The wood pile

Yesterday, I went to my first knitting class. It was a few hours. I did learn a lot. And re-learned how to cast-on and some other things. We are going to be knitting a prayer shawl. The class will last 10 weeks. It's fun to get together with fellow knitters.

Then, had to go home and get the husband to get a load of wood up on the mountain at our friend Kid's. He has been keeping us supplied with wood for awhile now. He just retired and the man will not sit still! He has about 25 acres up there and goes out and cuts dead trees, splits them up and calls us to come get them. This is one load from yesterday. Filled the truck up then we stacked it all in this thing that Kid gave us. It got all the wood from that load in there.

                                                  This is the wood shed, almost full again.

This is the other truck load we got yesterday afternoon at Mrs. T's. Her 100 year old oak tree that was cut down last fall. Our son-in-law Jason has been going over there and splitting it for us. He's a great SIL! But this is only ONE load. There are probably 4 more to go. We were too tired to unload this last night when we got home.

  So I made a good hearty breakfast for us this morning. And we will go unload this truck full of wood. And tomorrow, we'll go get another load from Mrs. T's.

We should have enough wood for next year too. But, the weather stations are calling for a big winter storm here for Tuesday and Wed. this week. I have already called it off. I don't want to see any more snow and freezing temps. I am DONE with that! But, IF it does happen, we will be ready for it.

John Henry

I sold John Henry yesterday. He's moved to Tn. to be a herd sire for a mix of goats. I am so happy I sold him instead of making him goat sausage. I don't think he would have been very good. He was a very good buck and did his job well. I just want to find another buck later in the fall. So I am buck free for the moment!

Some fat ewes.

These are some of the better shots of the ewes that are due any time now.

                This is Fiona. (She's named after my middle grand daughter, Coryn Fiona.) She's Bridget and Bonnie's mother. She is half Katahdin and Dorper.

                                      This is Gracie. (She's named after my oldest grand daughter, Chloe Grace.) She is Beatrix's mother. She's full Katahdin.

                    This is Leelah, who I think is Fiona's sister. (She's named after Kansas, my youngest grand daughter.) She's half Dorper too. And Blossom's mother.

This is Adele. She is Leelah's lamb from 2 years ago. This will be her 1st lambing. I think she is bred. I never have been able to get too close to her. But she's a little better about letting me touch her nose now! She is a mix of a lot of breeds. Hair and wool. But bred to Abraham.

This is Amarillo. Full Finn and 1st time bred. To Abraham who is full Finn as well. So I hope the lambs are pretty. And hopefully colorful. I would love a black lamb.

And April. She is full Katahdin. I just got her a few months ago when I got the black ram. From the same place I got the other 3 hair ewes. She is possibly related to them. About the same age too. Supposed to be a really good mother.

I didn't get a good picture of Adalaide, but she is due soon too. She's full Finn as well and also bred to Abraham. So I hope I get some pretty wooly lambs from her and Amarillo. I'll probably keep them.

I'll be selling most of these lambs this fall. I am also trading 2 ewes and a ram for a weaned bottle calf. I think that's a pretty good swap. We are almost out of beef.

Egg hunt, anyone?

This morning I got the sheep back over in the big pasture. I had to get all their feed pans first. As I was walking past I saw these eggs. On top of this old rabbit cage. Frozen and cracked of course. It's those Barred Rock hens. They are notorious for laying any place but a nest box around here. I always see at least 4 of these hens out in the yard. I have also checked in the garage and cat room when I see one of them going out of those places. Haven't found any eggs there yet. But here they are. I'll leave these and see if there are any more later.

Then, when I opened up this bag of wood shavings to put more out, I found this egg. So the egg hunting has begun. I always did love an egg hunt!

It's a beautiful day here so far. I have been hearing the birds chirping and they sound different. Happy, I think. Like they know Spring is just around the corner and they better get busy building those nests. There is a different feel out there to me. A fresh feeling. New and fresh.

Go ahead and laugh now...

I realized what I did. It took awhile, but it just hit me.

I thought about this all night. Again, planning and figuring out how and who to put where. I got up this morning and fed the sheep and chickens first. Then got all the shots ready and went out to get the goats in the milk room. I wanted to give them the CD&T shots about 6 weeks before they all had kids. I don't normally do this, but wanted to this year because of all the sick does last year. Thought this might help a little.

So got Penelope, Zarah and Sandy on their stanchions and Zeeboo tied to the fence outside. Gave them all their shots and was feeling so good about doing this.

It was after that I realized when I put John Henry in with them. October 28th. Then I realized what the date was today. February 6th. I really thought that I was right on this. I'll let y'all do the math because math makes my head hurt.

Look at Zeeboo. She's like, what were you thinking, woman!

And Penelope and Zarah are not happy about it at all.

And Sandy. She's ALWAYS the last goat to kid. She's done with me now. I know.

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.