Got more done today.

I just love bare trees. They seem freer, lighter, like their personality comes through. And I love how the blue sky looks bluer through the curly branches. Each tree is different, just like people. 

Today was another gorgeous day. I worked outside again. This time I tore down all the ugly orange and black netting I had around the chicken run area. Since I only have 4 hens and a rooster I decided to just get rid of all that ugliness. And since they are really truely free range chickens now, we just don't need all that fencing and netting up any longer. So down it all came. It took awhile but it looks so much better. 

I am going to try to get the chickens to stay out back in the goat area. Make a little coop for them at night. This way I can have an extra stall for sheep. Which I will be needing soon. So I'll have 3 lambing pens for them. These stalls are 10x10 so they can be divided into 2 pens if needed. But I only have 3 ewes to lamb in a few weeks and the rest in May so I only really need 3 anyway. So this will work out good.

Also took the pieces of fence I used for tomatoes out to the electric fence and went as far as I could with them. Not very far at all. But I did get all 3 strands of wire back up. So maybe that'll keep the goats in?

I sold some lamb meat today too. While the guy was here, he wanted to see all the animals. I called all the goats to come and everyone came except Abby. I called and called for her but she never came. Jeff was here for about half an hour. After he left I went out back to look for her. I didn't see her anywhere. I called and called but nothing. I was starting to think of all these horrible things that must have happened to her. Then I went out the side gate and back up to the back field and there she was, coming out of the bushes. Just fine. I guess she didn't hear me. She is a Lamancha. I think she just needed some alone time. But she scared me. I'm so glad she's ok.

Tonight is supposed to be in the teens. Brrr. And tomorrow really cold. SO no working outside. Think I'll stay inside and clean maybe? That doesn't sound like fun. 

Sunday

Today was amazing! I was outside all day. I worked in the garden awhile. Finally got all the tomato posts and cages put up. Also had some fence sections I had used for some tomatoes and got them all pulled up. I will not use fence again for tomatoes. I'm going to use them to put outback on the non-working electric fence for the goats. The bad babies are getting out again.

Sat out in the sun for awhile for some much needed Vitamin D and crocheted on my bedroom afghan.. I want to paint my bedroom a blue jean sort of blue with white trim and white cotton tab top curtains. And brown pillows.

While sitting outside, I noticed some dandelion flowers. So got up and picked a hand full for some tea. I love dandelion tea. I also saw a honeybee on a flower so left that one. And felt bad because there were no more. But the tea was good. I saw the honeybee while I was crocheting. It came to visit me. I am hoping to get a hive from a honey guy not too far from here. Just to have a hive here, not own it. He said he would bring one in the spring. But I might end up getting a hive of my own someday. I'd like to take a class first.

And I saw some Bluebirds in the bluebird houses in the chicken yard! They were trying to decide which house to get. I have 3 in a row. But usually the sparrows get them first. We have an old maple tree that has lots of apartments in it that usually fill up pretty quick. But the main complex fell off last week with all the rain we had. So there may have to be some construction going on soon up there.

So it was a busy day here, with all the bees and birds setting up housekeeping. And the goats and sheep are getting ready for kids and lambs in the next few weeks. I sure hope this weather stays like this for awhile. It's been great.

I hope you all have had a wonderful Sunday.

Jonquils

Also found several clumps of my favorite early flowers popping up all over. I'll have some pretty yellow flowers soon on the table to brighten up the house.

Frozen

I went outside early this morning and the little pond was frozen over. Around the edges it looked like this. So many different things to see. Just so beautiful.

Chess

I have never liked chess. Like golf, to me it seems like the most boring thing to do. And quite complicated. But my husband loves to play chess. (He also likes the game Hearts. Hmm.) He taught both our kids at a young age. And has taught our oldest grand daughter Chloe, when she seemed interested in it. She loves it too. And is pretty good at it.

So the other day, Kansas, the youngest grand, found the chess set in the cabinet. She brought it out and hubby helped her set it up. He explained about all the pieces and what they can do and how they can move. I don't think she gets it yet. Chess is a very quiet game. A game of concentration. A game where people really don't talk a lot. And do a lot of sitting and staring. NOT a game for a child like Kansas! That child cannot do any of those things for more than 30 seconds. Really. And when I told her that in some chess competitions sometimes it could take several hours for a person to make a move, I think she decided it was not the game for her either.

I did find out that the queen is the most powerful piece on the board. Ha! I always knew she was special.

Blue jean quilt. Done.

This is the blue jean quilt, held up by the husband. ( I was going to post the other picture of him smiling, but apparently, I can only post one at a time.) So it's plenty long enough for his 6 1/2 foot self. I finished it just in time Monday for him to take it with him when he left. And that night, can't remember where exactly he said he was, but it was 28 degrees. It kept him really warm.

I didn't sew through the pockets so the back looks a little wonky. But it looks pretty good. I just quilted from corner to corner one way then the opposite way.

Now on to other things. I need to make a rainbow scarf for my oldest grand daughter. We are supposed to be getting a little snow today. And some 25 MPH winds. So I hope we don't have any power outages because of fallen trees. So looks like a great day to work on something inside by the fire.

What are y'all working on during the cold wintry days and nights?

Water, water, everywhere.

This is the path to the goat barn, between the 2 trees. There are some boards under the water that they walk on to get to the milk room. All this water, that came from the creek to the right up above, is going through the yard straight to the sheep shed- hay island. Then it goes on into the South garden and down the driveway, then turns right and goes through the little orchard then down to the pear trees. Where it makes a little lake.

It is actually a little less water today. I did get to milk Sandy last night and feed some of the others in the milk room. They got to come out some this morning. But now it's sprinkling again. And we could possibly get some snow tomorrow? That's what I'm hearing now. I kind of hope it does so all this nasty mud will be covered up for a little bit.

I believe it's like this all the way up through Indiana. My niece lives up there and had water pretty close to her house. I had to go to town yesterday and could see all the lakes where there are no lakes. SO much water. But my mom says this will be so good for the gardens this summer. I told her I do not see how that works, as I still have to water my garden in the summer. Where's all this water then, huh? I don't know, but I guess somehow it does help.

I hope you all are dry and warm wherever you are out there.