Valentines

February 14th!  Really?!  We are caught up in clinic set up, moving boxes all over again, snowbound animals, slush and ice, home school, trips to town, unforeseen challenges like the water heater burning out....  Who has time for crafting love notes and parties?  Lydia retrieved the Valentine box from the storage on an errand to the barn the night before.  She put her energies into making Valentine's for all of us.  The day upon us, Marshal took pork chops out from our newly slaughtered pig and went to the big city for a water heater.  The evening drew near, and Gabe and I put together our three valentines, gleaning Lydia's leftover scraps left out on the table.  Marshal came home with more than a water heater.  He put surprises in our valentine bags and handed me a bouquet of "spray" roses, in a lovely blushy pink with a kiss.  Our weary selves pressed onward and put together a lovely evening of sweet celebration that surprised.  Sweet tradition carried on.

Honey spiced hand-raised pork chops with red cabbage, stewed apples, and peas.   

Roses are Eye Candy

Smelling the Roses So Sweet

French Fritter, Beignets, a recipe Marshal and I have shared since our teens.

Lydia's Valentine to Dad

And Marshal "came through for Lydia" with cards and chocolate surprises in each bag.  By the way, Trader Joe's fair trade organic chocolate "batons" are a real winner.  The chocolate is from Canada, but tastes like the smoothest Swiss chocolate I remember.  The chocolate with coffee bean was the favorite.  Lydia's had real organic raspberries and mine was 72% dark.  All were amazingly fine.

The Long Winter

It is not really long.  The days still pass faster than I can take time to take them in.  But amazingly, it is still snowing!

Marshal warms up his muscles with a bit of shoveling every morning.

The "view" out my bedroom window.

Snow Buried Yard and  Farm

I can't see the birds.

The sun said good morning this February day between flurries!

From the Kitchen Sink Window.

Open House TLC Tour

We are official.  Final inspection passed without a hitch.  We opened up the clinic for the community to see during the weekend's Cabin Fever days.  It was a wet snowy day and the plows couldn't keep up or plow all out, but many came to the clinic anyway.  The grange had soup next door, even without power.  Our power didn't flicker and the clinic gave a warm welcome.  Just last week Marshal, Luke, and Bill were finishing this work of their hands, unwrapping it literally from the layers of paper, and unveiling it from under the layers of dust and tools.  We all marveled how beautiful it is!

Reception Window Welcome
Bev, store owner across the street, gave the first housewarming indoor plant.

Main Exam Room
Oak medical cabinet gift is from Marshal's uncle.

Same exam room from opposite perspective.

Second Exam/Surgery with Private Bath/Laundry/Utility

Marshal's Office and Lab behind the Reception Desk

Glimpse of the ADA Compliant Restroom
Mirror came in the mail today.

Reception

Nutritional Consult Couch

Cookies for the Welcome
Community members enthusiastically brought wild smoked salmon, more cookies, and cupcakes! I had to open the other leaf of the table and spill the goodies onto the kitchen counter.

Ginger Tea on the Hot Plate

Leaving off with a Cookie Close Up
Lydia, Havilah, and Naphtali baked the cookies to perfection with organic einkorn, butter, sugars, oats and raisins, ginger, almond flavor and poppyseed.