Well, the ‘new year new me’ motto has REALLY been taken for a test drive this month as I embark on a new and unfamiliar world..  Dating. 

The month started out with a trip to one of our many ice festivals around here, where I got to watch frozen people with chainsaws carve ice into many amazing things.

 

Besides watching the ice sculptures being made, my ‘date’ (now boyfriend) and I got to play a game of giant Janga, pet a team of sled dogs, hang out around a warm fire, and play a game where you try to cut a match stick with an ax.  An all around great day and something I’d never been to before..!  Sadly, we were having way to much fun to take pictures, and I deeply regret that now.

 

After the ice festival, I tried for a game day with friends..  Not having had any friends over since I moved here.  Sadly, a little thing called ‘The Arctic Vortex’ swept through and created one of the coldest winters we’ve had here in decades!  -40° weather with wind chill! (And trust me, wind chill was BAD)  The snow, cold, and wind did a number on the property, along with the entire country!  My greenhouse being one of those things the weather took a toll on.  With the strong winds (and the flimsy poles), the wind caused it to fold into a pretzel, destroying the thing for good now.

After the Arctic Vortex came and went, I was finally able to invite some friends over (sadly, most of them were busy, with the exception of my boyfriend).  My boyfriend ended up surprising me with flowers and chocolate for an early Valentine’s day gift that day, and it was the sweetest thing in the world!

 

Turns out flowers, chocolate, and a hug were JUST the things I needed to get over the devastating loss of my greenhouse.

 

With another week in February gone, I went out with my boyfriend again on the weekend.  We took a drive around the country side and I got to see the fire station where he volunteers at, which was so cool!  (That’s right, I’m dating a fireman!)  As someone who grew up surrounded by police officers and military members, it’s actually shocking that I’ve never been to a fire station before, or so much as known a fireman before.  So imagine my shock as I got to not only SEE the fire trucks, but get up on one!  They are so huge to stand next to!

The past two weekends have also been spent riding around the country side with my boyfriend.  There is nothing like driving down old dirt roads with the country music cranked up, to make you feel like you’ve picked the right life to live!

 

Sadly, it can’t ALL be happy country drives and ice festivals..  With the devastating winds that have been ripping through Southern Michigan this month, the yard is a MESS!  Tarps that had been tied over our summer stuff were ripped off and blown away.  The greenhouse was holding on by only two ropes and was in shambles.  And there are tree limbs down all over the property.  I should be thankful that the house is still standing, there were no trees down, and nothing major has bed destroyed.  Yesterday the wind had died down enough for me to go out and clean up the destruction of my greenhouse.  I was very thankful I had a calm and sunny day to do this, or I may have blown away with the greenhouse..!

The before and after pictures of cleaning up the greenhouse area..  You will be missed Greenhouse #1, maybe someday I’ll have a Greenhouse #2 that the wind won’t destroy..  The frame will have to wait to be taken apart and maybe reused at a later date for something else.  As for the tent, that too may find a second (or at this point third) life somewhere else on the property.  After all, everything can be repurposed on a homestead, you’re only as limited as your own imagination.

Rest In Peace Greenhouse #1..

 

That has been my crazy February.  I can’t wait to start seeds soon (inside now of course) and be able to be out in my gardens again!  Please Spring, bring on the nicer weather and the April showers!!!  I hope everyone has been having a great day!

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