It's blue and white outside today. Just in from watering all the beasties, and have to walk carefully as there is ice under the snow.
Also went up and checked on the beehive and saw bees at the entrance. Yippee, seems to still be alive. Think I'll watch the weather, and maybe supplement them with honey mid February. I didn't take any honey from the hive, but there is only the one deep, so they may do better with some supplementation.
Dolly has just gotten over a bout of mastitis. Hate having to throw 3-gallons of milk out into the snow, but there is a 5 day withdrawal period after the last insert, so it has to be done. Today her milk should be good to go, but I will check it first. Must have been her lying in fresh poop that got the one front quarter infected as I'm meticulous about the cleaning, pre and post milking sterilisation. She's had a hard time this Winter, and I wonder if there is some underlying malady I haven't found. Oliver is doing well out with the boys and horses, wonder if she still misses him.
Did some estate sale-ing with Jackie this past week, found a quilt for our bed and a hand driven grain drill. Now Herbie wants me to make him bread after grinding the grains. Need to check what grains I have. I made bread with barley before, using my little grinder. Will need to experiment with this one. Also want a higher chair to attach it to as the counter will be too high for hand cranking. Been looking for a quilt for a few years, as the one on our bed now is starting to get holes. Tried espresso at another place, not great either. Don't understand why there is that sourness to the espressos' here in Michigan. Must be the beans, or the water, or maybe even how they make it. The 2nd one was a little better, after I said not great when asked how I liked the first one ! But they do their own baking. Jackie and I shared a chocolate cappuccino muffin. I still call cake. Those are definitely not what I know as a muffin. It may have the muffin top, but that is the only resemblence. Found a Battenburg tablecloth for $1 :) and some tops for me for $1 each too. It's nearly as much fun as antiquing !
The chickens are giving about 5 eggs a day. None in the lower barn, those slackers. Maybe I need to have another chat with them about how the system works. I give them food, water and shelter, and in return, they give me eggs. Starting to see some loving activity, so maybe the egg production will start to increase. The geese seem to be well on their way in this department, just haven't seen an egg yet.