Chocolate Wars!

Happy Valentine's Day, Y'all!  And since flowers and chocolate are on almost every one's mind today, this is the perfect opportunity for me to share with you the ongoing battle that rages here at Yellow Creek Farm.

My husband is the world's greatest chocoholic!  How do I know that?  Well, he just has to be.  Never in my life have I seen anyone devour chocolate at a more alarming rate.  He almost single-handedly helps keep the doors of the Hershey factory open, I can assure you.

He has what my family jokingly refers to as "Don's Chocolate Stash" which takes up one whole shelf in my freezer door.  From time to time, when post-holiday chocolate prices are slashed and he really stocks up, the stash spills over into other shelves and I have to patiently make him re-contain the "Stash" into it's allotted space.  

The chocolate shelf before Valentine's Day

AND......

The stash on Valentine's Day

Notice how there's been a great, big addition already this morning??  That's the box of candy he gave ME for Valentine's Day!  We don't linger over the logic here. This happens every year since I'm not as big a fan of the stuff as he is.  He buys me the biggest box of chocolate he can find, knowing I won't eat it, then happily adds to his hoard after the ceremonial "gift giving".  

Gotta love him, I tell ya, but sometimes I really have to draw the line.  If it's chocolate and it's in the freezer, he automatically feels that it's fair game.  SO.......my baking chocolate is always stored with a warning.  

The Warning!

I kid you not......I actually have to do this.  If these chips happen to last the day, I was thinking of making some cookies.  Sometimes I just bake stuff so he won't devour the ingredients first!

~♥~

Before Dawn

Those of you who are fortunate enough to live in the country like I do can certainly appreciate this post, short and sweet as it will be.  And for those of you who live in the city, as I once did, I hope you can find a way to experience this at least once.  

My early morning fire

Today, I woke up before dawn, as I normally do, and took care of early morning chores--feed the cats, start a fire, and make the first pot of coffee.  It's a routine we have here that doesn't often vary.  I find routines very comforting. Then, usually, I will pull my rocking chair up close to the fire, drink a cup of coffee, and wait for the rest of the household to be up and about the business of the day.  This morning, though, I decided to step out on the back porch instead.  

How beautiful!  A very cold and still 24 degrees greeted me, and the quarter moon sky was bright and clear with a million stars shining. I could hear the creek water running softly over a bed of rocks, and in the distance the sound of an old barn owl hoo-hooing.  Nature is so awesome in it's simplicity, and I am so fortunate. 

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The Planting Has Begun.....Hubby Has a Project!

My husband, Don, has begun his planting project for the year.....a border of lilies along the fence of our raised bed garden.  Mostly tiger lilies and an assortment of other lilies, which should be quite beautiful when they bloom later this season.  Last summer, I bartered (love that!) with a lady for a truckload of lilies she had dug from her yard and was carting off to the landfill.  Makes my heart hurt just thinking about that, but she stopped by the shop first and I traded her some store credit for the flowers.  Just realized that I haven't blogged yet about the little flea market that my sister-in-law, Patty, and I play around with.  Will get to that!  

Hubby hard at work

Setting the plants

Who knew that a big, burley construction guy could so gently place a lily in the ground and worry about whether or not it will grow? Wonders never cease here at the farm.  It's amazing what some time spent living in the country can do to a person!  I will definitely post some "after" shots of this project later on this summer!

I can't finish this post without giving credit to one of our wonderful cats who spends a good deal of time helping out with the planting.  Layla, our calico kitty, loves hanging out in the garden and is always sure to show up and offer her expertise if we're around checking out the raised beds or simply walking through the garden up to our storage shed.  

Layla  eagerly "helping out"!

A good roll in the grass is essential to planting.

Yes, she's a hard-working girl and has certainly made our gardening experience a lot more fun.  We've learned so much from her. Important things like stretching out in the sun for a little nap after all that hard work.  It's surely the best way to end the day!

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The View From My Front Door

We live smack dab in the middle of a pasture here at Yellow Creek Farm. While that may present a problem for some folks, we have found it to be the source of many memorable and entertaining moments.

Just imagine opening your front door on a sunny spring morning and catching sight of a momma cow with her new calf.  No matter how many times I witness the evolution of life here, following the process still fills me with awe. From the moment you first realize that a cow is again with calf, you then watch her progress through the next few months, belly swelling and teats filling with life-giving mother's milk, preparing for the birth of her baby.

Beautiful Girl and  her spring calf

Skeeter's Mom and her new baby

Every once in a while, somebody likes to get up close and personal.  That's always an exciting moment for me.  To know that an animal trusts me that much is pretty awesome.

Checking out my camera!

Living here among these animals has added a whole new dimension to my life.  Not only awe-inspiring, but enjoying the peacefulness that everyday encounters with these creatures can bring.  However, these wonderful animals aren't always the only sights we see when we open our front door.  Once in a while, a little boy appears and wants to play.

"Let's go to the creek, Aunt Gwennie!"

That's pretty awesome, too!

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