Back From the Brink
Back From the Brink About three years ago I wrote a post about the American chestnut (Castanea dentata) and its near extinction in the early 20th century due to the chestnut blight (Cryphonectria parasitica, then…
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Poke, Shovel, Sweep, and Blow
Poke, Shovel, Sweep, and Blow My readers are aware that my wife, Annie, and I are fixing up our cabin in the Ozark Mountains at the same time we are converting a dilapidated old garage…
It Came From Above
It Came From Above Annie and I have had some amazing experiences at Sweetwater in the short time we’ve owned it. We’ve often watched the resident deer, some from the time they were born all…
Sweetwater’s Scaled Neighbors
Sweetwater’s Scaled Neighbors It was the last morning of a visit by our son, Travis, his awesome wife, Danielle, and their four children, 10-year-old Emma, 8-year-old John, and 3-year-old twins Isabelle (Izzie) and Carson to…
Fly Away Home
Fly Away Home Many, many years ago, when I read Mark Twain’s Tom Sawyer for the first time, I noticed a little rhyme that ol’ Tom said to an insect. “Ladybug, ladybug fly away home. …
The Hot Box, Part 2
The Hot Box, Part 2 In Part 1 we were successful in the first part of installing a wood stove in our cabin at Sweetwater. Now came the hard part. —————————————— In my last post…
The Hot Box, Part 1
The Hot Box, Part 1 Fall is incredible at Sweetwater. The trees are resplendent in their scarlet, gold, and violet foliage. Gradually the leaves lose their grip and float gently to the ground until the…
You Don’t Know Jack
You Don’t Know Jack There is a certain two-word combination that good Christian folk don’t use in polite company because those words are considered to be curse words. They really aren’t though. If you think…
All Cooped Up: Part 2
All Cooped Up: Part 2 As I said in my previous post, I started trying to salvage an old work shop and convert it into a home for my new poultry flock. With the bird…
All Cooped Up: Part 1
All Cooped Up: Part 1 As I told my readers in an earlier post, I went through the research and decision-making processes to decide which breeds of chickens and ducks I wanted to get to…