2013

Rosie and I have been trying to work up to a post about the year of 2013, it was a bad one and it is hard to start. We wanted this blog to inspire people to do great things, and this year was not inspiring.

 I will start with a list of some of the trials we have faced this year, in no particular order. 

Mcgee, our max cat died after a short sicknes.

Our chicken flock was killed, every last one. By a dog we intended to be a companion to Zuzu.

With the loss of our flock our 4 year old breeding program was annihilated. 

Our septic system failed and required trenching and pumping.

One of our sheep died from no apparent cause.

We lost our two willow trees, after several years of very good growth.

Ivan had to have some minor but very expensive dental surgery.

Our well pump died again, 3 week with limited or no water.

Rosie's bee hives died.

Our own medical and dental needs have been ignored due to time and money constraints. 

The cabbage and  brussel sprout crop failed.

It has  not rained in 3 years, feed prices have gone up x3. Imagine if you woke up tomarrow and gas was $15 a gallon, its has had that kind of impact on our finances.

Our families had several serious and potentially life threatening illnesses. 

Due to all of these we have a huge backlog of farm projects.

Ivan destroyed Rosie's laptop requiring a replacement. 

We have had to drop our hobbies and are spending far less time with our friends than we want.

Zuzu, our dog, died suddenly and unexpectedly.

I am sure I am leaving some out, really when you are kicked in the teeth this many times in a year you start to lose track.

In the big scheme of things this year was not as bad as it could have been, we weathered the storm and made it threw to the end. Our ship may have been ravaged and we lost some friends along the way but perhaps we are in for some clear sailing now. Our finances are in shambles, we will be in debt deeper than ever before and for longer than we expected. Emotionally we have been drained, not the up and down but the down and then down deeper. All of the things we do to keep sane and balanced have gone out the window, we don't have the time and money or because we crawl into bed each night early as we can and dread the coming morning light and the new trials it will bring.  

2013 can go die in a fire

If we have not seen you, our friends and families, know that it is no reflection on you. We have been used up by the trials of the year. We are thinking of you all and missing you even more than you may know. There have been few workshops and even less farm days, nearly no parties, and for that we apologize. But we have not been fit for company, the house is a mess as are our moods.

Now we enter 2014; We know that our trials are not all behind us with the turning of a calendar page, and much of what the new year will bring will include new trials and well as new triumphs. If we are slow to restart much of our old joviality please be patient with us, we are rebuilding for a new year and hope soon to open the doors of our home once again to friends and family as we have done in years past.

The hearth fires have not died.

Banked under the ashes lays a heat set to rekindle the blazing warmth our lifestyle once embraced. On a evening soon our halls will once more ring with music and song, strong drinks and warm food will pass from hand to hand, cold nights will be met with warm smiles and open arms, the land will turn green once again, bright orange egg yokes and fresh bread, sizzling meat on the spit and pots of stew over the fire will once again fill our home with the feeling of contentment and the promise of a life shared with family and friends. Join us and together perhaps we can wash away the darkness of the last year with some shared joy.

We hope your holidays have been bright and this new year finds you well.

Jed, Rosie, and Ivan Depew.