Sprouts & Sprigs Grove

Everyone feels the call of adventure, even in the late fall and early winter, but are you prepared for some of the what-if situations that can occur during an outing in unpredictable weather conditions? Depending on what area of the world you live in your winters may be warm and sunny, cool and rainy or if you live somewhere like me, they are downright frigid. Snow and freezing temperatures hang around for a good part of the winter which makes preparing for winter an important task that shouldn't be overlooked.  Living in a National Forest with freezing temperatures and snow, then moving to a high desert region with sub-zero winter temperatures as low as -25 degrees Fahrenheit, we have learned the importance of being prepared for the what ifs than can and do happen when the weather changes for the worse. Last year we spent two hours on the side of the road in three-degree weather with our four kids while we waited for a tow truck. That experience alone was enough for us to understa...

When I became a mom, I decided that I wanted my babies to have the best possible food I could provide for them. When my oldest, who is now in high school, began to eat solid meals I began baking my family's bread from scratch. It was a time-consuming process to commit to each day but worth it. As the years went by, my family grew larger, my life got busier,  and I didn't have the time anymore to bake bread each day. Eventually we purchased a bread machine that we all loved for many years! I think of a bread machine as the equivalent of crock pot, just toss in all your ingredients, press start and pull out a loaf of bread when it beeps. Recently we had to retire our bread machine, which was a difficult decision to make, and some people may find that super inconvenient, but to me it's an opportunity  to slow down and get back to enjoying the process of baking bread with my hands once again. For my family, it's important for us to know where our food comes from and what i...

As I'm standing at my tiny kitchen sink washing oily breakfast dishes my children rushed inside, clearly upset, "Mom! Mr. Bingley (my favorite rooster ) is covered in motor oil!" How he became covered in motor oil, I have no idea, but I was certain that Mr. Bingley needed that oil off him as soon as possible. We filled a bucket with rather warm water and washed him twice with my favorite fall dish soaps ( Mrs. Meyers Acorn Spice and Apple cider ) and then two more times with Dawn dish soap to be sure all visible signs of the motor oil were gone from his feathers and comb. W e used Q-tips to clean out around his eyes and his nostrils too. However, with the days being cooler and nights growing colder, I knew I couldn’t return Mr. Bingley to his coop being all wet or hypothermia could occur. I asked my kids to I grab my blow dryer and I spent the next 20 mins or so drying every one of his feathers and getting some snuggles in the process. It’s no secret that I love my bir...