Daffodils!!
It is finally looking like spring around here. I can see (but it doesn’t photograph well) the green blush as trees are starting to bud. None of the flowering trees in our area have bloomed, but a drive 10 miles in any direction proves they are out there. Bradford pears and dogwoods are blooming all around.
Fields around us are being disced, but I don’t think anything is planted yet. That rich smell, the warm sun and cabin fever are giving me the itch to get my hands in some dirt. We don’t start anything until May — only a few more weeks!
Daisy
Our sweet Great Pyrenees puppy is Daisy – “the goat dog”. Oh, okay, she is not so much a puppy anymore. She was a gift from goat rancher friends. She has watched over our goat herds through all kinds of weather and does her job well. She loves romping with both the 2 legged and 4 legged kids. When our children are off exploring in the back, I have no worries — Daisy is there.
Anyone who homesteads and keeps livestock should have some sort of guardian animal. Some use llamas or donkeys, we have our Daisy. They work to keep your livestock safe from predators. Predators can be coyotes, roaming dogs or strangers. We haven’t done much work with Daisy, she has great instincts. We did have to watch her with newborn goat kids, but it was new to her and she didn’t know her role. Often, just her presence and barking are enough to deter would be invaders to our fields.
Disasters
The “other” D from my rambley thoughts this week. Disasters can come in many shapes and forms. We do what we can to try to be prepared. Often, what might be a disaster to some is not to someone who was prepared. Just as most of us have some sort of plan and preparations for winter weather, spring storms bring their own plans and requirements.
Tornadoes can occur anywhere and at anytime. Here in Indiana we have had a tornado in every month of the year. They are more common in the spring, so we naturally are thinking of preparing for them now. No matter the essential items you have set aside and on hand a tornado can destroy your home and your supplies with it. We try to have supplies spread out and not all located in one place. This is the best way I know of to plan for such a disaster.
Another possible disaster this time of year in our area is the loss of power. Well-insulated deep-freezes and refrigerators can withstand some time without power — provided they are not opened. What about cooking and what do you eat? We have canned items (home-canned and store-bought) on hand for just such situations. We have various means of cooking over a fire should our power go out. Unfortunately, we get many opportunities to practice during the stormy months.
We also have no power to our well. We have long-term plans, but what about the short-term outages of a few hours to a few days? We keep buckets of water filled in the house during those times. A bucket of water poured straight into the bowl flushes just as well pushing the lever. I can heat water in a large kettle over the fire to have warmer water for washing dishes, and our bodies etc. Though I use this as a great excuse to use paper plates, too! This is also a time I am thankful for laundromats. It is amazing how quickly I can get a week’s worth of laundry washed in such a quick time.
We are slowly working towards self-reliance. When our work-arounds for power outages aren’t just temporary measures. I would love to have most of our daily lives carry on like normal with no power; for our regular ways of doing household tasks to be electricity free.
What about your family? Is spring blooming at your home? Do you have disaster plans or self-reliant dreams?
This post is linked to Blogging Through the Alphabet hosted by BenandMe.com Be sure to check out other “D”lightful posts!
