Love this. Our weather in Missouri has been really mild unlike last year but I work from my home and sometimes feel trapped in my office. I love getting out and getting the "stink off". My Grandfather used to say that (We stayed with my grandparents when growing up). I go out every morning and feed dogs cats horses and donkeys but there is a need to sometimes just get out…. to get out of the routine truly getting the stink off. Of course those urges hit me when it is coldest outside. I love skating but our ranch only has creeks that are spring fed and do not freeze but sometimes the ground thaws enough it is slippery. Does that count? I have a healthy respect for the ice and need to work on that also. I prefer staying on my feet and last year spent enough time like an unpside down turtle in 2 feet of snow. (My bottom was my center of gravity if you can imagine, just arms and feet sticking out the snow). I thought I was a goner several times but that ol faithful dog was there for me to hold on to and get myself out. Thank you for such a great article.

Oh Shery,
as a child I to would go with my girlfriends and skate (at skate parks where you had to pay) what fun we had. Then somewhere along the way, I grew up,,,,and had not been on a pair of skates for 10+ years…. After all my bragging my hubby brought me & another couple to a Indoor Skate Park… Ummmm well, let’s just say, my skating memories were a lot better then my actual skating abilities! lol!
I do have a pair of ice skates that hang by the entrance door of our home (year round) and with each season I replace the flowers to reflect the season. I also have a pair of wood/metal ice skates that lay by the fireplace.
I am a true believer that one does not have to limit ones self to only the current seasonal decorations… so yes in Summer I have ice skates hanging with flowers and in Winter I have have bird houses & sunflowers & flamingos!…. I am just quirkey that way!
Speaking of bird houses, I just acquired a new bird house that looks like a trailer (on my blog)…. I am so ready for Summer & Glamping,,,how about you? Happy Trails!

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Oooooooooooo, a birdy trailer ? :o) Cuuuuuute! I’m gonna try and twist my farmgirl pal, Michele, into creating a junky trailer birdhouse. I can do the graph paper part…and hopefully she’ll agree to do the woodworkin’. Got your ears on Michele?   shery

This was a great post! I loved all the pictures too! We havent been skating this year as the temps have been so all over the place. It’s snowing today, so it definitely puts me in the mood to skate or sled!

I use to ice skate till I had my first back surgery for scoliosis when I was a 11 years old, my parents wouldn’t let me after that. I did continue to go sledding up till about 9 years ago I was still sliding down the hills on a sled! But not now, my back can’t take it anymore. In Michigan we haven’t had much snow, it comes and melts the same day or in a day or two. Which is fine for me for that means the roads aren’t messy and I hate driving in it. But loved it as a kid, playing in it and making forts and tunnels and snow angels, now if I make a snow angel it isn’t because I wanted to its because I fell…LOL!!!!

We live in Saskatchewan and we have many Ice Rinks indoor and out, Plus we usually like to build one on the front lawn in the winter months. However this year has been unusually warm, so the ice has seemed to melt away 🙁 Some of the best times I had as a child were spent doing winter activities and I am truly enjoying teaching my son that winter can be just as fun as summer, when it comes to playing outdoors! This year we started working on an Igloo…contrary to popular belief we Canadians Do Not live in them! We used a plastic swimming pool as the roof and propped it up with a few pieces of scrap wood with a fabric curtain doorway, So even though we only have a few inches of snow we can still have a true winter hide out! And our dogs have been occupying it at night! Everyone is Happy! Enjoy your winter activities, for soon it will be Caving season….and we will be too busy to fully enjoy the snow! 🙂

My daughter taught me to put new, unused, and unfluffed out (flat) garbage bags in the bottom of the garbage can, under the bag that I’m currently filling. They take up almost no space and and are even handier than than they would be in a cupboard or the top suitcase, in a pile of old suitcases. I use the same size can liners in both the laundry, and the kitchen so I’m not trying to stuff a whole box of them in one location. Now you can save something else or more frivolous in that old train case. My vote is for frivolous.

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OhMyGosh….eXXXcellent idea!  Thanks for taking the time to share it :o)

I’ve always figured some of the good things in life were free. Sometimes you have to slow down a little bit and enjoy seeing what life has to offer. I took my horse out for a ride on Monday night in the full-Wolf Moon. The moon looked so close I thought I could touch it. The trail thanks to the moon was so bright it looked like I was riding with a spot light in front of me. I live on the front range of the Colorado Rockies and the mountains sparkled like they were covered in fairy dust. I saw something shine on the ground. Normally, I would have ridden on, but I stopped and found a little brass pot. I took it home and since then have had a good time trying to figure its history. Where did it come from? Who did it belong to? Ah, discovery stimulates the mind.

Treese/Colorado Cowgirl

I’d wondered if you were going to do Pinterest. I too feel like I’ve come out of hibernation and I can’t seem to get enough of Pinterest and the ideas. Now, as you say, I’ve got to look for more time and energies.

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Hi Ms Terry!! Sometimes all we need is a nudge of inspiration and it starts a ball rolling. Yea, Pinterest is doing that for a lot of folks I think.   shery

Shery, you have a way with words! I love how you said you’ve "become slower and easier to find" being the same age as you, I am finding this true for myself also. I was just thinking today about needing more energy to do all the things I want to do and your blog was just what I needed–perfect! Thanks

Shery, How about using your photos to make note cards to sell? I’m thinking that your actual photos would be inserted into a "frame" (of sorts)on one side of folded card stock (large sheet folded twice). Each card might be enclosed in a cellophane sleeve to keep it fresh until sold. Just putting the idea out there for you to consider.

I really LOVE your blog and photos! Keep sharing with us.

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Maybe cards, hmmm. Thank you. Love hearing from everyone. That is the best part of this process. Everyone else loves the feedback, ideas & comments too!   shery

Hi Shery! I purchased my very first copy of MaryJanesFarm about a month ago and this lead me to find your Blog…I just LOVE it!! I have read many of them aloud to my husband, and we have to agree that it’s nice to read about others that have a similar lifestyle to ours!! Thanks for all your amazing stories, insight and the great recipes! Can’t wait to see what you discover next!! Lacey (Saskatchewan, Canada)

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Folks hearing about MJF publications (hard copy & online) just keeps getting bigger. In a ‘down’ economy, that is really something. Uncertain times remind people to think long and hard about being more self reliant. It is how things ought to be ANYway. I’m so proud of the young adults in this era, those who boldly look at a future that isn’t painted as bright for them as it was for us. They forge ahead, determined to be good stewards of their world and live a highly responsible, creative, grateful and compassionate lifestyle. This world has become a place of polar contrasts. Where darkness seems to be on the rise, light even more so. Hope doesn’t surrender easily.  Have you noticed the abundance of COLOR in the arts & crafts so popular with younger women now?  Now, maybe I’m making too much of it, but I do believe it is indicative of younger folks looking at the age old promise of a rainbow and there is nothing worng with that.  shery 

Hi Shery, me again. I did not put a light on our hens this year either. Planned on letting them rest also. But in the last 2 weeks they just started laying everyday again. Sometimes I get 4 the next day 8. We have 10 hens at this time. We have had to add the red heater lamp at night because it is getting so cold here in the last couple of weeks. I keep it on when the temp dips down in the 20’s or lower. Do not know if it that or the fact that they were not laying much from early fall until now. But we are in eggs again and I feel the same as you about the store bought eggs. I had bought some eggs from the grocer for some baking over Christmas when I could not get enough from our girls and had a dozen left that I decided to make some egg salad from. Just could not believe how un-flavorful it was for us.

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Hens stop laying in the early winter due mostly to short days (less light). But, when it is really cold…like -minus temps, they’ll stop too. I used to keep a light on, but I stopped. If it gets frigid like that though, I can always string a cord over to the coop.   shery

I am auctioneer’s daughter and my two boys are auctioneers. So I do know about junk and what you can do with. How fun it is to see what you do with it. I like your blog real well. Thanks have a blessed day.