Minestrone of news

Hey lovely people!

I am sorry if I am not writing often, let say that I am running like crazy these days.

First news on the list. Camille got her babies. 4 males. Super cute. Last Sunday as Martin was going to give food she was there taking care of them.

The picture isn't too good but I took it with my cellphone ...

She got 2 grays, 1 yellow and one black all of them are tabbies and got thumbs which brings us to the easy conclusion that the father is Tom.

She is a super good momma, and it's nice to see how caring she and some of the other cats (Auguste and Patou for ones) are too. 

It will probably the last litter to be born on Domaine Coquelicots as all the cats have been sterilized on World Spay day. I will try to find some funds to make Camille and her 4 boys too asap.

As for the renovation of the second floor, we had to raise back the house from 3 inches in order to put back the beams that were there 140 years ago into place. Well the beams aren't set there but they will be next Saturday.

I was offered a job at the village that I've turned down. I am pretty glad about it. That would have brought me back to the time I was not independent. It seems strange but even if I am pretty convinced on this self-sufficent/homesteading wannabe life, I have to put myself back on tracks many times a week. Being the outcast making it hard to focus on the real deal. I am pretty proud of myself though, normally I would have taken that job even if I wasn't sure of the fact I'd like it and even if the salary was a pity one. I was raised to never refuse work even if that would be "the end of me". So I am starting to learn, I am quite proud of myself.

We planned our garden for the season. So far, around 30 people will be fed by us, which makes it encouraging.

All of this makes a ton of work, but I love it.

My Auguste came back after his surgery, he has an eye less now ... he looks like Frankenstein. Never ran away from the barn when it's -30 Celsius outside and you have troubles with your eyes already...

Soleil and Paul are in the house right now. Muscade isn't really happy about it. But ... it's life. I am glad I can offer more heat and comfort to two more cats now.

Paul ordering pizza ...

The chicks are now older. We transferred them in a big cage in the barn. They are around 5 weeks old now.
We are selling a bunch. All our hens are reserved. It's going fast.

And some other pictures of the gang ...

Eole

Proud papa Tom

Miss Mousse

One of our guinea fowls

Chausson

Myrshouk

Azul, still wearing the scar of the Coyote attack on her nose (we knew she was probably with Baptiste that day as she had that wound since)

Biscuit, who we recently discovered was a female ... lol

Best Feeling on Earth

This post will be rather personal ...

Yesterday I was in a chat I am going often.

All of a sudden, a follow chatter that I know well came to me and said:
"Fleur ! (well that's my name here) yesterday Greenpeace came to my office and I was inspired by you and decided to join"

I am telling you this story this morning in all modesty. But to me it's a small victory. I am proud that my words are heard. Each person being touched by what we are saying being a small victory.

Most people tell me that being not able to have a child, I wouldn't leave much on this earth. Well, knowing that someone has been inspired by the way we are trying to live, my husband and I, in my humble opinion, is as relevant than the impact a parent can have on a child.

I am very proud and happy today.

That's a start ...

Our Melba apple tree has 4 apples growing.

I just took 2 cassis fruit in our cassis bush.

And I got all this in the black raspberry bush (this one was there when we arrived, so it might be around 10 years old). I will probably make berry mustard with it.

That's a start!

News Pack - September 19th 2011

Bloody Water!

Our water is full of iron. This is well water of course and it's very disgusting. The water smells like blood! We gather some info and we figured out that treating it would cost us 2k. Recently though, we were lucky and part of the thing needed to treat was given to us (I found that on Kijiji), so we saved 1K. Which is good.
I will have to start doing a little thing counting the money we saved so far doing that kind of move with the choice we took of recycling as much as we can.

It's getting colder ...

And we need to heat the house that is not so well heaten. I also found 2 electric radiators on kijiji that has been given to us, Husband is going to put them in the crawlspace that will help a lot. I also bought myself a space heater that I put in the "living space" well, you know the only place in the house where we will live for as long as the renovation not over. It works well for now. I mean we hit a bottomlow of 3 Celsius... But I am sure it won't work at -30!

Harvesting garden but no time!

We harvested part of our garden that we had here at the former house. Well well well ... not so good to be honest. I was not ok with harvesting but my parents really wanted to. (Next year it won't be like that believe me!) so our potatoes done ok (they were due though), carrots were too small (I would have let them more time) and onion totally rotten in the garden (Thanks Irene!) So ... 50% happy let say.

The roof, the roof, the roof is one fire!

Well not literally, but poor Husband had to go there to put some pitch on it. But good point, we are now sure water won't come through it into the house!

Gasoline is in my head!

We just figured out that we will save near 1500$ per year just in gasoline 'cause we are closer of husband work ! Wooooohoooo !

And as I go ... some little reminescence of the good old day with Moist