Scenes from the back door

The only ones relaxing on the deck are the rabbits. Can you see why I'm dreaming of spring?

Farming

This picture (from last summer, obviously) is of the family farm I grew up on. The land is rented out now that my dad is retired but I still feel a connection to it. The corn field there was a cattle pasture when I was young and I spent many hours roaming and playing the summer hours away.

I've been watching a recent UK program called My Dream Farm (in spurts because we kept losing power with last night's freezing rain). I definitely understand the appeal to getting back to the land, being raised on a farm combined with a personality that likes to put deep roots down makes it a strong pull. Naturally, land here is much less expensive than the UK; we also don't have the uber-restrictive regulations and high taxes to contend with. On the negative side, our winters are generally much harsher, the economics of farming are dire, and the farms aren't usually so breath-takingly beautiful.

Ideally, I'd need to be independently wealthy to farm (especially on the small scale which is all I'd be interested in). In reality, I'd have to have a partner/husband who farmed while I continued working. I did wonder why the wife in the show wasn't out working because that's the only way small farmers can survive these days (here, at least, maybe not in the UK). Still, it's something fun to think about.

From fog to frost

Sometimes pictures say it all. With the sky so close to being solid white, it made for some strange twists for the eyes.

Movie night at home

Just a peaceful Saturday and I was in the mood for a movie. A light-hearted romantic comedy designed to make me smile was just the ticket so A Blast From the Past was my choice. The acting is a delight and the entire concept entertaining.

Part of what I like about the movie is seeing the setup for the fallout shelter. While I wouldn't want to be underground, having the ability to be completely off the grid and independent (comfortably!) for thirty years is very cool.

Does not compute

My son likes it if I read his books; it gives him someone to talk to about them. Most recently it's been Warhammer books...good thing I don't mind military sci fi! The illogic of this latest one is bugging me today. Basics: a group of elite modified soldiers gathers up hundreds of the best (brave, intelligent, pure {boys???}, etc.) boys and has them fight in a giant melee until only two are left. Those two get to join the soldiers. So, what we have here is a group that culls the cream of the gene pool (male at least) before they are old enough to pass that on to the next generation. Uh huh.

It would be like having a mandatory draft and world war every generation. Yikes!

yum

As I've mentioned before, I'm not a good cook; if something can be messed up in the kitchen, I'm the one to do it. Mostly, I don't even try anymore. So, when something goes right it's time to cheer. Last week I cooked a whole chicken, then I used the leftovers to make this chicken pot pie and it was edible! Not only a shock to have two things turn out right, but fascinating to see how many meals can be made out of one bird.

feminine ferns?

While skimming through my spam folder to make sure nothing important had been misfiled before deleting the lot, my brain translated one of the subjects as 'wooden pole attracts ferns'. That got me to wondering why a non-climbing plant would be attracted to a pole...until I read it again and realized the 'ferns' were actually 'fems'.