Sheep Shots

I was outside this evening after mowing and saw the ewes all jumping around like little lambs. Just having the best time. It was so cool today and they all loved it. But then I realized they were jumping on each other and head butting. I do believe they are all in heat.  So I ran in to grab the camera and of course they all stop and act like perfect little ladies. I recorded them anyway. And if you watch this, you will see a lot of traffic, which never happens out here. But there was just car after car after car. So I figured something was going on out at Mountain Cove Farm. They have weddings and receptions out there in the big barn. There must have been 50-60 cars going by while I was out there. The last time this many cars came out this way like that, they were making a movie called Water For Elephants, right up the road. Never have I seen so many vehicles in the few days they were here. So many people came out here to watch it. Just amazing, right out here in the middle of no where USA. Anyway, I thought it was interesting. And it was a wedding reception. I had to go to the store later and saw the sign pointing this way.

So then I went and stood in the farthest North East corner of our property looking South. You can see the roof of the old barn in my borrowed pasture next door. That's where the sheep will be going tomorrow.

This is Darla. She has to be in every picture. She's such a ham lamb.

This is looking toward the house here. I sure wish we owned on the North of this fence. Great pasture over there.

This is a shot looking toward the North of our property.  That's Lookout Mt. over the trees.







I just love it out here. It is usually really quiet and no traffic. I am always the last car going this way.

14 Quarts

 I did not plan on canning any beans this year. But these didn't sell at market Wed. so I just dove in and did it. I sat outside under the big ole maple tree in the corner. It was so nice and cool, almost cold. The cicadas were making their noisy noise in the trees. And my friend with his tractor mowing in the sheep pasture, making tractor noises. I love living way out here. Also a chainsaw down the road cutting a fallen tree for firewood for winter.

                  Stella eating her first green bean. She wasn't too impressed with them like Bubba is.

                                                           Bubba loves his green beans!

 In the kitchen getting ready. I almost didn't find my canner. But I did. And a watched pot never boils! It took forever. So there are 7 quarts in the sink waiting to go in the canner and still had half a bowl left. So I did 7 more. Plus cooked a big pot too.

                                All done and on the counter. Just pinging away! I love that sound.

This is where I sat this morning. I want to make a wooden deck in that corner under the tree. I am tired of mowing and having to move the furniture every time. I love it out there.

                                                             Anyone else canning?


Now I am off to mow the yard. I am taking my grand kids to Dolly Wood Monday and Tuesday and need to get that done.

Good Morning

This is my favorite place to be in the mornings.It's so pretty and never ever the same. This almost doesn't look real but it is.

The sheep have to tell me good morning. And to tell me they want their food right now, please! They are very impatient girls.

A little later Jim came with his big mower to mow their pasture. I have to move them over to the other pasture tomorrow and he also mowed it. But not as low over there. He also looked at my new garden shed and he's going to make the sheep shelter first next week for me. So I will be able to leave the sheep over there even if it rains.

                                              I just love my sheep. They are amazing animals.

                                     
                                      The sheep are telling Bubba and Stella good morning too.

It's been the most beautiful day here. So cool and almost feels like fall already. I'm thinking we may have an early winter. As I was sitting outside later breaking beans, I could hear a chainsaw up the road. I love that sound. Our neighbors had a tree that finally fell last month in a storm. Thank goodness it fell out into the field.

There are so many things we need to be doing to get ready for winter. We need wood bad. And a wood burning fireplace would be really nice. We have a fireplace but it burns up way too much wood and I am always putting wood in it.

I also need lots more hay. I think I have 85 bales so far. I'd like to have about that much more to go through the winter. With feed prices going up so much, they may just be getting hay to eat.

What are y'all doing to get ready for winter so far?

Colors From The Garden

Just look at all these amazing colors. I love going to the garden and looking at all the different brilliant colors that only God could create. Just so beautiful.

                 These are Adirondack Blue, red, blush, gold and white potatoes. They are so good.

                                            And all the peppers, red, green, yellow and orange.

I just cut up all these hot peppers and boiled some vinegar and canned them for my hubby and mom and son-in-law, who all love hot stuff. Not me. My fingers were burning! They sure are pretty though. And the bell peppers will go in the freezer for using later in all sorts of good things.

 They last of my tomatoes. I will be pulling up all the vines and plants in the next few days. Making room for all the fall plantings. But not the beans. they are finally coming to life again and producing like crazy! I have a half bushel in the fridge outside waiting for market Saturday. I will add more to that basket Friday evening.

I know most of you all have gardens, but I just had to share all the pretty colors of mine. You just can't get this in a can of paint, right?

Freedom Rangers-2 Weeks old

You can't really see much in the boxes, but these guys have more than doubled in size in just 2 weeks. I am filling up the gallon size water jug twice a day now. And just added another feeder to the other side of the brooder box. At a few days old, they barely filled a corner. Now they hardly have enough room.

Next week I will let them outside. There are some things I need to get ready or fixed before I let them out first. But it's amazing how well they are doing and how fast they are growing. And I only lost one chick.

Russell Crowe

I know all you that have chickens will know what this is like. You hear that strange noise out in the chicken coop one day and wonder what in the world got in there? So you run out to investigate and see the new little roo strutting his stuff and standing tall and letting out this awful noise.

That's what happened this morning. Russel Crowe's first crows!! I am so proud of him! But the girls didn't know what to think about it. They kept picking on the poor guy.

About the end of winter when the feed store was getting chicks in, I got 6 4 week old chicks. 3 Barred Rock and 3 Red Star. Well, all the BR turned out to be roosters. I sold 2 of them and decided to keep one because I do have a lot of Barred Rock hens. He is a handsome little fella.

I also have a Buff roo named Mr. Rooney. They get along great right now. But we shall see.

It's Here!

So here is my brand new garden shed! It's 8x12. And very solid. Made in Tennessee too. By Mennonites. They even designed the trailer and the little tiny thing that moved that big shed to the garden. Very smart folks. And it only took about a half hour from start to finish.

You can see the guy getting the little loader off the truck here. It's so little. But it moved that shed right where I wanted it to go.

 And they just leveled it up and that was it.

 I just love it! And it has a lock on the door too. I'll lose the keys probably. And it does need a door stop so it won't mess up the cute little window. It already has a little dent. If the door flew open it will tear up the screen.

 I need shelves and tables now. Then just load it up with all my garden stuff. I went to a friend's today and she has old dressers for storing stuff and I thought that would make a great seed storage. So I will have to look for an old dresser now.

To the left I will have a shelter for the sheep that will go into the pasture. And on this end will be a lean to for mowers and tillers and such. I'll have to move my little lettuce patch and hostas now because I would love to have a little porch one day soon.

So there it is all nestled up under the cedar tree. I am off to market now!