Happy Valentine’s Day, all! I hope you had a great day with someone special in your life and enjoyed each other’s company.  Julie and I stayed home and enjoyed some bacon wrapped fillets, twice baked potatoes, Cesar salad and some artisan bread.  It was delicious!  There is nothing like shoveling out the Weber Grill, firing it up and cooking in -20 degree F wind chills.  That’s how we roll up here in Minnesota on Valentines Day!

While I was getting the coals ready to cook out Valentine’s Day dinner, I filmed a minute video and posted it on the Small Scale Life Facebook Page and in the Small Scale Life Facebook Group.  Yes, I did say that there would be no content this week (posts or podcasts), but here we are.  It was a really busy week: snowstorm early in the week, completing an interview with the Inspector General and working with my boss in white out conditions.  It has been one of those weeks, and I will be glad to put this one behind me.  I really needed a mental break, and consequently I did not post any articles, podcasts or many photos on Instagram (i.e., there was no Black and White Contest this week).

Well, that was a few hours ago.  What changed? 

I woke up around 3:30 AM, and I had trouble falling back asleep.  I guess my mind was ready to work on some things, and I decided to get up and get some stuff done.  I got some things ready for work (including some reservations for a trip to the Big Easy), and now I am completing this article.  It is just one of those days!  I figure I am up, and I’ll get a jump on the day.  That means I will start my day early, and get back to the barn to kickoff a GREAT weekend early.  Julie is the morning person; I am not.  However, I can see the benefit to getting up and getting some things done before the world wakes from its slumber.

News from Around the Bend – Valentine’s Day Edition

This is the second installment of News Around the Bend, where I collect some great articles from folks around the net and share them with you.  Consider this the “calm before the storm.”  Julie and I have a solid weekend planned and will have content galore next week:

  • We are going to record three podcasts this weekend
  • We are making beef jerky for the first time
  • I need to brew and bottle DomBucha
  • I finished my concept for the garden and a planting plan
  • I purchased a bunch of seeds earlier this week; time to start seedlings
  • We are going to do some maintenance on our bathroom (cleaning up and re-caulking the bathtub)
  • We are doing some meal prepping
  • We are hitting the gym and snowshoing

It’s a full Valentine’s Day weekend, so I am going to need some content to get me through it all!  Let’s go!

Articulating Our Ideas
The Intellectual Agrarian – Terrance Leyhew

http://intellectualagrarian.com/t-time-11/

Terrance and I had a great conversation last weekend, and he posted a up a quick podcast on his site all about some ideas and provides links to another article on Medium and a podcast called “The Dialogues.”  Terrance’s Articulating Our Ideas Podcast is a quick one (10 minutes), but he always brings an interesting perspective.  

As an aside, I will be posting up our podcast in the near future, so be looking for that.

Coming Together
Follow Me Out of Debt – Tom Merlino

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/fmood-0317-coming-together/id1187749761?i=1000427154189&mt=2

Tom Merlino has an interesting podcast about getting out of debt and getting into prosperity.  Julie found this podcast, and I have been listening to it since the Christmas break.  I am a little behind, but Julie called me one morning last week to let me know that Tom had read my review of his podcast on a recent show.  That was Episode 317, which was all about Coming Together and getting on the same page with your significant other.  While I am sure you want to listen to find out what I said to Tom in a recent post, you will also want to listen to this topic (especially on Valentines Week).  It can really be hard to get on the same page, especially when you have different visions, goals and plans.  This pops up when you are trying to prioritize what is important on your budget with limited resources, and you will bump into this problem as you declutter your house, develop your homestead, and start gardening and canning.

How to Plant Trees on Your Homestead
Small Town Homestead – Harold Thornbro

https://smalltownhomestead.com/how-to-plant-trees-on-your-homestead-3/

Our friend Harold Thornbro continues to produce some great content over at the Small Town Homestead and on the Modern Homesteading Podcast. In this blog post, Harold walks through some of the key steps you should consider and complete as you begin to plant trees on your homestead.  From our perspective here in the frozen tundra of Minnesota (with a couple feet of snow on the ground), it will be a while before we plant anything outside, but these tips will be important once the snow melts and the ground thaws out.  One thing I need to remember is that while we are frozen here in Minnesota, it is currently 75 degrees F and sunny down in Texas!  Some of you are already planting and getting your gardens going, and by the time I shift gears, you will be well on your way to your first harvest.

Check this article out, and while you are there, take a look at Harold’s Member Site called The Homestead Forum.  Harold has a nice forum there (which is free and open to the public), and if you become a member, you will get access to chats, podcasts and other information.  I am a moderator on the forum, and I will be getting back in there and posting this weekend. 


What Every Homestead Kitchen Should Have Episode 129
Living Free in Tennessee – Nicole Sauce

https://livingfreeintennessee.com/2019/01/30/episode-129-what-every-homestead-kitchen-should-have/

This is Julie’s Pick of the Week.  Julie really enjoyed listening to Nicole talk about knives, pressure cookers (yeah, that All American Pressure Canner – me likey), crock pot, bread maker and other goodies that she has in the kitchen.  It inspired Julie so much that she bought “His” and “Her” Cuisinart C77TR-3PR Paring Knives.  We will get a lot of use out of these, especially as we start processing vegetables and herbs this year in the garden.  I have big plans!  Check out Nicole’s podcast and keep on listening!  She is cranking out three podcasts a week, and it is always an easy and informative listen.

Avoiding the False Paths of Life – The Grind 374
The Grind Vlog – Scott Hebert

https://youtu.be/trTjmthGBGU

Scott talks about art and the calling in his life.  Scott loves his art projects, but for some reason, he has procrastinated on some of the commission work.  He explores why he procrastinates on those projects and what it could mean.

Four Tips for Keeping New Year’s Resolutions
Small Scale Life – Tom Domres

https://www.smallscalelife.com/four-tips-new-years-resolutions/

While it might seem a little odd to be talking about New Year’s Resolutions in early February, I wanted to swing back around and talk about this topic because so many people set up New Year’s Resolutions, and by March 1st, 80 percent of you have given up on having that life you dream about, getting out of debt or losing the weight and getting fit.  I provide four tips for getting back on track and starting new.  You don’t need a magical day on the calendar to start; today is the perfect day to make a difference in your life.   
I hope to motivate you and give you some hope. Why not start changing your life today?


Minnesota Winter January 2019
Small Scale Life YouTube – Tom Domres


In 2019, I am going to try to post more on the Small Scale Life YouTube Channel.  I have been wrestling with what to do with all the photos I shoot as I travel here and far across the countryside, and I am trying something new with this video.  I put together a relatively brief video showing pictures of winter around Minnesota in January.  There are a lot of small towns, barns, rivers, churches and trains (of course). This is the world through my eyes and my iPhone7 lense.  I hope you enjoy this video; I am planning to make more.

Putting It All Together

Valentine's Day, Building Community, News from Around the Bend, Tribe, Blog,
His and Her Knives! A great Valentine’s Day gift…collect the whole set!

We hope you had a great Valentine’s Day! Make sure to give your significant other a big hug as you go out into the world today. Make it a great day!

There are a lot of content creators out there doing great things.  I hope you take some time as you work out, clean up or get a workout in and check out some of these podcasts, videos and posts.

If there is a great post or podcast that you would like to include, send me a note at realsmallscalelife [at] gmail [dot] com or hit the Small Scale Life Contact Page.  

Have a great weekend!  Go get em, Lifers!