Convinced

Ahhhh we are convinced that if some of you

would have this installed in your mini van, SUV

or your vehicle of choice you would actually

have time to respond to emails ;-)))

The Calender says its APRIL

But it feels more like March out there -

the sun is shining but its COLD -

They are predicting snow tomorrow

and back up in the 60s by Friday... Whew!

Took a few moments today in between client work

& what seems like the never ending packing -

to check out a few blogs - -

This is such an awesome way to keep in touch and travel around ;-))

THANKS

to all of you who post to say you were here...

(you can do this under "recent comments")

to those that take time to blog

and to those that take a couple quick seconds

to respond to emails!!

It means alot - -

Deb

North Wind Doth blow

Last Springs Baby

and they are saying we shall have snow???

Not what we wanted to hear after a week of

temps ranging from 60 - almost 80 degs.!!

Yesterday we had T-storms on and off all day

~ we needed rain desperately

The wind is incredible and big branches are falling!

We are at the farm working for

WestSide Tool

http://westsidetool.blogspot.com/

this weekend -

No time to get to the Cedar House to work -

The walls are starting to look bare here at the farm -

(as I have been packing up things

so that each trip to the other house is one

less load for the final move -

PLUS with gas at 3.73 per gallon one needs

to make every trip count!!)

Spring is a beautiful time here -

so its been a week of VERY mixed emotions

regarding this move!!

But there is a reason...

So onward we go!

Happy 26th Anniversary

Irving & Sandra

There are days!

Rain

"SPRING"

Foggy and warm here in the North...

Yesterday things were starting to look really green

then we had a bit of rain...

Its like someone took a paint brush to the fields

- Warm days and a bit of rain...

Soon the woods will be filled with mushroom hunters

and wild asparagas will be poppin up!!

We are still making progress at the Cedar house -

The floor is done in the master bedroom -

(Krystals old room floor is on hold till we get the new shop done)

With July first looming we decided we can

work on that room after the shop is done

or even while we are living there!

The camera I was using moved out with Jeremy ;-))

So no new pictures...

We will be shopping for a new one... soon I hope

We bought all of the "mop board" & clear coat for that yesterday -

So we hope to get the clear coat on this weekend -

While that is drying we will start on the garage...

wiring, insulation, ship lap on the walls - Tuff R on the ceilings...

Hope you are having a wonderful spring!!

We have

"Leelanaure"

for sale...

Black gold - composted manure!!

231-386-9635

Never a dull moment

Trouble Maker "Annabelle"

Seems that when you get a morning to relax for just a bit

something happens on the farm...

First thing a guy came to pick up some of the details

Bruce had done for him...

then Bruce says... I see a black cow where she is

not suppose to be....

one of the cows lifted the seperation gate

out of place so we had cows in with bulls and steers - -
We don't want our bull calfs breeding some of our ladies as

they are too closely related

and the one that can breed them -

its too soon as we don't

want babies born in the dead of winter!!

So with a little coaxing with hay we got

everyone back to their respective pastures...

Whew!!

"Life is NEVER boring when you live on a farm..."

A guy is coming to take the blue healer(dog) today...

So we will have just one dog - Blaze... Perfect!

To Market To market

Can we all fit in here? Nose to nose
Yes - there are some pics of me with the critters
Roosters of Suttons Bay - Alive and Well!!!
Pre-pork chop sunning

At dawns early light we were off and running...

Last night before bible study

Bruce & I loaded up one cow
then after meetnig

Tom helped us with the two pigs.

I was wishing for my movie camera when

the pigs managed to knock both guys over

at the same time...

Thank goodness things are alot dryer in there

this week than last.... ewwwwww ;)))

Then by 6am this morning we were heading

down with them for processing -

Soon we & Oryana will have full freezers!

The phone was ringing off the hook this morning

with work for Bruce ;-))

But we did manage to go back to the Amish Farm

and pick up some Maple Syrup on our way home

Then we stopped & orderd

the replacement garage door

for the Cedar House...

(now for a nap - HA)

Jeremys old room is cleaned and back

together so we have room for company again!!

Today I am loading up the van with things to donate...

Just some scenes from around the farm yesterday

and our hike the day before...

Jeremys Place

Things are totally insane here!!

Today we spent most of the day packing up & moving
(from both places)

Jeremys things to his new place (that he is renting)

Bruce and I decided we could be very content

in something tiny and practical....

We would love ot have

LOTS of land,

LITTLE house!!

Shes back...

Sometime in the night
Winter...
Came back -
We awoke to an inch of snow on the ground
and its still snowing...
The robins are not singing this morning...
but rather chattering...
Discussing whether or not to move south ...
for good!!

Thursday.... Happy Birthday Mindy!!

Another day on the farm...

Today was catch for me in the office

and shop work for Bruce -

Late in the afternoon

the dogs & the hills were calling me

as you see its VERY important that women

get some sort of weight bearing excersise everyday... ;-)))

hmeemmeehmmm so off we went

"BOOTLESS"

as that is all that is left of the snow...

it was 48 degs. with a mild wind - -

For those of you that live in warmer places let

me tell you its a

REAL TREAT

when at last you can slip on your

"Keen" hiking clogs,

a light jacket and GO!!

No need for bundles!

(sometimes the bundling is a motivation killer) Along the way we found Lilly of the Valleys peeking thru

We also met a few more woodland friends!

This old guy was grouchy and groaning wind & long winter

Holemer just yawned ...

While Ilean below told us to be sure and

check out the view of 'big blue'

Glimpse "tween" north & south

Cedar House Progress

And the Living Room floor is done...Looking from dining room into living room
From Master Bedroom into living room From living room into dining room

Looking into the master bedroom from living room

In the master bedroom toward master bath

Travels around the area

Last Thursday we had to take a trip down to a new butcher

to make sure it was on the up and up with how we want our

meat processed... (it was)

On our way home we took the scenic route

and came acrossed an Amish Farm making maple syrup -

they were very nice and we enjoyed our chat

with them - Bruce knows one thing for sure...

his own operation is not near big enuff ;-))

http://www.crystalmountain.com/

Then we came upon Crystal Mountain Ski Resort

Neither one of us had ever been there either -

WOW lots bigger than we ever thought!

MOUNTAIN FACTS;
45 downhill runs; 27 illuminated for night skiing (snowboarding allowed on all slopes)
Half-pipe and multiple terrain areas including the Super Park
Night skiing every night of the week during regular season
Nine lifts - including the Crystal Clipper high-speed quad... the fastest lift in Northern Michigan now powered by renewable wind energy, and our new wonder carpets
Ski terrain: Easiest Trails - 25%, More Difficult - 47%, Most Difficult - 28%
Average annual snowfall over the last 10 years is 140 inches, and average annual snowfall over the last 20 years has been 130 inches
Snowmaking on 98% of terrain, over 126 state-of-the-art snowmaking guns
Vertical drop - 375 ft.

As we traveled thru Frankfort ...

The ice build up on the light house was cool (literally)

Foxy Fred or Freeda...

Our friends had a visitor to thier deck

- thanks for sharing Kathy!!

Time flys

We had a real dose of spring this past weekend with temps in the low 60s

and the "Peepers" finally can be heard!!

http://www.enature.com/fieldguides/detail.asp?recnum=AR0014

We made more progress at the "cedar house" but are

very aware that there only 24 hours in a day

and most days thats just not enuff!!

Today is at the farm day,

Cleaning out barns, tyne harrowing pastures

and raking out flower gardens...

But it may be too soon as they are

predicting that four letter "S" word

for the rest of the week -

Lots of pictures to post but no

time to post them - -

SO keep checkin in...

One of these days ;-)

Not allotta news

Here in the Frozen North country

But we did get a really mean

joke from Mother Nature on April 1st... It snowed on and off all day!

Today though its sunny and beautiful and looking alot more like

the month of April should! Now to get things to melt and flowers to bloom!!

Busy, Busy

That is what we are these days - if Bruce is not buried

in the shop & me in paperwork then we are

buried in paint & wood flooring!

The last couple of days we have been working

at Sparling Co. doing assy. and paperwork -

With so many not working or looking for work

we are just trying to count our blessings

and not get overwhelmed!??!

Jeremy is excited to get a promotion

and a raise in his job -

So the "Breadman" as he calls himself

is a "Happy Camper"

He and his dad worked on his truck

and it lives again...
I commented that ...

"he, she, it... lives again..."

Jeremys comment was

"Oh, mom, trust me that trucks a woman...

cuz only a woman would give me this much trouble"

We have gotten some mileage and chuckles over that one!

When we have a few moments of "chill" time we

have been "traveling" by blog -

Thank you to all of you for taking the time to "blog"

what a GREAT way to get back in touch with

lost friends, out of touch family and meet new friends!!

Bruce & Debra