Putting Our Big Plan Out There

As promised, the big goal for the year is…

Dear friends,

Happy February! Our little homestead is coming off a doozy of a fortnight. Shortly after I sent out my last newsletter a slow-moving stomach bug began its journey through our family. There was a particularly crummy Monday where we spent most of the day trying to save one of our rabbits, who we think was suffering from wool block/GI stasis. Unfortunately he lost his battle right about the time that I became the last victim of the sickness. That same week brought sub-zero (Fahrenheit) temperatures in the evenings, and froze our pipes. One burst, which then turned into another, and another, and by the end of the weekend, Ryan had repaired seven breaks in all. A new record for us.

These pipes have been problematic since our first winter here, when we had four breaks. They stretch under a crawl space in our basement, up against an external foundation. This leaves them vulnerable to the changing temperatures. We typically turn off the water at night to prevent issues, but, in alignment with our focus on stewardship, this game of Water Whack-a-Mole has moved the need for a more permanent solution up the list for the spring.

Oh, and to top it all off, I melted our coffee maker.

Don’t ask.

So here I sit, reacquainting myself with an old friend: the Chemex. I forgot how smooth a cup of coffee it makes. It is appropriate as I enter February with a focus on stewarding my body and my attention better.

Knitting Class

In happier news, I held the first session of my beginner sock knitting class this past week. Seven students gathered around a table at Stonewall Farm on Thursday evening, and I led them through the basics of reading a pattern, casting on, and knit and purl stitches. This is my first time teaching a class like this, and I have to admit, I was afraid I was biting off more than I or my students could chew. My schedule was ambitious, and the class did move slower through the instruction process. I sent them home with links to technique tutorials and the goal of finishing a cuff and the leg over the next two weeks. We’ll see how it goes!

Our Big Goal

When we moved to our property here in New Hampshire, our goal was to homestead. As we sat in our duplex on our shared postage stamp, we dreamed of gardens, chickens, and space. But I had one big dream that, until now, has been pushed off year after year. But this year, as I approach my 40th birthday, we’re making strides to make it happen.