I AM BACK-LYME-THINGS GOING ON AT THE FARM

GREETINGS

I am so glad to be back in the land of the living.  Sometime in January I started feeling like the Lyme had returned.  I got an appointment in February and had loads of blood test and was taken off all medications and awaited the results.  Meanwhile I came down with this awful chest thing that put me in bed for 3 weeks.  While in bed I found out the results of the tests.  I no longer have the lyme but have a  disease from the tick bite.  It is called babesia microti. It’s a parasite that infects the red  blood cells.. 

I am so lucky that a friend, Vickie told me about Northampton Integrated Medicine  or I would be just walking around with the symptoms.    The blood tests done to diagnose this were not known  to a local lab and my regular doctor told me that  it would be  a short-term of antibiotics.   I will be on a 4  month course of a malaria drug and antibiotics with lots of probiotic.  It takes 3 months for all your blood cells to renew themselves  

I have learned so much since my diagnosis  .  This is spread by the white footed mouse.. It can lay dormant for weeks or years, cause flu lie symptoms, fatigue and others.  More and more people are getting this and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health is tracking the people who do get it.  At this time in my small drug store I am the second person taking this unusual medication.

HOLD NOSE AND SWOLLOW!!!!!!!!!!

If anyone out there has had this please send me a note.  I am sharing this with you because the medical field doesn’t have a lot of knowledge about lyme and are not putting the funding into it.  It’s a dangerous disease which can ruin your life and even kill.

One of the sad things for me about this disease is that I won’t be able to hang clothes out.  I have watched and helped all the women in my family, from my Great=Grandmother to my Mom hang  clothes on the line.  There is nothing better than slipping into a bed with the smell of freshness in the sheets.. I have concluded this is how I had gotten bitten in the fall and found ticks on my inside cats.  I hope that I can figure out a way to be able to continue but at this point I will be drying the clothes inside.

THE REST OF MY LIFE

I am still living in the glow of the trip to Ireland and was so grateful to have been feeling so well during that wonderful trip.

I love  my kitchen, it’s a joy to work in and looking forward to the summertime when I will do lots of canning.

The sheep and chickens have survived the terrible, bone chilling cold of this winter and it looks like another nore-easter is coming on Wednesday.

Nellie came in during the 20 below days.  She just couldn’t function in that weather and would have frozen to death.   She has enjoyed being inside with lots of snacks and outings and will go out when the weather gets warm with the smaller and gentler hens.  

I am doing a wonderful Maple Sugar Festival in Whitingham Vermont, March 17 and 18.  Come visit me it will be such a fun event.  I can smell the sap boiling now.

Many thank for reading my blog , hope you have a wonderful day.   Carole.

 

Assorted dark-colored wool strips waiting to be dried, ironed and put into a labeled box

BIRTHDAY SURPRISES-GETTING READY FOR A POP UP SHOP-THANKSGIVING AT THE DEERFIELD INN.

GREETINGS

The cold spell is here and I am still getting a couple of outside chores done. Life moves at a slower pace after the first of the year.  I am already planning the gardens for next year.  One of the most important things I am going to do is plant a Christmas Greens Garden in  one of the new excavation spots near the stone wall and woods.  Every year I either have to scour the woods or buy Christmas greens and I am sick of it.  I would rather have them growing here for the birds to enjoy and me to pick.  I plan to get 3 Winterberry bushes.  I planted three about 4 years ago and realize that they were not planted in the proper spot and only one survived.  It had one berry on it and a bird got it! I also want to get a couple of of box wood, a couple more holly plants, my only female plant got winter kill during a bitter cold winter a couple of years ago.Add to that a couple of evergreens and I think I will be set.  These will add places for the birds and squirrels along a stone wall and will make a pleasant view from the barn and house.  I have the rest of the winter to look at catalogs to find the best plants.  What fun.

BIRTHDAY SURPRISES

My birthday this year was full of surprises.  It started with a face time from my two daughter saying they had found a car for me.  My poor old car was falling apart.  Now I have a van which will carry more hay and allow me to take many more things to shows.

Next my son said he would rip up all the old floorboards in the barn and replace them.  I have been so concerned about the floor, the water has come in for several years and the floors were rotting.

Even Lil helped

These two things I needed most thank you so much to my children and their spouses.

Everything is set for winter now.  The hose is brought in and the electric water bucket filled and plugged in.

POP UP SHOP

 

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I am going to be involved with my friend, Christa in this Pop Up Shop in Turners Falls for the Christmas Season.  We will start on December 11th and will be open that weekend  each day from 11-5.  And then the following weekend.

I will be giving you more info as the time nears with lists of things that we will be selling.  Buy locally made things and meet the crafters .

Today I am drying oranges for the Christmas Balsam Mix.  The house smells wonderful.

THANKSGIVING AT THE DEERFIELD INN

This is the second year Cindy and I have spent Thanksgiving together at Chandlers restaurant and the Deerfield Inn.  Cindy has now finished Law School and will graduate with her class next June.  We may resume our annual Thanksgiving in Ireland next year which we have done for years.  We had a great dinner at Chandlers with a special treat of having my neighbor Christa (the pastry chef) come out and  visit with us on this very busy day.  After a peaceful night and a wonderful breakfast we both went back to our busy lives.

A wonderful raised Herb garden in back of the restaurant at The Deerfield Inn

Old Deerfield is a wonderful place to visit, History of America abounds here.

A SURPRISE VISITOR

I wonder who it is   It doesn’t smell skunky, haven’t seen any raccoons around so it might be a possum.  I am sure I will find out.  But it is time for animals to find warmer quarters.

Many thanks for reading my blog on this chilly morning.  Hope you have a wonderful day.   Carole

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONTINUING FAMILY TRADITIONS-ANGUS-THE TWO BOY’S

GREETINGS

CONTINUING FAMILY TRADITIONS

Today I canned tomatoes.   It’s a long tradition in my family.

 On steamy, hot summer days in Maryland, the small gas stove in my Grandmothers basement  was lit.  The women in the family were busy cutting and peeling tomatoes right from the garden.  As a child it seemed like a day long project they were only finished when all the tomatoes were done and the jars were on the shelves in the basement.  These women, my Grandmother and her daughters knew how important it was to have food on the shelves.  They had gone through the depression.  My Grandmother fed many Hobo’s tomato sandwiches, they were appreciative and it might have been the only meal they would have had that day.

My Mother continued the practice and I can vividly see the stocked shelves in our basement..  Jars and jars of blueberries picked from the farm, peaches from our own tree, tomatoes, beans and corn from our garden, and pickles of all kinds.  She always made Mustard Pickle with a recipe that was handed down from my Dad’s Mom.  I wish I could find the recipe.

Today I am also cooking diced tomatoes in the crock pot.  Herbs,garlic and peppers from the garden are added to the tomatoes and some diced onions from the farmers market top it off.  These will be put in packets and frozen for sauces for this  coming winter.

 

I am hoping to dry some peaches and more herbs.  Plan to freeze the string beans and some corn and make pickled beets.

ANGUS

 

Angus went to  the vets yesterday.  He had been having all sorts of problems.  He will celebrate his `17th birthday next week along with his brother Shorty.  His blood work and tests came back in the okay range so fluids were given and he has to take an appetite enhancer.  He hates pills and will hold them in the side of his mouth for as long as 10 minutes and then you  see him spit it out!  Dr. Funk showed me how to do it.  He has to go back today for more fluids.  He was so happy to be home.  He likes living upstairs now.

Its been raining here for a couple of days now so I did not do the farmers market yesterday.  It’s a gentle rain so that is good.  The cukes are starting to ripen and there may be enough for making bread and butter pickles later this month.  Chris will be leaving on Sunday and Ricky will be here for a few days.  He will be helping me to inventory all the family items in the house.  We will take a picture of the item and then he will write a narrative.  So many things have been handed down to me I want my family to know where these things came from.

THE BOY’S

Here is the latest photo of the boys.  They are grand roosters.  They have marvelous crows and are very friendly.  When it gets cooler they will be living with the sheep upstairs for the winter.

Hope you have a wonderful day and many thanks for reading my blog.  Carole

 

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MORTICIA AND THE CHICKS-RUG HOOKING-A WEDDING AND A BIRTHDAY

HELLO

MORTICIA

Pacing back and forth flying up to me on the fence I wish she could talk.  Then I got to thinking that she has never  been in the Caravan always laid her eggs in a nest box or shelf so she probably didn’t know what to do.  I couldn’t take the chance to leave her to find a way out so I brought her in.  First thing she chased all the chicks around and then checked out the nesting boxes. she hopped from nest box to nest box then she laid her egg.  SInce then she has laid an egg every day. 

The kids are annoying and even when she picks the highest place to perch she has company.  Sammy is the only chick to be able to fly that high. 

SAMMY AND MORTICIA

 

Sammy loves her Mother and has a pitiful mournful cry when she can’t find her.  Maybe they will be pals when Sammy is out of her teenage years.  Chicken Little and Peepers stick together.  They have all grown so much.

 

PLANTS FROM THE SIDE OF THE ROAD

I dug these purple flowering plants on the side of a dirt road.   They have spread and are really beautiful.  Bloom this time of year and have a wonderful scent.  I don’t know what they are. I put a few Bleeding Hearts in with them .   I do love the scent and have bouquets all over the house now.

RUG HOOKING

I brought this fat cat pattern to the Mass show and started on it.  Its something that I have had for quite some time.  I am hooking it with yarn. 

SAMMY CAT

Yesterday while trying to find a certain box of summer clothes in the box room I came across  more and more handspun yarn.  I will have to make another long rug.  I did see some examples of ways to use up small pieces of yarn and will incorporate it with the pattern.

WEDDING DAY AND A BIRTHDAY

Today is my Son’s wedding day.    It’s a beautiful day with lots of sun and nice temps.  It will be held in a small old church in a nearby town and the reception will be held in his Church hall.  The old church has no electric and is quaint.  It’s a small wedding with that old fashion feeling.  Pot luck food and food cooked on the grill by my son-in-law Rick.  Lil and the boys will take an active part in the ceremony.  Pictures tomorrow. 

Today is also my God-Child’s birthday.  Happy Birthday Niquette.  Hope you have a wonderful day.

Many thanks for reading my blog today and I hope you have a wonderful day.  Carole.