farmette life 3

We know what risks all landsmen run,
From noblemen to tailors;
Then, Bill, let us thank Providence 
That you and I are sailors.
(Charles Dibdin)

Ed has always said that being out on a boat is far less dangerous than driving to work, to school, to the grocery store. He is full of statistical proof, which I know is bogus, since if you put all those people who are out in cars onto boats on the ocean, the accidents would mount and far surpass what we now see on highways. At least that's my view.

Still, it's impressive to listen to all the preparations that are taking place just to sail a little catamaran out into the Atlantic -- a trip I would not take if you paid me, even very large sums of money.

Some of us are born to sail, others are born to stay on shore.

It's another busy day, but at least the weather is not wrestling with me today. The night was freezing, but we do climb out of that frosty air by noon. It looks almost pleasant, even in the early morning, no?






Tending to the animals requires some guesswork. The sheep shed cats are rather predictable. One or two may not show up for breakfast, but by evening, they'll all be there, clamoring for some grub.






The porch scene is a little more complicated. Another stray (The Orange Cat) showed up last night, then disappeared. That means that if I leave food out for Stop Sign and her kittens, the stranger might feel invited to dine there in her stead. I've put out a warming pad into the pet carrier, hoping to entice Stop Sign's little babies here for the night, but the snowstorm seems to have scared them away. Who knows where they are right now.

The cheepers are laying less now and I worry less about them. They still look miserable walking through the snow...






... but they know they have a safe spot in the barn. Yesterday, most of them never left the coop.

The day flies by quickly.  Breakfast...






Farmette chores, followed by weekly grocery shopping, followed by the visit with little Snowdrop.






We read a lot of Ramona chapters, nearing the end of the series. It's another milestone -- we've moved past Ramona. I feel her childhood is suddenly on a very fast track. That's the way it is with kids -- one day you're counting the minutes til their nap, the next, you wish you were just embarking on the first Ramona book.

(full disclosure: she is not holding a Ramona book in this picture!)






Toward evening, I take Snowdrop home and as it's Friday, I step out with her mom for a quick glass of wine and a review of the weeks gone by. It's a very welcome moment away from the farmhouse.

Eventually I head home. For supper, I microwave the leftovers from yesterday's frozen pizza. That was a mistake. It's bad enough that in my tiredness, I succumbed to frozen pizza last night, but reheating that trashy meal was positively stupid. I'm sure whatever meal the men on a boat had tonight was better than that. Tomorrow, I shall improve!