Annie's Christmas TuTu: The Farm Report 01-02-2020

Annie's Christmas TuTu
The Farm Report
01-02-2020

Everybody likes to get a present at Christmas time, even if you're not particularly religious. Annie isn't really into religion, but she likes getting presents, too. She's a 'girly girl' and just loves her new hot pink Ranger Ready Tutu. Not sure? Well just look at those ears! She knows that when we put on her new Tutu, we're going out in the Ranger - her personal fav.

Actually, the tutu is a safety harness. At the back of the last strap there is a steel hook I can connect to the 'Jerk Strap' that you can see just in front of her tail. If I have to stop fast, the harness catches her weight underneath her chest where it is better. Or if she sees a squirrel and tries making a giant leap out to get it.... It happens.

January 2020. If you blow this pic up you will see a lot of fresh black dirt down there by Walnut Creek. We just had to have another round of expensive dozer/excavating work done due to the floods last spring and summer.

Or, January 2020. You never know around here.

The trees were covered with a hoar frost that is just beautiful. It is the stuff that makes Christmas cards sparkle.

If you join these two pictures together, you'll see what I see when I look north towards my timber from the greenhouse.

4:30 in the afternoon. Nevertheless, the sun will come around and we will soon be having longer days. Time to plan and order seeds.

The Christmas cactus have been spectacular this year. 

This one is almost flourescent

How can you not look? Mama Nature is a real show stopper when she wants to be.

This one is an oldie but goodie. We got it free as a Walmart store opener giveaway a long time ago.

Here's a tip you might want to know about. I'm working along restoring the old Singer 66 'Red Eye' sewing machine. I'm a great big guy, and maybe you're bigger than your ancestors, too. The white wood is a little trick I've done for dozens of customers over the years. It is a simple spacer I put between the cabinet and the cast iron frame. Only an inch and a half, but it raises the work table surface just enough to make it comfortable for us big ol' brutes.

Just a simple slice of a 2 X 4 will do the trick.

I caught Annie and O.J. outside the other day in what looked like a fight. When I stuck my head out the door to see, they both looked up like little kids on the playground as if to say, "We're just playing. We're alright - really," and they went back at their game.

So I showed you pictures of 'Fuzzie' last time. That was Annie's new furry buddy the ex-raccoon. Now in addition to Fuzzy, she has added another fuzz ball. I'm calling this one Wuzzy. It is an opossum pelt. Get it? Remember the old rhyme: "Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair...." 

She's just as proud and possessive of Wuzzy as she is of Fuzzy. Yuk!

The hydroponic strawberry project is in hiatus for the winter, but signs are good! The strawberry plants look alive and healthy. 

They look at least as good as their brothers/sisters outside.

This one even has little blossom buds on it! I can't wait to see how this works come spring.

Aha! Maybe we will have fresh salad for the Superbowl Game after all. The spinach is doing great.

Amazingly, the lettuce hasn't cashed in either. Patience, Inman, Patience!

So what's a guy to do with his winter time? Make sausage! These are lightly smoked kielbasa and boy are they good. 

And corn bread! This is mostly for my reader, Kev, who is in England and says he's never tried the real thing. This is what it should look like, cooked in a hot cast iron skillet. Joyce's secret method: Oil and put the skillet in the oven when you light it to get the skillet really hot! Then make the batter and put it in the hot skillet to cook in the oven. When done, the corn bread will not stick. It won't. It is like magic. Eat the corn bread fresh and hot right from the oven with some ham and bean soup. Or put honey or fruit jam on it for breakfast - but hot! You'll love it.

And other than that, all is well at Oakdale Farm. Happy New Year to all, and let's go forward for another great ride around Old Sol in 2020.