Free range chickens

I heard the dogs barking today out toward the field next door. Went to look and saw my hens way over next to the trees. Not a good place to be. The dogs across the road go over there sometimes. And I only have 4 hens and a rooster. I've been getting 3-4 eggs a day now and don't want to lose any of them. This is the first time they've all been that far away. Really free ranging hens.

These are some of the horses across the road. I love this view with Pigeon Mt. behind them. So pretty.

To market, to market

Not to buy a fat pig. But to take my 2 ram lambs. I am loading them up this afternoon to take them to the butcher. They are pretty big right now. This was taken during the summer at my friend's house. I'm keeping Abraham, the black ram. He's with the ewes now. He'll be staying IF he is successful at breeding the younger wool ewes.

SO, if anyone local would like some realy good lamb, let me know. I have one half already sold. So a whole lamb will be available for sale or barter. Half will be $150. Or if you just want a little, it'll be $5 a pound. I'll have burger, sausage, chops, legs and some stew meat.

I would be interested in bartering for firewood or square hay bales. Running low on both.

These guys are a mix of Katahdin, Dorper, Suffolk, Hapshire and Finn. All really good meat breeds. Should be some really good eating here.

They should be ready Friday.

Record player

I got this for Christmas from my mom and step dad. I love it. We went and dug out all the old records from out in the garage. We used to have a record player years ago when the kids were little. Out oldest daughter somehow tore the needle off and we never did get it fixed.

So this is sitting on our buffet in the dining room. It has a radio, CD player and a cassette player too. I have already listened to Cat Stevens, Willie Nelson and a few others. It's so nice to be able to hear records again. I love how they sound, with the scratchy noise coming through.

I love Willie Nelson. I remember when me and my husband went to see Honeysuckle Rose way back in the early 80's at the theater in Red Bank, Tn.  And we got the record. I put that on the other night while I was sewing together the blue jean quilt  I'm making for my husband. It brought back a lot of good memories. It's a good album.

The stack of records on the window seat. I need to go through them and put these loose ones back in the covers before they get all scratched up. Some of them look pretty scratched up but when I wash them off they play fine.

I used to have Peter Frampton. I can't find it. I am going to look for a new one when I am at a music store. I think that's got to be my favorite album ever. And he's still good. Hasn't aged a bit.

Now a little blue

It is BEAUTIFUL outside today!! Bright blue sky and sunshine! Everything's frozen but that's ok. I would rather walk on frozen solid mud than squishy mud any day. I did have to haul warm water to the goats and cats and dogs this morning. The doe's water bucket was nearly empty. Penelope stood there and drank for 5 minutes. Had to go get more after that. I need to check water buckets more often. But the sheep's water trough is still full. Plus 2 buckets. I did have to break the ice on theirs.

I am so happy to see this pretty blue today after so many gloomy drab grey days. I know, it is January and winter. It's supposed to be like this. So this is a very welcome sight to see. I hope it's like this all over today.

Kansas came outside long enough to hug Sybil.

This is all the wood that's left. We need more. But with the new wood heater, we aren't using nearly as much wood as we did last year with the open fireplace. We have a lot of wood inside. Enough to last a few days. I went yesterday to a place that sells wood. Oak is $50 for the smallest size. A rick? I can't remember. And the hickory was $60. But there were a lot of really small pieces. I'll look around some more. I have seen lots of ads on Craig's list. I'd love to have it delivered because our truck gets about 4 miles per gallon.

Waiting

It's been a nice day here today. I actually had to wear sunglasses while driving to town. But it's a muddy mess here. I hate that my poor goats and sheep have to step in mud to get anywhere. And everything is so brown and drab.

But I know that in just a few short months, it will be all green and pretty again. And there will be little lambs and goat kids jumping around and chasing each other. Little seeds will be popping up in the gardens. Flowers will start coming up again. Right now everything is just taking a little break. Resting. Meditating. Getting ready for a rebirth. A new beginning. New life. It's awesome. Something to look forward to. To long for. And wait for. It will come. The earth will bring forth new life again.

Until then, a little color. Lots of beautiful red berries, from my good friend's yard. Beautiful bright red.

And this old iron horse on an old barn, hiding from everyone. I had no idea it was even there.

All before coffee

I went to bed early last night. Felt kind of funny. While feeding and milking last night, I felt like I was gong to faint. Like everything was real distant. I had my jacket and gloves on and was sweating like summertime. I came inside and did a few things, then went to bed before 8. Then slept til almost 8:30. Feeling fine this morning.

So looked out the window first thing and saw the bad babies out in the pasture that they are not supposed to be in. Those 3 bad kids keep getting through the electric fence out back and going out to the pasture that's not mine. I've tried to fix the fence, but it's going to have to be all redone. So got them back in, fed them all hay. I got John Henry back yesterday so took Trudy out and put Abby in with him and Zeeboo. That was ok for awhile. Trudy is getting along with the others fine, but ran around looking for Zeeboo. So this morning, I took Abby back out and put Trudy back in. She is bred already but I'll just wait a little longer to put them all together.

Then went and got the 2 fences that I was going to use to separate the sheep. Put that along the fence the bad babies get through. It only went so far though. They all went back there and turned around and went back to the barn. So I hope that stops them til I get some money to fix it all.

Stella had gotten into the sheep pasture and chased them all over the place. I noticed a black flash while I was out back. Then saw all the sheep way down at the bottom of the pasture looking up this way, and realized it was Stella. So got her out and fixed that fence where she got in. I need to see if I can take her to a guy in Alabama that trians Border Collies. I do believe Stella would make a good herding dog if she was trained. She sure has the instinct in her. She's just turned 2 so should be ready to work. And I need a working dog to help me.

Then noticed Sandy and Zarah jumping on each other. So ran and got Arlo Guthrie, the little boer buck. Took him to the stall and got Sandy and put her in there. I just don't think I am going to get any kids from Sandy this year. But I won't give up trying. Then had to get them hay and water.

And also noticed that one of the bad babies, Iris Josie, was looking a little droopy. She had runny poop a few weeks ago. I gave her plain yogurt then. She got over that. So I brought her and her momma, Abby, into the milk room. Gave Iris some Cydectin, Red Cell, plain yogurt and a shot of Thiamin. She's a little skinny too. I'll keep an eye on her.

So I finally got to come in and get some breakfast and some coffee. It's a mess out there. Wet and muddy and just plain ole nasty. It's supposed to not rain for awhile, thank goodness. I am tired of it.

Now I am off to sew some more on the quilt. Have a great day!

A quilt in progress, a cat and some eggs

Just a few things to start off this new year.

I am about half way through sewing the pieces together for the blue jean quilt. My right middle finger is pretty sore from the needle jabbing through my skin. I have a bandaide on it so I can still sew. A little awkward, but it helps. I can't sew with a thimble at all. I can't wait to see this all done.

I love this picture. This is Sybil. I've had her 7 years now. Got her and her brother from a friend when she was a kitten. She is pretty deaf. And the sweetest cat I have. I just thought this was so pretty of her with the bird house and the cement bird. I don't think she has ever hurt another creature.

 Look at the difference in these 2 eggs. I was at the feed store the other day and there was a guy with several dozen eggs he was selling. I bought a dozen. I have gotten eggs from them years ago and have seen their coops. They are cooped, which I forgot. I was just happy to see eggs from local chickens. And for $2.00. So this morning I fixed eggs and put one of theirs and one from my hens. Big difference. That's mine on the left. Theirs is at least darker than the store bought "free-range organic" eggs I have bought for $5 a dozen. But my 4 hens are all laying now so I get at least 3 eggs a day. Sometimes 4.

I took Adabelle home yesterday. And I got John Henry back today. He's out in the back yard with the 2 new does. Not much going on right now. But he sure does still stink!! So maybe there is still hope for a successful breeding.

It's been raining since last night. We are sopping wet. I mean everything is under water. We always get ponds when it rains like this. I used to have ducks and they would love to get to swim in the pond up front. They were the only animals that liked the rain around here.

Have a great first week of this new year y'all!