A Tie

44 days after losing his sweetheart on Valentine's Day, my granddad's heart decided, yesterday, that enough was enough. After 62 years of marriage, I suppose forty-four days was more than anyone could take. Although losing both of them within forty-four days, is a bit more than my heart can take.

I can vividly remember a conversation I witnessed, as a young adult, between the two of them. They were bickering, in that way that people who've been married for a lifetime do, about their health and each others lifestyle attitudes. Each believed they would live longer than the other. They ended the conversation by saying to each other, "Well, we'll see won't we?" And since that day, I have sat quietly wondering, from time to time, who would be right. Never in all my thoughts, did I ever consider the outcome would be like this.

 My grandparents, winners of the Kroehler Picnic three-legged race 1946.

There is only one way I can call this race. 

A tie.

I'll be away for a few days, until then,
~Be well friends~

From the Artist

As I drove to work last Friday morning, there was a hypnotizing mist in the air and everything was covered in a deliciously, fuzzy frost. I made a mental note to call the Artist when I arrived at work and ask him to take some photos for me. And of course, like most mornings, by the time I arrived, an hour later, I had forgotten. It was mid-morning by the time I remembered and I was sure most of the frost had dissipated so I relegated the notion to my missed opportunity drawer with hopes I might remember to peek inside again next year.

Sometimes, however, he and I are traveling on the same wavelength, because when I arrived home that evening, he quickly told me that he had captured some pictures for 'the blog' that morning. How's that for intuition?

Those of you who are recent Rural Revelers may wonder why I call my husband the Artist. There are as many reasons as there are ways he shows his creativeness around the old farmhouse. And although he doesn't pick up a camera as much as he does a paint brush anymore, I'm tickled to treat you to his view of our neck of the woods on a frosty Friday morning.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.


 ~Be well friends~

Barn Charm Barn Hop

It never ceases to amaze me that in almost three years of living in the country,

I still see something new every day, and this is no truer than when I venture out on foot.

Something that hasn't happened near enough over the winter when

 I tend to stick to our back woods, or during the summer, 

when you can usually find the Artist and I cruising the rail trail on our bikes.

So this time of year, when I'm itching to get more exercise

and all the fresh air I can handle, I find myself with a plethora of opportunities

for getting a little snap happy.

And in my books, there's nothing better to get snap happy about than a barn.

And the older the better. Wouldn't you agree?

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I'm linking up with Barn Charm Monday

 and the Homestead Barn Hop!

~Be well friends~

This and That

There are a few things we need to discuss,

so let's do it now, shall we?

This way we can start the week off with a clean slate.

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Thank you for all the lovely comments about how cute I am,

but the sweet lady about to deliver a delicious chocolate cake

with date filled layers, made by my stalker aka mom, is not me.

For the record, I'm not blonde, and I'm not quite as tall. She has long legs, while I 

was blessed with shall we say a shorter version. And I say blessed, because I

know they are a blessing, I just haven't figured out why yet.

Who is she? That sweetheart is my Aunt. 

 Not what you pictured for an aunt?

That might be because she's only eleven years older than me.

And I will state for the record that growing up with an Aunt, so close in age,

was the coolest thing ever, for both my brother and I. 

She liked our music, our clothes and our friends.

In fact, she still does! 

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Speaking of sweethearts, my dear and very sweet friend Misha,

is hosting her second annual 'Flea Market Style' giveaway.

Please visit From My Front Porch in the Mountains, 

to see what all the buzz is about!

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And speaking of buzzes,

I went here on Saturday.

 And I'm buzzing with excitement!

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And speaking of bees, I've decided the button decision is final

and the tally is over and the end results

were astonishingly lopsided.

The winner by a landslide of 29 - 5....

And I think that wraps things up around the old farmhouse for another weekend.

Here's hoping your week is a good one.

~Bee well friends!~

{this moment} - happy birthday

 I'm linking to Soulemama for a Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savour and remember.

 ~Happy weekend friends!~
 
 

Pardon Me?

I may be mistaken but the spring equinox has passed, 

with the fanfare of a beautiful and bright moon, no less.

I welcomed Spring wholeheartedly, 

in fact, I am pretty sure we all welcomed her.

So, excuse me if I am a bit perplexed and more than a little dismayed

about the conditions outside the old farmhouse today.

Conditions that warranted a snow day for the little people,

and a work from home day for me. 

So what's a girl to do with a day like today?

Well this girl took her coffee break outside and played in the snow,

and then played with Photoshop after dinner.

And that's okay for one day. 

But old man winter, let's make things clear, 

if you plan on sticking around, 

you're treading on thin ice.

 ~Good bye Winter!~
 

Better Late than Never

Call me a late bloomer, but I've recently discovered P-Dubs PS Actions. 

I think I'm in love. 

That would be with the actions and that barn.

Just in case you were wondering.

 ~Be well friends~

A little secret

I'll let you in on a little secret.

Shhh, it's just between you and me.

 Sometimes when it's just the Artist and I kicking around the old farmhouse,

which isn't often, mind you;

the first thing we do is head for the city. 

I know, it's hard to believe isn't it?

Do you still love me?

Maybe if I tell you why, you'll understand.

While the country offers just about everything we need to satisfy our souls.

Every once in a while we need to satisfy our stomachs, in a special way.

And our favourite place to do just that

 is only in the city. 

And there's nothing finer than a cold Indian beer or a mango lassi, 

a belly full of scrumptious Indian food,

with this guy,

to make returning back to the old farmhouse, all the sweeter.

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What's your favourite treat?

 ~Be well friends~

Welcome Spring!

Well, how was the first day of spring in your neck of the woods?

It was mostly cloudy and a little on the cool side, but there was a definitive scent in the air here today.

It smelled of spring growth but maybe it was just because

 I was able to ditch my boots today. You never can tell!

As Callie and I went outside before dawn this morning to check out the moon, 

we heard the sounds of spring as we listened to different animals in the bog across the road.

Of course, there is one other thing that I can always set my spring clock to.

My baby brother was born on the first day of spring.

And today he is forty!

Happy Birthday Little Brother.

Thanks for making me feel so old.

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And of course, it just wouldn't be spring without our giveaway announcement.

I hope you all had fun browsing and carousing the Novica website.

I know I sure did.

The Artist announces the winner in this short video. 

I had to subcontract out for a videographer so please ignore the poor quality. 

And yes, you really have to watch the video to see who won.

Because to just tell you wouldn't be as much fun!

~Happy Spring my Friends!~

Final Giveaway Reminder!

A last reminder that the Novica giveaway closes tonight.

For details please visit the original post.

Tomorrow we'll be celebrating the first day of spring,

a BIG birthday celebration and

someone will be a lucky shopper at Novica.

Will it be you?

 ~Happy Weekend Friends!~
 

{this moment} - enjoying spring

 I'm linking to Soulemama for a Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savour and remember.

and

I'm linking up with

Farm Chicks Photo Friday.

 ~Happy Friday Friends~

The Real Deal

We'll be ready this weekend to start boiling our sap down to syrup.

While it's not a big operation, that's okay. 

For us, it's not about being a money making venture, 

but rather one more step towards self-sufficiency.

 Tonight, while the Artist, Callie and I were out for a walk, we noticed one of our neighbours 

working on his own syrup. The Artist, trekked into the woods and introduced himself.

Then he asked if his wife could take some photos. Because he's cool like that and I'm not.

 

  So Callie and I made our way through the mud, to see what was at the end of the lane.

This is what we arrived to.

 Meet Dan and his super-sized evaporator. 

I'm pretty sure, some guy doesn't appear out of the woods every day 

asking if his wife can take some photos, so as off guard as he must have been, 

he was a gracious host and shared lots of interesting information about the syrup process.

Dan's family has owned this land for multiple generations,  in fact remember that old atlas 

a few weeks back mapping our county? Well, according to it, Dan's family has 

worked the same land for over 150 years. 

 At one time, Dan's grandfather used to hang over 3000 buckets for sap collection. 

Today, Dan has up to 500 trees tapped, 350 by bucket, the rest using the new tube method.

 It takes 2 people, 2 hours to empty all 350 buckets. Imagine collecting 3000!

This year, Dan is expecting 80-100 gallons, which is used strictly for personal use, and as gifts for

friends and family. It's hard to believe that someone else out there is as addicted to maple syrup, if not more,

than the Artist, but by golly I think we've found one! 

He first started out with a wood fire and an iron pot, then soon enough had made his own evaporator. 

Last year he began using this beauty and for the record, making 80 - 100 gallons of your own syrup

is not a job for the faint of heart. After spending his day at work, he then fills his entire evening til midnight,

or (hopefully not) later, boiling down syrup.  And it's a process that keeps him on his toes. 

  If he's not tending the fire, 

 and it takes a lot of wood, to keep the temperature steady; 

then he's watching the sap to make sure it doesn't boil over. 

 

 Can I just say how glad I am that there won't be any more boiling over incidents 

this year in the kitchen at the old farmhouse? Very glad. To keep the foam under control,

a few drops of milk are added to the syrup mixture and faster than you can say Mississippi, 

the foam recedes but only for a few minutes.

 We asked how long the season usually lasts and when he would stop collecting sap. 

I've heard once the maples bud, it's time to pull the spigot out but I like Dan's tried and true method better.

According to his Grandfather, once the ice on the pond has melted or you hear the peepers, then it's

time to call it quits for another year. Of course, once the sap is no longer clear but has a yellowish tinge,

you just won't get a nice tasting syrup. 

 As the season progresses, the syrup will become darker but if you have a warm day like we

had here today, the syrup will also react to the higher temperatures and darken. Today was a

little too warm, the trees really do their best work when the temperatures aren't too high.

So there you have it, a real sugar bush operation. And while I've been exclaiming profoundly around 

here lately, how ready I am for spring, I'm hoping the ice on the pond doesn't leave too quickly. 

 Maybe it can hang around for another few weeks. 

All in the name of some maple goodness. 

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I'm linking up with Verde Farm for Farm Friend Friday!

~Put the real stuff on your pancakes!~