Pigs

Wow, look at these pigs! They are huge. I haven't seen them in a few months and I am amazed how big they have gotten. And they're so piggy! Their snouts are really long too.

I love pig snouts. I brought them some of the pressed apples from the cider making yesterday. They love it. And a lot of bread too. Nothing like bread and apples for dinner on such a beautiful fall afternoon.

I can't believe how much they've changed, so fast. But they are pigs. And pigs tend to grow fast. I wish I had kept them now. That's a lot of bacon and sausage!

I love how the shadows from the fence is on the pigs here. And the old barn with the trees in the background is so pretty. These pigs are lucky to live in such a beautiful peaceful place. Kind of makes me want a few more pigs.

Apple cider

 Apple cider time! Some friends and I went to Ann and Lynn B's to get all our apples turned into cider today. It was a perfect day to do it. In the low 70's. Beautiful blue sky. Lots of apples and some good people. It took about 2 1/2 hours to do all our apples. We got about 15 gallons. I love this old cider press. Lynn put a motor on it after a few years of hand cranking it. It gets the job done fast now. These are apples from my trees. Yates and Granny Smith.

This is Lynn and Ann. Lynn called Ann earlier to bring him his rifle. He had seen a snake down the hill. That's why he's standing there with a rifle. He's really a good guy! And the snake got away, for all you snake lovers.

My cider, doing its thing in the fridge a few days before freezing it. It's so good. I love apple cider. Not bad for free apples! Anyone else making cider? I took some of the apple peels and cooked them down for juice to make jelly. I'll do that tomorrow.

They are here!

Susan called this morning, wanting to know if I was ready for the boys. I said as ready as I would ever be. So she and 2 of her grand kids loaded them up and brought them over. I love this little trailer especially made for little Alpacas.

                                    Here's Stella and Bubba welcoming them to their new home.

They are just so cute. I would love to be able to just hug them. But they really aren't that lovable. I know it'll take them a long time to get to know me and their new home here.

They stand like this a lot. I love their faces. So full of expression. They make such sad little noises though. They are so used to a lot of other Alpacas and they are the only ones here. They can see the sheep. And they're used to chickens.

We found out they are half brothers with the same father. Both born in Sept. 2010. So just turned 3. Their mothers are sisters too.

This is Pecan Lane's Sugar Baby. I will call him Gandalf, I think. I just don't know yet. Sugar baby though?

And Baryshnikov, the Russian ballet dancer. He's beautiful. They both are, but I am just drawn to him. I love color and can't wait to get that wool. But, he is a kicker. Must be the dancer in him!

                                                 Such handsome Alpacas, don't you think?

My new boys

 These are my 2 Alpacas. Aren't they amazing! The white one is Pecan Lane's Sugar Baby. But he will be called Gandalf, the White Wizard. And the red one is Baryshnikov. The Russian ballet dancer. He looks like a dancer to me. I love them!

Just look at those faces! And that wool! Oh, I am in love! Seriously in love with these 2 guys. For now anyway. While they're still at Susan's farm. We'll see how I feel next week. She's delivering them here Sunday. I may change my mind and send them back. Who knows?  We shall see. But right now, at this moment, looking at their pictures, I am in love with them. Total Alpaca love.

This morning, I was at the Alpaca farm, ready to help with the gelding. She had 8 to do. The vet was supposed to be there at 11. Huh! Was he? No. Not til about 12:30. We had already gotten al 8 boys in a small pen so we could get halters on them. We did the 2 white Suri's first. Then my white one was going to be next, til the vet saw he only had 1 testicle. It's either not come down yet, or because of the stress, went UP, or some other reason. So we decided to leave him that way. since we'd geld the red one. Then when we shear them, the shearer can cut his fighting teeth.

Then it was Baryshnikov's turn. He went on down and they did their thing. But I noticed he was bleeding a bit more than I thought he should be. So the vet put some gauze inside the wound. After he got up, his legs were really bloody. So the vet just did some sutures. I hope he'll be ok. He's so sweet.

I can't wait til Sunday now. I took tons of pictures of course. I'll post more later. Have a great weekend!

Beautiful old Wurlitzer fiddle for sale

This was my step dad's old fiddle. He's had it for years. My mom had it restrung and a few of the knobs were replaced with new ones.  It's beautiful. It's a Wurlitzer. I tried to get the inside but it didn't show up to well. It says New York and Chicago and Solo.

                           Had to get a chicken shot in somehow! It looks good with the red hens, right?

                                                    This little piece was also replaced.

                                                       
                                                     And the 2 knobs on the left side.

Mom looked it up and it's worth $600.00. If anyone is interested, please let me know. I'd love for someone who actually places, to get this. It has an old wooden case, but the guy who did the work to it said it shouldn't be put back in it. It's too big and the fiddle moves around too much. It also has the other piece that I can't think of the name of it now. I do have another case for it but it's the plain black case.

Random-ness

Yesterday, I cracked open one of the white eggs I found in the hidden nest, and it was a double yolker! Haven't seen one of those in a long time. And so far, all of them have been good.

Some of the muskadine juice I made yesterday morning. 9 quarts. I'll be able to make more jelly as I need it now. I had some juice left over and added sugar to it and left it on the counter with a loose lid. I did this last time I made juice and it fermented really good.  I love it! Just right with the fermenti-ness.

Also made several jars of apple butter. And pear-blueberry butter. I feel like I have been making either jelly, preserves, butters or soap for weeks now. I am doing nothing today but mow later. I am so tired! But I have a lot of things ready for the Grape Stomp at the Georgia Winery this Saturday from 12-6. I hope I sell out. If anyone is near here, come on out. It's in front of the KOA campground right off I75 at Battlefield Parkway. It's so fun. And THE best wine in the country too.

Yesterday at market, I walked down to use the bathroom and too pictures. I love this wall. There was a van parked right in front so had to take a side shot. There's a rooster at the end near a coop. It's so cute. I'll have to find out who did this. It's on Main St. in Chattanooga. The Southside  has grown the past few years into a very eclectic and cool place to go. Lots of places to eat and really cool stores to shop. And there are so many new or renovated homes and condos there now. It used to be all run down and ugly. Not now. I love it there. I just love Chattanooga.

Here's the apple butter cooking. From my own apples. It turned out really good.

So I am staying home today. Just hanging out. I'll mow later when all the dew is dried off the grass. I also need to rake up sheep poo. Good grief, those sheep poop all the time! Big piles. That'll all go on the garden. Which is looking pretty good so far. The kale and collards are all coming up. Radishes almost ready to pick. The Brussels sprouts look good too. Can't wait for fresh sprouts. Love them.

Next week, after the Grape Stomp is over and I can do nothing for awhile, I am cleaning this house! From top to bottom. I have neglected it so much doing all the soap and stuff. It really needs a good fall clean up. And my mom will have another yard sale at her house, so I'll get some things to take over there. I have way too much stuff.

Y'all have a great day! I think I will too.

My mother and her honey bees

Mom told me she had seen honey bees on her hummingbird feeder. So while I was there Sat. I filled it up. It's already half empty today. These bees are hungry. Mom even fixed some sugar water in a small bird bath. They don't drink from that. They like this feeder.

I wonder if these are wild bees or if there is a hive somewhere in someone's yard near her. I'd love to find them in a tree somewhere. There's lots of hollow limbs on some of the oaks around my mom's place.

I love honey bees. I miss mine and can't wait for spring now so I can get more. I got really close to these bees and they were great. Love them.