We woke up to a lot of snow this morning. It is so beautiful, I did a video of the view from our porch. You can see it here on this page. Winter is a magical time here with all of our trees covered in snow. And it's so quiet - it's just total silence outside. It's wonderful. Winter on the Homestead Our vegetable garden lies resting under the snow. Mature Spruce trees … [Read more...]
A Winter Sunset in the Cariboo
The days are pretty short here right now. Darkness is falling at 4 pm, but it won't be long now until Winter Solstice. And we are really enjoying a good rest after such a busy year on the garlic farm. Here's our view this afternoon. I think it's beautiful! (This post originally written in 2015) We have probably around 10 inches of snow outside. Tomorrow, I'll be … [Read more...]
End of Season Wrap Up
October and November are some of our favourite months of the year. The garden is finished, the tools have been picked up, the wood room is full and we are feeling tired but so very content. If we don't get much snow, we can still get a lot accomplished outside. And, since the "end of season" work has already been done, these projects are all little "extras". Who doesn't … [Read more...]
Still on Evacuation Alert, But All is Well!
It's been hard for me to find time to write new blog posts - we have so much going on here right now. Here's a quick update - we are still on evacuation alert, but all is well. There is still quite a bit of smoke here at times, but not so much that we aren't able to work outside. We have been following the various Cariboo Facebook groups for official information. Today we are delighted to hear … [Read more...]
BC Wildfires – Fire in the Cariboo
Many of you are already aware that much of BC is on fire right now. It has been a stressful 3 days and the end is not yet in sight. What we really need are some cooler temperatures and no thunderstorms. Lightning strikes are happening almost daily and start new fires easily. The forest is very dry and once things get going, the fires spread very quickly. The fires are to the west of us - the … [Read more...]
The Mother of All Snow Curls
Want to see the "mother of all" snow curls? Do you know what a snow curl is? Maybe you know it by another name, but if you live anywhere where there is a lot of snow during Winter, you're probably familiar with them. Snow falls and lands on the roof. Maybe the weather warms up and the snow slides off the roof. But if it doesn't warm up, and instead turns colder, the bottom layer of that snow … [Read more...]
Campfire Safety
It is the time of year where the weather is cooling off and we are all getting outside more. If you live in an area where there are hiking trails, camping and the many other outdoor activities, you are bound to see campfires and charcoal grills lighting up the trails. It’s a fun and nostalgic time of year, cooking s’mores over the fire, roasting hot dogs, or warming up your cold fingers and toes. … [Read more...]
The Top 2 Rules About Wildlife on Our Homestead Property
We have a rule here on the homestead - everything here has a place in the cycle of life. Animals that we raise here are healthy, happy and enjoying life. Chickens enjoy their chickeness; pigs enjoy their pigness. They can go outside whenever they like, they can chase bugs and search for worms; they can plow up their pastures. Pretty much, whatever they like to do, … [Read more...]
Snowshoeing in the Valley
Before I moved to the Cariboo, I had never used snowshoes. That changed when my friend Marion and I went snowshoeing! See that far tree line? Zoomed in on the willows in the field with the treeline in behind. And the next round of willows, closer to that treeline. Method of … [Read more...]