A second storm roared through beginning on Friday. It was a repeat of Monday in that we went to school, cold clear but good roads.  By noon it was snowing, with ice mixed in. Took two hours to come home, again due to roads. It finally quit  today with nearly four inches in the yard and top covering of ice. The  yard is beautiful, especially with no tracks in it.  Other than getting firewood from the porch and watching the ice melt off the roof in sheets, I have not been out since gettingin last night.  The plan of the day was making soup,making, and snoozing in the shared recliner!  Through it all Ms. Boo supervised!

This snow was quite a strong storm, nearly 2 inches arrived Monday afternoon between lunch and dinner.  The nice thing about my location is it also melts fairly quickly!  Still having difficulty with the neighbor and their invading chickens and goats.  They tried putting up a partial fence out of pallets. Looks nice, but does not run the full length of the boundary. They stated they thought the animals would not walk around the ends......yep, they do!

Apparently winter has decided to take over here I. North Central Oklahoma.  On Monday, it was cold with blustery winds, and gunmetal grey skies.  I left for the school where I teach at my normal time and it took the normal 35 minutes to get there.  By mid morning, the snow/sleet mix had begun to drop out of the sky.  Kids were kept in for lunch recess ( I teach at a middle school and. That outdoor time is very important on the students AND the teachers sanity).  By dismissal at 3:35pm, we had to keep kids in until loading on the bus because the temps had dropped, and the snow and sleet mix had coated all the roads, and walkways. Kids who normally walk home were instructed to call someone to come get them.  I left as quickly as possible, as soon as getting the room prepared for the next days state writing exam ( all walls covered so no instructional or motivational posters werre visible). The drive home took 90 minutes with the worst being once I was off the interstate and into Lincoln county.  They had not plowed, nor treated that anyone could tell.  The interstate I could go about 55 mph because both treated and plowed, though still slippery on the bridges.  By the time I climbed the last hill into Prague and headed east to Paden, the roads had gotten worse.  Once I crossed into my county (Ofkuskee) I could see sand and what looked like cinders spread on the road as some attempt to treat them.  At this point I could safely get to 35mph. Once off the pavement and onto the four miles of dirt road to the house, it became a bit easier to manuever because the semis going into and out of the gas plant had "broken trail" for me.  One of the things I have learned about homesteading, is own a big brawny pick up, preferably four wheel drive.  Something's to remember when out driving I wintry weather.....don't go faster than you feel it is safe.  If many people get backed up behind you, pull off for a moment and let them go by.  Saves stress on you every time you look in your mirror.  Stay home if possible in the worst of it!  Keep a blanket, extra warm jacket, bottles of water, and even some protein bars in the car in case you get stuck.  
   We did get a snow day today (Tues) and I am guessing will do the state exam tomorrow on our return.  Ms. Boo and I are staying comfy and warm in front of the wood stove today, which is keeping the cabin at a comfy 75 degrees with very little effort.  I have turned off the electric space heater that I use during the day when not home.  I did take a walk up the hill to see and yep the pond is frozen, though not ice enough, by anyone's stretch of the imagination to walk out over the ice!  The next storm is forecasted to hit us on Friday night and through the weekend.
I plan on cooking and baking today to take advantage of the wood stove heat.  Ya'll stay warm and dry!

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!