A SURPRISE BABY.

This past Monday began like most: up with the sun to feed the chickens, get the stove up and running to start making tea and breakfast, wash out our milk jugs because Mondays are milk days. We were expecting our neighbor Davis around 7:30 to deliver some hay for the garden, but when he called, he told us he would be bringing over something else instead.A few-hours-old piglet.We were planning on raising pigs this year, and possibly buying some from Davis, too. But he had been surprised on Sunday night by an unexpected litter, and by one little piglet outside all alone. He brought him home tucked inside his coat and then was up all night trying to warm up the little one/bottle feed him every two hours.And so our pig raising adventure has begun a few months early. And now that picture of new parents is us: waking up every two hours to warm up a bottle on the stove. It is a little bit insane. And a little bit wonderful. This life is a constant surprise, ever a change of plans. And as tired as we have been these past couple of days, every time we see this face it just seems worth it.

THEN: Tuesday morning, we got another call. And a baby brother.Boris (with the black spots), and Gomer. We are so proud.- Hannah.

BABYSITTING.

We spent a snowy day with the Bugtussle children yesterday. It was filled with warm fires, brownie baking, Bird Bingo, and lots of ice adventures.  

THIS & THAT.

Some random photos from the past week.Sergio! Our new rooster, a big sweetie. He's working on growing his tail feathers back.This is basically what our entire homestead looks like these days. So.Much.Mud.A sweet treat from a sweet Nashville friend.Wendell loves belly rubs.We STILL have hundreds of these little ladies inside our house. This one was easy to miss.

CABIN UPDATE.

Progress! During these cold, wet days where we are stuck inside, we've been accomplishing some big projects around the house. We built a giant wall-shelf right down the middle of the cabin, put up shelves using old wine crates, made a closet under the stairs, installed a light fixture and an amazing new flag, created a new bookshelf out of bricks, and did a lot of rearranging. What do you think?