OH TANNENBAUM, OHOOOOOOOOOOO

Last Saturday DH and I ventured around the corner to our favorite Christmas tree farm. It's just a small grove of trees beside and in back of this gentleman's home. His trees are lovely and well taken care of. We found the perfect Christmas tree for us. Honey would you like to change your mind? "Nope" I said I'm happy with my first choice, "good" was the reply.Thank goodness we cut our tree before the snow came. Sunday we brought the tree indoors and let the branches settle before decorating. Um, I think it's "leaning" a little. I do remember saying those words, I swear I do.

Monday after three hours of decorating, over it went. Yes, I lost ornaments and yes I did shed a few tears, but I have recovered.

After restringing lights, and replacing ornaments, old Tannebaum has been erected once again. Tonight as I turn on the tree lights my tree seems to come alive with the spirit of Christmas.

Thank goodness my sweet little chicken ornament did not get smashed to smithereens, somebody would be sleeping out in the coop with the "girls".

Moral of the story, when your wife says the tree is leaning, it's leaning!!! plain and simple.
(If my husband reads this post, I will be sleeping out with the girls!!)

WINTER WEATHER

"Winter is the time for comfort-it is the time for home". ~Edith Sitnell~Snow, sleet, rain, wind, we are experiencing all. Winter in New England has arrived.

WINTER TREAT

Our winter wonderland is still with us, not much happening in regards to melting snow. Chicken prints, I love seeing them in the snow.
The "girls" are still undecided when it comes to all this white stuff.

Sunday morning was the first time the chickens did not come racing out of their coop. I think they realized the world as they knew it had suddenly changed.

A bit confused, huddled together, holding one foot up, patiently waiting for me to shovel a path which they hoped would lead to "greener" pastures.

After watching the girls spend most of the day trying to locate something green, I decided to whip them up my version of a "pumpkin hot toddy".

I cooked a pumpkin, scraped the insides ( seeds and all) put it in a blender, added a little milk and refilled the pumpkin shell. When served on a platter, you have some very happy ladies, who in return give you wonderful, large eggs. (And no complaints!)

Well maybe one, a few blueberries on top would have been nice.

FIRST SNOWFALL

We awoke to the first snowfall of the season...the air crisp and the sky a brilliant blue...
three to four inches of snow graced the landscape, giving it a pristine glimmer...

The only way to ease a hen's introduction to winter: warm oatmeal with blueberries

need I say more.

SLEEPY HOLLOW CEMETERY

There is a portion of Sleepy Hollow cemetery which is known as Author's Ridge. There you will find a small grouping of famous poets and authors buried within a stone's throw of one another. First is the family head stone of American poet Ralph Waldo Emerson. The inscription in the center of the stone is weather worn and hard to read (The weather was not helping matters as it was cold and rainy) however, it is indeed the resting place of Mr. Emerson and family. Further along the ridge is American author Nathaniel Hawthorne. Some of his famous works include The Scarlet Letter and The House of Seven Gables. This is the family headstone of American poet Henry David Thoreau. Mr Thoreau never married and is most remembered for his work "Walden" or "Life In The Woods." Thoreau built a cabin on the edge of Walden Pond on property belonging to Mr. Emerson. He lived in the cabin for two years, mostly in solitude.

flowers left from a recent admirer

The Alcott family. The only sister not to be buried here in the family plot is May. At the time of her death she was married and residing in Europe. Months after giving birth to a daughter she became ill with "birth fever"and passed away. May is buried in Europe, however a stone similiar to her sisters is found in the family plot.

Louisa May Alcott died March 6th, 1888, two days after her beloved father.
She never married and was proud to be an independent women of monetary means. With her writings Louisa's lifetime income was $200,000 dollars. Louisa earned more that Mr. Emerson, Hawthorne and Thoreau.

"Love is the only thing we carry with us when we go,

and it makes the end so easy. ~Louisa May Alcott~

TIME FLIES

Where do the days go? I hope everyone enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving. Winslow certainly did, this is his favorite holiday as it is the only time of the year he is allowed to do this. Saturday DH and I braved the crowds and headed to L.L. Bean in Freeport Maine. Surprisingly it was rather quiet, I remained faithful to my list and was out the door in no time.
Monday my husband took a vacation day and we began one of our holiday traditions. DH and I enjoy attending historical holiday open home tours. We traveled to Concord Mass. to "Orchard House," the home of Louisa May Alcott, the American writer best known for her novel "Little Women."
Miss Alcott actually wrote the book in her bedroom, which is located on the second floor, front on the right hand side. And another interesting fact was that the book as she originally wrote it ended before any of the girls were married. Her many fans wrote to her asking what happened to the girls, so Miss Alcott wrote a second book, which together with the first is what we now know as "Little Women".
We were also told that that 80% of the furnishings are original to the time the Alcotts lived there, and that the home has been a museum now for nearly 100 years! (The Alcotts resided at Orchard House for twenty years.) We have visited Orchard House once before, but never during the holiday season. Little Women is one of my all time favorite books and the movie I watch at least twice a year (You can understand why I enjoy my time here). It is a lovely old home with a warm and inviting atmosphere. The home was actually two houses. A smaller home sat in back of the main house and Mr. Alcott had it moved down the hill (during the winter) and connected to the main home. This is the Concord School Of Philosophy which was run by Amos Bronson Alcott, Louisa's father. Mr. Alcott was a Transcendentalist, philosopher, and social reformer. His circle of friends included Emerson, Thoreau, and Hawthorne. It is amazing to me to enter a home which these people frequented, you can imagine a spirited conversation and the laughter that went on amongst them. More tomorrow and a view of Sleepy Hollow Cemetery.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

HAPPY THANKSGIVINGFrom our home to yours we wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving!

Faith, Family, Friends, that is what I am thankful for.

Yes, Gladys and you too!

APRON STRINGS

I'm an apron kind of gal and I just love this new primitive apron of mine. I purchased it from Birgit of "The Primitive Country Bug" during her wonderful Christmas Holiday Fair. The apron has wonderful large pockets, perfect for egg collecting. Speaking of eggs, my girls rewarded me this morning with nine lovely warm eggs. I immediately incorporated them into the pumpkin pie batter I was beating. Oh the wonderful rewards of chicken keeping. ( I do realize I may not be thinking that when we have four feet of snow on the ground and its twenty below outside.) But for now the aprons strings must be tied back on and off to the kitchen I go.
I do think there might be a glass of wine in my future, oh and lets hope the sun shines tomorrow.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE.

SORRY GLADYS

Some of my girl's are a little upset with me. Okay really upset with me. I had hoped they wouldn't notice, but I was mistaken. If you could have seen the way Gladys glared at me- nope, not at all happy. I tried to explain, "you just gotta get ya window boxes filled for the holiday season before the dirt freezes". Didn't cut it with her.

Gladys called Willa over to have a look.
and in disgust, they both left. Plain and simple.

A few fir boughs and pine cones were not going to stop Miss Pearl, no sirree....

This is one persistent gal. By the way, I think she makes a lovely adornment too!

PRIMITIVE PROJECTS

Yesterday was a fine day to finish leaf raking, give the coop a good cleaning and complete a few lingering projects. This is my primitive lady who watches over my garden year round. I needed to refurbish her with a coat of paint and an application of wax. I made a large batch of silicone bulbs. These were made from a recipe given by "Char" over at the " Pickled Pepper Patch". They smell wonderful as well as give that primitive ambiance that we primitive lovers strive for.
I found a piece of scrap wood left over from another project and decided to attempt my take on a primitive candle board. The candles I made from another of Char's recipes. I just love that gal!
This Christmas stocking I began last winter it was all hooked I just needed to add the greenery.

An" alas" it is time to put these primitive fall friends away. Stay tuned to see who or what will take their place.

A "HONEY" OF AN EGG

There was a lot of whispering going on in the barnyard yesterday. It all began with Gladys and Willa.... who couldn't wait to tell what they had overheard to Lucy and Henny.

This "buzz" was all about Honey my sweet little Buff. Gladys just had to stroll by and give Honey a once over. Humm...could be true I suppose. She then went to inform Pip of what she had overheard. Not one to draw attention to herself, Honey took it all in stride.You see I went to collect eggs yesterday morning and everyone had performed their daily duty but little Honey. She was still in the nesting box. I quietly watched and waited, after a couple of strong pushes Honey's egg plopped out. She made her usual vocal announcement and off she went ( but did seem to be a little slower in her movement). I gathered the eggs and went into the house and decided to line the eggs up when I realized my little Honey had bestowed upon me the largest egg in Dog Trot Farm egg producing history.

I had to find out just how much this beautiful egg weighed.

Well, if you can't read the scale Honey's egg weighed in at a little over three ounces, yes three ounces! ( Now I realize why Honey was moving somewhat slower yesterday afternoon). I would be too. I've given Honey the day off - I think she's earned a well deserved day lazing in the sun.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY WINSLOW HOMER

Today is Winslow Homer's ninth birthday. Winslow Homer came to live with us on a Saturday in February. Now I had no intention of owning another dog. At the time we had a beloved Collie, Chloe. DH and I were out doing errands that Saturday morning and on the list was to purchase Chloe a new "shedding" brush. Off to the pet store we went. Of course upon entering we "oh" and "ah" over the puppies. DH spied Winslow Homer and his sister and asked to hold them. Winslow took of scurrying around the pet store and his meek and mild sister was content just to be held. I grabbed the shedding brush and then took a turn holding Winslow, proceeded to give him back to the store employee, when DH looked at me and said "how can you put him back". Well, I can. Needless to say Winslow came home with us that day and has been a faithful friend . Now I realize what some people think when they hear you purchased a puppy at a pet store. We had always adopted our animals, but this was just meant to be. When looking through Winslow's paper work we learned he came from Kansas and his mother's name was Julie D. My name is Julie, middle initial D. It was a sign, Winslow was meant to be part of our family. Oh and Chloe never did get her shedding brush that day, but did get a faithful sidekick. Happy birthday Winslow Homer!

MORNING CHILL

" Pleasures lie thickest where no pleasure seem:

There's not a leaf that falls upon the ground
But holds some joy of silence or sound
Some spirits begotten of a summer dream."

~Leman Blanchard~