new items . . .

Finished activities around the farm.  A list form of all the new items.

• I am now on Spring Break (yeah I get to do homestead stuff)
• The puppies are ready to find new homes. (one is gone already and we are going to keep one)
• Spring has sprouted
• I have trimmed and sprayed the fruit trees
• Purchased and am "walking on" red clover and tall fescue on the pastures
• The patio is set up to use again
• Cleaned out the garage
• Multi-purposed the butchering table as my Etsy shipping table
• Tilled and planted strawberries

This week I am expecting to do a myriad of jobs to shake off the winter look from the farm.  It's Spring now!

a lot of potential . . .

Here's an older post that I forgot to publish . . . 

Another snow day today . . .

Last night we had another storm come in.  A little snow, a little freezing rain, and presto, I get the day off school again.  Got to love jobs like that huh?

Amory also went to the same competition as Nolan and performed her piece.  She played just about thirty minutes after her brother did, and listened to some of the other students play their arrangements before she took the stage.  Here is her home version of her piece that she received a rating of a 1 on!  The rating goes from 4 being really bad to a 1 being Excellent.

Both she and Nolan got score cards with the judges comments, and participation award, and a small medal for their performances.  The judge also pulled Amory aside after she played and made some helpful, and kind comments to her.  He said she played a little nervously, which is expected, but that she is really talented.  Specifically he said that she had a lot of potential and that her playing did not reflect her full potential.  Even though she played it really well.  I think we will be steering her into music as she gets older.

In addition to playing the piano, Amory has recently started learning how to play the Viola.  Over a month ago Ildi drove over to Bowling Green Ohio and picked up a 1953 Hand Built copy of an Antonio Stradivari Viola.  It is a beautifully hand-crafted instrument and Amory is really enjoying learning how to make music on it.  Even though now it sounds a lot like scratching and screeching.  :)mmmmmmmmm

fun with friends . . . and animals

Miss Leisa is now on holiday and visiting us here at Foutfolk Farm.  About a month ago we were chatting through our mutual online connections, and she mentioned that she was due for a holiday soon.  Naturally, I told her that she should make it up to stay for a spell.  So, she took me up on the offer!

It had been a year and a half since her last visit with us here, and this was the first time to our new homestead.  The first few days we showed her around the place.  And since it is cold and wet outside now, we are all mostly inside staying warm, enjoying our time visiting, resting, and she is learning how to knit. Wool socks!

 On our trip out to the barn, the children decided to see if they could ride the pig.  Now that he is HUGE, around 230lbs, he is able to take the weight of small children.  Even though he didn't really care at all for it.

 In addition to the spectacular pig riding event, she got a close-up look at our new little puppies Floppy had about 6 weeks ago.  In just two short weeks all ten of them will be able to leave the farm to be joined to a new family.  Hopefully we will have an easy time finding a great home for them.