Another Season Gone

I took a bit of a break from blogging. Sometimes a person feels there is nothing to say and they struggle with whether or not it even matters. 

I hadn't planned to come back to blogging.  I deleted my blog and didn't even miss it. Then yesterday I wondered if blogger had permanently deleted it yet and decided to take a look. It was still there. So I restored it and will try to squeeze in some updates every now and then. 

Meanwhile, we have officially entered winter and despite the expectation of snow and the thrill of its beauty, it isn't my favorite time of year. However, I am learning to embrace the purpose for such a season. It is a time to rest from the toils of the previous seasons that bring a heavier burden of work through gardening, food preservation, and various other tasks that homesteading requires. While the work doesn't end simply because the weather is cold, there is less of it, and in an odd way, the mind and body misses it. The Father created us to work and the absence of it leaves a void that can't be put into words.

The whole family was here for Thanksgiving.  It was a great time to be together despite my not being crazy about the holiday cooking.  The week end prior, Al and Andrew went down to Florida to move Leandra to Arkansas.  Rebekah and her boyfriend, Sterling, drove up a few days before Thanksgiving.  Andrew, who lives a little over an hour from us, came with his girlfriend, Sarah.  

Andrew with Sarah

Sterling, Rebekah, Andrew, and Leandra at the end

Al started his new job this week and that meant I have had to pick up and do those jobs he was doing. Although it takes a bit to get out the door, it leaves me feeling good because I am moving and working for the health and well being of the farm, animals, and the family.  This week we will need to beginning milking the goats, although three of them are not mine, but the girls'.  

So to give a little bit of a summary.  We bred the second round of goats in October and November for spring kids. 

Our fall babies started dropping on December 7th when Mocha and Snickers kidded. Mocha had triplets that morning as we were waking up, 1 boy and two girls. The boy was dead on arrival.  Snickers had a single buckling a few hours later. Then on Monday the 9th, Almond Joy gave birth to a beautiful doeling. We also had a surprise delivery of our zebu calf. A week later, our final goat to deliver was Kit Kat and she also had a single doeling. All of these little babies (except the zebu) were sired by Rainy Day Prince.

Snicker's Prince Doodlebug

Almond Joy's Nutmeg

Mocha's twins: Smores and Kiwi

Mocha didn't really come into milk, which I will blame on her age.  So her two girls are bottle fed as well as eating from mom.  For the first few days, the brown doeling, Kiwi, struggled to keep warm. So we brought her into the house until day 5.  They are now doing very well.  

KitKat's PopTart

And I can't forget to share the pictures of our sweet little bull calf, CheezBurger.  

 

On top of all of these additions, we were able to barter all the sheep for some "lumberjack" work.  We only have the two ram lambs left which will be processed next month.  

The garden is still producing and I am so happy about it!  I pick a few carrots here and there, but for the most part, we just keep it all in the ground.  We pretty much have chard, kale, broccoli, cabbage, and carrots left in the raised beds.  I keep them covered with a double layer of white pest barrier cloth and it works well to keep it warm.  We have had temps pretty close to 20 degrees and there has been very little damage.  

broccoli

cabbages

carrots

And, so here we are looking at the last week or so of both December and 2025.  We will be celebrating the 8 day festival of Chanukah next week beginning the evening of the 25.  For those who would like to know what it is, you can watch a video from MTOI.  ((HERE))  To sum it up, Chanukah is based on the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after the Greeks, under the rule of Antiochus, defiled the temple in 4th century BC by both sacrificing a pig on the altar and putting up a statue of their god in side.  The revolt led by the Maccabees was successful despite the horrific persecution the Jewish people received during that time.  There is a legend of a miracle of oil which claims there was only one days worth of purified oil for the menorah, but it lasted 8 days.  There has never been found any evidence of this.  Therefore, we do not believe it.  On the other hand, the menorah did require oil, which is why we do not have a problem with consuming fried foods, which is tradition.  We also play the dreidle game and light candles for eight days on the chanukiah, the 9 branch candle stick.  Chanukah is celebrated 8 days because the Jewish people were unable to keep the feast of Sukkot a few months prior to the rededication(for obvious reasons). Many Jewish people have transformed Chanukah into a "Jewish Christmas" of sorts, by giving gifts and even decorating a Chanukah tree (a tradition started in the 20th century).  We do not do this either.  So many people in the Messianic walk will celebrate it and look at ways they can personally rededicate their lives to Yahweh as they walk in obedience as Yeshua did.  

Well, I guess that is all for this time.  May you be blessed with health, happiness, and peace.  Enjoy your holidays and Happy New Year!