We just think we are homesteading

Last night we watched the real thing!
Sure we have a wood pile and use a wood stove, I do mostly home made food, hang out my laundry to dry either out side or on the racks and we live a basically simple life.And no out house, the best part =)
But... if we didn't have the wood, we still would not freeze and I do have a dryer if I need it and I can run to Walmart or the commissary if I need too.
I don't have to go out and camp at 20 below to catch a few fresh fish, I don't have to go out and cut down a tree for wood because if I don't we will freeze to death and I don't have to sit on top of a stump waiting to kill a squirrel and then make a fire and eat because I need fresh meat and I don't have to keep the toilet seat in the house because if I don't it will have an inch of ice on it when I go out side in the 20 below weather to visit the outhouse.

I happened upon this show on TLC last night called "Alaska, The Final Frontier" It is about the Kilcher family.

The dad settle there 80 years ago, living outside Homer AL on some 600 acres of land and some of his family had opted to carry on the tradition.

They live with out running water or electricity and have outhouses. Outside, away from the house. And they have to keep the toilet seat inside so it dosen't freeze. They have 4 months of summer and during that time they grow a garden, fish and hunt for food and then freeze what they have to during the winter. They can and have a root cellar to keep things fresh as long as they can. They even have cattle and if a calf is born during the winter they have to go out in this minus weather and look for it until they find it. Now dosen't that sound like a fun night. And they have a bear problem, big nasty angry brown bears, that come and steal their cows. And for the most part they seem to enjoy it.

Now I know that TLC can sensationlize things just a wee bit, but I know these people are the real homesteaders, and life is probably not easy for them.I am not sure why they stick with it, maybe it's the challenge, love of the hard life or what ever.

But as for me, I will take my small slice of the easy homesteading and will be glad my toilet seat can stay attached and isn't a tool a need to carry around with me. =)

Here today, Gone tomorrow

It's always a bit of a surprise when we get a snow day here in Arkansas, but we did have one this week. We are not prone to snow and so there is not a lot of snow equipment to help with removal. That is why when we get 3 or 4 inches everything shuts down. It took me a while to figure this out and why Walmart shelves were empty when ever I happen to make a run there.
Growing up in Canada, snow was a common thing & you got very few snow days.You were expected to in school or at work most of the winter and usually had to wear your snow suit just to get there warm and dry.When you were lucky enough to have one, you had to really bundle up. We would have so much snow gear on you could hardly move, under shirt, long sleeve shirt, sweater, long johns,pants, 2 pairs of socks and that was before you put on your snow suit! But we loved it so out we went to make snow angels, and snow men (if the snow was sticky enough), and go sledding.
We spent a good portion of our winter time snowmobiling as well. One of our favorite activities was to tie our wooden sleds to the back of the snowmobile, one us would drive and one of us would stand on the toboggan like a giant ski and get pulled around the yard at great speed. It was great fun and we loved it, until the day we ran the snow mobile in a tree in the yard and destroyed the front of it. I don't remember being able to do it so much after that!
As we got older we were allowed, of course to do a lot more solo snowmobiling.It provided us with many hours of amusement and out door fun. We spent a lot of time at relatives where we stored them, so that we could snowmobile in the large fields and areas behind their house.We loved to go at night especially after a new snow. The moon would make it sparkle like diamonds, and there were never any tracks except for a few animals. It was like being alone in a huge white world, dashing across the snow in the dark with the cold air biting at any skin you had left exposed. You usually had someone riding with you, arms around your waist, clinging to you for dear life. Then you might find a huge drift or hill, and oh the fun. You would turn around and scream through the rushing wind and the scarf around your mouth "HANG ON" and feel the arms around your waist gripping you for dear life. They could not see what you were headed for but knew if they didn't they would slide off the back as you zoomed into the air. I was always amazed at how fast and far we could fly on those heavy machines, but oh the fun we had. We would land with a mighty bang and then stop, fall off the machine and laugh for dear life. (that is if you were still on it as it went over the drift). Some times we would fall off, unable to hang on and we would go one way and the machine the other. Then you would have to scramble to get up, laughing or moaning if you got hurt, and run looking for the snowmobile that got away.
As I get older I will always appreciate those memories.I think it was a unique way of life. As I get older though I also appreciate the milder weather. I get to see the snow, the ground is white for a day or two and it brings back some fun memories, and then it slowly disappears leaving us once again with the brown bare ground, a bit of sun, and thinking once again to spring, gardening and the hot weather of summer.

Christmas ,The Book & the Baby.

I think this had to be the most relaxing & quiet holiday's we have spent in quite along time. It maybe the first Christmas we have had alone since before Jennifer was born, and while that seems kind of romantic & sweet we were both rather deflated. Now don't get me wrong, we do enjoy being with each other and after many times being apart we were glad to be together, but we very much missed the busyness of having family and children and all the hustle & bustle. I found it funny because Ivan looked at me and said
" You know I like being with you but being alone at Christmas kind of" and I said "sucks" and he laughed and said "Yes". All in all though it was a nice holiday and we received some nice gifts but the one that touched me the most was "The Book". I have never seen anything like this and was very amazed when I opened it.
I was looking at the back cover and thought I had gotten a lovely picture of Ivy, but then I turned it around and realized it was a book called "Ivy in Autumn".Made by Kelly with pictures by Hannah.(Kelly's wedding photographer) Then I opened it and inside were some of the most beautiful pictures I think ever. Now I may be slightly biased but these are beautiful.
There are some of Ivy alone and some of her with her Mom & they are so sweet. I had never given a lot of thought to being a grand mother, I guess because I think I am still 30 ha! =) But I also never knew I could enjoy anything so much. Because Ivy isn't near, we have learned to love every moment we do get to spend with her and all the little things we get to see and do with her. Talking with her for a moment on the phone, seeing her "Oh Christmas Tree"singing video, and all the beautiful pictures of her.That is why I love "The Book". It gives us a part of her & we get to share in her life. Looking at all the expressions on her face, let's us see a bit of her personality as it develops and she grows.
We got many other lovely items, books & slippers, and special candies =) (some of my favorites)
and beautiful quilted items, but I will always treasure my book and that special time in Ivy's growing up. It made up for the "quiet" we had. Even though I know we cannot always together in one huge group for Christmas & holidays, I will always treasure my family and the special times we do get to spend together.

Making Homemade Donuts

So I have this blog I guess I should write in it eh? The pictures are some home made donuts that Ivan and I made today for a fun Christmas activity. He sometimes likes to make peanut brittle but this year decided to try donuts. I had found a recipe in my Better Homes & Gardens magazine that has just came in so we decided to give it a whirl. He gathered ingredients and I helped with some of the fine points of the recipe =). We measured, mixed, stirred and beat and finally got everything together in the BIG bowl, as stated in the recipe. We put it outside to chill for 2 hours since it was cold out and the fridge is full and and they sat on top of the bbque grill.
After we brought them in and had the oil heated up, I rolled and cut and he fried in some kind of an assembly line fashion. We timed them precisely because I tend to over fry things trying to make sure they are done. Each batch came out lovely and golden, crispy on the outside, soft and fluffy and tasty on the inside. Then they are liberally doused with cinnamon and powdered sugar which just enhanced the taste. Ivan has found them very tasty and he is the donut connoisseur so we won't argue.
While they probably aren't perfect, these are some of the best I have ever made and will happily do the recipe again. Probably next Christmas =)

i woke up this morning in a lot of pain after having gone to bed in a great deal of pain in my neck and shoulder. there are days i wish this accident had never happened (most of them) & i always hope for the morning that it will not be so bad, sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't but life always continues on regardless and so do i =).
the weather is beginning to improve and the daffodils are beginning to bloom. i like it when i go outside and i don't need a sweater.!ivan was able to go on base and go walking on the track to, it is nice to get out and get some fresh air.
i have spent the day working on orders and making some things for little miss ivy.i am moving a bit slower but i always enjoy making things for her.her mom is making a 30's vintage quilt for her new bedroom in her new house and so i have found some similiar fabrics and am making a few things for decorations for her for her walls. they will go along with the theme and give me some fun making them. i like to create new things & i will add them to my web site to as a new items for my kids section.
i think the dogs are enjoying the weather as well, it is much more fun to play and roll on the grass when it is warm and not wet and cold. tucker the little doxie likes to bounce up an down under the rabbit cage at regular intervals for whatever reason a little dogs needs. we will never know his mind.
i am trying to decide what to make for supper tonight. broccoli cheese soup, souffle, quiche hmm. they all sound good. maybe quiche and steamed broccoli, combined two ideas. something easy that does not take to much time and energy.
maybe something good will be on the tube tonight, ivan has some good books form the library to help pass the time. cheers.