Choices

Do I choose the local cider and elderberry ginger hot cider mix?

 Or do I choose the local mix and Lake Champlain hot chocolate mix? 

Sustainability for February

Last year we let the mother duck try and raise her ducklings when they hatched and not one made it more than 48 hours.  This year we decided we were going to help mother nature out a bit.  As soon as we had a broody duck, we prepped the brooder and had everything ready to go.  Of course they decided to come on a day when the temperatures were -3 during the day.  When Andy went out to give the ducks their water for the night, 7 little ducklings were huddled up in the coop.  All of them were scooped up and are currently living in our kitchen.  I am just hoping it gets warmer before they get too big; ducks grow fast!

Other sustainability tasks completed in January:

1. With Christmas money we bought a new washer since our last one did not spin and thus required two rounds in the dryer.  The new one is awesome!

2. A friend of mine helped me set up an ebay and craigslist account.  

Snowshoe Race -Task 6

As a means of breaking up the winter running this year I decided to try my hand at a snowshoe race.  After doing a little research, I found out that they actually make running snowshoes, and that there is a race nearby that consists of a 4k and 8k option.  After talking a friend into joining my craziness, we signed up and made a plan to train.  This of course was foiled by lack of snow (we only snowshoe ran one time before the race). Thankful that we choose the shorter race, and we set off after recruiting my mother for the walking division.  

Upon arriving at the race the temperatures were single digits, and we began to doubt ourselves after a few veteran racers told us the first k was uphill (they were not joking) .  Knowing that there was a walkers division, we talked about running as far as we could and then walking when we needed to.  We were excited to be there and totally freaked out about what we were about to do.  

 As we stood there ready to go, the race mentality kicked in and off we went.  The first K was in fact a hard uphill, and I lost my friend to a woman who would not let people by on the single track section.  I had no problem plowing past her in the snow.  Once past the woman, I realized there were only 4 other woman ahead of me going up the hill and locked onto the one just in front of me.  I caught her going through a field just before the 3k marker and locked onto the next lady.  The finish was a gradual up hill climb and I had the next woman within my reach right up until she heard me coming (there is no way to be stealthy and quiet running with snowshoes on your feet)  and she took off.  I never quite caught her, but finished 4th overall for the women which felt pretty good.  My friend was not far behind either.  

The best part of the day, watching my mom come through the finish with a big smile on her face.  We all decided to do it again next year, we may even be brave enough to try the 8k.