Home is where the heart(h) is!

December is here.  For living in the Midwest, the weather has been unseasonably mild with more need for umbrellas than snow pants.  I'm not complaining but wouldn't mind a white Christmas either. Regardless, it's getting cooler and we are preparing for our first winter on the farm.  We have put the rocking chairs in the barn (protected by tarps to prevent them for being covered in bat poop when we go to retrieve  them this spring.)   We have also put away the patio furniture and have covered the garden with a thick layer of leaves.
We still have to winterize the mud room door, put away the grill and portable fire pit as well as figure out how to better insulate the chicken coop (still holding strong with 12 birds!)

Here are some pictures from a recent walk on the path that covers some of the farm.  Notice no snow, children still in jammies, the functional farm boot and the need for only fall coats.

Last January we visited the farm for the first time, a day after a major snowstorm, so we know what the land will look like with a coating of white, pristine snow.  This place is beautiful across all seasons and weather. Below are some pictures from our first trip here:

Here is our first picture of the coop.  Notice no red door and no outer pen. 

I can't wait for this tree to be covered with red berries. This is one of my favorite pictures of the farm. 

Burrrrrr.  

This was the first time we walked in the pasture and checked out the barn! 

The biggest change that November and December brought was the addition of a wood burning stove. (See post title).  Here it is below: 

This is a view from the top.  In person, the doors are more dark red versus fire engine red (thank goodness.) Farmer J has been busy filling the barn with purchased cords of wood.  Even the children help! I've been taught how to keep "the home fire burning" when J is away.  My fire starting skills are improving with every time I light up! 

This is what the fireplace used to look like.  The fireplace was quite inefficient and not at all good at actually warming the house.  Our upstairs has changed from being cold and frigid to as warm (but dry) as a summer night.  Often, we only need to sheet or light quilt to keep us warm.  

Speaking of warmth, here is one of our Buff hens sitting in a nesting box laying an egg.  I am now brave enough to reach under a hen (when she is in just this position) and check for eggs.  It's odd (but pretty cool) to have a warm egg in your hand.  The hens are very polite, they don't even peck or appear disturbed by my actions.  

Now that it is winter.  Farmer J has to put the chickens to sleep each night!  What that means is that he turns off the light (kept on until around 7-8 to trick their brains into thinking it is not dark so early so they keep laying eggs) so they will go to sleep.  He tells me that they go from clucking and noisy to completely silent within 2-3 minutes of the coop going dark.  I wonder if he sings them a lullabye? 

We are home this whole weekend and have no expected guests.  We have loads to do, including laundry, cleaning (the new wood fireplace does create some extra mess), putting up Christmas decorations and tending to the little ones (our oldest gave our youngest a nice shiner when they were pretending that sticks were "light sabers" while playing outside!) 

With the days getting shorter and the nights getting longer, our children have become more "scared" of the dark.  Some days ago, I came down from upstairs to check on the sleeping children one more time before going to sleep.  This is what I found.  I guess a hard wooden floor in a brightly lighted room can be more comfortable than a warm, cozy bed with only a night light! 

Only two more weeks until the days start getting longer versus shorter!  Hang in there guys!