Voicelessness and Emotional Survival > Voicelessness and Emotional Survival Message Board
2022 Frozen Tundra Farm Report
Hopalong:
Mine? Plumber came but can't snake it out until hard ice over (shallow) snow melts off my yard. He can't find or reach the cleanout. But I'm okay with slow flushing for now, knock wood. Gross, but I'll be in touch with him in a couple days to reschedule. Nice guy that knows his stuff, though dragging a 300-lb machine across snow isn't on at his age.
Cancelled cleaner AGAIN -- both unfortunate and a great relief. My house is a cluttered disaster so I welcome the delay. I can walk thru dust/dirt w/o distress, but decluttering surfaces enough for her to clean them is torture, after a few weeks not doing so well (anxiety wise, but that's for Mental Health thread). Feels better to take another week to get ready for her return. Right now can't use dishwasher, washing machine or shower, which will be notable in a few more days. For now will wash dishes in a pan, and throw the water outside. "Pits 'n bits" -- what a winter.
Pooch is fine and the crows are a bit more jovial; great optimism for that project!
Amber, I dunno how you juggle all that you juggle but it's really nice to read how steadily you plan, and prepare, and calendar, and keep your eyes way off the pebbles and on the horizon so your life with all its changes is still working, and from the sound of it, working well! All fingers/toes/hairs crossed the B. stuff is moving ahead.
I will be really happy to hear every update, because your mountain is a consoling and captivating space for my daydreams.
hugs
Hops
lighter:
Oh, drat. Hops...... what a mess to soldier through. You're doing so well with it!
The pug puked in my bed at 5am and I was dead set on mictro cleaning every inch of bedding and the floor and the washer's running and the sink is set up to receive said pug for a good dog washing session when seems recovered. Pug's nervously eyeing the towels under the kitchen sink as I write this. Inside I'm shivering in anticipation for the work you have ahead of you
Lighter
sKePTiKal:
Temps are warming up for a few days Hops. Maybe that'll speed your plumbing fix along. I'm hoping my snow melts too - but it'll be mud season. Again.
I guess I'm glad I APPEAR to be calm - LOL. I do try to organize, have a seasonal work calendar in my head and pre-stage for things as much as possible. I'm not really quite "all that". I can have nights of racing brain, still have unrealistic expectations about some things - or fantasize, the whole list of irrational anxieties... I just am not as "stuck" there as I was, once upon a time. I think, that working through being widowed at my own speed, my own way - and facing life alone (at least for a couple years) was the worst possible disaster I could imagine happening, and I still kinda landed on my feet. Meeoooow. It was actually a rewarding journey and I think opened up a crack in my "idea bank" of what could be possible. The "why NOT?" energy has kinda taken over.
Phyll:
I am getting caught up on your discussions of chickens, home heating, snow and discoveries of poor repairs!
We have 13 hens in a coop W built 3 years ago. I love their eggs. We had a rooster, but he was unceremoniously dispatched after he tore most of the feathers from our hens that first year. Now when W enters the coop or the run several of the hens will stand at his feet, crouch down and squat until he picks them up or pets them. Apparently, W is the Rooster! :)
We are considering investing in an outdoor woodburning gassification unit to heat the house, garage, and water heater. It seems they can save about 60% of annual heating costs, the wood mess would stay outside, it would provide longer burn times, reduce our carbon footprint and get a 26% tax break for the cost of the unit and installation cost.
Four years ago, W bought a 1948 Harry Ferguson tractor. We decided it was time for a newer model. Last month we bought a 1970 White Oliver. We use it with various implements on the 3 point hitch for snow removal, making and maintaining our walking trails, hauling dirt, dispensing fence, grading the driveway, pulling out root etc.
We had tons of snow in December, and it has been especially cold this January into February. We are in the process of re-installing the Jodel wood stove on the sun porch. It was improperly vented to the same flu from the living room on the first floor as the wood furnace in the basement. We were getting a chimney stink when the wind blew a certain direction. When we first moved here W hired a chimney cleaner to come and do a more thorough inspection. We discovered the pipe was never installed all the way to the flu - it was discharging into the basement block wall ... amazing the house did not burn down or that people did not die from CO poisoning. We have discovered many things that were not right, safe, or repaired poorly. Always keeping us busy
Just sayin, I can relate to your life on the farm!
sKePTiKal:
Phyll - one of the trade-offs of that wood gasification strategy is that, like everything else, the cost of wood is going up. I have enough wooded land, that I can supply 3 wood stoves (and the occasional bonfire) out here... as long as we start to replant trees. We refuse to burn pine - which totally covers chimney pipes in creasote - so those are either used in permaculture or bonfires.
We're kinda at a resting plateau with projects out here. The kids will build a geodesic greenhouse this spring and mom is waiting to get Buck fixed up pain-wise and totally moved before endeavoring too much else. Roofer was here yesterday and he's going to order the steel so we can lock-in price against any unforeseen increases. Decreases will be deducted from my bill.
B & I are running out this morning to get two more bolts & washers - then Helga is ready to be inspected until I can get her re-registered as a farm use vehicle. It gives Hol something she's used to driving in the winter, since the Pontiac needs to be in the garage during the weather we're having - but Steve is still working on his Subaru commuter car.
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