Almost ice out...

Recent rain is accelerating ice out on the lake. There are large holes of open water splattered all across the darkened ice, which has receded at least 100 feet from shore. There are lots of these little dark ducks nesting in the tall reeds. Thanfully, the noisier Canada geese seem to prefer the west side of the lake.
Follow up on the hay fire we fought on Saturday: I must go on record to say hubby had everything under control at all times. My use of the word "frantically" was an overstatement.

Some days...

...all the fresh air and hard work just gets the better of you.

Memorable days...

Most days around the farm are filled, sun-up to sun-down, with chores. Today was no exception. Most days, though brimming with potential, end up blending one into another for the tedius pace at which we move from one project to another with the ultimate goal of having Four Cedars Farms look more like a homestead and less like a junkyard. Today, however, wasn't one of those forgettable chore-filled days.

Today was notable for two firsts. (Recall, we've got less than two years of rural living notched onto our belts.)

Take lunchtime for instance. I stepped out of the kitchen around 1 p.m. to call hubby in for lunch, and instead of finding a hungry man eager for a midday meal, I encountered smoke filling the shoreline and hubby frantically pulling a garden hose out of the stable. I ran to the spot where all morning long hubby had been grinding nails off of metal roofing to find that the sparks from the grinder had ignited dry hay which covered the ground. The fire spread quickly ... lunch had to wait.

Not an hour later, when things were calmer by the shore and hubby was taking a break from demolition, something caught my eye just over the tree line. I yelled out to him and ran around the granary for a closer look. It was a bald eagle, taking advantage of the gusty south wind to glide around the eastern shore of Rice Lake. We both watched in awe, wanting deperately for it to swing around and make a second pass. (My camera was only steps away.) But it glided out of view, the way a dream slips away as we wake, no matter how desperate we are to hold on.

And so it goes on a Saturday of firsts at the farm. When trouble flares, you move fast because you're out here all alone. And later, an eagle soars overhead to remind you why you love it out here, here where you're all alone.

The charred hay...

Red wine can improve your health. Really!

Researchers have been studying alcohol consumption and after 10 years of study, conclude that moderate daily intake of alcohol improves cardiovascular health. In one study, conducted at Harvard University, it was suggested that red wine in particular is the most beneficial to heart health. The cardio-protective effect has been attributed to antioxidants in the skin and seeds of red grapes.

The antioxidants, called flavonoids, reduce the risk of coronary heart disease in three ways:

• By reducing the production of low density lipoprotein (LDL), also known as bad cholesterol.


• By boosting high density lipoprotein (HDL) or good cholesterol.


• By reducing blood clotting.

Furthermore, consuming a glass of red wine along with a meal may favorably influence your lipid profiles following that meal.

Another study found moderate red wine consumption may inhibit tumor development in some cancers. Yet another study indicated that red wine aids the formation of nerve cells, which may be helpful in treating diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

The wine with the highest concentration of flavonoids is Cabernet Sauvignon, followed closely by Petit Syrah and Pinot Noir. White wine has significantly fewer amounts of flavonoids compared to red wine; drier red wines contain higher levels than sweet red wines.

So what is meant by “consuming in moderation?” We Americans have trouble with this concept. One serving per day of red wine, for women, equals four ounces. Men will benefit from consuming between one and two servings per day, somewhere between four and eight ounces.

For those who prefer not to drink alcohol, rest easy. Research has shown non-alcoholic red wine contains the same antioxidant profile as red wine. Grape juice, meanwhile, has anti-oxidative benefits, but does not significantly lower LDL cholesterol compared to red wine.