The Fair Is Coming!!!!!!

 When I first heard that a fair was going to be at Mt. Cove, just 5 miles from my house, I wasn't too happy about it. I was thinking about all the traffic up and down the road here. We are also having an Iron man race the end of Sept. too. There have been tons of bikers riding out here from Chattanooga for months now, practicing. It's very annoying and a bit scary when there are packs of bikers on our curvy hilly roads all day. But that's a whole other story.

So this fair, I have found out, will be the real deal. With rides and all! That's what got me excited about it. A real county fair. I haven't been to a real fair since I moved up here 36 years ago. We always had a country agricultural fair in Statesboro when I was growing up that we always went to. Such fun memories. When I found out there was a Hamilton Co. fair in Chatt. I wanted to go. But it was just lots and lots of craft people and fair food. They did have the exhibits and animals, but it just wasn't the same.

When I heard more about this fair, that it was going to have a mid-way and all the rest of a real fair, I was pretty excited about it then. And it's just 5 miles away! I went down there yesterday to see what's going on. It's going to be spread all over this huge farm. The mid-way is on a landing strip. The exhibits will be in a few different places across the road. I think the animals will be in a few big barns. So there will be lots of walking or shuttling going on. This place is several hundred acres. Beautiful place. The county bought this land a few years ago.

So if any of you are in the area Sept. 12-14, come on up. And honk when you go by Outback Farm! Or stop in and say hello. I think I'll be moving the sheep, alpacas and cow to the back pasture.

What a beautiful place to have a fair. It's at the end of West Cove Rd. in the valley between Lookout and pigeon Mts. The mountain in these pics is Pigeon Mt. to the east. Lookout is to the west behind me. So peaceful out here. But not for long!

My husband,,,

I have the best husband. Even with all his problems, he still helps me out of some of my problems. Like this darn lawn mower. And many others before it. I am not a person who takes very good care of things. And our farm is full of tree roots, branches, big chunks of bark from all our fire wood, rocks, big ole dog bones. So many other things that a lawn mower runs over. And stumps. There used to be cedar trees all down our long driveway. We had them cut down. And now there are foot high stumps, right in the middle of both sides. Plus an incline. Then fence. I was mowing the driveway yesterday and got sucked onto a stump. Then tried to get off the stump and got into the fence. SO up the driveway I go, madder than a wet hen, or wet goat, to get the husband to come help me get it off.

Poor guy, takes him half an hour to hobble down there. But we get it off the stump. I turn it on. He said to turn the blades on. Well, the most awful noise I ever heard came out of that mowing deck. Blades were hitting metal.

So back to the garage we go. Get it up on the thing there. He lays his yoga mat down. It doesn't look like the deck is bent. But the left blade is hitting it. So he takes it off. And these are new blades he had to get because I bent the last ones, just a few weeks ago. So he grinds off a little bit and sharpens them both. It works! So off to finish mowing. He's so good at fixing things I mess up. And can figure out how things work. I love him and think I'll keep him.

So this diabetes is really a mess right now. His ankles are healed and have been for months now. But he got this diabetic ulcer on his right foot about 6 months ago. He's been going to the foot doctor for almost a year now in Nov. The ulcer is not better. It's not as big, but is still there.

SO all night, I'm thinking of natural ways to treat this thing. Honey kept popping up. So I looked up natural ways to treat foot ulcers, and there it is. An article about honey having natural antibacterial properties and healing foot ulcers in diabetics!

That's what we're going to start doing this morning. Just some honey on the wound and wrap with gauze. I'm going to take pictures, but not show them here of course, for records. I'm thinking in at least 2 months, this ulcer will be GONE! And some prayer would help too! Prayer always helps.

Just a little bragging on my hubby. He also never tells me I'm stupid or reckless or a bad mower. He just goes on and fixes my messes for me. Best husband ever!

Kansas and Abi

 Just look at this. This is my mom's new dog. She's had her 1 week yesterday. She loves my mom. And apparently is in love with my grand daughter Kansas too. This is what I found when I came inside for a minute, while fixing Mom's gate. Look at them, all snuggling and happy. I am so jealous!

When I come to Mom's, Abi barks and runs around to each of the kitchen doors, looking at me. Then she'll run behind Mom's chair and look at me. She just doesn't like me inside Mom's house.

But when we go outside, she is all over, running up to me and letting me pet her. I also went with Mom to take her to the vet last Thursday. She was great, in the car. And at the vet.

She's just nervous when I first get to Mom's. Maybe she smells Bubba and Stella?  I don't know what it could be. But after awhile, she's just fine. She is the best dog. And just loves Mom. And Kansas.

I love how her left eat flips up. In some of the shelter pics, it's all over the top of her head. So cute. And she's a little older than we first thought. She'll be 2 in December. And she is already a spoiled dog. Mom's house looks like a 2 year old lives there, with all the toys and snacks all over.

This is good for Mom to have this dog. She just needs to go about her daily living and Abby will fit right in to it. Just the best thing for her right now.

And she's so good with Kansas. I don't even worry about her being in the house alone with her. And after seeing this, I will never worry. I think she would protect Kansas if she had to.

Sorry for such blurry pictures. I do believe I am going to have to start wearing glasses. Or contacts. Or else have laser surgery. Everything up close is fuzzy anymore. Getting old just about ain't fun.

More pumpkins.

 I hope all is back to normal at Mrs. T's now. I had to go in all day yesterday, so brought all my wool and needle felting stuff to work on. I made 4 more pumpkins and started on a turkey. I need to get some pipe cleaners for his legs. I took Mrs. T to lunch, then we went to my favorite store, All Books, to get more dyed roving and wool to make more pumpkins. I love that store. But really need to learn to dye all my own wool. I spent $45 there. So need to get over to the studio to make more. And more soap. I need some Orange-clove soap.

Here are all the needle felted pumpkins so far. I'm going to market Sat. so need lots more. I love making these. Every one is so different and I like it better than the one before.

I went out yesterday when I got home and caught this beautiful scene. I love it! Louise with the sheep and the horses across the road with Pigeon Mt. in the background. What a peaceful setting right there.

Louise is such a good cow. But boy, is she a big cow! She's like 10 goats. But she's a good girl.

I went to the garden too and saw all the seeds I had planted last Friday have come up! Must have been a good sign to plant on. Plus we got so much good rain right after I planted.  I need to get some lettuce seeds while I'm out today. Have to go with my mom to take her new dog to the vet for a well check. Mom is so funny. She went to a pet store in town yesterday and spent about $75 on that dog. She told me and then said "What's wrong with me?" I just laughed. Spoiled dog for sure!

Needle felted pumpkins. And charcoal soap

Last night, my oldest grand daughter and I went over to the studio. She had an art project she needed to work on. And I wanted to do some needle felting. Well, I was going to make wool dryer balls, but started making some pumpkins. I think they turned out so cute. I love them. I love these colors a lot.  I need to dye some wool so I can make more of them. Need to get ready for fall markets.

What else can I needle felt for fall?

This is the charcoal soap cut up. This is the first time I have done anything like this. Next time I make this soap, I'll use my taller long wooden molds. But I think it turned out pretty.

While we were in the studio, it rained. One time, I thought we were in a tornado. The wind just all of a sudden started howling and blowing the trees over. Then it poured rain. But this morning, all the beds I had planted with kale, collards and radish seeds, were all fine. Didn't get flooded at all. We sure did need this rain. But this week, in the low 90's.

Happy last day of August, y'all! And have a happy and safe Labor Day!

Mom and her new dog, Abbyelle (Abby)

Yesterday, my family worked on getting my mom's fence finished so we could go get her new dog, Abby. Her back yard was fenced on all 3 sides, but not connected to either the garage or house. She lives right behind the big park in town, and there is a creek between her and the park. So lots of people are there all day. And sometimes kids walk through her yard and through the back gate to get to the park. Not any more.

We put up 6' privacy fence. But the gate that needs to go to her back yard is really wide. So we just put up a fence to get it all enclosed so we could let the dog out free. We'll have to figure out a way to make a gate that won't be so wide for mom to be able to handle. Meanwhile, she can go through the garage for now. And Abby has the whole back yard to play and run in.

There have been some break-ins near mom and she was getting a little nervous being there alone. Abby is an American Staffordshire Terrier. Or a Pitt Bull. She's 1 1/2 years old. We found her at Mckamey Animal Shelter in Chattanooga. She's been there most of her life. She had a foster family where she stayed about 6 weeks. So everyone was very happy to see Abby go to her new forever home with mom. Someone actually paid the fee for her. They were all there yesterday, including the foster mom, to see her off.

We stopped at Tractor Supply and took her in with us to get her a big bag of dog food and some treats and some tennis balls. Which she loves. This little girl will be spoiled before too long. But very much loved and cared for. The foster lady said Abby slept on the bed with her. So mom is letting her sleep on her bed. They had a really good night last night, their first night together. Mom said Abby slept all night. She was worn out from her big day.

She will be a good companion and protector for mom.

Louise the big brown cow.

Louise in the stall. She takes up the whole 10x10 area. She's HUGE!

I put her over here on this side so she could start eating all the tall grass. Then I'll bring the sheep and alpacas over in a few days.

I was putting the chickens up for the night a little early, because I was getting ready to plant my kale, collards and radish seeds. I had tilled this morning. I wanted to get the chickens put up so they wouldn't go in the garden and start scratching up what I'd just done. BUT, Black Bart and 2 of the hens would NOT go inside the coop. Louise was still laying in that same spot and I guess Black Bart was just a little scared of the big ole furry monster. I don't think he'd been this close to her. And right next to his coop now! So he and the other 2 hens took off in the opposite direction. So I had 1 hen in the garden while I planted. I could tell they'd already been in where I'd tilled. I had to go get Louise up and away from the coop so I could get those bad chickens in. I did finally get them in. Where they will stay for a few weeks, til the seeds sprout and start growing.

It was HOT out there! I was thinking how the end of August heat is so different than the end of April heat. Like April is new and we welcome a little heat. But by the time the end of August rolls around, we are ready for some coolness again. I am anyway. A nice cold shower helps a lot!

We have to go to my mom's in the morning. She's getting a dog from McCamey Animal Shelter and they want her to get her yard completely fenced in. Because this dog is very strong and she kind of pulled mom while she had her on the leash. So they were concerned about mom. So we will be putting up 3 sections of fence in the morning, then going to meet Abby's foster family. Everyone at the shelter is so happy for Abby. She's been there the longest of any of the dogs. She will be a good dog for my mom.

Hope y'all have a great weekend.