A busy week here.
Many new projects have been done a Peace Pole Project, many new lavender products for the lavender house, putting things away for winter and just general living.
The stress in this house is oozing out the sides it can quit any time it likes. Stress totally wears a  person out.
We had our first snow not too much just a reminder it is coming and coming soon. If I did not have to leave home or if I knew my family did not have to drive in it I would enjoy it all winter long...
I have had our grandson three days last week and two this week. We have had a lot of fun.

 

Our telephone number has been taken by scammers and they are using it to call out and use a recorded message about giving away points. It makes me so angry how can people get away with it. They tell me they can not stop it but rest assured if it was me doing it someone would be knocking at my door.
I have noticed the birds are moving in a sign it is getting colder. I have also noticed the Canadian Geese flying I love to see them in the sky. It never fails to make me smile when I can hear them and then I have to stop and hunt the sky to see them.

Yesterday I woke up to minus eight way too cold way too soon this morning is only minus four. We have our wood cut do we have enough? probably not. I bought a pallet of pellets for the wood stove in the back of the house sixty bags plus six bags that we had. It will last for a bit.
You can not walk in our back porch full and ready for winter.

Yesterday was a Grandson day he sure is fun. We sorted pumpkin seeds and roasted them. He liked the fact he could sit in a chair next to me all grown up.

Isn't it funny how a few words can make your day " Hockey practiced in cancelled today" I know there was a sigh of relief in our house. Yes for me thank goodness one less thing to deal with even for Sam he was happy one less thing to have to rush to he could relax and watch a movie. There is nothing funnier when I can hear him down the hall laughing to himself when something is funny.

We made carrot cupcakes and iced them in a horrible orange icing. They taste nice but the icing is not too pretty ~ perfect for Halloween.

 

Today is another Grandson day we have three this week so I had better get ready to head outside and do chores. I really hate to do chores in the dark and cold.

 

Hello today was a damp, wet, windy day even though it was nine above the wind is coming from the north and cold.

It has been blowing the leaves all afternoon.

My dad is out a bit more now a few weeks ago he was deathly sick in the hospital with E-coli that is a horrible, horrible bug. It is quite crazy how sick it makes a person. At least the chores slow down for winter so he will be able to take it easier.
Today my son traveled to Fairview, Alberta to go to school, ahh he is so far away from me. He showed a picture with snow so winter is starting too soon for me.

This weekend we brought quite a bit of wood in. My Dad and our middle son brought in a feeder for the cows, we moved hay over and we are now feeding the sheep over in their winter area now.

 

I gave all new bedding for the animals as it is getting chillier at night now.

I had a talk with chickens one green egg every second day is just not cool.

 

Here is our Mamma and her baby.

 This little Alpaca is the funniest little thing she has such a great personality ~ she is just plain bad.

We are ending near October time is flying by. I have not been to my blog in ages. Our computer and Internet has not been good so it is an effort to just get onto the Internet. Last week we changed the router so we will see how this goes.
our oldest son was home for two weeks it was really nice having him here. He did so much for us, we had great visits, he did some hunting and he had friends over.  He is now this weekend heading off to school in Alberta so many changes.

The farm work is slowing down but know doubt  as soon as the snow flies I will have to start digging gates and carrying water is just no fun.
We have had the fire going on and off for the last month and it is quite noticeable  how much fire wood we have used already.

 

We will be starting a new job or my husband will be and this pretty much consumes my mind twenty four hours a day it makes me sick to my stomach with worry.

Over the last four or five years all I have done is worry about bills, making ends meet analyzing how to stretch a pay cheque from here to hell. It totally sucks the life out of you and makes nothing fun anymore.

 

I do get to spend quite a bit of time with our Grandson he sure is fun.

 

 

Here he is at the pumpkin patch with his pumpkin he is picking to buy.

First day of Autumn

How the heck did summer go by so fast. We have been going full speed ahead with hockey, school, kids working, Allan on the roads lots and a baby Grandson.
I have been getting some cleaning done around here and boy does it need imagine six months of being in the gardens - yah not pretty.

Yesterday was the Car port which by the way we could not fit a car into it. So I tidied removed the bags of cement for the winter I use a lot of cement for projects. Planted pots with shrubs decorated for the season. Now I am ready for fire wood and the mess will start again.

 

This morning my phone rang about four forty five this morning and of course I did not bring the phone into my bedroom so I flew down the hall and it was my Mom. She is taking my Dad into the hospital sigh I am so not good with this stuff.

 

This September I learned a new art garden sculptures it is fun, messy I hope to have all the ones done I want to put out in the lavender gardens next season.

I will show pictures later as the computer must be updating and won't let me browse for a picture.

Enjoy today

September gardening is slowing down.
 Lambs have headed off to the Auction.

School has started this year I have three college students ad two in high school and one still fire fighting.

Hello I am setting up a new computer tonight. Our last one was hanging by a thread. It takes so long to set up a new one. We are in our last week before school that is so crazy so sad school is starting again.
Today little Cash came to visit he loves tractor rides, when I take him on he squeals, screams and shakes with excitement. I will have to see if we can film him.
Well I am off to finish setting up this computer. Good Night

Middle of August all ready.
 I am sure hoping I get into a routine with the blog again it really is a good journal to have. This summer has sadly flown by absolutely amazing how quick it has been. My husband has been on the road a lot and I think that is why the weeks fly as I keep myself extremely busy. Then the rest of the time I stress myself about money, bills and all that not so nice stuff.
This fall all the kids go back to school which is funny the older three are all going to school one in Heavy duty mechanics, one in Early childhood education and the other into business. The younger two are in grade ten and grade twelve and my middle one is still in firefighting hoping to get any extension into the fall.

The gardens have done well.
The Lavender was perfect however it did all bloom and was ready to harvest all at the same time. With our extreme heat it was a challenge to keep the gardens moist. I did expand the one garden and I added to them all summer so lets hope winter is kind to them.

Wow that was a long time to be away from the blog but it is summer time and we have been busy, extremely busy. The kids are all working so there is a lot of running around but mainly juggling trucks. And, the gardens have over taken my whole summer harvesting was intense and no time to slow down. The lavender was all ready at the same time and our weather was so intense and wonderful it had to be dealt with right away.
When our weather decided to become nice it has been so beautiful just lovely.

This summer I have added a lot of new shrubs, roses, grapes and flowers to the Lavender garden. We also opened up the farm during the month of July so we had quite a few visitors it was nice to share the gardens with them.

On the farm side we have ten little tiny quails that we hatched out gosh they are tiny. I was pretty excited that we actually were able to hatch them.

We separated the lambs last weekend they were so rough on the mom's it was time. A lot of bellering for about twenty four hours and now they all seem to have settled.

Summer Day's

A Beautiful Day
The weather has been nice we have been enjoying our summer swimming, visiting with family yesterday nieces and nephews were here it was really nice to see them. The kids are all growing up so much.
It has been endless work on the farm but it is all good. The gardens are beautiful the lavender is blooming and now the hard work begins it actually is a little overwhelming. I guess I just start on plant at a time. Ahh who wanted so many plants :)

This was Savannah's twenty fourth birthday here they are enjoying cake.

Baby Cash is awesome we sure are enjoying him we laugh all day at him. Watching a child grow is truly an amazing unreal experience. I love it!!!

 

Summer Solstice

Rain, rain and more rain

We have had a rainfall warning so lets hope it passes and is finished today

First day of summer

New pond fish

Our baby Grandson loved the new fish it was a bit of a worry when he hugged the bag.

Dreaming of roses

I am on the hunt for a yellow rose like this

Summer Solstice project

Summer Solstice

Summer has quietly approached us amid the lousy weather.

How does it do it?

 We have had two days of rain great for the fields but so much rain for us.

School is finished tomorrow the last of the exams there is nothing better than summer holidays for the kids.

 

Projects are being done.

 Gardens are quite nice.

Sheep are growing it is hard to tell the lambs from their mom's.

Our oldest son and his girlfriend are on their way home tonight for the weekend I am quite excited to see them.

Time for bed have a great sleep.

Good Morning I hope all is well in your world.

 

 I have a few projects under my belt the sign is finished I used an old table from my Dad's homestead from Saskatchewan (not sure on that spelling) sanded down all the layers of paint to the raw wood. Then we outlined the our name and during nap time I used a burning tool to burn the letters it was very time consuming and I only burned myself once now... when my husband gets home and time I am hoping he will know how to hang it.

 

The post are in the ground we just need a creative thinking moment.

 The garden room behind the lavender house is a work in progress it will be the "Solstice Room" this is where our plants will be for sale. I am quite enjoying this project fun to rummage and find things.

My Summer Solstice project this year is this room and many Moons and a sun. I will show you pictures later.

 

 

Have the most wonderful day ever ~ lavender thoughts to all of you

The weeks are flying by we have gone from hot summer weather to cold down pours of rain it looks like it should be nice again. Border line frost last night when I woke up at five am it was 1.2 degrees.
We are coasting along my one is fire fighting so adds more to the back and forth, my one daughter has had a job for about a month quite far out of town  which has made us really have juggle vehicles and such. She will be done there in another week or so and her next job is right in town. The two youngest are near the home stretch of school thanks goodness it has been a long year.

We have our Grandson five days a week while our daughter finishes up her practicum and school. He is getting easier to have on the farm as he is more mobile and we can be outside more now. I am not going to lie most of my day is made up of hugging and kissing-he really is sweet.

The chicks are growing like weeds it is time to move a few around maybe after this weekend once we get two more pens finished. Our one Alpaca had a little baby girl she is so tiny and very, very cute.  We also had one lone turkey hatch she is so cute she is a blue slate turkey and I do need a friend for her.

Next Tuesday we are having two day cares visit the farm we have not done that for a very long time and then in the afternoon I am being recruited to take my grandson for his needles-so not cool.

Well it has been several weeks since I wrote and if I wait any longer for my computer it may just take forever. I took my computer in for a scan and all hell broke loose the windows program needed repairing and now it will be nearly two hundred dollars. They did phone last night it is finally fixed but now I will have to wait to pick it up.
We have gone through some very nice hot weather perfect just like August weather now we are cold again. It is so crazy.

My middle son has been accepted again to being a wildfire fire fighter. So he is on night shift darn it must be cold at night for him.A rude awakening for sure.

I have our Grandson most days of the week now so I get more playing than work done. Today our daughter is picking him up so outside I go to work. It is pretty crazy juggling kids work, grandson baby sitting with sharing vehicles.

Farm animals are doing well just hanging out eating. Everything seems to be coasting along. The new chicks are growing like weeds. We have three stages of young ones. In the incubator we have duck eggs and peacock eggs so I do hope some of them will hatch.

As I am sitting here typing my house is down right cold I think will go light the fire.
 Have an incredible day

It is snowing outside how crazy is that for the end of April. We have had terrible wind - such a crazy weather system we are having this Spring. Yesterday I was ready to give up I wanted to have a tantrum there is so much work on a farm and that is okay but to have to redo the work one just did gets a little old. The wind is wreaking all my ground cover for the lavender I have so much money invested and so much time. I wonder when it is enough? sigh ...
Should I just keep doing this or is this enough add no more just do with what I have if it does not work don't add more?
I guess it is just from being burnt out.
I have to do something heavy decisions on the Lavender gardens what it is I don't know yet.

It is always a good idea to fix a roof when you are on the ground as soon as you get up three steps of the ladder reality sets in and then you are on the actual roof get have to get your roof legs going and then all hell breaks loose when you have to get off the roof onto that little narrow ladder.

 Sigh I will never get a job a roofer J

Our weather to say the least has been down right horrible. We need a few days of sunshine after all the moisture and I am sure it will only bring the weeds up.

We have new chicks on the farm

sizzles

frizzles

Americaunas

silkie

Belgian D'Uccles

Lavender Orpington
Bantam Cochins

Orpingtons

 

I might have a few other breeds but I can not remember right now.

Not too many just a couple of each. Should be fun to watch them grow up.

Our peacocks are so happy the new ones seem to be settled more and my four others are quite pleased with themselves.

I have already harvested herbs out of the garden thyme, chives, sage and lemon balm. The mini roses I planted have all returned after winter so that is quite exciting.

We have set up a play area for Cash we have most of it done now. My niece gave us a swing set for him, so Sally we do not have to take Koa's. We are still waiting on gravel but that might be awhile. Our grandson is still pretty little so he does not need too much.

The day started out chilly then settled now we are getting wind. Mother nature does not know what she wants.

We have the fence wire up around our toy area now, we have a few fence posts, swing set posts and a gate to add. Then it should be safer for Cash.

I stained the posts red to match Cash's play house and wagon. I would like to get some fresh gravel for the ground and I would like to find some nice fresh sand also.

It is kind of funny we are always fencing to keep some animal out of somewhere-the life farming. The green house is full of planted seeds and a lot of new lavender plants. I sure hope they actually grow.

Miss Molly the lavender cow

One of Molly's babies she has two.

 

Yesterday I had Molly the milk cow in the stall and I tied her. She was okay I fed her and left her for about an hour. This morning I fed her in her stall and she went straight to it. And, I just went out to the barn and I pet her and talked real quiet and she seemed a lot more settled.

Good day animals are doing well.

Sheep are let into the bigger pen another week or so we might let them out in the pasture.

I worry about cougars, coyotes and dogs for those little lambs.

Yesterday I fed Molly the milk cow in the barn she was more settled and she brought her calves with her.

Now to only get to milk her I need a farmer to come help me.

I want to make butter, ice cream, and yogurt plus feed my little pigs.

We are off to visit Tanisha today with our other girls and Grandson. Ahh as I write this did you know it is snowing outside...down right depressing.

 

Hope your day is awesome.

Easter Weekend was lovely.

The weather was nice our kids were home.

 

 

You know it is no secret I love spring today is no different fresh, clean from the nice gentle rain we had yesterday.

 All around us the earth is waking up from its long winter nap.

 Do you feel more at peace while outside?

Do you feel a connection to the trees, rivers, sky and mountains?

 

I find my worries go away whole I weed the garden; I get excited when I see the herbs popping up.

I can’t even begin to explain the happiness I get when I see a garden full of roses.

 The gardens full of lavender it gives me a sense of love, hope, happiness and romance.

So much is offered through the gardens, so much is offered to us if we want to accept it.

This spring let the gardens heal you if you need it, calm you if you need it, let the gardens love you and accept you.

 Feel the difference, accept the difference.

 

I challenge you to open yourself up to nature.

You know it is no secret I love spring today is no different fresh, clean from the nice gentle rain we had yesterday.

All around us the earth is waking up from its long winter nap.

 Do you feel more at peace while outside?

 Do you feel a connection to the trees, rivers, sky and mountains? 

 

I find my worries go away whole I weed the garden; I get excited when I see the herbs popping up.

 I can’t even begin to explain the happiness I get when I see a garden full of roses.

 

 The gardens full of lavender it gives me a sense of love, hope, happiness and romance.

So much is offered through the gardens, so much is offered to us if we want to accept it.

 This spring let the gardens heal you if you need it, calm you if you need it, let the gardens love you and accept you.

Feel the difference, accept the difference.

 I challenge you to open yourself up to nature.

A busy wonderful weekend.

 

 Happy Easter everyone I hope you had a wonderful time.

I had a weekend full of surprises. My friends came for a visit so that was cool. Then our son and his girlfriend came home for Easter it was a surprise since they were just home a few weeks ago. I was at the gate saying good by to my friends when Jordan drives up.

 So exciting.

 

He brought home two boxes of chicks from 150 mile a lovely mixture of chicks. If you are local and need some really cool chicks check out

Phoenix Farms on Face book she can set you up with some awesome birds.

Our middle daughter came home on Friday for the weekend we picked her up at College. Our oldest daughter, her fiance and baby also came out plus her mother in law joined us today.

 

On Friday we headed out on a road trip to pick the college student then onto another little town for a Jersey Milk Cow and two little calves. We have had to Doctor the calves all weekend so I hope they turn for the better tomorrow. They are thin and their milk is very, very rich.

 

My friends from Naramata Lavender Farm also joined us today, I showed them our farm and the Lavender house. It always hard to see it through the eyes of other people. They also picked up their large order of products.

My brother and his two children also joined us for the day it was so nice to spend time with the kids they are growing up so much.

Then we had a walk to the river and ended our day with a really nice supper at my Mom and Dad's I think there was seventeen people for dinner.

I wish you all a very Happy Easter

First day of spring and it brought rain down pours of rain and a very cool wind.
The snow level was right around us.
We had a new Ewe lamb today that we had to pull, not overly big she was just a small Mom. The little baby has a huge bulls eye on her back, very cute.

Thank goodness it Spring break so I had the kids home to help me pull the lamb and look after the Grandson.

We have starting Lambing we are at two sets of twins, one single - Three females and two males - we pulled one.

 

We have been spring cleaning our little pond is set and running and so is our little fountain in the lavender garden.
In the incubator so far we have hatched three chicks out of thirty six I hope it picks up.
Our weather in temperature has been nice but the wind is just ruining it. Such a cold wind.
Our new ducks are enjoying the Lavender Garden and so far they are not touching the lavender plants. They have given us only three eggs so far.

this is a test resetting accounts

 

We now have eight peacocks.

A good morning. Time is marching on here. It is unreal it is March already too crazy. We have been busy, busy, busy late nights and really mornings. Jordan and Cass were home for the week so awesome to see them. Last night Mom and Dad made us a nice turkey dinner, I was so tired though.
Allan is driving a logging truck this week, that is good work has been slow for him.

Today is a baby Cash day I head in about seven forty five for him. He is walking so good now and he is quite the character.

Yesterday I went to Kamloops because our middle son had a first aid course to take so it was a long early day there. I went to visit my friend for an hour or two.We had a nice visit she has an amazing sewing machine that we were playing with.
On Saterday I went to see some people I know and came home with four new peacocks so if nothing gets them like a raccoon I have eight now. They are amazing birds I quite like them.

This is my picture I have been working on

It was a sad day at the farm today. My Mom and Dad's old dog passed away this morning he would have been fourteen in two or three weeks. They are away so of course I had to phone them.
Our weather has been crazy as usual we had a snow storm come through it did not last too long just enough to make a mess then in the sun today it warmed up to fifteen degrees.

I have been painting a cupboard. It is quite nice they never come out as I picture them though. I am going to use it store by bottles for the Lavender and my essential oils. I hope to get rid of some of the boxes that have bottles stored in them.
Well off to call it a night

I hope you had a Romantic Valentines

 

 

I am at the end of making my sixty bottles of Syrup eleven more to go.Then it is on to bath bombs, then jelly. I don't mind making the product it is the sealing that stresses me out

 

I had quite a busy day, it is amazing how much you can do if you set your mind to it.

Our barn is cleaned, ready and set to go for lambing. It is nice to be ahead of the game.

Busy days
Making syrup for another lavender farm, sixty bottles.
I have been making a lot of product for the Lavender farm over the winter, so we are good and stocked right now.
The Lavender house will be bursting at the seems.

We are getting closer to lambing, I sure hope it goes smooth and no problems. I will have to teach our Grandson how to farm.

Here he is having a little computer time, watching because he know he is not suppose to be on it.
Our hockey is slowing down a bit which is nice. Time to move onto other things.
Our middle daughter is home for a couple of days she is on reading break, so she is have a nephew fix for the next few days.
Well I am off to make up more syrup.