarah!!! : D Now just come and see what these sisters did...the music...the decorating...the food...the fun! Here we go...the stage is set...    Errr! We'll stop right there with the music...for now!...I'm saving all that for later. Now let's move on to the decor. You're gonna LOVE this....      Feeling a bit festive yet?? Now just take a look at this spread they laid out...         Of course there was hot apple cider and homemade pumpkin ice cream, too. I hope this has whet your appetite! More of the festivities to come! : D Country Thrills 10/09/2009
 Oh Happy, happy Fall day! It's this kinda thing that gives me thrills and chills! The children just brought in our very first egg laid by our chickens...that we raised from little bitty chicks! This is EGGs-citing...to say the least! And isn't it the loveliest hint of soft blue?   My day's even more happy now that I just received this darling book on my doorstep, too! I'm so in the mood for much needed inspiration and ideas for more of the COMFORTable country life. It's the perfect topping for this chilly overcast nestle-under-the-afghan kind of afternoon. Now please forgive me as I slip away to cuddle up with my mint tea and fuzzy slippers! Fall blessings abound! : D  Bucket & Bouquet 10/04/2009
 Don't you think it's simplest at times, to let things just 'be' as they are...without alot of fanfare, falderol and frou-frou? Some things just shouldn't be tampered with...really can't be tampered with...or improved upon in any way...as in Fall flowers. Their beauty and magnificence truly lies in just letting them be what they already are...beautiful and magnificent. So the first very simple step in achieving a bucket and bouquet is to find some Fall flowers. We found these scrumptious beauties in Mr. Clukey's Garden. Find Some Flowers      Once you've found your beauties, grab a bucket, fill it with water, and go cut as many flowers as you can possibly cram into your bucket. Think color...think height...think volume. Just when you think you have enough...go cut 10x more...at least. The children are great for this...just keep sending them out for more. There's always space for more flowers in a bucket. Cram...then cram some more! Cut and Cram     The next very simple step for a bucket and bouquet...is to admire it. Of course!! The unfortunate part of Fall flowers is that they are...alas!...oh so fleeting. You can always dry them, stash the petals and press them, but the best preservation of your precious bucket and bouquet is to get out that camera and... Click Away      And I do hope I've inspired you to go capture your very own bucket of beauty! Fall flowers are so fleeting! xxx Mr. Clukey's Garden 10/01/2009
 Before we headed off to Portland last Friday, our neighbor, Mr. Clukey, came over to tell me that he planned to mow off most of his flowers...and that I needed to come over and do some picking...before he did his mowing. Well, you'd better believe he needn't ask twice! We were over to the Clukey garden in no time flat!  Our friend, Maurice (pronounced Morris in these parts), has an amazing green thumb. His gardens in the past have been living masterpieces! He's gotten a little slower these days...and doesn't plant all that he used to...but his flowers and tomatoes are still the best...          The kiddos love just-off-the-vine cherry tomatoes...even though the scrunched up faces might imply otherwise. Believe me, they beg me for these little guys!   Maurice gets everyone in place for the group photo. As you can tell, with this kind of day with this kind of backdrop, I was going nuts with the camera! And there are still plenty more photos...but I'll save those for a 'simply fall flowers' post next time. Thank you, Mr. Clukey, for a lovely morning diversion amongst your wonderful garden flowers! : D  Kathy's Garden 09/24/2009
 The Kimballs, our next door neighbors of perennial roadside fame, bring the homesteading and gardening endeavors to all new levels...and I never cease to be amazed every summer at Kathy's garden...especially as it is here at its peak...    At the back side of the garden just in front of the barn is the row of rabbit cages...of which our 3 bunnies are the offspring we got a couple of years ago. The most stunning part of Kathy's horticultural prowess for me are her incredibly luscious windowboxes...    I'm afraid my meager attempt at windowboxes this summer didn't come even close to this voluminous perfection! But I've certainly taken some pointers...and I will prevail in windowbox perfection...eventually! : D And here's more of the Kimball Homestead tour from last Spring!  |  Spring Forth!
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