Hungry Deer Will Eat Anything

Here is our 2011 Gingerbread House. 

 

It was just made from a kit, perhaps next year I will feel more inspired to make one from scratch. I've been staring at it for 2 months now. Occasionally, the little one would steal a piece of candy off of it and eat it. For the most part it just sat and collected dust. So I decided it was time to get rid of it. I always put off the disposal of food like products because it seems like such a waste. Then I had a thought. 

 

We have an overabundance of deer in our neighborhood. So much so that we recently have seen a larger than normal number of car meet deer accidents, a local vigilante stalking and killing them illegally in the middle of the night and the city council talking of culling the deer population. In the meantime, they are hungry, eating anything they can find, including confused sprouts.(As mentioned yesterday, we have had an inordinately warm and snow free winter) Why not, then, put the food like product, the gingerbread house, out to see if, in fact, the deer would eat it.

I had hoped to find part of the foundation or crumbs but we have nothing left and it snowed last night so any tell tale crumbs are currently blanketed. I'll keep my eyes open for any remnants in the neighborhood. While it isn't the healthiest of offerings to the neighborhood deer, at least they have a little something in their tummies today. I feel much better than just throwing it in the garbage dumpster. ( I'm sure I drive the neighbors nuts as I throw out our apple peels, cores and other tasty trimmings from our veggies and fruits for the wildlife. No doubt they would prefer I throw them in the dumpster. Oh well, in a couple months I will put them into the composter! Once it's built that is:o)

 

 

Now I must go and enjoy our snowstorm. 

It's not all that impressive but at least it is snow and I have missed it so!

A New Start

newest primrose - unusual coloring and it smells delightful!

What a winter we've had (not). So little snow this winter really has me in a funk. I know, what an odd bird to be sad about a snow-less winter but my little one and I enjoy playing in the snow. That and I'm itching to start gardening but I know, being in the climate we are in, that that could be a huge mistake. As soon as I would plant something it will snow like it has never snowed before.

Hmmmm, that's a thought!

So I wait. 

I have my vegetable garden planned. I will be starting some seeds soon and need to build a couple new raised beds to accommodate the rest of our veggies. Then there is the fence that needs to be put up around all of our delectables. The deer and other critters will have a feast if I don't erect a fence. Unfortunately, it is too muddy when the temperature is right for building and when the ground is solid, it is frozen completely. Neither state works to place posts. Thus, my frustration with this winter builds. 

In the meantime, school has started. I'm taking a marketing class and am writing a marketing plan for Busy Little Elf. It is nice to be able to think about why I started the business and where I would like to take it in the future. As things come to completion I am sure you will hear about them. For instance, I am working on my packaging. I would like it to be consistent and of a level of quality that my other competitors don't offer. I am looking at what makes my elves different than other craftsman's elves and how they can can stand out from the rest. I have been working on new elf designs, many of them are very Mid-Century inspired, and hope to put together kits for people to personalize their own elves at home. 

 I just registered my little one for Kindergarten.

I found out that he will be in school for about 6 hours everyday, Monday through Friday. I am not looking forward to the silence. I was always okay with silence before I was married, I reveled in my alone time but now things are just different. Often, my little bug is my inspiration. It is not always a direct inspiration. Sometimes it is just me being relaxed in his presence that spurs on the creativity. But surely I will be able to get more accomplished than I have of late. (Perhaps even be consistent again with my blog posting.) And maybe my house will actually be able to be cleaned properly. When the boys are home it's like picking up after small hurricanes. And I'm already a whirling dervish myself, strewing arts and craft supplies throughout the house behind me. 

So a neat house will be nice. But I will still miss my bug.

A new start is in the offing. 

For now, I will just sit in anticipation and dread. A healthy dose of both. Knowing that it will be better than I can even imagine while more difficult than nearly anything experienced. 

I will fill my time with planning and gardening and making cute little creatures. 

After I make the most of my unlimited access to the bug. (of course!)