My End of the Year Rituals

Snowfall at Peaceful Forest

This time of the year is when I take stock of all I have done through out the year. I make a list of all I accomplished. The many projects my husband worked on and completed. The success or failure of my garden (this year it was a success). Added to that is how much food I was able to can or put away for our winter time meals. Since there is only the two of us here now, we will definitely have enough for a couple more years.

Raised beds hidden in the snow

I keep a notebook on all these things to remember for next year. Constantly, I am adding new goals for our garden, as well as for projects to work on. Homesteading is an on-going thing. It is never completed. That is not something to be sad about. I like it that way. It keeps everything new and moving along. I like to see changes and improvements.

Home Canned Winter Squash

One big success was the addition of many jars of vegetables and apples to our pantry. This year, I will not have to purchase any vegetables at all unless I want to make salads. Every year it is important to me to eliminate a food category if I can grow it. My ultimate goal is to buy in bulk all our ingredients, such as baking supplies and some others that are NON-GMO verified.

Snow covered Pine tree

I will be spending the next couple of months studying my new seed catalogs. I know that all the seeds I buy now, will be heirlooms and NON-GMO seeds. I feel good knowing I can do this for us and then save our seeds for the future. Have a very Merry Christmas and a happy shopping season!

Copyright © 2014 Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2014 Kathleen G. Lupole

Projects Around The Homestead

Living in a cold climate keeps us on our toes all winter. It tests us daily. Warmth, water, food, comfort of critters is all part of it. I try to see where I am lacking now. So in the warmer months those are the things I will move to the top of my priority list. It is pretty though. Even though my husband doesn't think so. January and February are the toughest months we have. I feel like the time is passing fast, but I am not outside much in this weather. It affects my knees more than the warm weather. I suppose that is why so many people move south or out west as they get older. I can handle it though when I am prepared. When I am not or I run short in one area then it is hard. The key is to not run short!

This morning at 7:30 AM!

We are trying to remodel our house and that takes time and money. We are not anywhere near finished. It is not all insulated yet and needs new windows. It also is open underneath where the root cellar is because my husband had to work on the foundation and the battery room. He also wants to rebuild the stairway to the root cellar so it is easier for me. Money projects though. So the house is not holding the heat as good as it should. That is a big point with our struggle with the cold weather. Next year though it will be different.

I am the type of person who is always looking up. I envision how things will look or what I will do to change things. Constantly talking in that way seems to help my husband and gives him hopes. Then he catches my enthusiasm for the projects we are working on. I know it is hard to do when you can't actually start the project yet. I do research and make plans and lists and that helps me along. It seems to help him too, but not all the time. Not easy doing so much work with a crushed arm that will never be as good as new, only gets worse as he gets older. 

Icicles hanging from the roof.

Last night I had to remind my  husband of all the projects we have accomplished in the last few years. We have done quite a few. Instead of looking at what you haven't done yet...........look at what you  have already done! That is the way to make your way going through your goal or project list. And when I did that I realized we did a lot of projects. In fact, we did things I never thought we could get done. Like putting our solar panels on our barn roof. That was a job and the most expensive part was the wiring, not the panels.

Early morning before solar panels are cleaned off.

Today, I am working on a few projects around here. It is a snowy Saturday and I can keep myself busy getting these jobs completed for my new week on Monday. Hope you all have a good week-end!

Copyright © 2011  Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2011  Kathleen G. Lupole