Around the farm today.

This is the most beautiful day! Nearly 80. I was sitting on my studio porch, spinning some Romney wool, and it sounds like spring. I was trying to think of how winter sounds. Rain drops. Squishy mud. Sheep bawling. Not too much noise. But spring sounds like new life! Birds chirping and hopping around, looking for fat juice worms. Looking for the best nests. Flying all over the place. Bees buzzing, gathering all the pollen off the trees. Sheep munching grass and hay. Slurping water. Wool growing like crazy! Chickens singing the egg laying song. Or Black Bart, calling the girls to come get some bugs. Spring just sounds different.

So I started walking around the yard, seeing all the new life popping up around me.


This little red maple I planted like 5 years ago. It has pretty red leaf buds. It's a really slow growing tree, compared to just silver maples. But I love them in the Fall.

This is my biggest of 2 Red Bud trees. I do believe we will have the pretty purple flowers this year on this tree! This is my favorite tree.

The day lillies are popping up all over. This bed needs some work and clean up.

And we have 3 really old apple trees in the yard where my studio is. And the sheep are in this yard a lot. And they seem to like apple tree bark. I really need to get some kind of wound spray before we lose them. This is the old Yates apple tree. My favorite apple. There is a really old variety that my mother-in-law called an early June transparent apple. It's really good cooked with the peel on. That's about all they're good for. But we love them and were so happy to find out that's what this tree is.

Here are some apple blossoms starts on the old Granny Smith apple tree!! The bees will be all over these trees when they are in bloom! We also have 6 more younger apple trees and 3 pears down in the lower garden. They are all looking good too.

And this poor ole Clematis vine. It just keeps on growing, despite the fact my husband's weed whacked it down way too many times to count. And the sheep and goats have eaten it to the ground a few times too. But it's a persistent vine and keeps coming back every year. It's beautiful when it's in bloom.

Sp lots of new life all around these days. I love spring. But it just doesn't seem to stick around very long any more. We might get a few good weeks of nice weather where we can open all the windows. But them BOOM, it's 100 degrees and the AC comes on.

I am down 10 pounds since Sunday. I won't weigh again til Saturday. I am doing way better than I thought I would. I am eating real food now. I feel SO much better. Not all crappy like I did before after I'd eat. I hope I can keep this up.

I did 6 more dreads this morning for a total of 14 so far. They really look bad and probably will for awhile, til they get to where they are supposed to be. And they are underneath so I can hide them if I don't feel like showing them to the world yet.

So y'all have a great week! I hope it's like this where you are.

Losing.

  I have lost 5 pounds already since this past Saturday! I feel so good too. My hands feel lots better. And I haven't had to drink any soda water because I feel so bloated.

  I decided I need to lose weight and eat better. So I have stopped eating sugar and anything with flour. Basically just  eating fruits, veggies and meat. And kombucha. No coffee because I had to have a lot of Natural Bliss creamer. It's SO good but has sugar. I've been drinking dandelion tea with my friend's honey. (I hope to have my own honey soon!) And of course cheese and eggs too. And fresh raw cow's milk.

  I really do feel so much better. And down 5 pounds already!!!!  I haven't even craved any sweets either.

  I'll be getting into the garden soon, when we dry out. So I'll be more active then. Can't wait to get started again. I have all kinds of plans. Just need to have some dryer ground.

  So y'all please send some good thoughts my way so I can continue this way. I would so appreciate it.

  So in the water situation, we have none. I am so bummed about this. We were using the well water. It's never been used this much, ever. I've only used it to water the gardens some. And the animals. So, it's been flipping breakers. Like a LOT. A friend came today and seems to think it's the well motor thing. And that's about $500. As much as I like the thought of using well water (it's free) we will just go ahead and get the plumbers here and get the new water line done. Plus, I'll get a faucet in the garden too! That is something I have wanted for years. Can't wait to get that. So, in the meantime, we have no water in this house. I am thankful for the rain, which is in several buckets now. And a 50 gallon barrel out back that catches rain water. That's our toilet flushing water.

And we should be getting all this amazing wool sheared off this month! Can hardly wait. But would like it a lot dryer please.

This guy...

 He's the best rooster we have ever had. Black Bart. I think he's a Black Giant? His girls are a mix of the same and Black Sex Link. I had 10 hens, but 3 died back in Nov. Not sure why. So 7 are left. By the way, got 7 eggs yesterday! I love my hens.

So yesterday was beautiful. Warm and sunny. Just perfect. We had our oldest and youngest grand daughters with us. Chloe, the oldest, had some popcorn. I told her to throw some down and see what happens. She did. Black Bart was right there. The hens were scattered all over the yard. He starts making his clucking sounds, calling the girls to the food he found. He's amazing. All the girls come running and he backs up and lets them eat. Never ate a single piece.

Chloe threw more down and the same thing. He clucks, the hens come, he steps back and lets them eat.

I told the girls, this is the kind of guy you want to find. Someone who will give you space, but is always there to protect you, no matter what. He'll give you the last bite of food. He won't be jealous, but let you have your time. He will fight for you. He will always be watching for trouble. And will love you til he has no more breath in him. That's the kind of man you want to look for.

He's also never ever tried to hurt anyone. Never even made a move like he would either. Such a gentle giant.

He's the best, Black Bart.

#7 is always off doing her own thing.  A loner. Marches to the beat of her own drum. She doesn't need any help I guess.