August 31 (thought it was Sept. 1st)

Last night, on the way back down the mountain. It was quite foggy. But when I got down to the bottom, it was clear again. It's always sort of spooky driving through fog. I keep expecting to see some mystical creature go across the road, like a majestic buck with golden horns and glowing body. But didn't see any last night.

I wanted to start a group of other kindred spirits to meet together and spin or knit or weave or crochet. And talk and have fun, just being with other people who love doing what I love. So I met with a friend who lives on the mountain and has Finn sheep and a fiber studio. We decided on Wed. evenings up at her studio. Then when she can't be there, we'll have it down here at mine.

We started last night. We were the only ones. But it was nice, spinning with someone else. There are several more that will start next week. It will be so fun. And I'll have time with kindred spirits.

When I got home yesterday, I found this pile of clothes in the bathroom, right next to the almost empty clothes hamper. UGH! So I called my husband and grand daughter in there to ask why. My husband said he'd been working outside and his clothes were sweaty, so he put them there, on top of Kansas' clothes. They picked them all up.So fun right? I'm sure other people have this same problem.

This was my view a few days ago, when I finally went out and got in my new hammock. Oh my, it was so boring, just laying there, doing nothing. I started feeling guilty. Then I wished I had a book. And a sick to push myself with. The cicadas were very loud there. And the birds. The sheep looked spooked when the saw me in this big red thing. I laid there and took pictures of the trees. Really is amazing, just being there under such beautiful trees.

                                           Isn't this beautiful and peaceful? It really is nice.

And these 2 trunks are so big. Not sure what kind of trees these are. But I'll find out. I love them.

Wild hair...

Every now and then, I get a wild hair. To clean or make things. Today, I had already decided I was cleaning the bedroom. I had already gotten the dresser cleaned off the other day. So got in there and got all the clothes in bags to take to a thrift store. Vacuumed. Made up some rug freshener with baking soda and some different essential oils. The house smells so good now! I even put some on the beds and pillows. Got all sheets and washed them and hung them out, along with shirts and pants and towels.

Then went out to the pear trees and got all the pears I could reach. Got a big pot cut up and simmering on the stove to make pear butter.

I got 6 pints and a half quart. It is SO good! I have enough pears for dinner tonight. I like to slice them up, put them in a baking dish with butter and roasting them. Then I add cinnamon and honey. Yum!

                While this was going on, I cut up 2 big packages of pork fat I had in the freezer to render into lard.

I got almost 3 pints. That'll last a few months I hope. I put them all in the fridge outside.

It just feels good to be productive and actually do something. I have been on a reading binge the past month. I found a book by Nora Roberts called Jewel of the Sea at a thrift store. It takes place in Ireland. It's a 3 book trilogy. So I had to find the other 2 books. Found the 2nd book at McKays used books. Didn't have the 3rd, so got it from the library. While there, I found another 3 book set of hers called the Dark Witch trilogy, in Ireland too. Oh my goodness, these books are so good, I could hardly put them down to go to bed at night.  Now I have to go to Ireland!

I moved my sheep and alpacas to the back again. We have not had rain here is quite awhile, so the sheep are all so much better and I have seen no signs of those horrible barber pole worms. I am so relieved. But we are supposed to start getting rain tomorrow for several days. Ugh. I have hay for them, so they should be ok. And we do need some rain. Can't believe I just said that.

I went outside to get some cobwebs off the windows and saw a million hornet and wasp nests all under the back of the house and under the shed. I have never seen so many before. We have used so many cans of spray, only to have that many more building nests again. But these back behind the house were huge! I didn't have enough spray to get them all. I hate them!

My Ent

I am obsessed with The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. I love the Ents. And now I have my own!

I was looking out a back window last night and saw him. I wish I had taken a picture then. But this is from this morning. I can see his face. I don't know his name yet. But I feel very happy to know he's been here for so long. He's in the back of the house, keeping us safe here.

Hammock

Yesterday, my husband and grand daughter Kansas went out back to put up my hammock. Can't wait to use it now. Kansas is behind the tree. And I just noticed Stella is out there too. Can you find her?

Just random stuff

Last night, this was so pretty. I love when the moon looks like this. And that big bright shining star, or planet, what ever it is there, to the left.

Went out to pick some pears yesterday. I heard buzzing and saw some of my girls, drinking pear juice from some of the very over ripe pears. Bees are amazing.

This is pears and figs, from my own trees, in bowls that I made myself. So cool. And so very good!

So the hens have found yet another nice cozy place to lay eggs. This is a hay bale in the corner of the milk room. I'll get a few eggs a day here. The rooster will start cackling when the hens sing the egg laying song. You'd think the boy laid an egg himself, the way he goes on and on about it!

And this. Oh my goodness, this. Really? There's probably a few little teaspoons left in the jug. I really do not get it. Also, the same person who does this, leaves about a spoonful of food in a pot or bowl. Just drives me crazy!!

Right now, this minute, all my sheep are looking great!! I was just about to throw in the towel with them. Seems like every day or so, for the past 3 months, one of them would have puffy jaws. I just wanted to cry. It's been awful. But right now, this minute, they are all ok. I have seen people all over this country talking about barber pole worms, and losing their sheep or goats because of them. It's been really bad this year.

This morning, my husband's outside spraying more hornet nests under the eaves of our house. I went outside to see one. I bent down behind him to look at it while he sprayed them. Then he brought his left arm down, right on my face! I kinda saw some stars. And I have a headache now.

The door...

that disappeared in the previous post.

I really would like a screen door.

Strange day

Yesterday was just a bit different around here. It was Monday, the day I always go to town and do the payroll for Mrs. T, go to the grocery store, walk my daughter's 2 Boxers. I wanted to hurry and get it all done so I could be home during the big eclipse.

I was in my studio, doing some spinning, listening to Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon album on KZ 106. It started getting a little darker, but there were clouds out.I went outside several times, just to see what was happening. I saw these really cool shadows under the trees. I had heard to look for them during the eclipse. Glad I did. Really cool!

The goats went to the barn. I was thinking they might start whining, want to be milked. But they just laid there.

Stupid rooster, he just walked around, then he'd stop and look around. I think he was a bit confused about the whole thing.

So it was not at all what I was expecting at all. It didn't even really get dark, just dusky really. Then a man came to ask about goat milk. Right in the middle of it all. And Pink Floyd still playing.

So later I went to fix dinner. I had watched an episode of Bobby Flay where he gets challenged by "regular" people and they see who makes the best dish. Well, this lady was the queen of tuna noodle casseroles. She made it look so good. She won. So last month I think, I made one. It was so good. We used to have tuna casseroles when I was a kid all the time.So I made another one for dinner last night. It was so good!

After cleaning up the kitchen,I went in the bedroom to read. I heard this horrible weird crazy noise. I heard Kansas run to the door, then out the kitchen door. I looked out the bedroom door and saw what I thought was foam sprayed all over the storm door. It was so weird. Then I heard crackling sounds coming from it. My husband was out front mowing. Apparently he ran over some little gravels somewhere and they ended up breaking the storm door. Into a bazillion little tiny pieces. It was so weird. So we got that all cleaned up.

Then a little later, Kansas got herself stuck in our bedroom. We have a really old house with weird doorknobs. If our door is shut all the way, it gets stuck. It took about 5 minutes to get her out.

Then, about 10:30, I thought I better go out and get the milk bucket out of the freezer before it's frozen solid. Went out to the milk room, looked in the freezer and there's no bucket. No milk. Went to the kitchen to see if it was in the fridge. It's not.I had totally forgotten to milk Olga. Didn't even cross my mind to milk her.

So I ended the crazy day by milking a goat at 10:30 last night. She was quite relieved, thank you.