Wonderful gentle soaking rains all day today.  I have done some baking, laundry, and kept a small fire going in the wood stove today- just enough to keep the chill off.  Today's high was only 42 which just felt raw after two weeks of near summer temps.
Just to let my followers know, there is also a Facebook page for SilverMoon Homestead now.  Eventually, I will just post just on that venue, as it reaches more people.  In the meantime, I will post on both.  It will be a slow weaning process.  Facebook not only reaches more people, but pictures are easier to load, and label there.  It is my hope that all of my followers here will go like the Silver Moon Homestead page and continue following on that sight.

After a couple weeks of freezing temps, finally the sun popped up and the temps zoomed into the 60's. In honor of the nice weather, several jobs on my to do list are being tackled.  There is always wood to cut, the cabin to clean.
 I managed to learn ho much fun it is to change a headlight bulb on the Dodge! Slightly over an hour, and a visit to Rick to help at the end, and I again have two working headlights.
There was a meeting today with like minded folks who are into tiny homes.  It was interestin to hear all the different ideas.

It has been a very long and cold week!  Keeping the wood stove going, backing up with propane as needed.  My pond has a welcome visitor.  I appear to have a young blue heron visiting. He/she has been on the far side of the pond the last couple days, flying away when I approach.  I haven't gotten a picture yet.  I am torn between continuing to try, and knowing if left alone it may stay.  I elect to intrude only when absolutely necessary.
Thursday was the coldest day, started at 3 degrees with wind chill of minus 11. It only made it into the teens.  The weather man has promised 50's in another week, but until then we will continue to have freeze temps.  Ice and snow are in the forecast this week, and I hope for no snow days at the school where I teach.
 Try to stay warm!  The pond is slushy frozen,

Happy New Years!  As I welcome in 2015, I make resolutions.  Before starting on my homestead these would have been the typical:  get fit, maybe join a gym, make better financial decisions, etc.  As I begin the second half of my first year on my homestead, getting fit is as easy as cutting wood for the stove, working in the garden, etc.  My homestead is my gym.  Better financial decisions are an ongoing venture for every American these days as we slowly climb off that big bad depression that was disguised as a recession. 

I continue to work on my skills to become a better partner with my land. In 2014, I learned how to pull wires, and fully wired my cabin.  I learned plumbing.  I learned about (and love) composting toilets.  I still would like to learn welding, to put in a storm shelter, to put in a root cellar (though I think one shelter could do double duty there.  Don't be afraid to try.  What I am finding is there is always a retired person who knows how and is willing to share their knowledge. Failing that there are many YouTube videos that show every detail. 

 I would encourage those of my followers to step up and jump in.  It is possible (though harder) to get on a homestead and build it to be what you need it to become with little money.    Many people I talk with state they wish they could afford this venture.  To those I state, if you wait you may never get here.  Our country is failing, it is no longer the superpower I knew it to be in the 50's, 60's and 70's.  As a baby boomer, I have more chance to live longer, so beginning my venture in my late 50's means I only have maybe 40 more years to get this right.  I want to be established to live as self sufficiently as possible before our economy crashes again, perhaps worse than the last time. Yes, I have to have a full time job off the homestead, and I am slowly building to an off-grid lifestyle.  At this time, I am definitely on grid.  I like electricity, and am not financially wealthy enough to buy $10,000 dollars worth of solar panels, batteries, etc.  I buy a panel at a time, and a battery at a time, and will slowly build up to a full system. 

I will be adding chickens and perhaps cattle this year.  It is my dream to own a couple of Irish Dexter cows  and I have just the pasture for them.  Building the coop and fencing in the pasture are two projects that will commence soon! 

My wish for you this year, 2015, is to follow your dreams!  Find that piece of land, begin building to where you wish to be in ten years.  Be responsible, but definitely get started.  Let this year be the year of beginnings!  In the meantime, stay warm, dream over the seed catalogs, and stay tuned for the new projects here on the homestead.  Happy New Years from Barb and Boo on Silver Moon Homestead, May the Lord we serve richly bless you and yours and prosper you abundantly this coming year!