Saturday.....December 27, 2014....

This weather has been A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!  I keep telling myself not to get used to it and honestly I dont want to.  I do love me some winter but wow being able to have the Lumberjack home and some nice weather to get some outside projects done has been the absolute best.  Today was a very productive day.  Greek yogurt made, wheat grass set in a new tray, mealworms cleaned, barns cleaned and more work done on the laundry/generator room.  Not going to post more pics of it until we have the entire area finished.  Have been pinning like crazy for that area back there.  Looking forward to an area of a living wall, moving water, lots of plants and a place to relax...and hoop in privacy!  Ready to settle in with a new reality sort of show I suppose it would be.  Only two episodes available....The pioneers from National geographic.  Have a great evening.

Be well,

Lisa

Friday......December 26, 2014....

The Holidays were everything I could have asked for them to be here in the cottage our first year.  However....I have come down with a terrible cold.  Quite possibly even strep!  If not better by the beginning of the week I will see the dr for the very first time in so many years I cannot even remember.  Lumberjack has NEVER even been to the dr office and we have had them for all of our married lives!  Anyhow...here are some pics of our past couple of days....

Not a fan of sheetz...but we needed gas christmas eve and he knew I felt horrible and bought me this frozen hot chocolate.  YUM!

One of my favorite things of the Holidays is picking the right wrappings.  This year it was mostly newspaper, colored raffia and hand painted feathers but for firefly she needed "real" paper. lol

The Eve of Christmas Eve....

Oldest daughter called late last night.  Seems the icy weather we had in the evening turned their back porch steps....about ten and very steep....turned to ice before she realized it.  She fell down all ten of them on her bum...this would have been bad already but she is expecting in April.  She was worried and just needed her mum to talk to.  Needless to say I honestly didnt sleep well after that.  Between not feeling quite well myself and praying like no other for her sleep came very little.  Woke and she needed help in town as she cleans for a lady onced a week.  The time with her was wonderful as always and then there is always the trip to Marshalls!  Scored a seriously GORGEOUS navy and white striped long sleeved (with a hood) open front type of tunic/cardigan....and the softest off white rayon tank to go under it!  Home and the barn chores are done entirely as the Lumber Jack needs to make a few stops on his way home and he also isnt feeling so great.  The diffuser is burning with a cold blend I made myself and I am settling in for the evening with some netflix.
Be well,
Lisa

The daybook......

http://www.thesimplewoman.blogspot.com/

Outside my window.......

I am thinking.....

I am thankful for.......So many things.  Spent Friday evening shopping with my girls and listening to all of the stories they had from the many people in the county that wont have christmas this year.  Came home with a terribly heavy heart praying for these families and realizing just how blessed we really are.  I can truely say I understand how those children feel and my heart aches for them terribly.  Talking with husband to see what WE can do to help

I am wearing......Black grey and white yoga pants, wooly white socks and my favored organic tee husband got me from a local lemonchello plantation.

I am creating.....Gift packages both of brown paper bags with the bright red, green and blue raffia and newspaper with said raffia and an added hand painted feather to each one!

I am going.....To be spending the next two weeks working on my "Living Life" book of dates times and places for the coming year.  We missed alot last year with all of the work we had to do here its time to make up for that this year!

I am wondering.....Where we will find ourselves finally worshipping......

I am reading.....Yes....still the harbinger!  Kinda going a little slow with the Holidays.

I am hoping......To be ready for the planting of spinach in the next four to six weeks.....

I am learning.....How much im loving poultry!  Working on getting some heritage breeds here on the farmstead.

Around the farmstead.....Its a good thing I have a wooden bench in the barnyard...I could sit and watch them for hours...

In the kitchen....So many yummies!!!!  And still keeping it "whole"....for the most part anyways.  Husband and I did make some yummy rock candy to put in the gift packages together.

I am pondering.....So very many things....people places and events for the coming year, livestock for spring, the garden we hope is amazing, and just another blessed year together.

One of my favorite things.....Long conversations with a friend just to catch up on life.

A few plans for the next two weeks.....Christmas with family, slowly savoring every morsel of this Holiday here in our new home, movie dates and dinners out with some family friends, traversing the three states to catch up with so very many people.

A peek into one of my days this past week....  Seriously I never don an apron without some tunes on pandora and a glass of wine...

Sunday.....December 21, 2014....

Family Christmas party number one of the season is behind us.  It seems that Christmas has come so darn fast.  Lumber Jack and I talked about this on the way home this evening.  I really in my heart believe its just because of how much work we had to do here to make this place liveable in such a short amount of time. We look around and try to remember that we only started this cottage a short three months ago.  So much has been done and yes so much is yet to do.  But we are so very very happy here.  Before the christmas party we worked together out in the garden clearing yet more trees to make room for the yummy veg, herbs and fruits and berries we hope to prosper there.  Then a quick last minute gift shopping was to be done.  And as you can see in the pic...he makes shopping so much fun.  I am so blessed!  Now home and he is out doing barn chores while I get the fire burning before we settle in for the evening.
Be well,
Lisa

Sunday Salon.....

Time:    8:40 am

Todays Plan:       Package up the candy gift bags, a little shopping and Lumber Jacks family Christmas get together this evening.

Drinking:   Coffee....a new to me local coffee roasters fresh beans, and hazlenut creamer.

Listening to:      Chickens scuffling outside the window, another in the distance laying an egg.

Blogging about:    All things christmas!

Participating in:    This "Sunday Salon" for the first time, and The Simple Womans Daybook.

Saturday......December 20, 2014....

After coffee a quick trip to town was necessary for some stamps and a few other stops along the way.  Home and the Lumber Jack and I set to doing some cleaning up both inside and around the outside of the cottage.  Spent most of our entire afternoon doing that he offered dinner out at a local restaurant that has an amazing sustainable menu.  On the drive there I noticed that the day seemed so late but was really so early.  Not until I came home did I realize that it was the Winter Solstice.  Hoping to actually celebrate in some fashion next year as we will be more settled here on the Farmstead.  Barn chores done it was time to have some fun together in the kitchen.  It was an apron and wine kind of evening with some christmas tunes on Pandora while we worked together making some rock candy for gifts.
Be well,
Lisa

Thursday.....December 18, 2014....

Spent the day tidying up around here....cuddling those lovely ducks....and working on a blanket scarf.  The day was short though as Husband took off a half a day to go out this evening.  After the pups were taken care of we headed out to our favorite local town Shepherdstown.  The town was buzzing with night life and was lit up so beautifully for the Holiday.  Dinner at the Blue Moon Cafe, a walk through town, a juice at Mellow Moods and ended with some Celtic Christmas Music by an open Hearth fireplace roaring with a fire.  A perfect date night!  Now for barn chores and to get this fire at the cottage roaring and toasty.
Be well,
Lisa

Wednesday.....December 17, 2014....

Its crazy to think how close we are too Christmas.  Still so much cooking/baking/wrapping and decorating to be done!!  Nothing like waiting till the season feels just right!  The entire day today was spent in town...whew!  Im exhausted and ready to settle in for the evening with that adorable lumber jack of mine!  Left early after a very quick barn chores.  A stop at a local very very old country store for some old fashioned peppermint sticks for Christmas day hot chocolate.  Then to lunch with some of our dear friends at Montezumas Mexican restaurant.  A few errands to Snaveleys for some wheat grass trays and Hobby Lobby for some art supplies and fifty percent christmas decorations.  And lets not forget some more plaid flannels for some blanket scarves.  A trip to bbs for some good deals and a stop at the co-op for the last months order which included the Mountain Rose Herbs order.  Met a friend to pick up a wild Pheasant her husband hunted to have for Christmas dinner, met a lady from craigs list to pick up the new family of pekin ducks that are joining the farmstead...and oh my YES....at stop to see my favorite jeweler (known her since she was born) for my birthday present from the girls their husbands and mother in law...a new alex and ani.  Yep im home and im TIRED...dogs are fed barn chores being done as I type and the ducks will be tucked in soon enough as well.  Time to get the fire roaring and settle in for the night.
Be well,
Lisa

Tuesday......December 26, 2014....

Jammies on and feet propped by the fire.  The day was dreary and rainy for the most part but very fruitful.  Finished 3/4 of the birthday banner, completed a friends set of mitties just in time, cleared a portion of the garden of the trees Husband cut down for me over the weekend.  And dinner with Dee was as always the icing on the cake.  We had plans for a local organic pizza place but they were closed so we chose another treat.  A bavarian restaurant.  A culinary experience she said....lol.  And that it was.  AMAZING....the food...the beer...the company!  Our times together are not as often as would be liked but we do cherish those that we get.
Be well,
Lisa

http://www.thesimplewoman.blogspot.com/2014/12/the-simple-womans-daybook-december-15th.html

                                                              For Today
                                                         December 14, 2014

Outside my window.......Grey skies but oh so warm!!!!  Fire burning and windows open.

I am thinking.......About the newest addition coming to the farmstead on Wednesday.  Pekin ducks!  

I am thankful.......For this absolutely beautiful break in the weather.

I am wearing......Vintage brown cord bibbies, vintage tan leather shoes, tan long sleeve tee.  Work clothes.

I am creating.....Decided at the last minute to make a gift for a friend and tomorrow is our dinner date so am rushing like a mad woman to get them done.  But the sun streaming in the window today definately makes it more enjoyable.

I am wondering.....What it would take to re-do a place in town here where we live.  So many have such amazing possibility and just begging for some love...and oh could I give it the love!

I am reading.....Stillllll the Harbinger....

I am hoping.....That these girls...and boy....accept the new ladies and gentlemen well.

I am learning....Patience.....ugh!  So much I want and need to do but so little time and energy.

Around the house.....Laundry is finished for the week with the gorgeous weather break.  Tree to be decorated as well as the rest of the cottage.  

In the kitchen.....Yummies!  

I am pondering.....Spring....I am ready to relax and enjoy the rest of the witner but I am always pondering the next season.  Not necessarily "ready" for it....just thinking of it.

A favorite quote for today.....

One of my favorite things......Lazy pups enjoying the sunshine in the afternoon.

A few plans for this week.....Tomorrows dinner date with a friend in town,  Errands and coffee on Wednesday at the always favored chocolatier with a friend, A very very special night on Thursday with my love in the town of our hearts, a relaxing two days before a family get together on Sunday.

A peek at one of my days from the past week.....

Our annual shopping trip with this "little" grown up.