Leading up to Xmas,2009

Blogging with this program is so frustrating. I must be missing something, because no matter how hard I try to get the pictures in some sort of reasonable sequence they end up in a random pattern.

Bec and Grace leaving from Dorval after their delightful visit.

Leo, Ben, Ollie and Grace at the Buffet lunch on Saturday 11th. The candles were both decorative and functional. There was a power outtage from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Gathering at the lunch table.

Xmas lights on the hedge in front of the farmhouse with Joe's Crowsnest fully decorated.

About time too ! Two long overdue shelves in Gabriel's cupboard. Out of sight, out of mind. Must do the staining soon !

A new look at the top of the farmhouse stairs. Lots of trimming and finishing to do on this project. Doors closed, and when opened this is what it looks like upstairs.

A newly created space in the library. Makes for a bit of privacy for the captain's bed.

One of these days I'd like to fill the windows with transparencies, representing the different branches of the family ! More on this idea later.

The only way to get the framing lumber for the "doors" project was through the bathroom window. Fortunately it had warmed right up and was only -10C. A dual purpose picture, this also shows the finished ramp door.

Hard to believe, but Xmas is almost upon us. Never a dull moment here. Our dear friends, Frances and Fred came for the last snow free weekend, Dec. 4-6 and we had a splendid time and Fred gave me some excellent advice on insulating the attic and some thoughts on upgrading the supply lines for the plumbing. The attic has been totally cleared of years of accumulated junk and four large bags of insulating batting have been added. Another twelve to go. So far, so good. The ultra sonic rodent machine seems to be working properly. No more squirrely sounds from the attic.

Rebecca and Grace visited, arriving on December 9th in the middle of a huge snow storm. We had a wonderful visit with them, including a super lunch at Magnans and a great buffet lunch at Ash with Vicky, Christopher, Ben, Oliver and Leo.

We returned to the Farm on the 15th to find another foot of snow on the ground ! The snow blower got a good work out.

Time to go and cut down a Christmas Tree. It gets harder and harder to find a small one in the 30 year plantation !

Here's hoping you all have a wonderful and peaceful holiday season.

Enjoy. Merry Xmas and Happy New Year to all. Looking forward to your next visit to the farm.

A New Winter cover !

This post is especially for Grand-daughter Millie. Millie was very concerned, during the summer, with the leaking roof and was most helpful getting pails set out to catch the drips. I think that next spring I'll have to get a scaffolding up and do some repairs on the roof !

By the way, Millie, this blue tarpaulin came from British Columbia !!

It is still unusually mild, so today will be a scything and shredding day !

Whew ! Actually did the job I planned to do.

Just a quick post today!


Being a 'Happy Farmer' involves understanding two immutable principles and learning to live with them is the key to happiness.

1) Nature rules man and those who think otherwise are sorely mistaken.
2) Machinery is only as good as the constant upkeep and maintenance.

Having a 'done list' is one way of respecting these principles and helps to avoid lots of frustration and tension.

This huge trunk and its accompany limbs are now stored off the ground, to dry out and await milling one day.

Grounds Upkeep-An on-going activity.

Just a week ago, Saturday 7th, Vicky, Christopher, Ben, Ollie and Leo visited, bringing the most delicious dinner- marinated salmon fillets that Christopher did on the BBQ. Vicky prepared, as a special treat, creme brule for dessert. Apparently she wondered whether or not I would have a blow torch, to which Ollie remarked that " Grandpa Phillip has everything" , or words to that effect. Having produced the blow torch, which Vicky wielded professionally, Christopher asked if Ollie's observation was correct, to which I replied that there were one or two things that I might not have, for instance a Chipper/Shredder !

Today's job. Get the pine logs, suitable for milling, off the ground and racked for drying. And, while I'm at it, get the stump cut down to ground level !

I don't think it is worth getting a stump grinder. More practical to rent one for a week !!

Clearing out the "plantation" .

Moving from brush pile to brush pile in Dad's plantation. Chipper/shredder makes wonderful mulch !The whole area is beginning to look quite respectable after several years of neglect. This might be the perfect site for a small shelter constructed out of some locally cut wood:

The mowing season is over, as is the leaf blowing, vacuuming and mulching. And as the vegetation dies unsightly reminders of incomplete brush clearing appear !

Just one week ago, Gabriel remarked, after a chariot ride on a beautiful afternoon, that the piles of brush in the tree line were quite noticeable and that she understood why I had been casting my eyes on a chipper/shredder, and very generously offered to get me one, which I needed no further encouragement to follow through on !

Thank you, Gabriel. This piece of equipment has already proven to be one of the best acquisitions, and it's all thanks to you.

Our local township has all but banned outside brush burning, in fact has pratically eliminated all fires. This is a very sore point with local farmers and yet another example of the continuing intrusion into our lives by government.

It looks as if we will have another beautiful day, so must get down to work . This great weather is an unexpected bonus.

SOME DREAMS HAPPEN !

Naturally, the sequence of pictures is exactly the reverse to the one I wanted !

Here is the almost completed work barn addition. Two doors make up the sliding barn door. The green one was from the inside of the farmhouse, from some 37 years ago and the pink one was either the front door of the house or cottage when we first came here in 1972.

Checking to make sure the entrance is wide enough to take the lawn tractor with the mower deck !

Framing, and selecting windows !

Preparing the foundation. The last of the railway ties !

The chosen space for the extension.

Staining and final trimming will have to wait for next spring. Always something to look forward to !

Winter won't be far off, I have all four winter tires on, so for the next few days I'll make sure that everything is put away, do the pre-winter maintenance on all the equipment and get the snow blower cab re-installed.

A beautiful sunrise today, so we're off to Ottawa for a visit to the Nicholas Hoare bookstore and the National Gallery.

No thoughts about my next dream, for a winter indoors project, but will let you know when it is done.

Thanksgiving -2009

Our full scale Thanksgiving Dinner happened on Friday night this year ! Vicky, Christopher,Ben, Ollie and Leo joined us and stayed 'til Saturday p.m. when they headed off to Lake Macdonald. The weather finally cleared up and we had a beautiful day.

Christopher dug out around the octopus-like roots of the manitoba maple stump in front of the Main Barn.Very tenacious. I had dulled three chains on the saw trying to reduce it ! Finally this area is clear. The white spot behind the tractor was the boulder that Roy helped me drag away. We were doing quite well with the Cockshutt 30, but it suddenly decided to quit so we had to bring Dobbin in for the final tug ! Replacing the ignition switch solved the problem later.

Emptying and storing the water barrels gave rise to some interesting games and an impromptu steel drum percussion activity !

We were able to finish the closing of the pool with the winter blanket and leaf net. This picture shows the finished job on the skimmer replacement project.

A little fall bouquet, all from the garden. Zinnias and a lupin. In early October !

Well, this morning there is a heavy white frost carpet so it will be time to clear out the flower baskets and start the clean up of the garden and flower beds.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING !

Fall - A Recap ! Tuesday, October 6th.

Tractor hoist- A servicing aid !

Morning Glories on the workbarn.

The obelisk and apple tree !

Paving stones from the pool side.

New skimmer installed.

More Morning Glories.

Baskets, roses and hydrangeas.

Although I haven't been "blogging" for very long, it dawns on me that isn't really the ideal vehicule for most stay-at-home retirees who don't spend a lot of time traveling or relocating as snowbirds for the winter in the South.

Our days are full of activities and events, but somehow they are not terribly newsworthy and are of a cyclical nature. Fall is close down time, and it seems as if I only just the spring opening completed. The only 'exciting' aspect of these phases is that I am constantly seeking ways to make them easier to perform !

I recently added an air-nipple to the cottage water system so that closing is just that much easier. Turn off the pump, open the taps and attach the compressor to the nipple and just let it run 'til all the water has drained. I now have such a system going for the cottage and the main distribution from the Barn to the pool, garden and workbarn. So far so good !

The big job so far this fall has been replacing the skimmer at the pool and changing the sand (250 lbs of soggy/dirty sand to dispose of ) ! Since the skimmer is underground, at the pool side the paving has to be lifted up and moved and the hole to access the piping for the skimmer has to be about 4 feet deep. It was a blessing that Al Hogg came back here after we had drained the water at his summer cottage and he installed the new skimmer for me. Thanks again,Al. I think I would have still beeen struggling with it next Spring !

Between frequent showers I have nearly got the paving re-installed. Our weather has been rather poor for the past week and today is the first clear early morning, with the temperature hovering at about +3 C. With all the rain the grass thinks its spring all over again so once it dries out there is another (hopefully the last) round of mowing and leaf collection to do.

The big excitement here in late August and for much of September was the local township activity on the Shaver Drain, known more familiarily as the creek. High hoes and trucks, and the grass along the stream banks resembles a battle field. From the boundary fence on the west side , right through to our bridge at the entrance a 50 foot swath of mass destruction and huge banks of clay dredged out. It could have been worse I suppose. As it turns out most of the work was a waste of time and effort because once they removed a couple of major beaver dams further upstream the stream rose about three feet for a few hours and has now reverted to a slow trickle. We tried to tell them that all they needed to do was the dams, but to no avail. There is however, a collateral benefit. As you know Stata Road has washed out annually just near our entrance since the melt couldn't get to the stream any other way, coming off the fields to the East. The culvert on the other side of the road leading to the stream was too small and quite useless. Yesterday they came , removed the old piece of junk and put in a longer and larger replacement, and cleared the outlet down to the stream. We'll see if this works come next spring ! Here's hoping !!

Well, we've had a super summer with great visits from family and friends and are looking forward to sharing some Thanksgiving cheer with Vicky, Christopher, Ben, Ollie and Leo this coming weekend.

By the middle of October I should have got all of the pre-winter jobs completed and can then put my mind to getting the snowblower ready ! No great construction projects although I am tempted to build an extension on the work barn at the back to house the machinery and to replace the temporary shelter that is there now. It's fun to dream about such ideas !

Our vegetable garden wasn't the greatest this year, but flowers and baskets, not to mention clematis, roses and morning glories have been just great. We have a lovely bouquest of zinnias with a beautiful late lupin, gracing the dining room table, and the delphinium in front of the work barn is into its third flowering !

Attaching a couple of pictures, but as usual they will end up in this blog, where they want to be rather than where I would put them.

The tractor lift is my latest mechanical toy and should make servicing the mower much easier.

Now it's time to get the bird feeders back in place to see what we can attract to provide on-going entertainment for the Happy Farmer's wife and suitable distraction from her letter writing activities !

Hope you all have a happy Thanksgiving.