Over the last quarter century, when I’ve ventured off the farm it’s usually to the grocery store, the feed store, the post office, the library, the gas station or church. Now that I’ve moved closer to family, include family as well as a yearly vacation. My routine varies in that I may not go to each place each time I leave the farm but it’s still much the same. I’ve been listening to people talk about self distancing due to the virus and, have to admit, it’s often amusing. The same people who said, “I’d love to stay home and ______” are now moaning and groaning about their routine being disrupted.
While I’m doing chores, Inky likes to ride in the Ranger. He comes when called, jumps into the vehicle, says hello, then paws on the dash, looks over his kingdom.
My routine is the exact same about 300 days out of the year; feed the cats and dogs, feed myself (coffee), read the Bible, dress then go to barn to tend to barn animals, come to the house and eat breakfast then get started on the to-do list. My hay stash is being depleted but I should have enough for not only this year but headed into the coming winter. This is a good thing because my hay man uses the same Mexican crew, and has done for years, but who knows what’ll happen. It’s the same with the human food supply; so much of our food is grown overseas…South America, Central America, China, etc. and I think it’s time we, as a country, got back to feeding ourselves. I support the local farmers’ market and earlier this week bought a mess of greens. Those will be fixed tomorrow with sauteed onions, bacon, balsamic vinegar, s&p and garlic…a fine, fine meal!
I readily admit I’m a simple soul and these bring a smile every time I see them. It’s a very inexpensive tin bucket filled with fake flowers. They aren’t even silk, simply cheap, fake flowers stuck in a tin bucket on the barn door.
My hay supply is now stacked in the barn but so high, it’s sorta dangerous. I started out using the metal electrical pole but, as you can see, that wasn’t a good idea. The pole bent when I tried to stop a hay bale from falling on my head but, thank God, all I got out of the deal was a twisted muscle.
Yes, the bales are stacked to the rafters and, after bending the pole, now I just climb up there and throw them down. The barn cats like to walk the rafters and when I’m up there, they look at me like I’m invading their space. oops! Social distancing barn cat way, eh?
Mellow Blanco came to help so I stopped throwing down bales; no need to cause deliberate injury to woman or beast.
My nephew was going to take this armoire/media center to the thrift store but I asked if I could have it; it’s nice enough for the house but don’t need it in the house so to the tack room it goes. It stayed on the back of the truck for a couple of weeks before I unloaded it in the barn. It’s solid pine on three sides and was tricky to unload but, as the feller said, “I got ‘er done!” lol
I’ve been cooking and baking…for supper one evening had cabbage salad
and hamburger stew with potatoes and a tot of sour cream. Actually, I had this for a couple of nights and the dogs enjoyed some of the gravy over their kibble.
This morning I took neighbors a bag of mixed greens purchased from Fred, a neighbor on a different road. His garden is still going gangbusters so, weekly, I purchase whatever greens he has to offer. In return, my neighbors gave me some fresh brussel sprouts:
This afternoon I baked two apple cakes and brown soda bread; plan on giving one cake to my sister and will split the other cake between myself and neighbors. I’ve already given one quarter of the bread to a neighbor and slathered one quarter with butter and molasses as a treat for myself.
The apple cake; when I turned the cake out so I could flip it, I put a bit of white sugar on the dish so the cake wouldn’t stick.
This is the brown soda bread made with molasses and buttermilk; it tastes rather good with butter and a bit of molasses or honey atop.
Earlier this week I made ginger cookies for my parents; their house is still topsy turvey and a mess while construction workers put it back together. My parents are troopers; living midst the construction, eating microwaved food on plates balanced on their laps. I bought them an electric kettle so they can, at the very least, have instant coffee in the mornings. The worst part is over…those LOUD LOUD drying machines, dehumidifiers, etc. I’ve been there, done that as some of you might recall and it was NO FUN. They were told things would be back to normal by end of March/first of April and I think that’s wishful thinking. My best guess is mid-April and wouldn’t surprise me to be a week longer. Not only did they lose 5 rooms but the basement ceiling fell and most of the walls had to be removed as well.
Are you beginning to see why this post is only full of same old same old? <g> Right now, it’s Katie bar the door, all hands on deck and do the best we can while not being more overwhelmed than possible.
If anyone is interested in any of my recipes, let me know and I can do a post but you should know…I consider recipes suggestions. Even baking recipes that “real” cooks say (in fake German accent), “You MUST follow exactly!” (think Colonel Klink). Ummm, not so much but it could be I’ve been cooking and baking for so long I can, pretty much, know what the ingredients will do once put together. I submitted recipes to Harrowsmith magazine, they were accepted and published not only in their magazine but also in their book. Dave laughed and said, “Did you actually make those recipes before you submitted them?”
Well, not exactly, but, their kitchen staff tested all the recipes submitted so they had to work. Right? lol A recipe I did make (7 Grain Cereal Muffins) was accepted by, I think Good Housekeeping, and they paid $250.00. I must be doing something right, you think? lol
By the way, Harrowsmith was re-released this month and it’s as fine a magazine as you’d need for the homestead and highly recommended!
That’s about it and time for bed for another busy day tomorrow. I hope you’re weathering the current storm with grace, dignity and caring kindness. The world has rather gone mad, more so than usual, and staying home has never been more welcome. Make the most of it.
One of the good things to come out of this time is that more and more people are interested in having a vegetable garden. That sure would make my dad happy as he was worried a long time ago about there being fewer and fewer family farms each year. In Nashville after the Farmer’s Market had to close to customers they soon worked out an online ordering system where people can still help support their local farmers, dairy, cheese and meat producers, all picked up curbside. I hope we’ll be willing to support local producers by paying more than we do at the store.
And surely after this there will be a movement to again produce essentials in this country, especially medicines.
Another good thing is that people are learning to cook more at home! I’m so encouraged by the young women online who love to cook and are teaching their children to. I love seeing bloggers like you post pictures and descriptions of their baking and meals. Not only does it give me ideas I hadn’t thought of but it kind of feels like we’re a big community encouraging each other in this. Those cookies for your parents look so good and reminded me of my mother’s peanut butter cookies where she let us dip a fork in sugar and make criss crosses in them. And some cookies called for a fork dipped in milk.
It’s made me so happy to follow my own daughters-in-law on IG and see the creative ways they are now homeschooling during this period, baking and cooking offering so many ways to teach in itself.
I wish so much that your parents didn’t have to be going through all the upheaval of the flooded house, and now the stay at home order but I know you are proud of the graceful way they’re facing it. Here is Nashville and surrounding counties people are still dealing with aftermath of the tornado that struck not long before the lock down. I have been home 15 days now but RH and our sons are still going to work each day, repairing houses that were heavily damaged from the tornado. Holes in roofs have to be fixed and broken rafters replaced.
It’s kinda scary looking at that hay stack, Sandra. You don’t need another injury! Please be careful. I know you are but I also suspect that you try every way of doing something before calling for help.
Hi Dewena, how are you and your sisters? Often, as God brings you to mind, you’re tucked in prayer. I’m not having much of a garden but I do support our farmers’ market both in town and at their farms. When they’re open, it a huge source of social interaction for me. I don’t get out much, by choice, and it’s tough as nails making friends in a small community.
That’s so funny about peanut butter cookies criss crossed…that’s *exactly* what I thought of when I crossed my ginger cookies! I’ve been trying to bake something every week for my parents…need to get started this week before it’s over. I took them half the apple cake and the cookies last week and my sister took them half of her apple cake I’d bake her. My parents have a sweet tooth but in moderation.
Dear ole Nashville! It’s often been in my thoughts and prayers; first the tornado and now this virus. I’m reminded of the verse in Romans saying how the whole world groans in anticipation of Christ’s return.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
The mess with Mom/Daddy’s house has been dreadful! We are all SO hopeful the construction men will return tomorrow to lay the kitchen floor; they haven’t worked in a week! Parents are eating off a little card table set up in the living room, still sleeping in their own bed (NICE!) and the fridge and microwave are hooked up…NICE but it’s still a mess! At least the debris has been cleaned; Daddy decided to put in a drop ceiling in the basement which will make it easier to get to HVAC, elec lines, etc.
Yes, that hay stack is…GULP…and God has kept me safe. When I get to the top, I hold onto a rafter while I wrest a bale to teeter totter until it falls to the floor.
Dewena, one of the good things about having a bad memory is I don’t remember getting hurt. Oh, I remember a few aches and pains but nothing major…a good thing, eh? lol
Be safe, tell your menfolk to be safe; God holds us in His palm, He rejoices over us with singing. Blessed be His name FOREVER!
I love this post! Not much has changed for us either even though we now live in the city. People have gone crazy raiding the stores of normal items and it’s sad. We gave a neighbor toilet paper because there is literally none to be found in any store here!! Cra-Z. Love all your photos of the farm and your cooking. Thanks for sharing some normalcy! 🙂
There’s no toilet paper in the country either; people have lost their minds! I HAD to go to Walmart today and asked if I got there at 7 in the morning, would there be toilet paper. The clerk said, “Well, if you come on Tuesday morning, we’re open for seniors (ouch) from 7 to 8 and there might be some then.”
I just laughed.
Hi there, new reader here. I found you through a comment you made on Gretchen’s (Gladsome Lights) blog. I have spent the last hour reading your blog, and your words have hit home so many times and struck so many chords I decided to just follow and comment. So, hello! I look forward to reading more.
Elizabeth
Hello Elizabeth and welcome to Thistle Cove Farm! Like you, I enjoy Gretchen’s blog but I’m so low tech, often I can’t figure out how to respond. Thank you for the gift of your time in reading and commenting on my blog; greatly appreciated! Be safe during these crazy times and, again, welcome!
It certainly helps right now to be a natural homebody. 🙂 Social distancing comes pretty naturally to me, lol. Yeah, we should all have been putting things aside way ahead of this disruption. But I think it would be pretty impossible at this stage of history for millions of city dwellers to move to the country, raise their own wheat to grind for flour, and the endless other things a person needs. Like it or not we’re dependent on others. Especially on God. I know nothing’s too difficult for Him and I’m praying for those who are trying to find solutions. My favorite recipe right now is chili with Fritos! Your recipes look really scrumptious!
Just goes to show you, be careful what you wish for, eh? How many times have you heard someone say, “I wish I had more time at home.”
Did I miss the story of your folks house in another post. So sorry for the damage done and all the repairs needed. We are doing just fine at home puttering around. The only thing we miss is meeting for church and hugging our grandchildren and visits from our children. God is sovereign and He will bring us through this to the other side. Those brussels sprouts look yummy. Stay safe and keep the Faith!
Perhaps you did miss the parent story, Ellen. In late February they had a water line break and lost 5 rooms in their house as well as the basement when the ceiling fell in. They are still trying to get construction folks to finish the work but it’s slow going. Mom and Dad are 85 and 91 so this isn’t easy street for them. I’m trying to do their shopping, then delivering it to them so they can stay home. My siblings are helping as well and I think we’re all exhausted but, like the Good Book says, “This too shall pass.”
In one of Joel Salatin’s books, he asks the question, what is the point of New York City? By that he means, basically, that cities make little contribution to the needs of mankind. It’s the farmer who does that. It struck me, not because I’m not a city person, but because the model I see in Scripture is a family-centered agrarian model. That’s the exact opposite of what the world clamors for. Historically, those whose lifestyle maintained at least some small semblance of self-reliance, have always fared better. It would be nice to think that folks will learn something from this and see the wisdom of stocking up at least several weeks worth of emergency supplies, but somehow I doubt it.
Unfortunately -wry smile- I agree. My people have always been mountain people; we knew being prepared meant we could sleep at night, eat during the day (animals and humans). I grew up hearing, “Those two things hanging off your arms? They called “hands”, one to help yourself, one to help others.” Perhaps I should be ashamed to admit I have little to no patience with people who constantly whine and complain as opposed to making their situation better. Earlier this week I finished Revelation and started Genesis where the agrarian lifestyle is touted. Lot chose the city…poor choice…and I moved from a city as quickly as I could, returning to my beloved Appy Mtns. My lifestyle is still rural although I now live in southside Virginia; I still keep a pantry, cellar/basement, have provisions for a few months.
At the very least, when the Rapture happens, I’ll leave supplies to be used by those not ready to leave with Christ.