Saturday, January 24, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Whiter than snow ...
Since we've got a lot of it around here, I thought about making some notes to myself about snow. "Whiter than snow" is a Christian (um ... simile ...no, wait ... metaphor ... um ...) figure of speech for Jesus taking away our sins.
For instance, the old hymn "Jesus Paid It All" includes the lines,
Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.
Snow is rare in Israel and called refreshing. We traveled there in 1994 and our tour guide marveled that we could see Mount Hermon several mornings in a row from Tiberias. Usually the mountain is hidden by clouds, he said. Melting snow from Mount Hermon feeds the Jordan river. Against the hazy horizon, the white mountain top was beautiful and evoked another thrill that we were actually in Israel.
Here, snow is more mundane. But it does serve some wonderful purposes.
It covers up all the debris in the yard that I won't have to see for weeks. Dog-chewed tennis shoes, perhaps a misplaced Frisbee, weeds, brown grass, etc.
The snowpack makes a sunny winter day dazzling. Even the shadows are blue instead of dark.
Snow covers and protects crops that lie dormant over the winter including next summer's hay and wheat. When it melts, it recharges the soil moisture (this is a really good thing for crops) and adds to the Great Lakes, from whence much of our weather cometh.
When the wind sculpts in along the fence rows, it's easy to forget fish-tailing down the road and dodging potholes. It delights small, medium, large and overgrown children who are glad to have a day off school. Finally, how can we go sledding without snow?
One surprise is that the snow brightens dark winter nights, throwing a soft glow back into the black sky.
I'm reaching for a spiritual application here and ... wonder if snow can be a metaphor for purity and salvation. Sins covered like the kids' trail of debris in the yard; spirits refreshed and recharged; darkness brightened. I think I'll have to work on that last bit, but, for Jesus to make us whiter than snow is pretty amazing.
For instance, the old hymn "Jesus Paid It All" includes the lines,
Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.
Snow is rare in Israel and called refreshing. We traveled there in 1994 and our tour guide marveled that we could see Mount Hermon several mornings in a row from Tiberias. Usually the mountain is hidden by clouds, he said. Melting snow from Mount Hermon feeds the Jordan river. Against the hazy horizon, the white mountain top was beautiful and evoked another thrill that we were actually in Israel.
Here, snow is more mundane. But it does serve some wonderful purposes.
It covers up all the debris in the yard that I won't have to see for weeks. Dog-chewed tennis shoes, perhaps a misplaced Frisbee, weeds, brown grass, etc.
The snowpack makes a sunny winter day dazzling. Even the shadows are blue instead of dark.
Snow covers and protects crops that lie dormant over the winter including next summer's hay and wheat. When it melts, it recharges the soil moisture (this is a really good thing for crops) and adds to the Great Lakes, from whence much of our weather cometh.
When the wind sculpts in along the fence rows, it's easy to forget fish-tailing down the road and dodging potholes. It delights small, medium, large and overgrown children who are glad to have a day off school. Finally, how can we go sledding without snow?
One surprise is that the snow brightens dark winter nights, throwing a soft glow back into the black sky.
I'm reaching for a spiritual application here and ... wonder if snow can be a metaphor for purity and salvation. Sins covered like the kids' trail of debris in the yard; spirits refreshed and recharged; darkness brightened. I think I'll have to work on that last bit, but, for Jesus to make us whiter than snow is pretty amazing.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Deep freeze
It's so cold that the hens' eggs freeze in the nests if we don't pick them up soon enough. If we pick them up with a bare hand they crack immediately.
From inside the house, it's a dazzling day. First thing this morning all the trees and shrubs, around the house and in the woods across the mile, looked like they were flocked or painted white like Christmas trees can be. Up close even the weeds looked pretty, like they were made of cotton balls or Q-tips. Some of the clouds look like quilt batting.
Wind chills are pretty darn cold. Once it gets to about 10 below, a few degrees either way make no difference. Still cold.
Our favorite website is National Weather Service and we discovered a new thing: the hourly graphical forecast, which includes temperature, humidity, wind, cloud cover and precipitation charted out by the hour. It's interesting for winter but looks like it might be a real find for us next summer when debating whether and when to mow hay.
Here is (hopefully) a link. To find another location, I think you have to go to the home location and put in a zip code or something.
I think it's cool: http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?site=iwx&map.x=137&map.y=95&FcstType=graphical
From inside the house, it's a dazzling day. First thing this morning all the trees and shrubs, around the house and in the woods across the mile, looked like they were flocked or painted white like Christmas trees can be. Up close even the weeds looked pretty, like they were made of cotton balls or Q-tips. Some of the clouds look like quilt batting.
Wind chills are pretty darn cold. Once it gets to about 10 below, a few degrees either way make no difference. Still cold.
Our favorite website is National Weather Service and we discovered a new thing: the hourly graphical forecast, which includes temperature, humidity, wind, cloud cover and precipitation charted out by the hour. It's interesting for winter but looks like it might be a real find for us next summer when debating whether and when to mow hay.
Here is (hopefully) a link. To find another location, I think you have to go to the home location and put in a zip code or something.
I think it's cool: http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?site=iwx&map.x=137&map.y=95&FcstType=graphical
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Wish list
'Tis past the season but as we were calculating some bills for freezer beef I started to wonder about a scale.
We don't have one for the beef cattle. When DH and customers and the butcher work out a date, he and Grandpa (me, too, sometimes) pick out the heaviest ones. With the last two, Grandpa guessed they would both dress out at 800 pounds, hanging weight, or about 1,330 to 1,335 pounds. One steer's sides weighed 378 and the other's weighed 438. So the sides averaged about 400 to 410.
I wonder if we had a scale we could sell in a more timely fashion and tighten up on the feed costs.
I'd put a scale on my wish list.
Also ... a new roof on Grandpa and Grandma's barn. It's a several-thousand dollar job. I don't know, though. If we talked to a few guys looking for work these days, maybe we could get a deal. I leave horse-trading like that to DH.
Would be nice to remodel our poultry facility. Now, doesn't that sound high class? In real life it was a three-sided tramp shed for cattle. It's long, tall and drafty, which would suit cattle fine. It needs to be snug but well-ventilated for the chickens. Right now, it's not. However, it gets too hot in the summer. Some re-engineering might be called for.
A few years ago we did get our wish for a newer tractor with a cab. It's made such a wonderful difference in the winter to have a heated cab. When we were milking cows through a super cold winter I added up all the calories DH consumed. At 4,000 calories a day he was losing weight. He leveled off at 6,000. I was baking something every day -- now I know why God created pie. Think of how many calories you can slug into a guy in a simple slice of pie. It's a beautiful thing.
I would love to have the kinds of flowers in summer that our Amish and Mennonite neighbors have. However, I think they go to the produce auction and buy a pallet-load at a time or something. They surround their houses and trees with impatiens and other annuals. I've often thought of doing all white annuals around the house but we end up with bright pink or red geraniums from the 4-H club. They are pretty, too, so no complaints here.
And the wish list goes on. This time of year I enjoy catalogs from poultry suppliers and seed catalogs. Each one makes spring seem a little closer
We don't have one for the beef cattle. When DH and customers and the butcher work out a date, he and Grandpa (me, too, sometimes) pick out the heaviest ones. With the last two, Grandpa guessed they would both dress out at 800 pounds, hanging weight, or about 1,330 to 1,335 pounds. One steer's sides weighed 378 and the other's weighed 438. So the sides averaged about 400 to 410.
I wonder if we had a scale we could sell in a more timely fashion and tighten up on the feed costs.
I'd put a scale on my wish list.
Also ... a new roof on Grandpa and Grandma's barn. It's a several-thousand dollar job. I don't know, though. If we talked to a few guys looking for work these days, maybe we could get a deal. I leave horse-trading like that to DH.
Would be nice to remodel our poultry facility. Now, doesn't that sound high class? In real life it was a three-sided tramp shed for cattle. It's long, tall and drafty, which would suit cattle fine. It needs to be snug but well-ventilated for the chickens. Right now, it's not. However, it gets too hot in the summer. Some re-engineering might be called for.
A few years ago we did get our wish for a newer tractor with a cab. It's made such a wonderful difference in the winter to have a heated cab. When we were milking cows through a super cold winter I added up all the calories DH consumed. At 4,000 calories a day he was losing weight. He leveled off at 6,000. I was baking something every day -- now I know why God created pie. Think of how many calories you can slug into a guy in a simple slice of pie. It's a beautiful thing.
I would love to have the kinds of flowers in summer that our Amish and Mennonite neighbors have. However, I think they go to the produce auction and buy a pallet-load at a time or something. They surround their houses and trees with impatiens and other annuals. I've often thought of doing all white annuals around the house but we end up with bright pink or red geraniums from the 4-H club. They are pretty, too, so no complaints here.
And the wish list goes on. This time of year I enjoy catalogs from poultry suppliers and seed catalogs. Each one makes spring seem a little closer
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Weather or not ...
More ice is predicted for tonight although the latest forecast calls for warmer air and rain instead of ice. A strong east wind is unfortunate because our cow barn and the neighbors are open to the east, and a cold draft is no fun at this time of year!
Our neighbors called about returning home from their trip. They are delayed so we might chore over there one more time.
I guess the most tiresome part was carrying water. We broke the hydrant in the duck house and had to turn that water line off. The larger group of layers was farthest from the house. I could have used cold water from the cow barn but had to walk up and over a very steep barn hill. Matter of fact the day before yesterday I slipped on the ice and went down the barn hill like a human toboggan. Not only was I embarrassed but was afraid I sprained my wrist. But, no, it's OK.
Odds are -- given that the biggest tractor is fuelled up and the generator is in good repair -- we most likely won't get the bad weather that's forecast.
Our neighbors called about returning home from their trip. They are delayed so we might chore over there one more time.
I guess the most tiresome part was carrying water. We broke the hydrant in the duck house and had to turn that water line off. The larger group of layers was farthest from the house. I could have used cold water from the cow barn but had to walk up and over a very steep barn hill. Matter of fact the day before yesterday I slipped on the ice and went down the barn hill like a human toboggan. Not only was I embarrassed but was afraid I sprained my wrist. But, no, it's OK.
Odds are -- given that the biggest tractor is fuelled up and the generator is in good repair -- we most likely won't get the bad weather that's forecast.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Year's end ...
Here's a great old song on the order of Auld Lang Syne, but the tune's more singable:
words and music Traditional
"The Parting Glass"
Of all the money that ere I had, I spent it in good company
.And of all the harm that ere I've done, alas was done to none but me.
And all I've done for want of wit,
to memory now I cannot recall.
So fill me to the parting glass. Goodnight and joy be with you all.
Of all the comrades that ere I had,
they're sorry for my going away,
And of all the sweethearts that ere I had ,
they wish me one more day to stay,
But since it falls unto my lot
that I should rise while you should not,
I will gently rise and I'll softly call,
"Goodnight and joy be with you all!"
It's sung in a minor key (I think) You can search on the lyrics for more information. Anyway ... the real year-end of sorrow comes when we have to do our year-end tax prep.
words and music Traditional
"The Parting Glass"
Of all the money that ere I had, I spent it in good company
.And of all the harm that ere I've done, alas was done to none but me.
And all I've done for want of wit,
to memory now I cannot recall.
So fill me to the parting glass. Goodnight and joy be with you all.
Of all the comrades that ere I had,
they're sorry for my going away,
And of all the sweethearts that ere I had ,
they wish me one more day to stay,
But since it falls unto my lot
that I should rise while you should not,
I will gently rise and I'll softly call,
"Goodnight and joy be with you all!"
It's sung in a minor key (I think) You can search on the lyrics for more information. Anyway ... the real year-end of sorrow comes when we have to do our year-end tax prep.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Poultry
While we've been taking care of the neighbors' farm I've been making mental notes about their poultry.
Guineas: Why?
Runner ducks: Funny, active, good layers
Ornamental chickens: The Houdans have a top knot of long feathers that look like a fright wig, or Phyllis Diller, if you remember her. They are high strung and flighty and will get the others going. The golden Wyandottes are pretty, with bronzy feathers accented with black, but they also seem tempermental. They fight a lot and have pulled out lots of hte others' tail feathers. That might be from being crowded in the barn due to bad weather.
Green-egg layers: These are a mixed breed called Americanas, I think. They are all colors with ear muffs of extra feathers around their faces. Some are even smoky gray and very pretty. They don't seem to lay well, though.
Brown-egg layers: These are the old fashioned breeds that I like the best, including Plymouth Rocks and cross-breds. She has ISA Browns which are a production-oriented red breed with some Rhode Island Red background, I think. These chicks are color coded when they hatch -- males are almost all yellow and females are brown and yellow. (THat's called sex-linkedBTW) Another sex-linked type are black with brown on their heads and necks. These are also color coded at hatching. I think the females are solid black and the males and black and gray. She also has white Rocks and barred Rocks. The latter have a tweedy look of gray with black barring. They are pretty variable, though. Some look almost solid black with gray speckling. Closely related are the white Rocks. They are an ancestor of modern broiler (meat type) chickens. Their white color means they are easier to dress and pin feathers don't show up very well.
Our neighbor said she did not like the ISA Browns for stewing hens since they had no extra flesh and did not taste good. I can't speak to taste, but I picked up a white Rock and an ISA Brown today and found the white Rock hen compact and well-fleshed, not angular like the other one.
So ... maybe my next batch of layers ought to be white Rocks. They are not the heavy layers like ISA Browns but probably have better salvage value.
Guineas: Why?
Runner ducks: Funny, active, good layers
Ornamental chickens: The Houdans have a top knot of long feathers that look like a fright wig, or Phyllis Diller, if you remember her. They are high strung and flighty and will get the others going. The golden Wyandottes are pretty, with bronzy feathers accented with black, but they also seem tempermental. They fight a lot and have pulled out lots of hte others' tail feathers. That might be from being crowded in the barn due to bad weather.
Green-egg layers: These are a mixed breed called Americanas, I think. They are all colors with ear muffs of extra feathers around their faces. Some are even smoky gray and very pretty. They don't seem to lay well, though.
Brown-egg layers: These are the old fashioned breeds that I like the best, including Plymouth Rocks and cross-breds. She has ISA Browns which are a production-oriented red breed with some Rhode Island Red background, I think. These chicks are color coded when they hatch -- males are almost all yellow and females are brown and yellow. (THat's called sex-linkedBTW) Another sex-linked type are black with brown on their heads and necks. These are also color coded at hatching. I think the females are solid black and the males and black and gray. She also has white Rocks and barred Rocks. The latter have a tweedy look of gray with black barring. They are pretty variable, though. Some look almost solid black with gray speckling. Closely related are the white Rocks. They are an ancestor of modern broiler (meat type) chickens. Their white color means they are easier to dress and pin feathers don't show up very well.
Our neighbor said she did not like the ISA Browns for stewing hens since they had no extra flesh and did not taste good. I can't speak to taste, but I picked up a white Rock and an ISA Brown today and found the white Rock hen compact and well-fleshed, not angular like the other one.
So ... maybe my next batch of layers ought to be white Rocks. They are not the heavy layers like ISA Browns but probably have better salvage value.
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