2.15.10

A blustery cold day here at the Burrow. It's snowing again, big fat flakes swirling around like they're not sure which way to go. Not unusual for this time of year in the Ozarks but the poor people in the south! Hopefully it will only last long enough to be a reminder that no matter where we live it's important to be prepared for all manner of things.

I got some terrible news the other day about the Burrow. I know better than to take anyone's word for anything anymore and yet I did, again. I've been paying for the Burrow on a verbal agreement for almost 10 years. I have it almost paid off and asked the guy to please send me a signed statement of what I've paid and what I owe. His response was ... "I'm not aware of any contract". he's quite sure he doesn't remember any of our several conversations about it and apparently he thinks all the work and money I've put into the house was just because I wanted to.

I've actually known it was a possibility for some time now. There were clues and little things along the way but I never gave up, without hope we have nothing and there has got to be more than one or two trustworthy people in the world. There were times he seemed to remember (like when I painted the Burrow at my cost and time) and other times he's acted like he didn't.

I really can't even say how I feel about it, even tho I knew it was likely it still made my stomach fall out, my head hurt, and my heart a little broken. I'm not sure what we'll do but I am sure that things are as they should be even tho it seems they're not. I'm also sure everything will work out because I'll make sure they do.

I hope he and his family never have to be on this side of that sort of thing.



Otherwise life is as it usually is at The Burrow. There's a fire crackling in the woodstove and I'm getting ready to make candles. Some for us and some to sell. I saw on another blog http://oneacrehomestead.blogspot.com/2010/02/waste-not-want-not.html that she uses canning jars, I had never thought about using them this way but I'm going to try some today as well.

I'm also going to be getting a little mini greenhouse set up to start plants, for our gardens and to sell plant starts at the farmers markets this year. I had a lot of requests for herb starts last year. To sell at market i'm starting ...

chocolate mintorange mintmugwort
stevia
catnip
oregano
soapwort
thyme
feverfew
wht yarrow
echinacea
wormwood (probably won't take it to market tho)
cinnamon basil
bee balm
st johns wort
cayennes
And maybe some heirloom bell peppers
golden bells yellow bell peppers - H
emerald giant green bell peppers - H
toro rosso red bell peppers - H


Because of the weather, prices are going up on so many things. We'll all make do somehow and it's important that we help one another as best we can. We actually have a waiting list for this years chicks, never have that before. We also had a waiting list for goats and goat milk but wasn't able to work out an acceptable mate for the girls last fall and will have to wait until next spring for babies and milk now.
The bucklings are growing fast and eating less milk each feeding because they're filling up on hay, thank goodness!

Our renter lost his job so I'm temporarily supporting him. I don't mind except I don't make much money, hopefully he'll find something soon.

Jujus that we all have what we need.