Need help with carding wool please!

This is my new Ashford carder. I would love some input here. Because I really don't know if I am doing this right. I'm thinking I have more felt than really good crimped wool.

And this is so not a thankful post right now! Because this is frustrating to me.

Because this looks like a nappy beard here to me. I am adding Alpaca wool to this sheep wool to make it a little softer. Maybe I'm putting too much wool on the carder? It's pretty thick.

                                                    You can see it a little better here.

This is it rolled up. I am loving the blended colors a lot. I'd love to knit a sweater and hat some day from this.

Here is some I added white wool to. I like this color so much. I am drawn to soft warm brown colors.

So the lady at Ketner's Mill who let me use her carder for the very first time, made a really long piece of roving as she took it off the wheel. She took off a little section at a time and it just all stayed together and she rolled it all up in a ball and let me have it. I can't figure out how she did it. When I do it, it's just one small piece and never stays together.

I have to say this is a little frustrating for me. I have not even tried the spinning wheel again. Well, I did once and just cried because I cannot get the wool to go onto the bobbin. No matter which way the wheel spun. I so need help.

But if any of this makes sense and you can figure out what I'm doing, please let me know. I would love to know if I'm just wasting my time right now.

Day 16: Home grown, home raised and home made.

I am so thankful that I can raise and grow my own food right here on our farm. I never use anything processed. Not much store bought. I always make from scratch. If I don't grow it, I buy or barter from the farmer's market. It's just something I have done now for many many years.

I'm making vegetable beef soup from beef I raised. And broth I made from the bones. Tomatoes, basil, corn I grew. Carrots from another farm. Potatoes from the store. I didn't have much luck with potatoes this year.

I am hoping the doctor will let Tiny out, at least by Sunday. He's doing so much better. His feet are looking really good now. He's restless. Wants out of there. He's walking all over the halls. The doctor had to chase him down yesterday. So hopefully he'll get out soon.

I'm cleaning today. Won't mop til I know for sure he's coming home.  It's been raining and I have 2 dogs who come in and out. Like children. So no sense in mopping. I need to make a menu for a week at a time now. I'll need to see what all I have in the freezers and pantry. I have plenty of meat and canned and frozen veggies and fruits. I will start making bread again too. I got lazy getting bread for the pigs and other animals. There was always some really good bread in the bags. I hated to give it to the pigs. But I got lazy and quit making my fresh ground whole wheat bread.

So today, I am thankful for home grown, home raised and home made foods.

Day 15: Getting better

My husband is getting better. Slowly. But better. He had a test done on his kidneys this morning to see if that may be why they can't get his blood pressure down. His kidneys are good. I told him not to eat salt and see if that helps. His BP this afternoon was 176/75. So down a lot.

He also had a foot specialist come to see him last night after I left. He checked his feet and said it looked like he was burned. Tiny said it made him mad because he'd try to explain to the guy what happened. But the specialist kept saying it was burns. So they are now treating him as if he were burned.

So the more we think about it, the more it could be possible he was burned. He has a new truck with a really good heater. The heat comes out under his bed. He sometimes sits on the bed with his bare feet on the floor for a long time. He cannot feel anything below his knees. So, with the heat blasting on his ankles for a long period of time, it could have caused 2nd or 3rd degree burns. And burns make blisters. And that's what he had. The doctor said this could take a long time to heal.

We also saw his other doctor as we were walking down the hall. He told him about the results on the kidney test. We asked how much longer he has to stay. Doctor said they need to get his blood thinned first. So who knows how much longer.

But he is getting better, day by day. We just need to get him home now.

PS: Tiny just called. He said the nurse came to change the bandages on his feet and they look so much better! I could tell by his voice that this has made him a lot more positive about the outcome. Thank you all for your prayers. They really do help.

Day 13: Thankful for sheep.

This morning before going to the hospital, I had to load up 2 lambs and take them up on the mountain to a slaughterhouse. I have 4 people who are getting halves.

It's a process getting to the 2 I needed. Call friends to come help. Put up the boundary fence. Get them all over to this side of the farm. Get the feed pans and feed. Get them all in the stall with the door. Let most of them out. Wait for friends to get here. Get all the sheep back over to the other side, except the few who are still in with the 2 leaving. (It's easier to catch the 2 when there are more in the stall. Not much room to bolt then.) Take fence down. Drive Trooper in as close as possible to stall.

Friends got here. Me and Craig went in and got rope around one. Stephanie was going to shut the door after we get the one lamb out. Then open the door to put him in the Trooper. Well, she didn't get the door shut fast enough and they all got out. Craig held onto Bo and I grabbed Tater Tot and help on. And Stephanie got the door open and we put the first one in then got the other one in! Done! So easy with more hands and bodies to help.

This was all the sheep except the 2 new smaller rams. They weren't used to this routine so stayed out. Looks like sheep stuffed into a stall, right?

And here are the boys. Their first and last car ride. They were so good. And I thanked them all the way for what they will be doing for so many people. And what a good life they've had here, with all their friends and moms. I am so thankful for these guys.

Just an update on Tiny. His doctor has raised ALL his meds up. He'll be in the hospital at least a minimum of 5 days, but will probably be more than that. He has also developed a sore mouth from all the antibiotics they're filling him full of. I just want him home. I asked the doctor if laying in bed for days at a time, being on all this fluid and eating fruit several times a day, had anything to do with the high numbers and he said yes it does. I had him up today, walking up and down the halls. He needs to be up. It's not like he's bedridden and can't be up and moving. The doctor agreed. So, on the way to the hospital in the morning, I'm stopping to get him plain yogurt for his mouth. Because it could be days before he gets the stuff the doctor ordered for his mouth. It took a few days to get his cream for his feet. Can ya tell I don't like hospitals or doctors?

Day 12: Thankful for friends and family.

Right now, I am so thankful for family and friends. For all the prayers being sent up for my husband and even me. Last night, I emailed our church to be put on the prayer chain. This morning I had several calls, concerned friends. Even the preacher came to visit him. It's nice, if he has to be in the hospital, to be so close to family and friends. Last time, 5 years ago, he was in Memphis, over 6 hours away. In Feb. And it was freezing! And Obama was being inaugurated. Bad time for all. And so far from home.

This is an old Pres. church in St. Elmo a block from the house me and Tiny met. I love this church. And it's always so pretty. I had to turn around and take pictures of it today on the way to the hospital. It just feels so friendly. My daughter and I went there a few years ago. It's all wood inside. Nice people but long service.

Thank you all again. I hope to have happier posts again soon.

Day 11: What I come home to.

My good friends  Stephanie and Craig came this evening and let the dogs out, gave them their bones, gathered eggs and locked up the chickens. Even checked on the goats and sheep. They are the best. They even left on the porch light and dining room light.

So this is what I saw tonight when I came home from the hospital. My best dogs ever. Stella and Bubba. sitting on the window box, all excited to see me. I love these dogs. (Sorry for the red eye and flash.)

My husband called early this morning. 1:30 this morning. Scared me to death. I saw it was his name on the phone and said hello. Hello hello. I could hear him talking but nothing. I kept saying hello. I thought I was dreaming. It was so weird. I kept trying to get him to hear me. He was talking to a nurse and telling her his doctors names. I finally hung up and called him back. He answered right away. He said he had looked on his phone to get my number. Didn't know he called me.

Anyway, he said they had just done an ultra sound on his legs. They found a blood clot behind his right knee. He got a shot to break it up. We don't know if it had been there for awhile or just happened. And he was hungry so had some crackers and milk. And was freezing cold. Covered up with 4 blankets.

I could not go back to sleep after that. It was 1:30 in the morning on May 28th that my mother called to tell me my step dad had just died. So when I saw the time on my phone, it freaked me out really bad. I did finally lay down and slept a little. But it really shook me up. But then, I thought if my husband had died, the hospital would have called, not him. Geesh.

I was at the hospital til about 7 tonight. Both daughters came. Poor Abby is so sick with a sinus infection. I am making her some elderberry syrup right now. I still hate when my kids are sick.

Tiny has something called Venous something. That's what the wound specialist is saying is on his feet. She explained how this happens. Especially to diabetics. So she had ordered a silver steroid cream to put on the wounds. But it had not come in when I left. So his feet have not been treated at all. He is being pumped full of antibiotics though. Blood pressure and blood sugar are quite high right now as well. With all he's been getting, it's to be expected.

Oh Lord, this is really something I have not prepared myself for. I know people go through this all the time. I was just not ready. My mother wrote a post about him. How he always gets me roses for our anniversary and how he waited til he got nearly home to go in to get a dozen roses for me. As sick as he was, he got me roses. Then called me and said he didn't think he'd make it home.  It hasn't hit me yet. I love him.

He's here. But not home.

I got a call from my husband about 2. He was at his truck parking spot where he parks his big truck and gets in his pick up truck to go home. He said he didn't think he could make it home. He was shaking like a leaf and felt sick. So I called both daughters, who live just a few minutes from where he parks and could be there faster than me, 20 miles away.

So they got him and were going to take him to Urgent Care in Ft. O. We all got there and they sent him straight on to the ER. They were waiting for him. Went right in an ER room. He had a fever and had thrown up before they got there. Really weak. Could hardly walk.

Quite graphic here. So sorry.

While I was taking care of business, he was getting into a hospital gown. When I walked in the room, his feet were right there. And I almost passed out when I saw them. He had told me over the phone he had blisters on his legs. I was not prepared for what I saw. His left ankle on the inside was totally raw. The bottom half was red and the top part was green. Not a good thing.

Then his right ankle did have a big blister. But the outside at the ankle was red and raw. Skin off. Horrible. I was not prepared for this at all. But I made it. They came and did blood work and EKG and all that stuff. Put the IV needle in his hand. Gave him a bag of antibiotic. After 4 hours, moved him up to a room.

Doctor came in. Asked a bunch of questions, trying to figure out what happened and when. They will clean his feet and wrap them tonight. Do more tests and blood work and all that. He had a good dinner and ate everything on the plate. He looked really good when I left.

So, he is going to call his boss in the morning and tell him what's going on. I hope I can wait til they come get the truck to have help to get all his things out. It takes hours to do it alone. So I hope they will just come get the trailer and leave the truck for a few days.

I have no idea how long he'll be in the hospital. But we both think he won't be going out in that truck again. I just hope he doesn't lose a foot from this. I don't think he will, but it's possible.

I have a wonderful friend right up the road who came and gathered eggs and let my dogs out and fed them. And locked up the chickens. And she swept the house and straightened up for me. She even left the porch light on. And got cat food because I was out. She's a great friend. Her name is Stephanie. I really appreciate her. And all I have to do is call and there she is to help. I am so thankful for her.

So please, send up a prayer for him. He will need it. He is in good hands there. I really didn't want him to go to this particular hospital. It's where my step dad was for 3 weeks. And he died there. So there are a lot of memories there. And Tiny is right down the hall from his room and the ICU. It was hard for my mom to be there tonight. The first time going back there. I didn't think I'd have to go back there this soon.

PS. I AM thankful that he made it home. And that he IS here so close. 5 years ago, he had something horrible happen to him in Memphis, Tn. and was in the hospital there for 8 days. He almost died. It was SO far away from home. No one came to see him. So he's here, where his family and friends are now. And I am close too.

On his way home!

He's on his way home! Almost here. And the family is coming to dinner! I hope we are able to get the wood stove hooked up too, while he's here. We may be in for some snow later this week. And really cold temps. Not ready for this! I still have to winterize all the coops and barns. UGH!

Day 9 and 10: My husband. Again.

I missed yesterday because it was a busy day. There is a camp up the road from here called Camp New Dawn. They have a few fund raisers a year. Yesterday was the turkey shoot. I went and set up my booth to sell soap and jelly. I did pretty good. I bartered 2 hours of horse riding lessons for soap and plantain slave. I think I am excited about that. I told Mindy I want an OLD slow horse. I am too old to fall off and break something. Also bartered for a nice handmade wooden milking stool! Really love it. It's the perfect height and is smooth, unlike the old bucket I have used for years. And it was SO cold! I could not get warm there and for the rest of the day. This sunrise was yesterday morning.

And today, I am having a hard time being thankful for much. My husband is in Atlanta this morning and hasn't been dispatched. He's supposed to be home right now. I am so not liking this company he works for. They keep him out for weeks and weeks at a time. And they are supposed to get their drivers home at least every other weekend. But do they let my husband come home? NO. And he just goes along with it.

And he is diabetic. Sometimes he's even run out of his meds. For days. This has happened several times. Not good for a diabetic. And now, he has water blisters on both legs. He's worried about this. He had one for a few days. Then he called last night and has another on the other leg now. I looked it up. It can be caused by heart problems and by up and down blood sugar levels. He's already had to have a stint put in his heart, about 8 years ago. And he cannot get his levels to go low enough.

I bought some 100% pure aloe gel and some fresh Turmeric. I love this stuff. I make a paste and put it on wounds. I have used it on my foot when I stepped on a nail. Bubba tore up a duck once and ripped off the whole back. It lived, amazingly. But looked awful. I mixed up a bunch of the paste and slathered it on the duck's back for several days. It got better and lived a few more years. I have also used it on my husband when he had a diabetic ulcer on his foot. Nothing else worked but this did. I use it on all the animals if there is any cuts or wounds on them.

So when he gets home, this is what we will do. Then if he can get to our favorite doctor tomorrow, he might need antibiotics, which couldn't hurt at this point. But he is so worried right now. And he needs to tell these people he needs to get home right now. He's such a nice guy and they know it and take advantage of him so much. But I guess we are both thankful he has a job and can still work. He will be retiring his next birthday next May. IF they haven't changed the laws or anything by then.

I'm sorry this is so long. I am just looking for something to be thankful for here. I think it's my husband again. Just the fact that he's as healthy as he is for being in the shape he's in is a miracle in itself and I am very thankful he can walk! He's the best husband I could have ever asked for. I just need him to get home so I can take care of him right now.

Day 8: Coryn Fiona

 My middle grand daughter, Coryn. She turns 12 years old today! Happy birthday! I went yesterday to pick her up after school to take her shopping and dinner. We had to go to theur favorite store and the one I hate the most. I won't say the name here. I don't want to promote it at all. But you may be ablt to see what it is in the 1st pic.

So this is what she wanted. She has a semi smile here. Hard to get these kids to smile too much. I love her. She is a middle child, like me. We have a lot on common.

I hope you have a wonderful fun day, Coryn! I love you so much!

Day 7: Waking up to beauty.

 This morning. This is what I get to see every morning I wake up and go outside. There is no other word to describe it but awesome. It looked like a big high mountain, these clouds. But then you can see little Pigeon Mt. underneath the clouds. Just beautiful. And every morning so different.

I am going to get my middle grand daughter from school this afternoon. Tomorrow is her 12th birthday! She will be my day 8 post.

I hope you all have an awesome day today!

Day 6: Friends and neighbors.

Last Saturday night, I went down to a friend's for a bonfire. They do this once a month and several of the neighbors come. Just hanging out, talking, roasting marshmallows, having a good time after a long day of work. Just having fun. We did get a bit silly, some of us! It's fun to just let loose sometimes!

I am very fortunate to live in a good community where people get together for some good old fashioned fun. We also have a community center and meet once a month. We have pot luck dinners, cookouts, fund raisers. It can also get serious too. These people around here mean business when it comes to this community here. Most don't like changes and are set against any new growth here. And when it does come, it's hard to get used to. Like traffic. There is a new restaurant up at the Mt. Cove Farm mansion. Lots of folks didn't want to see that. Growth and traffic and all. We like it quiet out here! But growth and progress are what is happening. We have to adjust to it. And then have a bonfire and have fun!

Day 5: Tuesdays with my mother

I am so blessed to have my mother so close now. Her and my step dad bought a house and moved up here 2 1/2 years ago. It's only 25 miles from me. It sounds far, but I drive way more than that most days. My step dad passed away May 28th, so now mom and I go out on Tuesdays and do errands and shopping together. And of course have lunch!

So I am very thankful for my mother. And that I get to see her and talk to her almost every day. I love her so much and she is my inspiration. I want to have her gentle spirit and love for everyone.

I love you, mom!

Day 4: Penelope Jane

Penelope Jane. the last goat standing. Or milking. She's a first freshener and had her twin doe kids back in Feb. 3rd. So she's going on 10 months milking! Quite a thing for a first freshener. I am so proud of her. Zarah Belle, who is also a first freshener, dried up soon after her kids were gone. And she's the same age as Penelope. Sandy, who is 7 and had triplets this year, dried up soon after her kids were gone as well. So Penelope is my only source for goat milk til Spring. I just put John Henry back in with the girls the end of October. So around April is the soonest they'll have kids. I am already having anxiety attacks.

Isn't she the cutest little elfin goat? I love her. And I am so thankful she's still giving us a little milk.

She still gives about 3 cups of milk each morning. But each day it gets less and less. I guess when it gets to a cup, I'll have to dry her up.

And these silly dogs are thankful for Penelope too! They love those squirts of milk so much. It's so hard to wait for more!

They do love that warm milk!

As you can tell, these posts are in no particular order as to what I am most thankful for. I need some more family pictures so I can post them too. So I am just posting as I have the pictures to go with the posts.

Day 3: The beautiful place I live

I am so thankful that I get to wake up every morning and see a beautiful sunrise right out my front door.

And I get to see this right out my back door. Just awesomeness all around. I am so thankful that God chose to put me right here, in this place. I truly do love it here in my valley.

And right across the road is Pigeon Mt. And sometimes I get to see huge machines going through soybeans or corn, kicking up dust. There's always something going on out here. America at work!

I also get to see this beautiful mountain every day, in all it's glory right now. Lookout Mt. When our kids were little, my husband always told them that when they see this mountain, they were almost home. And if you make this picture bigger, you can just see Covenant College a little to the right of the middle. We could see this from our house just to the left. I would tell the kids it was a castle way up there on the mountain. I still call it the castle. My youngest graduated from Covenant 3 1/2 years ago. With bagpipes and all! The other day at the market, there was a group of young people with cameras that were on a field trip from the college, taking pictures of all the booths. I got to talk to them for awhile and they took lots of pictures of my booth. That was fun.

This is St. Elmo, Tn.We are right on the border of Tn. here and I go here several times a week. I love it there. When me and my husband get too old to farm, I want to live in St. Elmo. Just blocks and blocks of old houses. This is the 1885 restaurant on the corner. Named so because that's when St. Elmo was started. We've eaten here and they use local foods. It was really good. If anyone comes to Chattanooga, stop here to have lunch.

To the left of the restaurant is the Incline. It's that straight line going up the mountain. I have only ridden it one time. When my oldest daughter got a job at the Incline gift shop, she could ride it for free. I went with her the first day. It was really fun, but don't think I'd want to do it every day. She didn't work there but a few weeks. Where I took this picture, behind me, is Mr. T's pizza. It used to be a Kay's Castle ice cream shop when I first moved here. It still has the big ice cream cone on the roof. And to the right is the end of Lookout Mt. and Point Park. It's got a lot of Civil War plaques and statues and info there. Also a trail at the very end that goes all the way down to the Cravens House, which was a place that officers used during the war and I think it served as a hospital too? You can take a tour of it. It's a pretty place. Lots of history here. From this end of the mountain, you can see Signal Mt. and the Tn. River.

And here, in the shadow of the cloud, is Rock City. Can't hardly see it here.  This area is full of things to do and see. It's beautiful here.

If you ever get a chance to take a vacation, come here! You'll be glad you did. It's amazing. There's also the Tn. Aquarium and the river and Smokey Mts. aren't that far away either. It's all so much more beautiful in person!

I hope you enjoyed your little tour!

Day 2: My husband

This is my husband now, after almost 35 years of marriage. When I first met him, he had a little white streak in his red beard and kind of brownish hair. He had a black Harley. I always said he was my knight on a black stallion that came to rescue me. And he did.

This is what he does. All day and night. About 320 days a year. Sometimes more. I think that's why we've been married 35 years! Really. He doesn't drive for this company, but this is the only picture I have of a truck. He's been with the company he drives for now for 10 years. He got his million mile certificate and a ring. He's very proud of that accomplishment. Me too. It's  a hard life, being a truck driver. Also hard on the family. He started driving when our daughters were 13 and 11. Not a good time for him to leave.




This is where I met him. One night, 35 years ago this past June. When my life started. I had come up here with a friend, who was looking for a guy she'd met down in S. Ga. We ended up here at a party. We were all on the front porch when tiny rode up on his black Harley. I was sitting on the railing, (which is gone now) and we looked at each other and that was all it took. It was like we knew each other.

We stayed a few days and me and Tiny spent the whole time together. He had just bought a little tiny house on a hill. We went there. He took me up on Lookout Mt. and we say and watched the hang gliders all day and talked and talked.

I went back home to S. Ga. Waited awhile to call him. Then moved up here to Chattanooga, with all my wordly belongings in my little blue car.  Well, really, right outside Chatt. Been here ever since. And love it here. And I love my husband very much. And am so thankful that he loves me still. After all these years, he will be retiring next year. We'll see how much we love each other then!

November 1st. A month of being thankful.

Just another day at the office!












This month, I would like to name something I am thankful for every day. Since it is the month of Thanksgiving, it only seems appropriate.

So first, I'll start my thankful month off with my hens. I was without chickens for awhile this year. But it's really hard to not have any. I was having to buy eggs. And no one has eggs quite like mine. I guess because mine are on grass all day, pecking around eating all that goodness. The yolks are almost dark orange. And I have never found anyone else's eggs as good as my chicken's eggs. Ever.

So thank you, my girls! You work so hard. And Black Bart, the rooster. Haven't heard a crow out of the boy yet. I hope he starts soon! I miss hearing the crowing. I think he's just a little intimidated by all the girls!

The colors of Autumn, God's handwriting

 I took a walk out back behind the house this morning, with the dogs and goats. Didn't want to go all the way back to the ridge because it is deer season. Don't want to get shot! So these photos are from behind my house up on the goat hill, looking at the ridge. It's amazingly beautiful right now, all of a sudden.

                           Can you see a few goats? They kind of blend in to the landscape here.

 This is the hay fields behind the house. All brown now. So pretty with the vibrant colors of the trees and bushes.

 This little bare tree has some pretty red vines for decoration. So creative, nature.

My favorite goat, Sandy. I love this picture of her with all the pretty color behind her.

I hope everyone is seeing the beauty all around them. My mother put up a quote on her FB this morning: "Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything beautiful, for beauty is God's handwriting." Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Right now, this season, God's handwriting is everywhere we look. Please don't fail to see it.

Wasps and bees and bugs, oh my!

 Last week, I spilled a 5 gallon bucket of honey in the back of the Trooper. I got what I could all cleaned up. Or so I thought. Ever since, I have been taken over by every kind of bee and wasp around. They have covered the whole driveway, from the kitchen door all the way down the driveway. From the dripping honey. From the back of the car. Apparently, there is still about a gallon of honey, down in the hole under the carpet, where the tire tools are stored. That I haven't looked at yet. Because now, the bees and wasps are covering the whole back end of the car. I mean, literally covering it. From top to bottom and underneath. And inside.

So yesterday was market day. I could not even open the back door without hundreds of bees and wasps flying inside the car. It was really hard. Then, to top it all off, thousands of ladybugs too! And these are NOT the good lady bugs. Oh, and it's also Box Elder beetle time! Yippee! So I am being taken over by every kind of insect  right now.

I finally got the car loaded and headed down the road. With bees and wasps and lady bugs flying all around me. I rolled the windows down. Collard greens flying everywhere too! SO had to stop down the road, open the doors and starts swatting them to get out. I got some out.

Drove another few miles and did the same thing. Finally got to the market and I think there were 2 honey bees left. And some lady bugs. And when I got home, it was dark, so quickly unloaded everything and drove the car to the road and parked it there. I am going to have to take it to a detail car wash and get them to clean out the back, so this madness can stop finally. I love the honey bees and will gladly feed them. But the others, I can live without. I have to say though, that I have stood right in the middle of them all, and never once got stung. They were all too busy!

I cannot get enough of this maple tree! It's amazing. It's never been this beautiful. So I am constantly taking pictures of it.

Now, here is a GOOD insect. I love Praying Mantis'. I want them here. And she's a beauty. I got close and she followed my every move. She was a great model. Let me take lots of pictures.

I love this shot. Looking out at the garden, where I'd love her to live. And raise a huge family. And be happy. She's heading that way!

On the way to the market, I stopped at the new meat market, beside the bread store where I get day old bread for the critters. I walked in and introduced myself. Told them I have lamb. They are going to come out and look at the sheep! They buy from local farms and I would LOVE to be a source for them. In the future. Right now, I have 2 lambs sold for meat. I might sell them the last one, just to get my name up on the board. And on the cuts of meat. How exciting that would be! Way better than my name in lights on a marquee. It would get my name out there to the community. What a great opportunity for me! So I am just a bit excited about this!

Just wanted to thank each of you who have commented on the last post. It really means a lot to me to know what you think. Really.

Your opinions, please!

I am just wondering about my blog and if it's actually something that I need to keep doing. I know there are millions of farm blogs out there. And they all talk about the same things basically. But they are all different as well. So I am wondering if my blog is relevant at all.

I look at the stats and looking at my post about John Henry coming back home, that got 45 views. But not a single comment. And some don't have any views at all. Kind of strange to me.

So please let me know what you think about the posts on this blog and if they are helpful or not. I would LOVE to know. And I can take criticism too, IF it is done right. I don't like hurtful criticism. But I need to know if this is worthwhile.

I love my blog. It does help me to know when something happened or when a goat had kids or whatever. I can just look it up if I need to.  I love taking pictures. I am always looking for opportunities to take pictures. I almost always have my camera with me anymore.

So please, feel free to leave a comment about what you think about my blog. And thank you all so much for looking. And I do appreciate  ALL of my cyber friends who come here often.

Just an afterthought here: I know people are busy and they just come to check in or whatever. I realize that. I do the same thing. I have several favorite blogs I go to every day. I don't always comment on every post because I just don't have anything to say about it. So I know how that is. Just wanted to add this. And I am not trying to get compliments or anything like that. Just wanting to know what you all think about the posts mainly.

Insect invasion!

The past week has been crazy. When I spilled the 5 gallon bucket of honey in the back of my Trooper and on the driveway, we have nothing but bees and wasps out there for days, cleaning it all up for me. Which I am very happy they are doing this. BUT, there are Yellow Jackets too. And they are in my Trooper. Like I think I have them all out and I'm driving down the road, and here comes a bee flying up in my face! I think they may be making a hive underneath the back of the car. As soon as I drove in to the driveway and got out this afternoon, there they all were again. I don't know how long it will take them to clean up all this honey, but until then, we have to be really careful where we step. I am not in the least afraid of the honey bees. It's the wasps I don't like.

And NOW, if the bees and wasps weren't enough, the LADYBUGS are back! Whoopee! Ladybugs. All over the house, inside and out. And they STINK! And these are not the good kind of lady bugs. Nope. These are annoying, in your face insects. They get in the clothes, the furniture, all over the place. And on me.

So where is a nice hard killing freeze when ya need one?