"Eat it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do,
Or go without."
~A Pioneer Sampler, by Barbara Greenwood~

Pioneer Woman at Heart

One Flourishing, Frugal and Fun Family!

One family learning to live off the land, cut back on expenses, and to live a simpler and a more self-sufficient lifestyle.

Monday, March 18, 2013

Always Something. . .


We ran into "snags" with the goat fencing.  We could not drive t-posts, due to cement around the foundation, so we nailed up 2 x4's against the barn and then ran the fencing out.  However, once we started getting on a "roll" we ran into needing another tool.

My 16 year-old finished putting up some last boards, to keep the stalls baby safe, and started moving her supplies last night.  She finally finished about 9:00pm.  

Do you see that little gal on the outside of the pen?  That little escape artist got through the boards.  My daughter had to go back out after dinner, and put metal fencing all around the stall. 

We still need to board up the "birthing" stall that is on the very right, and then the outside (temporary) fencing (back of the stall).  Thank goodness the barn has a small animal door that slides, that we took advantage of, and the fencing will be directly on the outside of that door.

After that we have a motion sensored light fixture that will be mounted on the barn too.  And possibly a predator light.  We get a lot of rats, weasels, raccoons, hawks, owls, and what not. If you have bought such a light, and have a review, I'd love to hear it.


We woke up today to freezing rain and a layer of ice everywhere.  School is closed today as well.  I have yet to find out if driver's education closed. Even the community college closed.

The weather man got the weather wrong yesterday.  Brrr!  When we all came in about dinner time (Hubby, myself, our 16 and 13 year-old daughters), my cough had already returned.  So did the congestion and runny nose.  The chance to sleep in today, was a wonderful surprise.  

Our 13 year-old is back from her class trip, and I am sure she is enjoying the chance to rest up this morning as well.  Her feet are still swollen from all the walking they did.

A Year of Quotes:
"Setting a goal is not the main thing.  It is deciding how you will go about achieving it and staying with that plan."
    ~ Tom Landry
   

 

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Sunday

It's Sunday and we already have a busy "work" day (I detest work on Sunday, but this "stuff" must get done....once and for all).

Have you ever had a job that needed to be completed, and it just kept dragging out?  And out?  And out?  And you never thought it would get finished?

The goat stalls, in the other barn, are one of those jobs.

Every time there is a day to work.....something is needed, something breaks, or the drill battery dies.  Or there is some kind of interruption that stalls the job.  And then there is the weather.

Today is the day, I want this job finished.  Say a prayer

We still have to move temporary fencing, build new fencing, and so forth.  


The reality of self-sufficiency, is that it takes investment.  Including time.    We don't have hired hands, and hubby works outside the home full-time.   And the other reality is, is that I have very little time, even as a stay-at-home Mom.  There are no "days off" for me.  Or for Hubby.