Welcome to Sugar Maple Weekly Updates, a weekly blog post where I share things happening on the farm, with our family and with me. I hope you enjoy it. If you have any questions for me or anything you would like to know more about, please leave the comment/question in the comments below. I’ll answer the following week!
Cold. That is the theme of this week. I know that is the theme for many of you too with the weather system that seems to be gripping most of the United States. On Twitter I follow a lot of garden accounts from the United Kingdom and I’m watching snowdrops pop up in their gardens right now. As I sit here we have at least two feet of snow on the ground and it is 8 degrees Fahrenheit. To say I’m jealous of my U.K. friends would be an understatement.
Animal activities
I wanted to write a few posts this week about how we care for the animals on the farm in the cold weather. However, this is just too cold for me to be out there photographing or really doing anything other than taking care of business – making sure they are all fed and as warm as can be. So, I’ll give you an overview here on the Sugar Maple Weekly Updates and plan to share that next week instead when the temperatures are back in the 20’s. That will surely feel like a heat wave.
One of our donkeys – Naomi – is acting a little odd this week. Despite some of our prep she was shaking yesterday. I have her some electrolytes, pain meds the vet recommended and kept her stalled for the day. She seems to be better today. We don’t generally stall the donkeys at all so Kevin thought it was maybe stress. She was also not sweating under her coat (Yes, our donkeys wear coats in this weather. I know everyone has an opinion on that.) nor was she overly cold. I’ll go more into this next week but overall, we are going to keep an eye on her. She is eating and drinking so that is a good sign.
The updates will include how we deep litter “clean” our chicken coop during winter and how we take care of the donkeys in weather like this. Our dogs and our barn cats both live in heated spaces -the dogs in the house and the cats in my pottery space – so we don’t worry as much about them. Although, the cats are currently bored out of their minds.
Family happenings
Kevin was supposed to be traveling this week to Chicago. However, his train was canceled due to the conditions and thank god for that. I can work our tractor, but the tractor currently has the snow blower attachment on and we have needed to use it every day. I do not know how to work this. Nor do I like parking the tractor in the barn or really being in the tractor. I feel too large and top heavy. Additionally, I have been really worried about the power going out. We have lost power four times this year – more than any other year here – and the first time last March our basement flooded because we couldn’t get the generator working. Flood is not a concern in this weather, but freezing is and the generator is physically too heavy for me to pull, push or lug to the spot it needs to be to plug it in.
Kid activities
Keira started cheerleading this year and loves it, which was a complete surprise to me. I was a cheerleader and loved it. However, I never wanted to push my things on the kids (except gardening, then I push). She had been pretty adverse to it in the past but saw some cool YouTube stunting and decided she wanted to try. The best thing about it is how good she is at it. She is a rather shy girl, doesn’t like to talk to people she doesn’t know and I dare say introverted. But she opened right up on the sidelines this year and truly shocked me. This weekend there is a competition they are showcasing at. (Not completing but kind of like a practice competition.) It will be her first time in that environment. I’ll be interested to see what she things of it all.
Roman starts indoor soccer this week and it is more of a skills building soccer. He’s looking forward to it and I’m looking forward to seeing him burn off some energy.
The great outdoors
Besides this, the kids have really enjoyed playing in the snow this week, despite the temperatures. They’ve built snowmen, sled and chased the dogs around the yard. I think they may love being outside more now than they do in the middle of summer.
We do not generally make them help with chores in this weather. It is more important to Kevin and I to get all the chores done during bad weather than it is to have the kids help.
Sugar Maple Weekly Updates – Weekly posts
In case you missed it, here is a few posts I published last week.
- Homemade Cinnamon Sticks {HERE}
- Homemade Minestrone Soup {HERE}
- Seed Paper Valentine’s {HERE}
- Creamy Lemon Butter Spaghetti {HERE}
I’m still hoping to get the bookshelf project up this week that I mentioned in last week’s Sugar Maple Weekly Updates. Maybe on Thursday or Friday though.
Super Bowl Ideas
We are hosting a little get together here for the Super Bowl and I wanted to give you some ideas if you are hosting too. These are decor and food ideas.
- Football field table runner {HERE}
- Football Mason Jars {HERE}
- Goal Post Napkin Holder {HERE}
- Artichoke Spinach Dip {HERE}
- Buffalo Chicken Dip {HERE}
- Turkey Chili {HERE}
- French Onion Sliders {HERE}
- Homemade Pretzels {HERE}
- Three Bean Chili {HERE}
- Instant Pot Pulled Pork {HERE}
Books I am reading
I finished The House of Beating Wings series {HERE} the other day and I truly did love that series. The growth of the main character from the beginning to the end of the series was phenomenal and the friendships remained incredible throughout the book too. I felt like the ending was a little rushed and would have liked to see more about what happened after the big event ending. However, there is a 4th book coming out in June but it is told from the perspective of a different character. Maybe that will include a little more?
I was supposed to get Book 2 in the Angels of Elysium series but it has been delayed due to weather. Looks like I will be finishing The Song of the Marked series first.
As I mentioned last week, there are all adult fantasy books so if that genre isn’t something you love skip these. They are not appropriate for children.
Roman and I did start reading The Wings of Fire books {HERE}, which is a 15 book series on dragons for kids. So far he and I are both enjoying that a lot more than The Last Kids on Earth series.
Keira also finished a book this past weekend called Wait Till Helen Comes {HERE}. It is a ghost story for kids and was one of my favorite books when I was her age. I’ve always loved any kind of magic and mystery. She said it was a really good book. She is now onto the Dollhouse Murders {HERE}, another one of my favorites as a kid. If I could only get her to pick up that set of Nancy Drew books I bought her…
ANY QUESTIONS?
That’s it for this week! Let me know if you have any questions below or if there is anything you would like to know about in next week’s Sugar Maple Weekly Updates. Have a lovely week, friends.
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