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Thursday, November 17, 2016

Formicalifera

(My apologies to all entomologists)






With winter looming large and my 'to-do-before-winter" list looming larger,  I am feeling much like an ant-hopper (my rendition above).  I have to admit that, even though I think of myself as all Ant - a bustling bundle of focused energy (ha!), I am, more often than not, a grasshopper.  "Oh, look at that moon!"  "Oh, let's bake cookies - the chicken coop can wait!"  "Oh, let's check email to see if anyone is thinking about me - I can clean the waterers tomorrow!"  Sooner or later, the Ant checks in and takes over - but the stress level has been bumped up a few (hundred) notches, thanks to that pesky Grasshopper.  I am making slooooooow but steady headway with my list, but the cold weather is lurking just outside my mental periphery and it's making me...antsy.  Sorry, just couldn't help myself.  If all goes well (HA! again), my winter supply of hay should be delivered and stacked, my bathroom pipes will be re-insulated, the waterers will be cleaned and hung up in the shed, the strawberries will be pruned and mulched, the hostas will be cleaned up, the sheep yard will be raked, the duck house and chicken coop will be cleaned out, electric will be run and heaters hooked up, and my floors will be steam-cleaned by the end of this weekend.  Oh, DREAM ON, Ant Sweezie! (snort)


How are you all doing with your winter preps?  Come on - make me feel even worse!  :)


19 comments:

Florida Farm Girl said...

Hey, I can procrastinate with the best of you! We're expecting a hard freeze this weekend but my plants are still on the deck. The flower bed isn't mulched yet either. Don't even have the mulch. So.....let me know if you find that ant colony again.

jaz@octoberfarm said...

well, i was going to wrap planters and such today but i saw we have one more day until the snow arrives so i put it off until tomorrow. i only like doing fun stuff.

Sandy Livesay said...

Susan,

I was out today cutting the grass down low so we can break down the garden beds and rake the soil through the grass. Also pulling out our insulated tape and some grocery bags to cover up the facets outside. Expecting a hard freeze Friday evening. Were also blowing the RV pipes out in preparation for winter.

Gail said...

Winter??! I'm still working on my Spring list.

Mama Pea said...

What with our extremely long, lovely, warm fall weather, wouldn't ya think we'd have every possible get-ready-for-winter chore done? Nope. I think we could work solidly for two more months before seeing the end of that list. Maybe not even then. I have often said (like Gail above) I'm always at least one season behind. In the fall I'm trying to finish my summer list. In the winter I'm trying to finish my fall list . . . well, you get the picture.

We supposed to get a boat load of snow dumped on us tomorrow. Like 8-12". Will it come to pass? I'm saying no . . . but what do I know?? It's probably just wishful thinking.

Ngo Family Farm said...

Honestly I'm still recovering from post-election trauma (that's a thing, right?) But, I did manage to finally get the garlic planted - although that's on the fall list, and now I've got the Thanksgiving list going, which has pushed aside the pesky winter list for another week!
-Jaime

Joy said...

Finally, someone has identified and named my behavior pattern - anthopperosis! We have a list a foot long, and while I will write on it tiny tasks that I've just completed so that I can cross them off (Latch kitchen storm windows. Done!), there's not much substantive progress. But oh, that warm sunshine this week! It was thoroughly appreciated during long walks. Susan, you are not alone.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Heee! Not today, ha ha!

Susan said...

FFG - You get points for THINKING about it!

Susan said...

Jaz - I like to think we procrastinate because we don't want to miss out on that one, last warmish day. But, with snow comes all kinds of great indoor activities...sleeping, knitting, sleeping.

Susan said...

Sandy - I always check the weather for your area and you're getting it before us. Hunker down! I know you two are very organized and a well-coordinated team. I wish you could bottle it. :)

Susan said...

Mama Pea - It's amazing how much there is to do each season, isn't it? I think that's why we are all such energetic, well-organized, clear-thinking people. Right?

Susan said...

Jaime, it is most definitely a real condition. Don't feel bad - it is, actually, still fall, so you are on schedule! Luckily, my Thanksgiving list only has pies and cranberry sauce on it...

Susan said...

Joy, oh thank GOD, I am not alone! :) I see we do the same kind of lists - it works for me.

Susan said...

Kristina, you'd have to clone yourself in order to get everything done that you need done! I don't know how you get as much done as you do. (Clear as mud, right?)

Fiona said...

Winter preps? Winter Preps.....oh no........we have just had the first major frost. We may curse the heat/humidity/weeds and bugs of summer but winter does not get serious until January....most times :)

Peter said...

I'm in the "if it doesn't get done it just doesn't get done" and I can always catch up next Spring. So I guess you are way ahead of me!
Peter

Nancy In Boise said...

We do what we can with both of us "working", a baby shower last weekend, cold weather, and now I have a cold :) Some things can be put off, but I think it's just prioritizing. Dave cleaned our coop yesterday even though we have a long weekend coming up, it's going to be icky next weekend "wintry mix" snow/rain. Just do what you can :)

Buttons Thoughts said...

Well, we just had snow oh yes we did and anything that we did not get done is now hidden. Is that good? I have no idea. It is what it is:) Hug B