Ruby Nell and Nora Jane

So I got these 2 little cuties a month ago from a great animal shelter in Chattanooga. If you go on Thursdays, cats are just $5 each. Plus they give you all kinds of things for them, like food and toys and litter. AND, they are all spayed and neutered! Plus they are chipped and all shots. When I told mt husband how much I paid for them he said wow, that's some cheap pussy. Geeze, men!

They are my new studio kitties.

So this is Nora Jane, named after my favorite author. She's so sweet. She comes running to me in my chair and jumps up on my chest and snuggles.

And this is Ruby Nell. She's a purrer. All the time purring. Such a little sweetie. I named her after a famous potter, Charles Count's wife. She was an amazing artist. Did beautiful quilts. Some are still in museums. And I just always loved her name and said one day I will name one of my animals after her. And this sweet kitty is perfect.

They are usually in my lap, snoozing while I read. I love them!

Stella had to come over to meet the girls. They are so friendly and not afraid of anything or anyone.

  I just had to get this shot of Ruby 

Nora Jane on my lap.

This is Ruby Nell, NOT peeing in my sink.

Nora Jane

     

It's a mess in my studio now. Every morning when I come over here, I have to straighten up everything they've messed up the night before. Wool is usually everywhere. Or my little felted sheep. And I have no more whole snow people. They get up in the shelves where I kept them. Like a couple 2 year olds left alone for too long.

Been awhile.

It's been SO long since I've been here. I almost forgot how to post. But I got it now.

This is my favorite part of my road out here in the Cove. It's like a cool tree tunnel. That's what I feel like when I drive through it. A nice cool tunnel of trees.

I have been lazy for awhile. I have not read a book in years. But that's all I've wanted to do now for the past several months. I cannot get enough. I am really hooked on Nora Roberts at the moment. I want to read every single one of her books. I have actually been buying a lot of them from a used book store and thrift stores. The first book I bought of hers I found at a thrift store. It was one of her trilogy series. So I had to get the other 2 books. Then it started from there. She's an amazing writer. I recently got 2 kittens and names one after her. I'll put some pictures of them here soon. They are my studio cats. Always wanted studio cats.

And just getting ready for winter here. We actually had some snow flurries a few weeks ago! And had the wood stove roaring. But the past week or so, it's been hot! I saw 3 dead snakes on the road yesterday, plus saw an old guy, shirtless, walking his little Yorkie. Plus people riding with windows open and tops down. November in the South!

Oh these animals...

they are amazing. It's been almost 2 days now since Audrey came to visit. The sheep are sort of ok with her, but still run when she gets too close.

                         But the boys, well, that might take a bit longer. Especially for Misha.

                                               

                                                   She likes Misha and follows him around.

He says, if I just don't look at her, maybe she's not real. So I'll just ignore her and maybe she'll go away.

But it's not working, Misha. She's real sweetie. And here to stay for awhile. You'll be just fine soon.

Isn't she just the cutest calf ever? We played hide and seek awhile ago, around the hay bale. She touched my fingers with her nose. She follows me when I'm out there. My husband talks to her and she likes him. I love this picture.

Rodeo at Outback Farm!

I had asked my friend Sarah if I could borrow her little Jersey heifer calf for awhile. Audrey is 6 months old now and needing to be on pasture. And I wanted a cow for awhile to eat what the sheep and alpacas won't.

So she called yesterday afternoon and said they were ready to bring her out. I figured it would take them 20 minutes to get here, a few minutes to unload her, then I would fix dinner.

Well, I should know by now that you do not make plans when it comes to animals!

This is my sheep and alpacas when they saw the trailer being backed down the driveway and heard the little cow baby mooing.

                                And yes, there is a calf in these fig bushes and 3 grown men.

I have this fence going across the driveway for when I move the sheep to the other side. It has a little place where the wire is all messed up. I had this thought that I should put something in front of it, but did not listen to me.

So we got the sheep to go to the far side so they wouldn't get out while we tried to get Audrey in. They were so good too! Stayed way up front.

And we let Audrey out of the trailer. And she took off through the little hole in the fence. Just as pretty as ya please.

That's when the rodeo started.

I called my friend Ron to come up and help lasso her, after about 20 minutes of chasing her all over the front yard. He and his wife Iasbelle came with a rope. He's got cows and horses, so I figured he could do this just fine.

 Not sure which video this is, but I took a few and this is not showing up for me.

It took another half hour to finally get Audrey caught and dragged across the yard from the fig bushes. 3 grown men, pulling and pushing this little 6 month old devil calf. It was SO funny!

And here she is, finally in the pasture she was supposed to be in a few hours before.

Misha was sounding the alarm and the sheep all huddled together. I had a cow with them a few years ago, so it's not like they'd ever seen a cow before. They are so weird.

Poor Audrey was so tired after, she laid down out there for the night.

This morning, she's doing great. And the sheep are still afraid of her. They'll be fine in a few days and she'll be a part of the flock. Isn't she beautiful?

                                                      And this is Audrey, herding them all.

                                                                  Hold 'em Audrey!

Never a dull moment around here. We had the 2 grand dogs for the weekend and Abby had come out to get them. I have to keep the chickens put up while they're here. They love chasing the chickens. So it was all nice and peaceful again. For a few minutes!