Playing and plowing with the tractor

After our first big snow of the year we got to try the tractor on our 100 yard driveway. The primary use for the tractor will be cultivating our market garden, but plowing was definitely a factor in its purchase. I still go back and forth on whether we should have bought a larger more powerful tractor or the more compact one that we went with. We do need some maneuverability that we wouldn't have had with a larger tractor. And this one should meet our needs well. Maybe it's a guy thing. Larger and more powerful, how can you go wrong. Either way, it plowed the driveway just fine, and it worked pulling the cultivator earlier this fall.

We are supposed to get another big snow system over the next couple of days. I'd like to go deer hunting tomorrow in the snow, but the roads may be to dangerous to drive into the foothills.

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills...

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. Psalm 121

When I need inspiration, I head to the outdoors. Despite snowy weather, I am planning on going up into the foothills to deer hunt on Tuesday. It is in the mountains and forests that I feel closest to God. That is where my strength lies. And when my spirit is renewed, I am better able to be of service to God and my fellow man. When I am in the mountains it is easy to be humbled by God's creation. It is easier to feel God's grace. My brain stops spinning, and I am able to just be, at peace, and in the moment.

Puppy Pictures! The hunting puppy is born.

Puppy Pictures! Here are pictures from the breeder of our newborn puppy. We are so excited for a new addition to our animal menagerie. She will receive some initial hunting related training at the breeder, but most of the training will fall to us when we bring her home. She comes from great hunting lines, and labs are easier to train than some other hunting breeds. The earliest we could get her hunting would be the grouse season in September, but she may be able to help out with the rabbit control hunting I do on the property. There will plenty of training to be done before September. She looks like a beautiful dog. We are first on the list for a female and only one was born. So contingent on vet approval and our inspection, this may be her. We are blessed. I've never had it so good.

Moose tracks?

When we got home tonight, after driving for an hour and a half through a white out blizzard, we found Moose tracks in our front yard leading towards our orchard. We know that moose have been seen on the neighboring farmstead, and we know they like to nibble on fruit trees.

We had a great potluck with good friends and good food. We are blessed to have such a wonderful circle of friends. Made plans to go steelhead fishing with a buddy of mine when I finish teaching next week and the ice breaks up off the rivers.

Back at home the Christmas tree is lit up and the stove is going. A perfect end to a perfect night.

Christmas Tree

We got our tree in the living room and decorated. Drank hot cocoa of course. And to make it even better, it's snowing outside. We plan on going to a potluck tonight with some dear friends, but it is a long drive and the snow is supposed to keep up all night. We have ornaments from all over and from various stages of our lives. Some of the ornaments have been in Colleen's family and are older than we are. In addition to the usual round shiny ones we have some beautifully carved Guge fish ornaments. Other wooden animals abound too.

Supposed to be quite the blizzard. It will be an evening filled with love and friendship whether we go out to visit friends or stay home with just each other.

tractor ballast

I made a ballast for our tractor today. We've got a blizzard on the way, and I need a counter-weight on the back of the tractor to balance out the loader. That way I'll still get good traction when the loader is full of snow. I took a 55 gallon drum, sawed it in half, and ran a length of re-bar through it. Then I attached the barrel to the three point hitch and filled it with gravel. It should work great. Let it snow!

Kapusta!

Kapusta! A holiday tradition in my family. Kapusta is simply the Polish word for cabbage. There are as many Polish recipes for cabbage as there are families from Poland. I grew up with my great aunt making this recipe every Thanksgiving. It was my favorite of all the Thanksgiving treats. I now make it every Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. It is, like many good things in life, quite simple.

1/2 pound bacon
Large Polish Sausage
1 head cabbage
1 quart jar of sauerkraut
vinegar
sugar
salt

Fry up your bacon and drain. Set bacon aside. Take your cabbage and chop it into 1/4 inch strips. Pile the cabbage into a big stainless steel pot with a cup of water and cook down at medium heat. When the cabbage has softened, add a splash of vinegar and a little sugar. Stir in the jar of sauerkraut. Chop your sausage into 1/4 inch slices and throw in the pot. Chop the bacon and toss that in too. Cook on medium heat for another 15 minutes. Enjoy hot!