39...

and holding. Always wanted to say that. But now I'm tired of it. I've been at 211 for a week now and not going down. A little depressing. But I know it will soon. I need to get on my bike again. It's just been too hot. Sweating would be good for me though. I've been getting out in the garden and weeding a lot lately too.

And I just love my walks gathering dandelion flowers for my tea every morning. It's become quite a habit and something I look forward to. I start by walking past the honey bee hive and telling them all good morning. Then I walk all around the garden, hunting that big beautiful yellow blossom. After I walk the garden, I go down one side of the driveway and back up the other. Then I go into the chicken yard and search in the pasture area. After that, it's the side yard, where my studio is and the other side of the fence near the driveway. Then, if the grass hasn't been mowed in a few days, I'll check the front yard. By then, I'll have a huge hand full of dandelion goodness. These past few days though, the supply has been down. I'll add some of my peppermint leaves to the pot and simmer awhile. Then add some of my yummy honey. I just love my dandelion tea. I usually go out after breakfast, between 8 and 10:30. After that, it's too hot and they are all gone, folded back up from the heat of the day. I try to leave some for the bees too. But right now, they are more into the clover and elderberry all over the place.

Walking through the wet grass in early morning, barefoot, is so fun. Sometimes I step on prickly invasive weeds that hurt. It brings back memories if when I was a young teen. We lived on Tybee Island. One day I was walking across someone's vacant lot barefoot, which I always was, and stepped on so many stickery things. It was all through the lot. I cried it hurt so bad. I finally made it out and never went back there again.

So today, I am going to finish my Sunburst Granny square blanket. I might try to sell it, not sure yet. Then I'll start on my skirt. I need pins though. Loaned my box to a friend up the road, so need to go get them. Then I'll work on skirting more wool and washing it. My studio is smelling like sheep. Dirty sheep. So that needs to be done. Then I might send some of the fleeces off to be made into roving to spin. Thinking about it.

Yesterday morning, as I was walking into the milk room, I noticed a little tiny egg shell on the floor. So I think the barn swallows are hatching. I don't hear them yet, but mom and dad are busy birds, going in and out all day. They are getting used to me and the goats and cats now. They used to fly out and wait til we were all gone. Now, they just fly on in. They have too much important stuff to do now!

Around the farm Monday...

It's a beautiful day here in N. Ga. The sun is beating down on us. Hasn't rained in several days, but should some this week. I had to water the garden last night.

The hubby is outside this morning, weeding around the electric fence out back. I moved the sheep back up front to the North pasture this morning, so just goats out back now. I hope they're in the barn, because I sure don't hear that loud mouth Freja. She is the loudest goat I've ever had. Louder than Sandy, who was mostly Nubian. Freja is just half Nubian. She got the Nubian mouth for sure, that girl. She lets me know when It's time to milk her. Or, when it's time for her to eat.

I'm washing sheets today and hanging them out. I just love to get into bed after a long hot day, and smell nice fresh sheets that have been dried outside. I have another load ready to be hung soon.

Bubba says good morning to y'all. He's so sweet. A lady up the road found a little tiny kitten in front of our farm last week. Wanted to know if it was mine. I said no, all my cats are fixed and really old. And no, I do not want another cat please! Because this old sweet looking dog right here, would kill it in no time. He does not let any other animals on this property at all. If they do get in, they don't leave alive. But I asked Heather if it was ok for Kansas to have a kitten. She jumped on that right away! Kansas is such a cat person. She said she'd work for the kitten's food and litter. So This ladies husband is a vet. She took him in for a little check up and de wormed him. We'll take him back in 3 weeks when he's 8 weeks old for all his vaccinations. Then later to be neutered. He's so cute though. All orange stripes and the bluest eyes ever. He will be very loved for sure!

This is the bird house Kansas and her Papa built. I just love it. No birds in it yet though. More for decoration right now. Plenty of other places to make nests around here. Like coffee cans!

My first zinnia of the year! I have a long bed of them here and a lot of others that have popped up in other places in the garden too. I love these flowers so much! I just think a garden without zinnias isn't a garden at all.

And these little beauties are all over the garden now too. I love them as well. In fact, these were in my wedding bouquet. Just happy flowers.

Some of the sheep and alpacas, enjoying the shade in their new pasture for a few weeks. The grass is nice and lush over here now. Might last a few weeks. I will mow the South pasture this afternoon.

See this apple? It whacks me on the head every time I walk under this tree. I forget it's there and it gets me every time.

Whoever is renting the hay fields all around us is finally mowing them. They started last week and are now on the other side where the sheep are. It smells so good! I love the smell of fresh mown hay. But it also means the snakes will be out again.

This is sad. I was out watering the garden last night and saw this gray humpy thing down on the fence. I looked closer and it was a possum. Looks like it was heading out of the garden and got stuck in the fence. It's dead. Poor thing. I don't think it was there in the morning when I was out there getting my dandelions. I think I have some lime, I'll sprinkle on it. Because it's already starting to stink. But I wonder if this is what ate my poor little baby chick last week?

I love this material. I bought it a few months ago, thinking I'd like to make a blouse with it. But now I have a blouse that will go perfect with it, so I'll make a skirt. I just need to go find an easy peasy pattern I can make myself, with no help. I love it. We have 2 weddings to go to this weekend too. One at 2 up on the mountain about 13 miles from us. Then the 2nd wedding is at Mountain Cove Farms at 6, right past our house! How cool is that? The 2nd wedding has dinner and dancing after , so sounds like a great day to me! I'll try to go to the market in the morning, maybe. It's over at 12. I think I can do it.

I did really good at the farmers market Saturday. More than the week before. I need to make more soap. And I suppose I will dye my white yarns. Seems people want colored yarn. And I think I'll start knitting some shawls and scarves for the fall markets.

Bluebirds!

 So here they are, the little happy couple. Bluebirds! They are so pretty. I just hope none of my 5 cats discovers them here and kills them. I don't know what to do to protect the birds from the cats. It's just too easy. But so far, I haven't seen any cats interested in them.

I love this shot, like she's saying hello to me.

The handsome father. Helping out with the nest building. I love watching them.

Here you can see a little bit of wool I had thrown from a fleece I'm working on, in his beak for the nest. So cool!

So I guess I'm going to have to move my fleece skirting station off the front porch, where the bird nest is. They leave when I go out there. And I hate to disturb them. They are so busy. And there are 3 eggs now! I think when they start setting on them, it just takes a few weeks to hatch. Then a few more weeks for the babes to fly.