Belated Snow Pics

By the time I got around to posting these, the snow is mostly gone. I'm not sure if I like that aspect of southern Virginian snows or not. Considering the lack of snow plows and general ability to cope with snow, it's probably better that it melts immediately.

We Have a Winner!

This month's Practical Homescooling magazine arrived, and to our satisfaction, Laura's envelope art (as seen in this post: http://providence-farm.blogspot.com/2010/09/envelope-contest.html) had been chosen for printing.
After I had seen it in the gallery, I was pleased to see that she was the example in the table of contents as well.
In the gallery, Laura's masterpiece is the third from bottom, left hand column. Also, if you read the text on the page, Laura's envelope is mentioned as an example.

Close-Up of Swaddled Battery

Hi-Tech Nativity

Since the baby Jesus from the Nativity scene seems to be missing, Katie spent this evening recreating the babe and his manger. (Note the blue swaddling clothes.)

Laura saw the work and asked, "Is Jesus duct tape?"
"No. He's a battery!" exclaimed Katie.

Which just goes to show, you never know what you'll hear next on Providence Farm.

All I Wanted for Christmas

I haven't been sleeping well since the 7th of December. That's when I foolishly let Scott out at Gretchen's house and he ran off. Without a collar.
Since then, I've been without my trusty farm hand through three daughter's illnesses, an arctic chill, and a snowstorm.
Today an excellent friend called to tell me where Scott was hanging out. It was wonderful to see my long lost puppy!
I feel like everything's right in the world now that my pooch is back.

The Snow So Far

At 9 this morning our world looked like this.
The big snow they called for is probably not going to happen, but this is better than just bitter cold without snow.

Tilly's Winter Look

Tilly gets cold and shivers.
So Becky and I helped her out by dressing her in a fashionable, and quite safe, down vest.
Around the barn, she can wear it tan side out. But out in the woods, she can reverse it for blaze orange visibility.

A Preview of Coming Attractions

Hey, I found this on my camera just now. It's last week's snow. But it looks cold and snowy, and that's the feeling I want you to have when you imagine Providence Farm. It's been unspeakably cold lately, and now a blizzard is allegedly showing up in the morning to grace us with many inches of snow.

Christmas on Ice

I had to wait to steal a photo before I could post one about last weekend's big show. I forgot the camera.
The girls enjoyed a day of performing in an ice show on Saturday. Grandparents and Old Spinsters came and watched. A good time was had by all.
Only one daughter appears in this photo. It's Katie, applying lipstick.

The Sympathy Tent and Other Random Photos

The most recent game at Providence Farm has been "Native Americans." So naturally my brood set up tepees on the hillside out in the field.
The Dexters have been pretending to be American Bison, and the paint ponies are the perfect horses for an Indian village.
Our excellent neighbors took pity on the children after witnessing the tepees, and donated this popular backpacking tent. And also the backpacks to go along with it.
I just liked the picture of Katie and stuck it in here.

The Big One

Come and get me, Fat Suburbanite Dad!

Better than Rubies

Today was generally a taxing and aggravating day for me. I knew it would be since I knew I would be calling our curriculum provider for tech support. I would rather speak in public than set up a hard drive on a new computer.
But after a distressing morning, I headed out to look at these gorgeous creatures.
After looking, I spent my husband's savings on them. Surely they'll be worth more than any old retirement account.
The top girl's name is Ruby, the bottom red cow is Rosie, and the bull in the bottom photo is Meathead.
They're Scottish Highland cattle.
The whole herd captured my heart as soon as I saw them. I can't wait to get to know them well, so I can compare them to the Dexters.

Hard Freeze

This morning we woke to a white winter wonderland on the farm!
For the first time this season, the hose was frozen and all the buckets hard with ice.
Last night the stars were so close and bright I felt like I had just to reach up to grab one.
With the crisp smell of fall and frost in the air, there's an excitement in all of us, animals and humans. The big mare was rearing like a steed this morning. Deer are active. And dogs and humans are exploring the woods like never before.
It would be nice if someone would do some work on these overgrown and unkempt trails however.
Since the words "hard freeze" and "Mollie" do not go together in the early morning hours, Laura photographed our nature scenes for you.

Goodbye, Leaves

My little brother told me the hard freeze would be the death knell of the fall foliage. Here is proof that he is smart.

Pretty Pics

The Horse Whisperer

Tilly

I've been looking for a milk goat for months. The ram bred all of my milkers and they haven't been able to kid since he's been with them, so I've been out of milk.
Yes, I do have beautiful Dexter cows who are fresh, and I could milk them. But I just never got used to cows as dairy animals and it's hard for me to make the transition.
I visited a good friend today who milks Dexters but never did get the hang of dairy goats. She needed to get Tilly's big grown up Boer kids off of her because as you see, they were tearing her health down. Emma explained that she just doesn't think of goats as animals to milk.
So I got Tilly for $20. I also got a place to buy 2 gallons of Dexter milk each week.

A Baby Boy

Young Colin fell fast asleep on my lap today. Until he heard Gretchen's voice and leaped like a gazelle into her arms. Traitor.
Also, a picture of Aunty Spinster carrying her little niecey-poo on her back.
Please don't report us for elder abuse!

Fall Hiking

The old Spinster and all of the children went on a hike. Here are some scenes from the day.

Mini Hidalgo

We just watched Hidalgo, which is a movie about a paint horse. Today, I happened to be playing soccer with a paint horse in miniature form. So now, I am posting some photos for very special children of all ages who happen to own their very own, very small, paint horse.
We had a storm come through with plenty of wind, but not much rain. It stirred up this pre-teen pony girl and made her gallop. But she was far away so the picture's not so great.
Then she stopped close to Laura who snapped the closer picture. If you enlarge it, you can see her kissable pony lips and her delicate pony ears. Do you just want to eat her up? Oh, no, you're not French, I forgot.

Opposite of Funny

This is what I found as I turned down the covers at midnight.
But in a ironic twist, my shriek upon finding the terrifying purple lizard scared Becky in her room. So that part turned out to be funny after all.

This Year's Truck Parade

There were so many trucks and exciting emergency vehicles this year at the corner in Phenix.

A helicopter was hovering over the trucks. That added even more interest to the parade.

The down side was less candy. In years past everyone stood a fair chance of being pelted with at least one piece of candy. Not so this year; it was slim pickin's. Probably there was a law suit over a head injury or lost vision due to the exuberant tossing of handfuls of candy.

The good thing is that everyone in Charlotte County is doing something to prevent cancer. No, not eating healthy, or exercising, or quitting smoking, or anything like that. But they're driving their trucks to get money to cancer research, and I hope it finds us a cure.

Farewell, Nutmeg and Echo

Here are two sweet sisters who went to live at Good Enough Farm today. I had been praying that someone would mention in my hearing that they're looking for pet goats to lavish with attention.
Well, Laura was the answer to that prayer when she blogged that she wanted goats.
I hate to send you to her blog because, like the other blogs I follow, hers is more interesting and in this case also much funnier than mine.

The Super Tooth

Katie had a dentist appointment before we left on our great adventure to bring Colin home. After she was good for her cleaning, they gave her a prize box from which to pick a toy. Her choice was "Super Tooth," a gummy textured tooth on a string that will adhere to walls... and to camera lenses!

Oh, the things that go on while I'm driving that I would never have known about without the marvel of modern videography.

Mountain Meeting

This is us at our meeting place. What a fun time that was!
I think the cousins enjoy each other's company, don't you?

Enchanted Evening with Family