Woods Branch Farm: 12/1/10

12/31/10

Happy New Year 2011

A warm-up......Seeing the ground again. And today rain. So good to see and hear Woods Branch running again - after the extended drought this Fall. The river still is frozen over - the ice probably will go out this week end with the rains moving in. I hope to get pictures of the ice breaking up. Quite interesting.

So goes Winter in Indiana. Happy New Year everyone!

A snowy winter project - a quilt in the frame to work on which I will add to my "Log Cabin Quilts" Collection.......I look forward to time to work on these projects.

And I'm still working on my 2011 Santa. He has "acquired" a long, long beard, some facial expression, and oh yes, he is now holding a Christmas Goose. Still a lot of tweeking before he gets some paint......

12/27/10

Christmas at Woods Branch Farm

Christmas is always special - a gathering of the family and all the excitement of the Season, plus a reflection of the past year. We are being blessed this year with the coming of a new addition in February, as Kelly, Bill and Ashley are adding a new little one. Also, Amanda's Chris is returning from Korea in February after a year's duty there. So much to look forward to.
.......................................................Wishing all a Happy New year!

After a dinner of ham and all the Christmas favorites, including egg-nog, the presents were exchanged - a sea of paper and cardboard.......then the fun began!

The Christmas Tree.....The little ones had decorated it earlier. This year we added "hand prints" of the little ones - cut out of construction paper, with their name, age and dated.

Tablescape of Santas - note the snow outside window...... We had a "White Christmas".

12/20/10

Sleddin' at the Farm

After a good snowfall and freezing temps, Andy and Bill brought their youngun's to the farm to try out the old sleddin' hill. First they had to pack the snow, as it was pretty soft, so Andy got the tractor with snow plow, and got it packed to a hard surface. You will notice the bare spots in one place - our flock of turkeys had their lunch there one day, and scratched the snow away from whatever it was underneath that they wanted. I also saw deer out there nibbling at the exposed grass one evening.......the old farm is alive!

Bill running "the shuttle" - piling kids and sleds on the 4-wheeler, then back to the top of the hill.

Bob on one of the big sleds - the little guy had no fear - kicked 'er up and went sailing down the hill - all the while missing trees and snow banks.

Mark on one of the big sleds.....the boys drug them out of the horse barn - had been stored there since way back when. Anyway, Andy and Bill sanded the runners off, as they were rusty from the years past........made the going a lot faster.....

Ashley flying down the hill on her "saucer" - kinda tricky, it kinda wanted to slip sideways and off she would go!

Ashley took her cup of hot chocolate to the fire - to warm up.....

Bob and Mark - after a cup of hot chocolate, all stretched out and resting up...

12/16/10

Tree Trimming Party

Mark, Terri and Ashley adding more to the tree. The "party" was smaller this year - had bad weather moving in, and yes, this morning (next day) there is about 6" of new snow on the deck.

but it is Winter in Indiana.......

Ashley needed a boost to hang an ornament.

Andy and Mark, sitting in front of the fire. Note Andy's black beard - wrong color for the Season!

Kelly, Bill and Ashley -time out from decorating the Christmas Tree.....

'Tis The Season - Winter, that is

A flock of turkeys have taken up residence here in the valley. They are fun to watch - with their long toe nails, they scratch the snow away and dig in the ground for whatever they are eating. Of course, the corn field is still full of fallen corn, so they fly over there and spend most of the day, then back up above the house here to roost in the trees at night. For the most part, the coyotes leave them alone - I imagine would be like tangling with a buzz-saw!