Clyde's Dale Homestead

12/22/2025

Merry Chris-moose! One of our locals left us a Christmas present! Maybe it was an apology for making the dogs bark incessantly during my supposed Sunday nap.

12/21/2025

12/20/2025

Will you have a white Christmas? One day it looks like this here, and the next day no snow at all!

💀 🌲

12/19/2025

Some reflections on the windstorm and power outages our area experienced this week.

I was talking to a woman about if her home had been damaged during the storm. Thankfully hers hadn’t (many have) but she said something that stuck with me. “You just don’t realize what you need to do before the storm hits.” Well friends, let me help you by sharing my experience with preparing for storms.

When you know a storm is coming:

Follow all weather service and local safety recommendations. If they are expecting to issue evacuations, start packing. Check your evac list and start gathering items. Contact your evacuation safe place and give them a heads up.

Next, you probably have 2-3 days notice before a storm. THIS is the time to fill up the gas tank, get your bread and milk, etc. But “bread and milk” is actually a silly meme, don’t buy milk because your power is going to go out and milk will be the first thing that goes bad. Bread and other food you don’t need to chill or cook is a good idea. Fill up your water containers. But you really should have this stuff already. Don’t wait for a storm to be announced.

1 day and hours before storm: Think about not having electricity. Are you wearing your last pair of clean un**es before laundry day? Start some washing. If you have livestock make sure all waterers are filled and feeders are full. Take a shower, wash your hair. Charge your phone, your flashlights, your laptop. Make sure you have a flashlight and shoes near your bed.

And PLEASE, if you have large trees near your bedroom sleep somewhere else for the night. Sadly, a man in our area died this week while sleeping in his bed because a tree fell on him.

Start preparing for a storm when there is no storm in sight. Fill up your propane, your firewood, your emergency water in JULY. Canned food? You bought that at the case lot sales in November! Flashlights and headlamps? Stocking stuffers. Don’t have a friend who would let you crash at their house if you had to evacuate? Bake some cookies and start making friends.

Photos: A few of the warnings and preparations our area was given this week. Very helpful!

What would you add to the storm preparation list?

12/18/2025

Things I never thought I’d say in December: it’s going to get warmer during this storm between now and midnight. 🤷‍♀️

12/18/2025

Day 5 bedroom remodel. Wall paint finished, tape off, electrical plates on, curtain rods up. In this pic you can see we will be repurposing the closet!

12/17/2025

Something quick and easy for a busy day. Hamburgers with fresh greens from the garden, (in December!) sides of pork & beans, and pears.

What are your favorite burger toppings? 🍔 I like bbq sauce, cheese, and dill pickles.

12/17/2025

Mushroom hunting with dogs. A cautionary tale.

I took Thing One and Thing Two out for a jaunt today ahead of a big storm system moving in knowing they may not get much exercise in the next day or so. As they were running up the trail living their best life I espied an unusually large and glorious fungi. I quickly crouched down to take a snap. Quickly checked for focus. I can do better. Took another quick snap with a steadier hand. Then chaos found me. Trying to act natural did not help. Averting my eyes from the subject, whistling nonchalantly, casually mentioning “treats” -all fruitless. The beautiful fungi was smashed. Destroyed. Obliterated. With an apology to the life form that was just trying to live up to its potential, I examined a small chunk. Then. Then I spied two more similar caps peeking up from the fallen leaves. I quickly turned and started up the trail towards home, calculating when exactly this supposed storm is supposed to hit (70 mph winds isn’t THAT bad, right?) and when I can return, sans canine protectors, to pay my proper respects. Perhaps with my macro lens and an identification book.

12/17/2025

Some beeswax candle making today. Together with a little bottle of honey makes a perfect neighbor/friend gift. (Hope I didn’t ruin anyone’s surprise!)🎁
🍯 🐝 ❤️

12/16/2025

Ok, Homesteading Family if we all have garlic breath for a week I’m blaming you! I counted 60 cloves of garlic in the pan, but some of them were pretty small so it’s probably close to the 40 cloves called for in the recipe!

https://homesteadingfamily.com/roasted-garlic-chicken/

12/16/2025

The wind storm last week tore down a section of fence around the Tough Love Food Forest. Thankfully I noticed it before the elk did. They have been in this area the past couple of days and could have made quick work of my little hazelnut trees.

12/15/2025

Day 4 bedroom remodel. Switching out the electrical outlets. This one gets fancy usb and usb-c ports.