Not much today...

This is an old house up on Missionary Ridge overlooking Chattanooga. I love this house. It is huge. And the property is probably several acres. And it's for sale! Anyone interested? Can you just imagine living in this big beauty? I'm sure, back in the day, it was  the place to be. I took my mother up there a few weeks ago because she'd never been. It's part of the Civil Was Battlefield. Lots of monuments and plaques in people's yards. Big grand mansions and little cottages. I just love it up there.

Yesterday, on the way to town, it must have been bird suicide day. I think I might have killed 3 birds, but could have been more. It was awful. All the way to town, birds kept flying right at me. It was really strange.

I went to my friend Libby's today for a while. She was much better today than yesterday. I am so glad. When I got home, I went to put the chickens up and gather eggs. I think this morning I got 4 from the coop nest boxes. I took an egg carton out with me. I filled it up and got 11 more eggs. So over 2 dozen eggs from my fabulous hens today!!! I am SO proud of them. They really are good hens.

My husband went to a get together with some of his friends tonight. So I am ALONE tonight!! It's been months. All my shows come on tonight. The Middle, then I switch back and forth to American Idol. Then to AI til Modern Family comes on at 9. Then back and forth to Ai, then AI. Then at 10, CSI comes on. And they are all new shows tonight. And AI is starting Hollywood Week. I absolutely hated when AI came on Wed. nights. Because unless The Middle or Modern Family is reruns, I miss so much of it. And this year's contestants are amazing? Anyone else watch AI?

And here's Stella, sprawled out belly up in front of the wood stove. What a mess that dog is. I love her. And see Bubba on his couch?

A little green on this dreary Monday...

It rained ALL night here last night. It's just a muddy mess out there again. But, it has been a long time so I am ok with it. I dreamed last night that the grass was turning green again. It was such a nice dream. I'm so looking forward to some color again. I can't even imagine how it looks out there without looking at pictures. But it's SO pretty!

I want to get bees again. But not sure whether to just order a package of bees or looks for another established hive. There is a guy not too far from me who has a lot of hives. He said he might sell me one. But then I'm thinking it might be easier to just get a package so I can get the hive where I want it without bees in it. Any ideas about this? For those who have bees, what is easier?

I saw a cute little Bluebird on my blue wisteria vine this morning. And I have seen those red breasted birds that I can't think of their names. Soon we'll have the yellow jonquils popping up all over.

I have to tell a story about my friends, Libby and Barry. Libby has cancer and has been home a few weeks now in a hospital bed in their living room. They have had this pesky male cardinal that goes to their porch window every morning around 6 or so and pecks and flutters for hours. It's been doing this same thing for a few years now but since Libby is in the living room, it hasn't bothered her. But now it wakes poor Libby up. The other day she had just about had it with this bird and told Barry he needed to do something about it. Well, what does a guy do to make his wife happy? He shoots the darn bird. Just shot it dead. And left it right there on the ground, for all the other birds to see. Libby has been sleeping so much better since.

Sunday thoughts...

 Someone on FB was talking about her cat and all the toys the shelter gave her when she adopted him. And how he seems to find other things to play with instead. Like a bread twistie tie on the kitchen floor. Or her husband's guitar string that hangs out of the case that the cat takes between his teeth and makes the scariest noise ever!

So I got to thinking about my cats and dogs and what they play with. Mostly the cats play with birds and dead mice and moles. And the dogs? Well, it looks like a cow died in the front yard most of the time. Just give them a bone and they're good to go.

When I took the 2 lambs to the butcher this past Tuesday, I asked for all the organs. When I looked in the cooler after picking it up, they also had 5 lamb legs in there. 5 lamb legs?? Where were the other 3 legs? I just thought that was so funny. And only 1 liver and kidney.

So, this is what my dogs play with. Bones. And Stella, she has to have something in her mouth at ALL times! When I let her out in the morning, she has got to find something to take out with her. A piece of paper, a sock, a piece of wood. Whatever. That dog is so funny!

And this is the round bale after 1 week. Do you think they'll make it to next Sunday? I don't know. And I have only 18 square bales left. I've been using 1 bale for 2 days for the goats and alpacas. So I hope to stretch those til the end of Feb.

I went ahead and made an appointment for Feb. 18th to take Abraham and John Henry in. I think I'll get all burger from Abraham and John Henry will be sausage. That will be 2 less boys around then. And I'll just put Bilbo Baggins in with the alpacas til the ewes have all lambed, then try to get them all together.

And these hens. Goodness, they never rest. Not even on Sundays. This is a double-yoker. Nice huh?

And this is what these girls do when they get out every morning. Run to these nesters. There are 2 hens in these 2 nests. They will both be full of eggs. Silly hens. They are so funny to watch.

I am trying to get all the clothes and rugs washed today. We are supposed to be getting rain for a few days. And then maybe snow, the way the weather people are talking. I so hope it goes some other way. But, I did hear some talk last night at the wold game dinner that if there is still snow on the ground 2 days after a snow, that we will get more snow like a week or so later. So yes, there was still snow all over the place even 4 days after. So here we go again? It's already warm enough out there to melt all the ice, so it's muddy!

I sure hope y'all have a wonderful day!

My mom

This is my mom. She started volunteering at Hutcheson Hospital a few months ago. She loves it. And everyone loves her. She is very helpful. And a fast learner too. She loves to bake and bring all that goodness to work with her. They all love that!

Just wanted to show off my beautiful mother. She looks good in blue, right?

5 day forecast

It was really nice today. Got up to about 50. Not really looking forward to rain, but it hasn't rained here since Dec.

And I have been hearing talk about another potential snow coming again next Thursday and Friday. I am choosing to not believe it. I can do that, right?

This is my friend's pond today. It doesn't look like it got to 50 today, does it? It's FROZEN! But it really is beautiful. Some of the designs were really amazing.

My husband went to get another truck load of firewood from his friend up on the mountain today. Filled the wood shed back up. He heard yesterday that his brother went into the hospital up in Rockwood, Tn. yesterday with blood clots in several places. He died this afternoon. This is his 3rd brother to die. My husband is the youngest of 9. His oldest brother is still living and there are 4 sisters in the middle. He's pretty shook up about this. He was debating on going to see him when he got the call. So please say a prayer for the family. Jim has a daughter and son and 2 grand kids.

Smile!

                 I think I would just like to hibernate for the rest of this crazy freezing winter. I am tired of it.

                                                                          That's all.

Snowy morning at Outback Farm

I think it got to maybe 10 last night. 66 in the house. That's what I have my central heat thermostat set on. It did come on during the night but that's ok. I had the water faucet in the bathroom upstairs dripping. All the cats still inside in the barn with heat on over there. I'll keep them in til tomorrow.


The dogs are fine in the snow. I've seen Bubba laying out in it a few times. When they come in, they lay in front of the wood heater. I caught Stella all sprawled out on her back awhile ago in front of the wood stove. Ran to get the camera and of course she got up. Anyway, she sure did look comfortable.

Yesterday, the chickens all wanted to stay in the coop. So I went ahead and brought them their food. Locked them all up for the rest of the day and night. This morning, there were already 7 eggs. One was frozen solid and cracked. I guess that was laid yesterday afternoon. So I am going out to get eggs several times a day.

 Here's my one legged rooster, Black Bart, this morning. He really has 2 legs, but it's %#@*!

                     Here is the fire pit, all covered in snow this morning. I love the designs on the blocks.

The round hay bale after 4 days so far. Looking pretty good. It might last a few weeks. They do seem to be hanging out there most of the time.

April, the new ewe, is getting pretty big in the udder. She was in one of the stalls this morning. I told her she better keep those lambs right inside and not let them come out any time soon. I hope she does.

I saw this shovel in the corner with this snow that looks just like a heart. Isn't that pretty? And so farmish.

So Georgia appears to be closed/ Like the whole state. There were so many people stranded over night in their cars on the roads in Atlanta. And even some kids on school buses til way into the night. Poor babies. Lots of stores opening up to let stranded people inside to get warm. It's a mess out there, people!

The snow is actually melting from the roofs and awnings on the house. But when it hits the ground, it's turning to ice. So I have to be really careful when I go out. So that's what's going to happen during the day. Then tonight, slick ice all over the roads. So please be careful if you have to get out there. I am staying home. I have lamb bones on the stove, making broth. I'm going to make a lamb stew for dinner. Just sounds really good today. With a cast iron pan of crispy hot buttery corn bread. Yummo!