Sizzle sizzle...

Man, I'm hot...
Again, I find myself complaining about the weather... (and you thought I was just being conceited).
For some reason, northern BC has become the surface of the friggen sun. I live in the north... we're supposed to be working on our igloo plans by now, not wilting and frying in the unceasing and intolerable heat.
Those of you who know me know that me and heat do not mesh. I get all wilty and floppy and barfy. Hard labor in the crazy heat is starting to make me delusional I think. I'm pretty sure I've been having conversations with people who aren't really there. If you happen to see me mumbling to myself, just let me be... I probably think I've found a new friend.

We were recently at a party for some family friends, all of the guests happen to be farmers of some sort. It was interesting and a bit creepy sitting around like all the other farmers, bitching about weather and heat and how we're all going to find enough hay etc for our animals... not to mention what its done to our gardens. OY! You know you belong when you can bitch along with the rest of them :)

Now, for something completely different.
When you're flipping through satellite channels have you ever noticed how weird TLC is? I've re-named it "The Channel of Horror and Disturbia". I don't watch much TV, and when I do the LAST thing I want to see is 'The Man with 6 Heads', or 'The Man With the Dog Face Transplant'.
Prepare yourself, my next comments are going to piss some people off...
I really can't stand all the shows about people with a zillion kids. First of all, I think if adults want to act like fools on TV for money then by all means, go for it, but kids don't get to make that choice.
There's a family with 18 kids. Yes 18 freaking kids!! I was talking to someone about this, and they mentioned that they have a really good setup, because the older kids are all responsible for a younger kid. They help them dress etc... WHAT? How the hell is that a good setup?
So, the older kids get stuck parenting their siblings... right, that's just super for them. In my opinion, if someone has so many kids that they have to get some of their children to help be parents, then they have too many damn kids! PARENTS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE THE PARENTS.
Now, I know some people will argue that this responsibility teaches them to be good parents. I call a big ol' bullshit on that. Being a good parent to your child teaches the child about good parenting, not forcing them to be parents when they're still kids themselves.
Seriously people, if you're expecting your kids to help do your job, then you need to re-think your plan. Its not ok to rob kids of their childhood because YOU choose to have a huge family.
I agree that all kids should have chores and responsibilities, but they should all be age appropriate. (And really, there's a difference between occasionally babysitting siblings, and being given parenting responsibilities, so don't even try that debate).
I know people who were put in this position and believe me, it didn't work out well for them.
Rooooaaaar... rant over. See, boo to TLC.

On to the new farm. We're still looking for the right land. Its more difficult then it sounds. Then we have to decide if its better to find something with housing on it, or find something with nothing because starting from scratch - while going off the grid - is sometimes easier then converting. We have a house basically chosen to build, so what would we do with whatever happens to be there? But if we don't find something with some kind of housing already on it, where will we live while building a house. There will be so much building happening in the first little while, I can imagine the house will take a while to get done.
We've decided on a dome similar to this one. They are so energy efficient and there is less wasted space (I know it seems like a dome would be a huge waste of space, but it really isn't). My older brother (aka: Red Foreman)calls us 'damn hippies', but I'm willing to wager that he'll come around sooner then later.


Well, its time to slather everyone in buckets of sunscreen and head outside. Cross your fingers that I make it over to the llama pasture before turning into a puddle of goo.

Contest time!!

The time is drawing near and we need a name for the farm. I have a lot of ideas, unfortunately, with my humor they end up being inappropriate... and strangely enough seem to center around Irish slang.
Anyway, we've decided to do a NAME OUR FARM contest :) You're wondering what you'll win right??? Only the best prize EVER! We'll name our milk cow after YOU! hee hee hee.


Yes, its the real prize... doesn't everyone want a cow named after them??? (This isn't our cow. We won't get one until we move).






A couple hints:
It can't be tooooooo long
We like funny, or at least mildly humorous names
We're not really into fru fru names.

If you don't want to post them here, feel free to email them to me.
Alright you wonderful and imaginative peeps, let 'er rip!

My love for farming

It's interesting how something that came about by accident has ended up being the plan for our future. I can't believe how much I love it. I don't know why, because half the time its so bloody frustrating, but as I was weeding our mammoth garden today and was thinking about all the little things I love about being in the country and our little farm.
Here's my list:

1. Perfectly worn in work gloves.









2. It's so quiet here that I can hear a storm blow in.








3. Being totally physically exhausted from a day of hard work outside.






4. Watching Nyla's love for the outdoors grow, and Maren's total awe of everything she sees outside. I love knowing that my girls are going to be outside kids.









5. I love the smell of soil. Creepy I know... I love coming in from working in the garden and still being able to smell the soil (like now, I was weeding in the garden and still smell like it). Or when its been really hot and finally rains. That garden soil smell. LOVE IT.
OH and the satisfaction of seeing things that we've planted grow. HA! Take THAT supermarket!





There's so much more... sigh.
A lot of people think we're crazy for jumping into the organic garden. Yes, its a huge gamble, but when you already love and understand the lifestyle it isn't as scary. I think its scary to work years and years in a job you hate just to pay the bills. I think its scary that kids watch HOURS of TV and play HOURS of video games every day. And don't get me started on the food we're putting into our bodies!
Really, there's nothing new under the sun... we're just going back to how things used to be.
Have I mentioned yet that we're going to be off the grid?? Hee hee hee, pick your jaws up off the floor, its not as crazy as it sounds. It's something we decided we wanted to do before the idea of the organic farm came about. Our goal is for the farm to be totally self sufficient for power, etc.
I'm going to answer one question that a lot of people have been asking... YES we will have indoor plumbing. We're not going back to 1802 people!!
I'm happy, I'm REALLY excited, and I'm waiting not so patiently for everything to fall into place so we can get this party started. Cross your fingers that its all a done deal SOON!
Now, its not all fun and games. There are a few things I DON'T like at all...

1. Chasing effing llamas all over the effing countryside. Those rat bastards that took off are still gone and are now way off in Alberta. Don't ask me how we're planning to get them home...

2. BEARS! I don't feel I need to elaborate on that one. Coyotes are pretty annoying too.

3. Not having enough time to do everything that needs to be done. Days are too short.

4. Country friggen music. Just because I'm a farmer does NOT mean I love country music.

5. Crazy farmer neighbors. Good lord... I have stories. People are so weird.

Anyway, I have to go scrub the dirt out from under my nails... ewww.

Another day in the land of crazy

I'm getting more and more excited for our big move. I'm excited about the business, and being back in the mountains. I'm really excited about all the wonderful things that can be done in the mountains!!!! I recently had a GREAT idea, I'm going to install a zip line! I'm really jazzed up about the whole idea... just look at the pic below (ignore the fool in the helmet). Who wouldn't love that?? I'm going to do some research so that it doesn't end up being my own private death trap...
The only problem with being in such a great area is that I'm wondering how the heck I'm going to be able to get all the work done that needs to be done. The work for the first couple of years is staggering... mind blowing... freak show crazy! I'm thinking that if I don't take time to have some fun I'll end up all nutty like this lady... actually, she seems like a pretty cool lady :)

I'm sure I'll have lots of company in my crazy schemes :) Hurrah for great and crazy friends!! I hope you're all gearing up for all sorts of fun... you will not believe the ideas floating around in my head :) PREPARE YOURSELVES!! heeeheeehheeeeeeeee!!!!

PS: I will do more kid pic posts soon. REALLY!

Kiddos

I have not made good on my promise to email pictures to everyone... I'm so terrible I haven't even emailed pictures to Grandparents! That's the lowest of the low I know.
So, here are just a couple of pictures of the girlies. They're both doing well. Nyla is very interested in music right now. She doesn't care what the instrument is, she loves to play it. She especially loves the drums, harmonica, guitar and tambourine. I have a feeling she's going to be a throwback to the 60's :)
I have never in my life seen a soul with so much energy. She's definitely a twinkling star.

This is what happens when you let kids dress themselves. She chose jammies and an undie hat... yes, she's wearing underwear on her head. She liked the fact that her hair could 'see out too'.


Maren is so much like Nyla, but so different. She is the most laid back kid I've ever seen. She wakes up with a huge grin and generally has the grin all day. Teething has thrown a wrench into her easy going attitude, but she is just lovely. Cuddly, sweet and drooly. She is a bit disgusting at this point... she can crap up to her shoulders, barf all over herself (and me) and drool all over her face and down her stomach in the span of minutes. I seriously just want to hose her off sometimes...
She has no premie issues that we've noticed. She's doing full rolls and beginning to sit up a bit (supported). She's 7 months old and doing great.


So, that's a quick update. I won't even promise to send pictures anymore. I'll just say that eventually it will happen. Really...