A Cold Place

It is a very cold winter Sunday afternooon in Maine.
 I just came in from walking my hound dog Elvis and closing the chicken coop.
The snow under the coop seemed untouched, not sure they ventured out today.
Bob spent much of the day on the tractor plowing, with a short break to ride Nickel.

I cleaned out the cow pen and then some house keeping, baked stuffed shells and a pineapple upside down cake.
The big plan for tomorrow is to pack up the Christmas tree.
 With all that took place yesterday we only picked at the turkey, so tomorrow it will become turkey pot pie.
In this weather I look for any excuse to run the oven.
The thermometer reads 20 but it feels like 5, it looks like we are in for a cold stretch.
 Bob and Lager are watching the Patriots, the plan is to bring Jake and Nickel in at the half.
The farm is a strange place without Charm Boy, it is amazing how much that horse touched our life in six short months.

A Day

What a difference a day can make.
 Yesterday I took this picture of my Charm Boy, today we said good bye to him.

Friday night on the farm is "feet night" so as tradition has it we brought all three boys inside.
 After dinner , grooming trimming and general loving we said good night.
When we woke this morning I looked out the window expecting to see my team at the front gate, I spotted only Nickel. After a brief look over the pasture I spotted Charm Boy. I new something was very wrong. The team had grown strong enough that one would not come to the gate without the other in tow.
 Charm died over night, that is all I know.
 No words to explain the heart ache. We will never have an answer as to why. We had the vet out but I opted out of the exploration surgery due to respect. The vet examined the other horses and took blood, no virus no poison just a number of broken hearts.

Rest in Peace Charm Boy, I loved your baby dreads!

This Weeks Menu

It is snowing on the farm , plenty of snow for sledding.

THIS WEEKS MENU

Friday: Fish and Chips  Fried Haddock and French Fries with Truffle Oil
Saturday: Turkey Dinner with Stuffing
Sunday: Stuffed Shells do over
I left the last batch out over night and we never had a bite
Monday: Thanksgiving Panini
Tuesday:Taco Salads
Wednesday:Chicken Picatta Angel Hair Pasta and Ceasar
Thursday: Burger topped Salads

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from Our Farm.

We took our team out for their maiden voyage, hitched to the new sled.

It was a bit loud at first, the snow was not as deep as it probably should have been.

The weather was perfect though, not to cool,

and the boy's teamed nice.

Charm is coming along as Nickels "new" team mate.He is content once hitched along side his BIG friend.

They are a perfect color match,

and really not that far off in size given Nickel has 3 1/2 years over Charm.

No sleigh bells, yet.

We have nice bells in the barn but Bob said, baby steps ( no bell's first trip).

I love blond butts!

And everyone is back to the barn safe and sound.

More snow on Thursday, maybe we will get in a New Years ride as well.

Comfort Food

We bought a sled for the boy's for Christmas, but perhaps we should have bought an ark.
It has been raining for days, the farm is covered in mud. We have horse blankets strung up to dry , in the barn.
Time to hunker down and think comfort food.
Saturday we are having  guests at the farm, for the holiday.
Here is my "party" menu:

Corn Chowder
Baked Ham
Lobster Mac and Cheese (Bob's choice)
Baked Beans
Rolls
Double Chocolate Peppermint Cake and
Eggnog

Friday Night

Date night aka. foot night in the barn.

Let it snow, let it snow

Well we did it, we bought the Team a sled for Christmas. It was a bit of a treasure hunt, but it is home on the farm.As soon as we get them hitched I will post pictures, of the Madden Voyage, it is snowing.

Counting The Days and The Menu

I am counting the days till the holidays. It will be wonderful to see family, some I have not seen in months, many sense May.
It is going to be a very full week of crafting, cooking and creating as I finish up the last of the holiday gift making and start preparing for entertaining. We will be celebrating the holiday,s both home and away this year (with friends) and away with family.
For travel  I will prepare a root beer pulled pork in the crock pot, with a basket full of crusty rolls. An addition from the farm I look forward to sharing with family and a dish I think will travel well.
At home I will prepare a traditional smoked ham roasted and sliced, baked beans in my Grandmothers bean pot (gifted to me this summer by my Mom) and less traditional but yummy lobster Mac and Cheese. The lobster will be a splurge afforded by the pig being in the freezer waiting to become the center piece.

Working into the holidays this weeks menu is simple, leaving time for crafting etc.

Friday: Steamers, dogs, potatoes n BUTTER
Saturday: BBQ Steak Sweet potatoes
Sunday: Baked Stuffed Shells and Salad
Monday : Turkey Sliders
Tuesday: Baked Chicken Breast and rice
Wednesday: Fish cakes and  Chowder in Bread Bowls
Thursday: Home Made Pizza's

One of the gift's I am preparing is beer bread, with local beer.

Short Days

The days are short this time of year.

Yesterday I spent the majority of my day . decorating for Christmas.TToday I played catch up on regular chores.

Bob's goal was to hitch the team.

They worked together on corners and commands.

In the Clubs new pulling ring.

Leo even took a turn around the ring.

Starting a new team is allot of work, especially when one half is a three year old who was never hitched, before our farm. Charm is really making progress.

A Man And His Horse

I LOVE this photo

 Look in his eye's , can you see him listening?

Can you see the pride in Nickel's eye,

 can you see the pride in Bob's?

What is twitching

Twitching is pulling down tree's from the woods with horse power!

And that is what we did Sunday morning.

The woods were thick!

 The tree's were long!

 The power was mighty!

Look at the length of that thing!

 

 

 

The draft horse club, is building a pulling ring. Today Bob was asked to bring Nickel over , and help to pull tree's out of the woods= twitching. The trees will be used to build the fence or coral that will enclose the ring. What ever wood that is left over will go into the fire wood pile, for the annual sale. Nickel was all business.Nickel was all business in his harness look how proud and strong.