The Road Home

The Road Home
There is no place like home.

Thursday, December 26, 2019

Homestead News, Volume 23

Things have slowed down somewhat here for the winter. Outside of the opinion pieces we have been sharing for news, in our little corner of the world things are relatively quiet. We have our daily routines of animal chores, cooking and eating, and eating. The small lane that leads to our house is about 1/4 mile if you walk round trip. Frank walks it twice a day for about a mile or so. I usually make it about half to three quarters before the arthritis in my back starts complaining. We take the half hour drive to see my mother in the nursing home regularly. Some of those trips are easier than others. Her dementia is now limiting her speech significantly and it's hard to keep her attention. So, go our days. Watching the demise of the world and wondering when it will reach our doorstep.

We have some food growing in the greenhouse along with some basil and flowers. More flowers than usual and surprisingly, some of them like to bloom in the winter.

Turnip greens

Salad fixings - amaranth, pak choy, kale, cress, lettuces

Looking out of the door that goes into the house.

Balsam - I had no idea they would bloom in the winter greenhouse.



And believe it or not, the tomatoes are blooming. I don't think they will produce because it gets too cold at night.

But this will be the first plants I set out come spring if they make it until then.



Our baby goats are all on the ground for the year. We had one set of twins and two sets of triplets. One of the does has continued her mastitis problem from last year so we gave away two of her kids when they were four hours old. They got a few good drinks of colostrum and we sent more home with them. 








Now we have fresh milk again which we both consider to be a wonderful treat.






I have been using up some of my fabric and quilt batting making lap quilts to donate to the nursing home where my Mom lives. It's part of my downsizing effort.





And speaking of eating, today is a good day for a pot of soup. It's still warm outside, t-shirt weather, but I wanted to use some of our harvest for a good hot meal.

 
I don't like the feeling that these tools are always necessary when I walk out the door to go milk the goats, or garden, or take a walk down our lane, but so go the days of our lives. Anymore, you just never know what you need to always be prepared for.


 Until next time - Fern
 

Tuesday, December 24, 2019

Merry Christmas!

Hello Everybody, Frank here.

Fern and I would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas. 
May the Lord be with you and yours.

If you are out shopping, please be vigilant, pay attention, and avoid crowds if you can. This might be a good year to get people things that they actually need and can use. Kitchen tools are always handy. They may be hard to find right now, but garden tools, shovels, rakes, hand spades. Back in grandma's day, these were standard gifts. If you've got a little extra jingle in your pocket, the means to protect oneself is always an excellent gift.

Yes, I know this is Christmas eve and most people have already bought for their loved ones, but in a couple of days you can take all the things you don't want back to the store and get things you need. Sporting goods stores are good places to shop. I like hardware stores, too. While you're there, get a couple of dust masks and put them on. That guy two aisles over that has the cough that's coming from his belly button may just be sharing the latest version of our government released plague. 

But this is not the day for that, the plague, that is. I was in a store yesterday, grocery store, went to get some apples while Fern was visiting her mother in the nursing home. There were a lot of sick people in there. I don't mean the transgender type, these people were really sick - coughing, hacking.

I hear the gun shops are having brisk sales this time of year. Did you know they make brand name rifles and pistols with pink grips? I guess if your neighbor has a whole closet full of those pink hats, you don't want to clash with your neighbors, now do you? No, you can't shoot that pink flamingo in their front yard, or for that matter, you can't shoot that fake deer in their yard either. Because if you live in a state that has red flag laws, somebody will turn you in for having a bumper sticker on your car that says 'vote for Trump'. Probably your neighbor with the pink hat, though they won't tell you who it is, but they will take your pink gun.


I keep reading about Virginia, no that's not a TV character, that's a state on the east coast. You know, one of those states that the left is trying to take from the right. That government out there just appears to be just a bunch of fools. But then the government just north of there, well not really north, but you know what I mean. The people in our Congress are not supporting what I believe in. I don't know about our national government anymore. Is it a game they're playing? No one seems to be serious. It reminds me of a bunch of kids on a playground. I'm serious. 

Is this the big show we're seeing out there or is this the diversion trying to cover up what's really happening? 

We're being told that the economy is going great guns. Do you see it? I sure don't. There are trucking companies shutting down, steel mills laying people off. Yes, I know the fast food places are hiring, but people need real jobs. This repo thing has nothing to do with cars and houses, you know. If our economy is so good, why is the federal reserve pumping billions of dollars on a regular basis into big banks and industry?

And where's the wall?

When we thought the Japanese were going to attack mainland Alaska, our government in conjunction with the Canadian government, built a highway. Yes is was crude by today's standards, actually most of it is still crude by today's standards. There were numerous bridges across big rivers that most folks have never heard of, never will hear of and will never see. But they did it, they built that road in some of the most inhospitable land on the planet, most of it during the winter. It took right around six months.

Where is that wall? Give me break. Somebody is lying to us. We all know that the "free" press doesn't lie. You know our government doesn't lie. The economy is teetering on collapse. Look up there a paragraph or two and find all the information you can on the Federal Reserve and repo. Do the math. Our fiasco in Washington? Who knows what is going on.

This thing in Virginia, it's the next big show in town. Pay very close attention. While you're paying attention, watch this Brexit thing also. And pay attention to the immigration problems in Europe, too. The European Union is in dismal financial shape and their immigration problem is past the point of no return. Are you ready for another Irish invasion? I don't see another Crusade coming. Looks to me like they're going to just build one large dome across most of Europe.

Going around to the other side of the world. How are things looking in China? I'm going to take a break here for just a second and let's do a quick tour of rioting in countries all around the world. It's going to be easier just to say we're not rioting here in the United States and Canada. Yet, that is, it's going to be a hot summer. You are aware our southern border is lined with a well organized, highly lethal and well trained military. Except it's not a government military, it's called drug cartels. Yes, there is rioting going on in countries all around the planet, including China. China is rapidly developing a sophisticated military. Why?

Ever read history about how China was able to enter the world financial markets? Most of us don't. If we read history at all, we refer to it as Western history, you know, England, France, Italy, those types of places. Read about Mao. When it comes to mass executions he made Hitler look like an amateur. We know about Hitler, or we think we do. But look at this old boy Mao Zedong. While you're at it check out Chiang Kai-shek. I know people will say there was a famine or something like that, you read it and do the research. I wonder if there is any possibility that our government would do this to the American people? 

Well, it's Christmas eve and here in our part of the country the weather is beautiful. Today will be sunny, light winds with 65* to 70*F. For you folks living in the frozen north? Better you than me, I've been there and done that. The only way I'll do that again is if they put me in a boxcar and ship me up there. We've done that in this country, too. Read about what good old Andrew Jackson did to the Indian population, then tell yourself you're sure glad you live in America where we don't do that kind of thing like the Chinese, the Germans, the Russians and the Italians. The list goes on and on. Ask some of the Indian folks what they think about relocation and Andrew Jackson. Remember, Andrew Jackson is President Trump's favorite past president. Don't think it can't happen here? It has happened here before. Ask the Japanese people in California.

Here at Frank and Fern, we have a saying. Don't get on the truck and sometimes it says don't get on the bus. Just a modern day version of a boxcar or a trail of tears. 

A little side note here. All the groups mentioned above had their weapons taken away. There are lots of places where this same thing that's going on in Virginia has happened before. We've got red flag laws creeping across the nation, Gestapo type tactics. The economy is teetering on collapse. This is not a game. This is not cutesy. Get your ass off the couch, turn off the TV and prepare for war. Don't get on the bus. 

Don't forget to tell your loved ones Merry Christmas. Shake their hands, pat them on the head, give them a hug and TEACH them. It is going to be a hot summer.

Let's finish up here, boys and girls.

Pray for peace. 

Prepare for war.

We'll talk more later,  Frank


Saturday, December 14, 2019

Open Thread - December 14, 2019

Hello Everybody, Frank here.

Good morning, it's Saturday morning December 14, 2019. The reason for the date, just wanted to let everybody know where we are. Things are changing quickly. 


This is going to be an open thread article where all comments are welcome. As usual, the comments will be moderated. We need to keep the comments lively, respectful, adult topics are fine and encouraged. No profanity, because somebody's grandma is reading this.


I'm going to start this with some of my comments. These are in no particular order, so I'll just start here.

I cannot believe this impeachment process. When I say I cannot believe, I cannot believe that our senior, elected politicians will stoop to the low level that I am seeing and reading on the news. I don't have the words for it. But I will say that I believe that we have lost one branch of our government to lying, cheating, corruption. Again, it's unbelievable. Unbelievable.

Next topic. You had better be paying attention to what is going on in Virginia. The new government coming in has created a hornets nest and the people are responding. Is this a testing ground for the rest of the country? That's for you to decide. We have sheriffs all over this country that are saying NO! WE WILL NOT COMPLY! This is serious.



Moving on. The Horowitz report brought to light a significant number of violations conducted by our federal law enforcement against American citizens. This report has it's limits and scope. Following reports should bring indictments. This is one more time I will use the word unbelievable, the unbelievable, uncontrolled corruption in our highest law enforcement agencies.


Moving on. The overwhelming defeat of the liberals in the United Kingdom should send shock waves through the liberal, socialist, communists groups world wide. We'll have to wait and see how they word BREXIT.

There are many more topics that just really get under my skin. Look at this pathetic group of Democratic candidates. In my humble opinion only one is even worth considering and that's the lady from Hawaii, and I don't think she is presidential material. All the rest are unbelievably pathetic losers. There is talk of bringing Hillary back? God help us all. Unbelievable.

You'll notice a slightly different thread today. Our 1st & 2nd Amendments are under blatant attack. If you need to stock up, now is the time, whether it be food, bandages or bullets. Again, in my humble opinion, this thing is going to heat up sharply this summer. THEY, whoever they is, the flavor of the week maybe, they are not going to allow President Trump to be reelected. THEY are desperate. As Ol' Remus says, avoid crowds. Avoid crowds at all costs. 

I encourage you to share your thoughts. This is a small blog with a medium sized readership. So please, if you have ideas to improve things, let us all know. If you're just pissed off, then vent. The 2nd Amendment is there for a reason. You might want to pay attention. Have a plan, proceed accordingly and diligently. Be vigilant. Pull your head out of your ass, this thing is getting serious. Look at Congress. Look at Virginia. THEY are not going to allow the President of the United States to obtain a second term. We as a nation are surrounded by socialists and communists, and I don't see anybody who can do a better job right now than President Trump. Is he perfect? No. But we need strong leaders, we've got enough people running around in this world wearing pink hats, we just don't need anymore. 

I am an American. I am a citizen. And I am pissed.

We'll talk more later,  Frank