Back to work we go.....

Mike was off to work this morning, after having several days off before Christmas and in between Christmas and New Years as well.  I'm always sad to see him have to go back to work. We thoroughly enjoy spending time together as a family and these last few days were no different. We spoke of our plans of things we hope to accomplish do this Spring, Summer and Fall, we looked at seed catalogues and made plans for our 2011 gardening season( with the intentions of marketing more crops to make more of an income, " from the Farm") We're going to try a few new crops, and if they work out well will serve as dual purpose, providing a product of us and the leftover product will be used as feed for our cows and poultry. I'm not going to reveal this until we decide for sure this is what we intend to do and since it will be an experiment we can't vouch for how well we'll do. This falls in line with trying to be more self reliant and providing for our animals, ourselves and possibly making a bit of a income. 

We enjoyed the last of our Cinnamon Rolls, that Cortney and I made for Christmas, this morning.

The recipe always makes three big pans full. Most of the time I freeze two pans worth, but this time we shared with family and friends.

       I'm so excited that my rosemary is still alive. In the past I've tried to overwinter rosemary by mulching deeply, which was unsuccessful and then the following season by digging, re-potting and bringing indoors. Neither time was I successful  in keeping it alive. I decided to try one last time, as my rosemary plants grew so large and beautiful. I had this upright variety as well as a creeping variety, both were healthy and vigorous when I dug them and re- potted them, but sadly the creeping variety died off.  Our home is cooler and I was worried that, that was the cause of the dying off of the creeping variety, but the upright variety is robust, healthy and growing well.  I also have two other rosemary starts overwintering in the greenhouse, covered with a pot and mulched, so far so good( I peeked at them yesterday) and my creeping thyme is wintering well in the greenhouse as well ( this is the other perenial that I've struggled in getting to overwinter)

Time seems to be flying, by the end of February we'll be starting our seedlings and before you know it, it will be time to start planting. Before then I have several projects that I want to get accomplished. One of which I've put off for two years and does it ever show( I'll shamefully show you the mess, "before" and the cleaned up version, "the after")  Some painting, that needs to be finished in the living room and in our spare room, finish stripping the paint off the stairs and getting them sanded and refinished and I've got several craft projects to work on as well.   

Well, I'm off to get barns cleaned and take Cortney to work. PTL the bitter cold front( Canadian Clipper) has moved off and we're beginning to warm back up into the low to mid 30's F  and the sun is shining :o)

May your week be blessed.