Farm Tails

Red, White and BLUE!

2011-07-04T18:51:00.000-04:00

Happy Independence Day! Here's hoping you had a wonderful time with family and friends. Look at Blue! He is such a patient pony for his crazy mama....what a good boy! All is well at the farm and we are busy with gardening, mowing, and planting. Blue and I are getting ready for a little show soon which keeps me busy getting him in show shape, and fine tuning our communication with eachother. The doggies and kitties are well, but some stray dogs have recently been chasing my fawns which anger me to no end. I need to blog more but there is still so much to do outside and aside from cleaning our home and completing some graphic design projects, it is difficult to keep me in. :-) Take care bloggie buddies and I hope you have a wonderful week!

Father and Flowers

2011-06-19T17:24:00.001-04:00

Hello dear bloggers, it certainly has been awhile...I sure hope you are enjoying your Father's Day celebrations. It is not a great day for me, Dad is gone now as most of you know...since 2008. He is gone forever as I knew him....But his spirit lives on through me; his love of flowers and nature has passed to most of his children with me having a bit more than my siblings. His thumb was much greener than mine but hopefully with time, my efforts will improve.

Spring was rainy, the month of May was a grey misty blur as each day wore on, the sun decided to shine elsewhere leaving our area saturated, flooded and sloppy wet. The ponies could not be turned out, our entrance area flooded, the pond developed a sink hole draining lot of the water and it was dangerous to mow the wet muddy hills. The green grass was very happy as it almost looked like a jungle on our farm. I must not complain though, we have been fortunate to still have our home unlike so many who suffered from those evil tornadoes. Bless those poor souls who had to endure such misery.

Thankfully as May moved on, the rains ceased their daily torment and June allowed us to get out in our gardens. The huge Man Garden has just been plowed and planted. The good husband and his brother planted their usual corn, cucumbers, green beans and tomatoes but decided to cut back so I planted some pumpkins and blueberry bushes.

My nostalgia for both my grandmothers has come forth with a fever as I planted some hollyhocks that were six foot tall! They are biennials so I won't see them next year and hopefully my little hollyhocks from last year will come back. I have added some more phlox as it seems to love the back garden and grew many babies this year. I have also added evening of primrose and delphiniums in a new little shaded bed, though the larkspur despises me and refused to enjoy the special soil and shade I provided for it, so forget that species. It is too hot here and they prefer a different area. My foxgloves love the front yard and hated the back yard as the brick radiated too much heat. I remember Dad saying he used to trap bees in the blooms by squeezing the ends. Poor bees, thankfully he released the bloom and allowed the poor things to escape. Silly Dad, he was a demon when he was a kid! :)

Speaking of demons, as I was photographing my blue hydrangeas, Cricket, the mean lean killing machine, lived up to his reputation much to my chagrine! He was enjoying following his 'Grammie' around while I snapped the pics but when I approached the new little flower bed, he disappeared. I didn't think much of it until I heard the loud clicking of a Flicker. That darned cat was up in the hawthorn bushes and raided the nest capturing a helpless new born bird baby. I heard its little screams of pain as my head was in the branches trying to find Cricket who was way up top! My screams pierced the quiet morning as I attempted to get the bird from his huge fangs but he ran away into a wooded area full of poision ivy. I ventured in only to see him gobble the entire baby within seconds. By the way, poison ivy attacked me with a vengeance a few weeks ago, so badly that I had to go in and get a shot. My lower arm swelled days afterwards so I thought I had better get some professional help. The shot eliminated the swelling but not the itching.

The deer have all delivered except Peanut who if you remember had her little Autumn in September. I am shocked that Brownie already gave birth. I knew they all would be early this year as they went into heat in the beginning of October and the boys were crazy in rutt. So far, they have not introduced me to their babies yet. Bossy does hide her baby in the brush while she eats corn. I can hear his thin little calls. There for awhile I did not see Bossy or Brownie which worried me but just a few days ago they graced me with their beautiful presense and now come back more frequently. Shy Girl has trusted me and hidden her baby close to the barn.

There is still so much more to do on the farm to catch up from months of wet weather. I look forward to July when all of my flowers will be in full bloom and the pumpkins begin to grow. Happy Father's Day to you dear Dad. I miss you tremendously but somehow feel comforted when I am tending to all of the flowers. And to you bloggy buddies, thanks for your patience and keeping Farm Tails on your favorites list. I truly appreciate that and have popped in from time to time to read your posts. Have a happy day!

My British Babe!

2011-04-29T15:59:00.000-04:00

Jessie was very excited to celebrate the marriage of William and Catherine now known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Wasn't Princess Catherine amazing? After seeing all of the hats, Jessie wanted one of her own. How could I deny her?

Look how demure she looks! :-)

Jessie! Be careful, you'll tear your pretty white ties!

Don't worry Blue, you will have a hat of your own soon....

Jessie couldn't wait till Mama ended this silliness so she could roll in the mud and graze.

Daddy Cat, stop looking at the pretty hat with such disdain! Do you want one?

I guess getting up that early has taken it's toll....lol! I originally purchased hats for them to wear on Derby Day and will make Big Bad Blue one of his own so you will have to visit next Saturday to see it. Ohhhh yea, he is going to wear a hat whether he likes it or not...all horses must celebrate Derby Day! Blue you can do it!
(Linking up with Verde Farm on Farm Friend Friday)

Thermography

2011-04-28T04:00:00.004-04:00

Hey ladies, this post is for you! Not the usual farm post but nonetheless it is worth reading. Please remember these views are strictly mine. With this post, I hope to give information to those who are unaware or to give more info to those who might have heard of thermography but have yet to try it. It is not my intention to upset anyone who is a practioner in the traditional medical workforce, I just feel that this testing is worth my time.

Today I received breast thermography. No, it is not a mammogram or anything like it which is why I prefer this method for the time being. Breast thermography is a clinical diagnostic procedure which uses highly specialized infra red cameras to measure the heat coming from the body, in this case, the breast. Alternative med docs will most likely be able to administer this type of testing for you. It takes several years for a cancerous growth to become a real danger beginning with the inflamed cells and finally reaching the tumor stage. Studies are pointing with more frequency that inflammation is the precursor to cancers and all sorts of diseases. Regarding breast issues, once you find a lump, your stage may be advanced or it could be nothing at all. If your thermographic reading detects inflammation, then you have a chance to seek a more detailed examine thru mammography or ultrasound before the lump has developed to a size that is easy to detect. I prefer ultrasound, though the standard medical rule is get a mammogram, receive a nice dose of radiation and if the results are positive then go get an ultrasound.

I prefer to avoid the painful compression, the numerous false positives that so many of my friends have received, the emotional roller coaster, the incomplete results for those with dense tissue and fibroids, etc, and go right to the ultrasound. However, since they are more expensive perhaps that is the reason the insurance companies require the mammogram first? Maybe because medical community makes more money with all of the testing? I am not sure...but I do know a nurse practitioner who works for an oncologist who privately told me that the ultrasound does a better job at cancer detection. If I could afford the ultrasound or if the insurance company would agree to pay with no mammogram then I would alternate both ultrasound and thermography every couple of years just to be sure. Okay back to thermography.

Breast thermography is cheap compared to mammography and ultrasound. I paid $150 out of pocket since insurance companies will not pay for such procedures. It is not painful. No tissue is compressed. No radiation is received. This will be my third such procedure and my results will be compared with the past two. The video link below offers an excellent view of the entire procedure and the explanations are superior.

For those of you who are interested, I linked several articles for further reading. The last link is from the LA Times, about the FDA threatening a medical doctor to stop making claims about thermography. Just this week the article was reported....Now how many times has the FDA disappointed us? Hmmmm, first they tell us a drug is safe then five years later after the human population have been their test monkeys, they determine that the drug is no longer safe and causing all sorts of problems....thanks FDA, there are times when I do not trust you. I rather be safe than sorry. If thermography has the ability to give me a head's up before anything has a chance to grow into a tumor or can be manually discovered, then I am all for it.

CBS NEWS Breast Thermography...See Exactly How it Works
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaS3VIyltJQ

YALE JOURNAL OF BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE....Inflammation long been associated with the development of cancer...read ABSTRACT and click on articles on RIGHT COLUMN for further info.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1994795/

NEW LINK BETWEEN INFLAMATION AND PANCREATIC CANCER
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110411121529.htm

BREAST CANCER WARNING SIGNS
http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/cancer/articles/2010/10/04/breast-cancer-warning-signs

FDA SCOLDS DOCTOR
http://www.latimes.com/health/ct-met-fda-warns-mercola-20110425,0,4080491.story

Toad Talk on Earth Day

2011-04-23T06:00:00.006-04:00

It was pouring the rain when we drove home Friday evening and the Kritter Keeper tradition during rainy nights is to harp on the good husband to slow down while driving down the lane. For a half a mile, the patient man tries his best to heed the firm warnings, hearing over and over... "Oh there is one! Watch the puddle! Slow down, what's your rush?" etc. We always see numerous dead toads and frogs on the dark highway, at least we can avoid killing these poor little creatures on our own land, right?

Several years ago before the house was finished, I was blessed to see and hear the one and only Toadfest held on the farm. The frogs were singing in the middle of an April sunny day which I thought was highly unusual! I remember that Mom and Dad were visiting. I took my camera and was astonished at what I saw....a city of toads! Some were in the water, some were sunbathing, and MOST were, well, I think you get the drift after seeing my pics. Little ones on big ones, some with blue bubbles blowing from their necks ( I am sure there is a technical term for that body part, but what the heck....) and couples chatting it up while others sang joyfully. Dad said they were oblivious to my presence as they were in such a breeding frenzy. After the bad husband widened the pond and cleared the edges, there was never a Toadfest celebrated again and anytime I get near the water's edge, one can hear the "plop plop" of frightened frogs or toads escaping the tall two legged monster.

I was shocked to see Toad love again in early April of this year when Red showed herself one very late evening. She and a friend decided that underneath the bright light near the end doors would be the perfect place and did not mind my intrusions. For over a year now she has taken residence in and around barn and wintered between the hay stacks and outside wall. One warm January day she ventured out but was very slow to move around and react so I found a dead bug for her to munch on, put them both bug back in her winter resting place and tucked her in with lots of hay. I know, I know....some would think I am crazy, but my name is not Kritter Keeper for nothing! :-)

The rain held steady as I walked down to the barn to feed. A large toad waited and watched near the garden wall close to the steps while another was in the middle of the driveway...huh? Didn't we just drive up only seconds ago? I bent over to be sure it wasn't injured and this is what I saw.

My heart sank, my mind exploded with questions as I studied this poor mother toad watching her dead baby that only minutes ago was learning how to wait for a tasty bug. The bad husband ran over the baby of course unbeknownst to him but it still left me with a deep sadness. I have never seen this before. The mother refused to move and I reached out to pet her and she did nothing. Toads always move a little if you pet them, an eye might move, the body will adjust to the strange feeling, etc. Nothing...she did nothing. I quickly left hoping she would be okay after I returned from the night feeding. She was still there after 20 minutes or so. I touched the baby to see if it was still living but how could it, with the entrails completely displayed? The little tiny hand beside its mother's was so heart wrenching! I picked them up and put them both in the wet grass out of harm's way. She didn't need to deal with curious dogs and probably wouldn't move out of the way had a large paw accidentally find her brown body.

A toad may be small and insignificant to some but on Earth Day and every day for me, all creatures great and small are equally important. I found this poem and thought it would be an excellent read to celebrate Earth Day.

Song of All Mother...

I am the Mother Earth and you are a child to me.

Discover who you are and seek divinity

Rocks and stones, clay and peat - all strats are a part of me.

Jewels and crystals, gems and gold are hidden in the heart of me.

Herbs and flowers, trees and shrubs, these are growing green on me.

Mosses, fungi, lichens, vines, all of these are seen on me.

Horses, cattle, pigs and deer, bears and lions roam on me.

Snakes and spiders, rats and slugs, all creatures have their home on me.

Bubbling brooks and silent springs, living rivers flow on me.

Pools and puddles, lakes and seas, salty oceans grow on me.

Tiny tiddlers, mighty whales, sacred salmon leap for me.

Sharks and squid and crabs and krill fill the waters deep for me.

Wrens and larks and crows and terns fill my skies with darting flight.

Hawks and eagles, bats and owls catch their prey by day and night.

Creeping worms and flying fox, teeming ants fulfill theirs lives,

In tune with me, in Nature's Way, as honey bees enrich my hives.

Only humans rob their kin, despoil the land, pollute the seas,

Kill for fun, destroy the woods, float poisoned vapors on the breeze.

I shall live for I can heal, even if you humans die,

But you can learn, as children should, to grow in peace

Beneath the sky....

Marion Green

Meet Buttercup!

2011-04-17T17:04:00.001-04:00

A big warm thank you with a virtual hug for all of you who took the time to guess my cute little mystery and for all of my new blog buddies. Kudos to you Lisa for trying so hard and giving it your all, but my first commenter who offered a guess had the closest answer therefore she will be sent the $25 gift certificate from White Flower Farm. Congrats MAURA from Lilac Lane Cottage! My heart sank when I read your comment only because you almost got it right away and I thought my clues were too simple....but, they proved extremely elusive and nobody else came close though Woodswoman was on the right track just as I knew she would be!...Here's hoping my dear bloggy buddies exercised patience and didn't scroll all the way down to see Buttercup (I would have zoomed down as fast as possible! lol)....

This is her prissy part, such cute little designs!

Her seat is bumpy and very pretty...I know, I know...that was a hard clue!

She requires 40-65 psi of AIR!! I put 65 in my truck tires!

She has three speeds which makes navigating those hills easier...and she is made of steel, so rain is a no-no!

Ta Daaaaa! Isn't she adorable?

I was lucky to find this darling little photo that had one of Buttercup's 'relatives' in it...didn't you wonder why that photo was chosen? Everyone assumed it was an animal. Kritter Keeper delighted in throwing you off by comparing Buttercup to animals, like Bridget's coloring and Blue's gaits....tee hee! :)

She is very fun to ride and I want to take her everywhere, but WV is a bit hilly. She will be so much fun at horse shows if I can get her in the back of the truck without scratching her....hmmm.

Nugget, you like her don't you?

Little Limp, don't be frightened! You are braver than your elders I must admit. All of the Long Tails disappeared into the woods.

Here I come Mr. and Mrs. Geese! Will you be scared of Buttercup?

Good geese! What brave fowl you are!

Look Jessie and Blue, look what Mama has! Jessie briefly left her beloved grass but Blue wanted to check Buttercup out after a few minutes of staring at her.

Blue, don't you dare kick her! It was very windy! He snorted and trotted off getting a little too close for comfort so off we went back down the lane.

When I went to name her at the bike shop I had no clue people named these bikes, as I love to name things and always have...an earlier customer named her bike 'Annabelle' which I thought was sooo cute! But I wanted something original and we all began throwing out names. The man waiting on me came up with Buttercup and I knew right away that was it. Look how pretty she looks in front of "The Old House"! Hmmmm, I think "The Old House' would look awfully good with a cute picket fence...what do you think? Time to get away from this computer and ride BUTTERCUP! Thank you again, and thank you to all of my new bloggy buddies who joined Farm Tails!

Free for You from Farm Tails!

2011-04-14T22:36:00.008-04:00

WHO IS BUTTERCUP? SOLVE THE MYSTERY TO WIN!

Last week while in Florida, I saw one of Buttercup's sisters and fell instantly in love. Oh my heavens, I had to have her but she belonged to someone else who loved her very much. Besides, we flew down, so it was impossible to bring her back to the farm. I asked the two ladies who were chatting nearby about her owner and they had no clue whom she belonged to but did know where I could find one of her sisters which really surprised me`. I left the parking lot while she just stood there tied to a post. I had to find her other family members and did later on in the day.. They are truly all beautiful, but her coloring was sheer perfection. I only wanted her twin.

Kritter Keeper loves mysteries so here is one for you to unravel if you want to win this $25 GIFT CERTIFICATE from WHITE FLOWER FARM. ...Most of my readers love flowers and vegetables, so I thought you all would enjoy this gift...especially since you can customize it yourself and get what you want. My hints are described below as are the details of how to win this freebie! Yay! Have fun!

Buttercup can be fast like Blue but only if you tell her as she is very obedient. She is like Bridget who is a calico and she has several colors. If you run your hand over one part of her, you will feel some bumps. They are pretty to look at too. You can dress part of her with something floral and nice. She doesn't mind being prissy! After a lot of research, I finally found Buttercup for sale in Lexington, Kentucky of all places. She was the only one left with her coloring. I was so happy and felt very lucky!

She is three gaited, like Blue, with a walk, trot and a canter though I wouldn't describe her way of going like that at all. Nugget being such a good boy just laid down beside her and smiled. Limp (little button buck) circled her and looked a little apprehensive but the two geese didn't seem afraid at all. I was told to monitor her air capacity each week which was news for me. She is quite the hog, and needs more than most. Oh, and they also told me she really should not be outside when it is raining. Can you guess yet?

White Flower Farm

The first reader who solves this cute little mystery will receive a gift certificate from the well known White Flower Farm. The following are the rules....

1. This freebie is for identified followers only that link back to their blog.

2. To be eligible, a comment with your guess must be submitted however, if you think you erred, then feel free to leave another guess before Sunday at 5 pm.

3. If you are a new follower, i would love for you to identify your follower name in your comment Kritter Keeper likes to meet all of her followers and most likely will follow you back.

4. The answer will be posted after 5 pm on Sunday with a photo along with the name of the winner and a link to their blog.

5. There will be only one winner.

6. All comments regarding a guess will be hidden until Sunday at 5 pm then published in order they were received.

7. The winner must check back on Sunday and then provide Farm Tails thru an email his/her mailing address. If no address is given within 24 hours, the second person who correctly commented will be awarded the gift certificate.

Kritter Keeper will blog about Buttercup Sunday evening so everyone can see how cute she is. Thanks for playing this new little game with me...I thought it would be fun to celebrate our warmer weather with this fun freebie. Happy Spring!

(LINKING TO FARM GIRL FRIDAY AND FARM FRIEND FRIDAY #3)

Dirty and Dusty

2011-03-31T20:26:00.000-04:00

Just a quick post to join Verde Farm on Farm Friend Friday and Farm Girl Friday. I thought I would share these pics as Blue decided to roll and show off while I had the camera several days ago. Look at his mane flying all over the place. I cannot believe the warm weather disappeared so quickly and tiny spits of snow blew across the farm this afternoon.

My boy Blue was relaxed that evening, enjoying the evening's sun bath with Jessie close at hand never looking the least bit interested and eating her grass like it was going to disappear! Oh Spring, please come soon and bring your warm weather so that sun baths and dirt baths can be had once again!

Furry Farm Faces

2011-03-29T17:44:00.000-04:00

Life has kept me busy these days with little time for blogging. Winter's quiet solitude has long passed. The snow is gone, and the daffodils are blooming though the temps have remained cold this week. Time's promise of warmer days to come brings about more 'things to do' in order to prep for the upcoming season. However, no matter how busy I seem to be, each evening offers gifts beyond compare..gifts of beautiful faces and expressive eyes.

I so look forward in receiving these precious presents from my beloved animals, both domestic and wild who consciously make the decision to spend a few minutes with me each day or evening. I am magically transformed during these shared moments. Nothing invades my thoughts as I walk among the deer. I notice their coats, their personalities, who's dominating, who's shy and skittish, and how could I miss who decides to pierce the quiet with a loud snort.

Cocoa, you are so photogenic!

Nutmeg, you are quickly learning how to rule the roost!

Baby Autumn, may you always stay small and may you be extremely smart so your safety will be guaranteed.

The pups and kitties are delighted to follow their mama though the doggies know they can only go so far and patiently watch the whole process. The ponies do not want to leave the paddock now that tasty blades of green are in abundance and reluctantly let me lead them to the barn. Of course there are several images missing and this post does not include all of my beautiful babies but I hope you enjoy the few that I managed to capture. Oh how I love this farm and all of our adorable furry faces!

Nugget, I know you don't like this snappy camera thing!

Cricket, you look so innocent, though Mama knows better!

Little Sylvester and his determined little mouth! He is the sweetest thing but last on the cat's totem pole...

Oh my shining star dear Jessie, words cannot describe how much I love you!

Big bad Blue, you are a fine horse, and always keeping me on my toes!

Little Bear, please stay away from the possums!

My first two babies share a very strong bond especially after Jack died several years ago.

Bluegrass Antiques and Garden Show

2011-03-17T08:39:00.001-04:00

The good husband had a speaking engagement at Eastern Kentucky University at the Appalachian Studies Conference on Friday. Much fun was had, new people were met, good food was consumed and a chance to overnight away from the farm was refreshing. However, I really enjoyed the following morning...I opened the paper and discovered in the lifestyle section several listings that 'Kritter Keeper' would love to attend. There was a farm machinery auction, an heirloom seed saving gathering and an antique/garden show. I soooo do not fit in the area where we live as none of those fun events would be listed in our paper....Lexington is me to a T! The good husband even mentioned the very same thing. I would have happily attended each function and had a splendid day but we had to get back to the farm and only one could be chosen.

After overcoming some negative feedback while my feet were firmly planted he reluctantly joined me in attending the Bluegrass Historical Society's Spring fundraiser, The Antiques and Garden Show. What is better than being surrounded by beautiful flowers and antiques? Well, add a few animals and it would have been heaven!

Pretty peacock is painted velvet from the 1800's.

The attendant was not friendly and was sure to tell me that the $2900 price tag was an excellent deal and someone already gave a verbal commitment. Hmmf! But, lady, it wasn't working and you didn't know how to wind it up!!!

Held in the Old Barn at Keeneland, I was surprised that it wasn't larger but there were plenty of vendors. Representation from Philly, NY, the Carolina's, Tennessee and of course Kentucky the antique dealers came with excellent pieces paired with excellent prices....dah, we are in a recession! No, I do not think $4,000 for that small painting is a good deal nor is $450 for a nonoriginal botanical print. Sigh...but it was fun to browse and this was not about obtaining good deals!

I did find an affordable display and didn't go too crazy though I wanted too. Kitty lamp, you were mine the moment I laid my eyes on you! My photo doesn't do it justice, but there is a baby kitten reading along with its parent. More lamp lust....oohhh, beautiful hand painted shade, why must you be priced at $650? We are not in NYC! Come on! Suffice to say, that goodie stayed with its vendor.

Oh look at that pony! If only I had my truck...and yes, the pressure was on as I was told only two arrived at the nursery. Of course! My hands were tied. But I did get a gorgeous garden book written by a local designer and signed. Yay! I was a bit disappointed though. The photos were good but not spectacular. Too much light. I read the attributes...a noted food photographer did the pics...hmmmm, poor choice in my opinion, but I can get some good ideas and I loved the visual access to hidden farms in the area.

Oh pretty bags, how I wanted you but $225 doesn't cut it and where was your attendant?

It was a wonderful day and a half. It was a much needed break and our babies missed us tremendously greeting us with lots of barking, jumping, purring and meowing. The ponies were happy, happy that their personal slave would finally clean their stalls as they are not used to a dirty stall. And there was one very very happy little soul...who snuck in an open door (that was closed mind you but the housesitter must have entered and didn't shut it tight), and settled herself in a forbidden area, a verrrry forbidden place where Mama's expensive wreaths are gently laid on a spare bed. PRINCESS!!!!!

(joining farm friend friday at verde farm, so looking forward in visiting all of the farm blogs! yipee!)

Bee School for Beginners

2011-03-05T20:03:00.000-05:00

Kritter Keeper attended a bee school last weekend.... and I absolutely loved it! It was held on a Saturday and thankfully a friend invited me otherwise I would not have known about it. I dreaded getting up that early but this was important as I barely saw a honey bee last year due to colony collapse syndrome and the travel time was worth it. I am a big believer in educating myself before I work with something so foreign....and should I decide to keep bees, then hopefully I will lessen the chance of loosing a hive. Kritter Keeper can barely kill a fly in case you didn't know... Rolling even a single bee or loosing a hive due to my ignorance would make me feel awful though I know it could happen!

There were four classes for beginners. Swarm class, Beginner info, Equipment and start up costs, and lastly a well known local bee man offered excellent advice as to how he achieves his success. I took pages of notes but will not bore you with all of the details. I loved the fact that they had vendors which is the perfect way to learn and expose yourself to all of the equipment, network with the some of the best in the area and find some goodies. My favorite vendors were Queen Bee and Reid Apiary. Queen Bee is very much like me, loves the vintage look, designs tasteful t-shirts and all sorts of cool things. Her website will be up in April so be sure to google her if you like bees. I purchased the most beautiful notecards! Reid Apiary builds hives with pretty copper roofs that arch allowing the hives to have a homey appearance.

The following day I called our county bee keeper's President and chatted with him for almost an hour. Thinking that I should get bees soon as this is the time of year to get them for honey in late July, he cautioned me to wait. I loved his advice and his sound ideas were smart. Attend the meetings, watch and learn as others do it throughout summer and by fall I should be ready. We were in agreement with several issues and that made me feel confident that I am on the right path. There is one thing all of the bee keepers say is that there are a lot of differing opinons on how to tend to your bees. It isn't math with only one answer, there are a variety of ways to do things, but I liked what he said because I wanted no package bees from Georgia or Florida ....I hope to get some good ole' local bees that are accustomed to our conditions, carry no larvae beetle, etc. Funny, nobody in the school mentioned larvae beetle as this destructive pest is becoming more prevalent from southern bees, but the topic of Varroa mites was very popular...See? It pays to talk to your local experts.

So if you are thinking of bees, do not buzz right in...some of the advice I heard from class was to purchase two hives as one might die throughout the winter, do not buy used bee hives but you can buy used bee suits and veils, etc. Keep your hives off the ground about 18-21 inches or the skunks will get them. Hives should receive morning sun but not hot afternoon sun. Feed your bees sugar water or special bee syrup (never store bought syrup) beginning in late fall throughout winter, network with the experts in your area, join your county association and the most imporant advice is to always wear light colored protection and duck tape areas where they can slip in...bees love hair! Oh, and most keepers wear rubber gloves. The bees do not like rubber and do not care what color the gloves are....pink for me! And finally.....eat raw honey mixed with cinnamon! It is very beneficial to human health even for those with diabetes as long as care is given to the amount consumed. I am linking with Farm Friend Friday even though today is Saturday. The blog hop is for the entire weekend and I look forward in reading like minded farm blogs. Enhoy the rest of your weekend!

Winter Wonders in my Woods

2011-02-18T22:36:00.000-05:00

I was so excited when the snow melted that I took a nice walk a couple of weeks ago. Most think that during winter, everything is barren and colorless. Not so...come walk with me and you will soon see.

This old dead tree was proudly dispaying some frozen sap I guess. I have never seen anything like this before.

Can you see my first Robin? There were about 50 flitting about and chirping that day.

Look at the spectacular shades of green, celadon and seafoam on this huge rock.

My beautiful Toohey did not fly off this time. Wish I had my long lens...ahem...a certain reader of this blog will know what happened to it...

How am I supposed to find antlers in these woods? This stupid vine is all over the place!

What? It is too warm for snow...what is this???

Straange! I am sure there is a name for this growth but I am clueless, It is pretty though!

Busy beavers down by the river. Beavers, why do I never catch a glimpse of you? Or hear you for that matter?

There are plenty of acorns left, maybe that is why my turkeys have not returned.

Isn't that beauiful? What a pretty perch for a squirrel!

Oooh, the scary rock cliffs. If you read my previous post then this is where I was referring when I said I can be 'invisble.

Click to read the scary story one of my first blog posts.

Tree porcupines! Kritter Keeper likes to rename things...

Ah, a beautiful birdy lost its life but I am befuddled...I have no large yellowish birds...maybe an interior feather of a Dove?

Ok, hope you had a nice walk and burned lots of calories! Now hop on over to Farm Friend Friday and follow some new friends to make their day!

The Watch Crow

2011-02-13T21:55:00.000-05:00

"I was bow hunting in my camos near home when I came across something I had never seen before. A clump of thick bushes about eight feet in diameter was growing in the woods that were fairly open. I noticed a tunnel through the center and in the middle of the clump, the ground was bare and smooth with a nice big deer print in it. Aha! A buck bed! I crawled in to wait for the hapless deer. In the meantime, up on the hill, a flock of crows were noisily ganging up on some predator as they like to do. The noise came closer and then ceased. I could see the crows flying by so I gave a suckling noise on my hand that sounds something like a rabbit being killed. The crows were still high from their previous activity and immediately stopped to investigate. One remained on the tree top as a lookout while the others flew lower, from branch to branch. They craned their necks back and forth just like humans, bobbing their heads trying to see what was killing the rabbit. This was very humorous and I could barely keep from laughing out loud. Just then, a wood hawk flew by and smacked the watch crow from his perch causing the crow to fall about three feet. The crow finally recovered with a squawk, then he and his brothers silently flew away."
...written by my Dad ~

I jogged today. Today was good, the weather was warm, the sun was out. I wanted to ride Blue but he was too wired so after a quick lunge, I turned the ponies out to roll in the mud and graze. I jogged 2 miles, no stopping with another mile at just a walk. No smooth treadmill either, I jogged down our lane. It was difficult going up the last hill but there was no stopping. It was tough but it felt good. It had to feel good because three years ago today, February 13th of 2008 was the worse day of my life. I had to make something good of this day. For now on a good thing will happen on this day. I spotted the usual 'watch crow' this morning in our backyard and just smiled to myself. I think of him now when I see crows, especially a 'watch crow'. I say a little prayer and tell him I love him...I know he is with me in spirit, the 'clues' are always there.

Dad with me after my bath

Dad with Jeff my cousin in Vermont

Today I received one of those clues only I didn't know it at the time. During my walk I saw a huge hawk silently fly away from the lane as I approached his feeding territory. I knew Dad would have loved to see the mighty wing span from a worm's eye view and I was thrilled to have spotted him. I don't often get to see that hawk unless I'm within the confines of our car. I knew I wanted to share his crow story but wasn't sure I could find it and it just hit me about the hawk. (sorry, no pun intended) I hadn't read the story for a long time and just remembered something about a 'watch crow'.

Vermont Christmas and smoking....

So here's to you my dear sweet Father. Your last child will always carry with her your deep love for the great outdoors, the animals, the trees, the wildflowers and the birds. I walk my woods just as you walked your hunting grounds. I am quick with the eye just as you taught me to be keen and observant. I can be very quiet and almost invisible just as you were with those crows. If only you loved your strong capable body as I do mine. Unlike you, I will never smoke. I will exercise for the remainder of my years and preserve my heart to my best ability. Damn those cigarettes Dad, you had the genes to live to a hundred. I miss you tremendously. No one else in our family loved my wildlife stories as you did. No one else shared in the delight of finding a tiny hidden wildflower. No one else understood the sheer joy of being surrounded by nature's beauty and the magical feeling from listening to stillness of the woods. The wall divides us now. The silent wall where we on earth cannot see, cannot hear, cannot use our senses to penetrate this unknown world. Only faith can bring us together until it is my time. So keep on giving me clues, keep on reminding me that you are with me in spirit. And keep on sending me the 'watch crow' who loves to perch on top of the tallest tree in our backyard.

Summer evening at the table with my kitty doll that great Grammy made.

"Gone For Good" Farm Friend Friday

2011-02-11T12:29:00.000-05:00

I walked the woods, hoping to find him. I faithfully fed each evening, hoping to see him. I purposedly hayed the horses late at night in case he needed total darkness to shield him. (they wait for me if they want a late night snack) His familiar form hidden in the shadows was not to be seen. I searched the edges of the cornfield where he bedded each evening, hoping to surprise him. I looked. I listened. I would call his name and they all just stared at me. I asked his new little companion buck who used to follow him, "where's Bossy Boy"? He just looked at me and trotted off. They know their names, they knew his name, they knew I was worried but the dividing line between human and wild animal does not permit question and answer as we know it.

I haven't heard coyote howls for quite awhile now. My dogs will be the first to join in. During their lengthy "lets pretend we are wolves" howling session I would run outside no matter what time of day or night to see if it was coyotes. Only the usual culprit could barely be heard, a distant shrill of a siren across the way.

Oh little Autumn, will you stay on the farm or leave me next year?

Hope is a very interesting little gift we have. Perhaps mine hid the obvious but this time of year is a strange one and I couldn't be sure. The deer didn't feed daily this time last year. Beauty Boy returned much too late compared to the previous years when the bucks would return. He would come and go. Bossy Boy didn't choose to feed daily either but he never stayed away more than three days. I prayed for something more obvious and I think I got it...

Brownie's brood rules and gets 'first choice'.

Two days ago a bitter cold front came to our area bringing spitting snow but nothing unusual. It was a strange day. The sun would shine brightly then the clouds came, then the sun came back out and by evening, the cold settled in and icy flakes feathered down bringing with them 38 hungry deer. I have never had that many visit the corn yard. It was joyful and peaceful and the rhythmic sounds of the crunching of corn was music to my ears. Everyone was there but Bossy Boy. If there was ever a time to come and feed, that day would be it. For some reason the various herds decided they wanted corn.

The Long Tails herd is very skittish and run at the slightest sound.

I hear deer go away to die. I have read that they seek dense woods which I don't really have. The remains do not last long with the predators needing a meal. Did he cross the creek into the dangerous killing lands? Did he limp across the highway late at night and disappear into thicker woods? He couldn't have jumped our perimater fencing so those two options were the only ones he had...unless he found a little thicket on the farm to seek his final moments. My Bossy Boy is gone and yes, gone for good. I guess...

Be sure to join Farm Friend Friday hosted by Verde Farm. Take the weekend to browse the farm blogs, follow your favorites and make new friends!

Farm Friend Friday - My Farm Family

2011-02-03T23:50:00.001-05:00

Now that we are living on our farm, I can always depend upon clearing my mind while caring for the horses and being outside. Cleaning two stalls is a snap, tidying up the barn, washing water buckets, feeding and caring for the horses, barn cats and deer are treasured tasks that I love completing. All are easy for me to do and I enjoy doing them. But my farm work is not hard, my life doesn't depend upon the outcome of my labors. And my mind, well, I find my thoughts wander back in the day....to the days where real farm work was done. To the times where your body ached from non stop activity that lasted easily into 10-16 hour long days no matter if you were a man or a woman.

Fred Neal walking in Elijah's hay field. Fred would summer at Elijah's farm and that is how my Grampy and Grammy met....they knew eachother since they were babies.

Young Floyd Fuller tending to his cows in Warren, VT

I am blessed to share the blood of real farmers. Vermont farmers to be specific. Dairy cows, draft horses, driving horses, chickens, etc. Those were the days when horses were the machines. Big beautiful powerful cold blooded horses. My grandfathers (maternal and great) were excellent horse trainers though Elijah was the special one, the human who's gifts exceeded the norm.

The Elijah and Harriet Fuller family

What a sense of humor!

I love to gaze at their photos. I love to wonder about all of their accomplishments. Oh, how I wish I could talk with all of them. Hattie, how many pies did you have to make each day when hay harvest time came and you had to single handily feed your husband, your four boys plus the working men for noon dinner? Elijah, how did you learn about medicinal plants, and cures for the horses and cows. How did you get to be sought out by your community when the local vet was unsuccessful? And that horse's leg that was broken, where in the world did you get the idea to hoist him in a sling to keep weight off his healing bone? It didn't matter how hard my great grandparents worked on their farm, they found time for others. They both were sought out in the community for helping the sick horses (Elijah) and sick humans (Hattie). Hattie would have been considered a nurse in today's world. Off she would go in her horse and buggy down the long winding Fuller hill and into the town of Warren to help those in need.

Hattie wrote on the back of this pic that 'she looked mean but the sun was shining so brightly'.

My great Aunt Anna, Gena Davis Neal's sister. Anna loved her chicken babies and her french bull dogs.

Thankfully my grandfather was still alive as I reached adulthood and his descriptions of life as a farm boy have been recorded by the Vermont Cultural Center. One such story I do remember were the dances he so loved to attend. He was a talented fiddle player and was part of the instrumental group providing the music which allowed him a tiny bit of spending money. One evening he played until the dances ended at 3:30 in the wee hours! He never made it to bed and went directly to the barn to begin the long process of hand milking since he had a change of clothes. I think I remember him saying he didn't dare go into the house for fear of waking his parents and catching hell. He always laughed and said he would never pull that trick again!

Baby Floyd Fuller who played the violin all his life with brother Claron who didn't play...funny.

Grammy and Grampy Fuller

My sister and I love to reminisce of our childhood days spent visiting our grandparents while vacationing in Randolph, Vermont. Grammy always had beautiful flower and vegetable gardens. She baked donuts for us in the mornings and delicious hot meals at noon. We thought it was very strange to eat dinner during the day and lunch in the evenings. I remember her working on her braided rugs. Thankfully I have a couple and a part of her lives with me in our home. She was so talented at decorating for Christmas and to this day we wonder where all those lovely treasures have disappeared to...sigh...those were the days!

Elijah Fuller family with Fred Neal family. Young Floyd Fuller and young Gertrude Neal sitting down. Wonder what they would have thought at that time had someone told them they would be marry as adults?

Neal family during harvest time.

These are my some of my favorite images. I see pride in their eyes, strength in their bodies, and a love and zest for their lives. I am very proud to be a part of my farm family and thinking of them and how hard they worked is a wonderful way to clear my mind and set things straight. Not that things are so crooked and clogged up there, but you know what I mean! ;~)

Grammy with Lady in 1951. Grampie had just purchased the mare from the Hewitts.

Now its time to blog hop and join Farm Friend Friday, click on the button and find some new friends!

My Deerest Departed

2011-01-22T23:19:00.002-05:00

This is the time of year when the truth becomes known. Who survived the killing season? I am most sad to say that my big boys are all gone but one. I no longer have the privilege of seeing their beautiful faces or watching their unique interactions with members of the herd. No longer will I be able to call out their names, talk to them or just stand quietly and watch them eat. Only one returned and a young yearling never left. The other seven (plus) are simply gone. The snow stayed on the ground most of December contributing to the difficulty of finding adequate goodies to ingest. They probably had to travel greater distances. Although we have over 60 acres, it isn't enough. I hear they travel miles to establish new territories or spread their seed so to speak. Bossy's Boy and a yearling from the 'Long Tails' herd were lucky enough to escape from harm.

Bossy's Boy suffered an arrow wound in his right shoulder from the 2009 killing season.

Bossy's Boy will be 4 years old this June. So far he has survived many killing seasons however his luck changed when he got hit by a car near Christmas. His left hind quarters are severally injured. He was improving steadily until he fell on his right knee so now the limping continues and a large hematoma can be seen. My poor thing showed himself at feed time on Christmas Day. I blogged about it in The Good, The Bad, The Holiday Season.

Bandit with his dark eyes is on the left and proud Bossy's Boy is on the right.

Tanner who's tail has no black in it whatsoever, joined the farm in 2009. He was two and a half years old in this November photo.

Last year most of the older ones returned...Bandit, Tanner, Ringo and Twin. The other Twin did not and Twin decided not to stay. The little yearlings never returned either which broke my heart. Bossy's Boy will be four years old in June. Two years ago, he left the farm and came back with a new buck, Bandit. They have been best of friends since despite Bandit being the dominant male. Tanner arrived last year and was two and a half years old. Ringo, the same age, was born on the farm however, I do not know from whom. And, my dear little Buttons has either been killed or he is far away in a new territory. His rack was so mature for being only a year and a few months. He was Peanut's twin and so very beautiful. Beauty's Boy who is so light in color left with Buttons and Bossy's yearling twins, Red and Big Boy have not returned either.

Brownie's yearling, Buttons who is Peanut's twin was my favorite little buck.

Beauty's Boy is so handsome in his 'fawn' colored coat!

Bossy's yearling twins, Red and Big Boy enjoy a grooming session since Bossy no longer loves on them!

Beauty's Boy and Red were good friends this summer.

Look how mature Big Boy grew to be at only about 17 months. Bossy always turns out big bucks and is the first to go into estrus.

Speaking of big bucks, Cappy is huge compared to his cousins. Cappy is the tall button buck on the left.

Probably one of the last times I saw Cappy. Either he left or he got hit by a car as I saw a young deer on the side of the road in December.

Bandit's Boy is an exact image of his daddy. Look at his defiant expression!

I have several little button bucks that were born this spring. The dominant one is Bandit's Boy born to Cocoa who was born to my special Brownie July 2008. Cocoa keeps a close watch on him and the two are rarely apart. He is now learning to herd other deer including his mother who is probably telling him not to do that to her in this photo since he just finished nudging her butt. So very cute!

This sweet little face continues to make me smile and I can only hope he lives a long healthy life. All of the deer are beautiful and I pray they each survive. I will miss my boys dearly but at least I have these images and my memories will live forever.

A Rock Crush

2011-01-14T14:07:00.005-05:00

Big Rocky is definately in love! He was smitten with the youngest of our family since she arrived in my arms as a kitten. You can read about that dismal day by clicking the the highlighted area. He didn't mind that she had scrapes on her little body. He didn't mind that she was a tiny terror, and he loved her musical little chirps and high pitched squeaks right from the start.

What about LaQuinta? She is beautiful and black and the athlete of the family. She is very graceful and can jump extremely high. Sorry! I think he remembered how she pushed him down the steps when he was a kitten. Rocky doesn't mind sharing our bed with LaQuinta so forgiveness must have played a part.

Princess is spectacular! She is a Norwegian Forest cat. Who couldn't fall in love with that sweet little thing? She is the fastest cat in the family and becomes a blur when she runs through the house. She is very affectionate too! Those are good qualities...No way! Princess and Rocky do not get along and she growls when he passes by. I used to have to separate them. See? Blue blood beauties do not always win the man!

Rocky has fallen in love with our sweet little baby Bridget. But she looks very different now and he is the perfect lover; he doesn't mind weight gain! Good boy, Rock!

Rocky displays his affection by tackling her in the kitchen while they await for some canned goodies. Bridget squeals like a damsel in distress but deep down she adores his love bites and never runs away. Sigh...I remember the days when I was tackled! ;-)

Ok, I guess it doesn't hurt that badly!

Get off of me you big lug!

Rocky, no more tackling!

Well, maybe I changed my mind....

Love you too Rocky! Now, Mama, feed us!

Snow Shock!

2011-01-09T21:13:00.000-05:00

On the way to afternoon feeding, I was stunned when I almost missed this poor little thing sitting like a statue in front of the Old House. He didn't move a wing when I approached. Despite being a bit dirty, this red beauty banged into the one of the parlor windows. Nugget was a good boy and did nothing after I firmly warned him to stay away. I gently attempted to lift the cardinal from the ground and he flew only a few feet in the air and landed in the paddock. He was like a broken miniature airplane with tail drag.

Wondering if he broke a small bone or received internal injury, I briskly walked back to the porch and got some black oil sunflower seed to lure him to ingest some good protein! Don't all males like to eat? I backed off to watch and wait. Nothing.

All of his kind were happily eating at the feeder so I thought I might carry him there in case he had mated for life so she could see what had happened. Not sure if cardinals mate that way but I think swans and geese do, so what the heck. Being around his friends would certainly help! He wouldn't feel alone and the dense green hawthorn bushes offer good protection from the elements for him to rest and recover.

Alas, I think the seed told him I was trustworthy, and he permitted the buttery soft leather fingers to gently surround his tender little body. Oh no, I can't jump over the fence with no hands so I had to take the long way around. Would he be a patient little soul? My little bird flew into the branches of the hawthorn bush and I couldn't find him despite peering all around and wouldn't you know, a delivery man arrived watching the crazy farm lady with her head deep within the branches. Too funny!

When it snows or goes below 32 degrees, I keep the barn cats in so the birds can safely eat and the kitties don't get frost bitten noses or paw pads. Thank goodness it was snowing that day or one of the following might have had a meal!

Callie is a very good hunter and passed her skills to her big bad son, Cricket.

Although Daddy Cat is quite abundant in girth, he is a very fine hunter!

Little shy Sylvester is not as innocent out in the barn yard!

But this is the thing that is most ferocious...even his toes and claws are over sized not to mention his fangs. I am not kidding!

Could that be my little bird chatting with some girls?

The Good, The Bad, The Holiday Season

2010-12-31T20:28:00.001-05:00

I hope you experienced a wonderful time with your family and friends over the holiday! We had a very, very nice Christmas together but tragedy knows no seasons. It doesn't know that nothing sad should happen in December. Don't worry, nobody passed, no funerals were attended and nobody got sick and a lot of wonderful moments were had, but the stain of sadness was experienced during my month of December.

I could tell I felt better about the season this time; you see it will be almost three years since Dad passed in February of 2008 and Christmas at our farm was the last time I saw him. No matter how hard I had tried, I wasn't the same but this year felt better for some reason. Snow stayed on the ground early this year, the weather was cold and it was so much fun decorating the house and finding really good gifts for my family and friends!

Now that we live on a farm I am no longer thrilled when the holiday season arrives. Don't get me wrong, I love Thanksgiving, I love Christmas and I love being with my family, but I do not love when the killing season begins and for us it starts the week of Thanksgiving and goes on and on for several weeks. In fact, I just heard shots today across the river and up the hill and sadly shook my head. I prayed very hard that my bucks would escape injury and death and come back home to me.

Little Autumn Boy, will be safe from harm?

I had lunch with a horsey friend December 23rd. I was so excited to give them their gifts. One was a signed copy of 'Secretariat'! My friend and her mom are fabulous and I have known them for years. Jessie and my friend's gelding, Cyrano, were in love back in the day when we all used to board together. When we changed barns, I requested Jessie to be stalled beside Cyrano so they could peak at each other through the spaces between the boards. Cyrano and Jessie would travel together those days when we trained in Lexington even though we were not at the same riding level. Cyrano had a majestic look to him. He was very elegant and regal. I believe his whithers stood 17 hands tall. He and my friend were a perfect match and competed all the way up the levels to Bromont International ***CCI. Every time I saw her or we spoke on the phone, I asked about him. Cyrano mysteriously broke his hind leg later that day. It was dangling and my friend who works for an equine vet knew it was the end and fed him as much grain as he wanted. Thankfully Cyrano didn't seem to be in pain and ate as though nothing was wrong. Thankfully the vet got there within 45 minutes and laid him to rest. Rest in peace dear Cyrano, although you were not mine, I still loved you and my tears flow for you as I type...

Cyrano was the tall dark bay on the right

Speaking of friends the day before Christmas the good husband calls and asks who decorated the gate. What in the world was he talking about? I asked my family members and thought one of the younger ones was fibbing when she told me no...nobody decorates our gate. I certainly didn't decorate our gate! I grabbed my camera and told the good husband to hold tight so I can see first hand. Oh my...was I in for a sweet surprise! I saw little cans of cat food dancing across the entire lane attached with twine, two red stockings at the latch with bundles of carrots at each gate end and so many fuzzy red and green mini stockings with each of our baby's name written on the fur. How cute is that? Little tears drizzled down my cheeks as I read the note from a young friend who also rides and has farm sat for us. How considerate, how thoughtful and how original! I was so happy and so pleased that she even thought that much of me to give my babies these gifts! Thank you dear M! That was my favorite gift!

Christmas morning was perfect. While everyone was in the bed, I began prepping for the delicious dinner. The old traditional southern cornbread and pecan stuffing was made, the 18-pound turkey was cleaned and rubbed with special spices and gently put in the oven. Stockings and gifts were opened and everyone was happy. Two of my guests came back from a walk a few hours later and I learned something was wrong with one of my deer in the final hour of the cooking. The stuffing was just stirred and turned, the home grown green beans and onions were simmering, sweet potato swirls with their brown sugar topping were slowly cooking and rolls were just popped in the oven with the mashed potatoes warming by their side. I left it all and went outside.

I am uncomfortable showing him injured...this was last November.

My dear Bossy's Boy wobbled precariously side to side with legs that looked ready to break any minute. In shock, I just stood there and watched, trying to determine what was wrong. It was his back or hips. Either his hips were dislocated or a bone was broken somewhere in that area. I think it is the hip but nothing stuck out, the tail wiggles and there are times when a step is made that doesn't look awful but invariably the snow causes a fall. I was heartbroken. What in the world do I do? Dad always said 'do not play God'...but I think Dad would have shot him. I fed him corn, mixed with Blue's grain with some banamine. He ate it. The others left him alone but his mother Bossy was near. I stayed out there a long time just watching. I have come to the conclusion that he was hit by a car. He was home for good the week before and I was elated that he had survived another killing season. Then he was gone for a week and now this....Christmas is supposed to be happy not full of worry and concern.

January 2009 he came home with an arrow stuck in his side. This was taken 9/2010

I fed and cleaned stall as usual two mornings later. The snow still blanketed the farm, the pond was still frozen and on my walk back up the driveway I noticed a large dark looking fox scampering up the hillside and into the thickets. Funny, I haven't seen my foxes for months and for some reason this summer, fall and now winter, I haven't seen my groundhogs, possums nor my raccoons who always would hang around for some leftover kernels. I spotted some trespassers on the tracks and took their photos. This was the second day in a row they walked past the farm which I didn't care for so I trekked up Cardiac Hill to get a bird's eye view and snapped more photos and found out where they lived. In this day and age, one never knows what is on the minds of strangers. But before I saw them go into their house, I saw this....

Oh no, I feared this for a long long time. For the first time since we owned the farm I heard the howling around the hill and at the edge of the farm at midnight sometime in October. I saw one in the fall just above the house while Sammy and I were in the driveway and I yelled at it so Beauty could have more time to escape. The coyote was not in hot pursuit and stopped to look at me and Sam for several seconds and then trotted off. Thankfully Sam did nothing. Unfortunately I haven't seen Beauty for some time now. I called a hunting friend who was supposed to come and seemed eager to hunt the coyote but each morning he came up with an excuse not to show up. Sigh....

With Bossy's Boy in poor condition I am extremely concerned. But so far so good. He doesn't come around each evening but I have seen him two times since Christmas the last time being yesterday. When I thought his walk improved somewhat, he would slide and fall. Now the snow is gone but slippery mud remains. I read on a deer farm forum that broken bones heal and I have seen three deer overcome broken legs and I did read that a fawn broke its hip which healed as well so for now, I will wait and see. I hate that he doesn't come daily so he can receive his banamine. I hate that I didn't see him tonight. I hate that he got injured after escaping from more arrows and bullets.

Happier days, Bandit, Bossy's Boy and little Buttons 9/2010

Wonder if my little Buttons survived leaving the farm?

The last of my guests left yesterday after a week's stay. I miss them but they are home safe. It was good to have my family visit the farm and celebrate Christmas, it is a blessing to have friends and to know you are thought of, it was good that I survived falling down the curved staircase three weeks ago with only bruises (yes that did happen!) it is good that our animals are fine and seem healthy and best of all it is good that my husband is by my side and we are fine. But it is bad that Cyrano is gone, Bossy's Boy can barely walk and the coyotes have decided that my land is their prime food source. It is bad that Daddy is no longer with us and that Mom continues to be severally depressed after three years. But the New Year will soon be here and we have so much to be thankful for. Whether good or bad, I am thankful for life's lessons and thankful that overall we had a wonderful holiday season! Happy New Year and may you experience good health and the love and warmth of family and friends!

The Copper Cow from Kentucky

2010-12-15T08:52:00.000-05:00

Yes! I finally found time to travel to Shelbyville, Kentucky and visit the breathtaking Wakefield Scearce Galleries. It has been literally over a decade since I dragged the good husband down to see this fabulous collection of shops and if I remember correctly most were closed since it was a Sunday.

I had a truck load of fresh timothy piled high so I parked away from all of the clean, nicely polished cars lined perfectly in the crowded parking lot. I didn't care that I was dressed in jeans and a horsey jacket not to mention wearing simple loafers covered with a layer of hay dust. I was so excited to finally be able to visit this gorgeous place once again. All of the ladies both young and old were dressed very well and several were adorned with obedient and enthusiastic husbands in tow. I couldn't help but wonder why my husband doesn't get excited while viewing Christmas ornaments displayed on a wall.

Filled with anticipation to visit The Yule Shop, I had visions of finding unique holiday decorations no where else to be found. Sigh...It was a cute shop and I did find a tree that caught my eye, but nothing stood out. A half of a tree mind you planted in a plastic urn with a price tag of a whole tree planted in an iron urn. I told the lovely ladies at the check out that I would think about it while I paid for my little pony and fox glass ornaments. If I leave a shop and I am not 'haunted' by the recent find while finishing my other shopping, then it isn't going home with me. That is my little rule. We shall see...

I breezed through the silver shop as I wanted to see what areas we missed so many years before. To once again gaze upon the pastoral oil paintings proudly displayed along the second floor balcony that I couldn't afford was simply awe inspiring. Wonder if they went down in price? We are in a recession, one can always be hopeful! Oh the paintings would be so happy if they found a home on our walls. Gentle rolling fields, cool green tree lined lanes, woolly sheep, steers, horses, barn yard scenes, chickens, dogs, just perfect for this farm girl. A rich farm girl that is....darn!!

The interiors of these galleries are simply breathtaking! Three floors of intimate settings were waiting for me to explore! Bedrooms, dining rooms, and even a study, completely furnished and decorated as though you were touring an old historic home. All of these cozy areas are filled with English antiques and accessories. I noticed some rooms offered a themed decor. Oils framed in gold hung on the walls, porcelain lamps softly light the corners, and tasteful floral arrangements could be found everywhere. Orientals, pillows, mirrors, you name it, they all had little white price tags tempting either the serious or the curious. I believe the beautiful window treatments were the only items that would remain within galleries.

I saw so many little things I wanted but nothing grabbed me...until I peeked into a brightly lit but sparse room, so unlike the others, that housed rolled rugs with some just thrown here and there. This seemed to be a storage room, but wait!! What is this? Ah, look how she shines so patiently waiting for me to look at her. Ugh, her price was a bit high for this country girl from West Virginia. But I wanted her!!! So, off I went to find an attendant to ask if a discount could be had.

Oh no...I was advised by a nice attractive lady that I had to speak with the general manager or owner, I wasn't sure if I heard the gentleman's title as I could only think of this thin copper cow. Inwardly chastising myself I thought if only I had dressed better or put on some makeup and or better yet something sweet to cover up the ode d' barn...these silly notions danced around my poor head as I waited for him to magically appear. Oh yes, of course he looks like that, I thought...perfectly coiffed, with I am sure some cashmere or silk woven in his sportscoat. OK here goes...I did it! It wasn't the price I was after but it helped a lot. He did admit she was up there for some time which was very obvious to me. She was so out of place! I promised him that she would be fattened up once she stayed awhile in my kitchen. He probably thought I was crazy! ;-) Thank you Mr. Bennett, it was nice of you to help me out.

On my way out I stopped in the W. Cromwell men's clothing shop and found some perfect gifts for the good husband. I was advised by one of those 'enthusiastic' men I had spotted earlier that the shirt I had chosen was a great choice. He wears them all the time. Hmmm, I wonder if this shirt will turn my man into an obedient and enthusiastic husband who likes Christmas shopping for ornaments? One can only hope!

Equestrian Interiors

2010-11-28T16:50:00.002-05:00

With Thanksgiving at an end, and Christmas coming up, I always go from room to room and make a mental note of what needs completing before company arrives and the holiday decorations go up. I can't help but gaze at some of my favorite finds and remember where and when I found them....my horsey sterling 'mint julep' cup comes from only one place and in that is in western Kentucky....Wakefield Scarce Galleries. I so hope I can find time and go back down to visit this wonderful collection of shops. I want to visit their Christmas Yule Shop! The bedding ensemble was special ordered from a large interior design store near Charleston, WV. I saw it in a catalog, waited for it to go on sale which it never did and I was so thankful I found it again! The special ribbon pillow was a recent find from another shop in Kentucky. Grammie was holding a neighbor's horse on a Sunday in early Summer. I think she looks so beautiful and her classic suit shows off her stylish taste. The oil painting was from a local shop and it reminded me of my Jessie. The painted cast iron toy is from Amish country in western Pennsylvania. Mom, Dad, the good husband and I traveled the area and browsed around in some antique stores. We timed it right and were able to visit an Amish fundraiser where all the monies collected goes into their hospital fund. It was very strange to be a minority in a large group of people. And finally, my precious Jessie is never tiring to look at. Although she is not inside (darn!) I can see her from the 'Old House Parlor'. I love her very very much and feel so fortunate that she has reached 26 years of age. I pray she lives decades more, blessed with perfect health, soundness and happiness!

Seventh Heaven at Octoberfest

2010-11-13T13:26:00.001-05:00

I know, I know, my timing is a bit off but I have been so busy with Heritage Farm's blogging and developing a new website for my husband that I have neglecting poor Farmtails. Blue and I haven't competed for three years. I am not myself and something seems lost when I don't ride on a regular basis and test ourselves in competitions. But, with Daddy's passing in 2008 and with Blue's back issues it just didn't happen. Ah, before I forget, did you notice something peculiar about my photo? I never show my face in blogging but some of the pics were such fun to share so it was quite fitting to wear a few Photoshop masks since the competition was held over Halloween weekend! Don't you love my masks?

Blue was such a good boy during dressage but I was not. I was concentrating on bending him to the right in a corner during one movement that my mind went blank and I forgot the next move. He received extremely good scores prior but that is OK, we ended up on a 39 which is very good for a beginner horse with an error in the test! Most scores in the novice divisions are not lower than the upper twenties and thirties are a good average. Jessie averaged around 32 or 33.

His stadium was so smooth and rhythmic which is how Jessie and I used to ride to the fences. I was a bit concerned that he might be a little 'looky' but he went clean and didn't even rub a rail. We only trotted the jumps to be on the safe side. I want him to learn to be balanced and not strung out so this is the way to go before he canters them. Unfortunately I had to see a fall a few minutes before we went in which is never good for the psyche! Faces were grim but thankfully the rider had no more problems afterwards.

Both stadium and cross country jumping were on Sunday (dressage was on Saturday) and I was a little worried that he might be worn out but oh, no, that was not the case. We had only 40 minutes between the two and I thought he would be nice and calm. NOT! He was wired. Lovely, Blue (extreme sarcasm)...I don't need this right now since I purposely did not give a lot of time for warm up since you already were warm from stadium!~ So, we circled, transitioned, did bending exercises, and I finally got him listening instead of wanting to gallop away like a maniac. There were several other horses cantering around, going over the practice jumps which added to his exuberant behavior. I am really glad he liked it out there and he wasn't being an idiot at all so I was very pleased with big boy Blue!

Again, our trainer advised trotting the fences and cantering in between so that is exactly what we did. Our fences were only two foot but at that level it really isn't the height, it is what the jumps look like, where they are positioned, etc. There were two more falls just in my division alone and there was a slight delay before Blue and I went in the start box which is never a good thing for the rider to hear over the loud speaker....sigh...my prayers for safety streamed up to the heavens!

I am glad I took pics of the course, as one tends to forget them with time. Blue was so good and I was so happy with him and I give him an A+.

We earned a purple ribbon which is 7th place and finished on our dressage score with no errors in either jumping phase. Whoohoo Blue! And purple is sooo in this year!

Luckily our chiro is local and paid us a visit which was unexpected so Blue got an adjustment that was sorely needed! Aside from Jessie getting the hives and her upper legs swelled since she was at another farm before the show (ate a weird weed), getting a scary call Friday night from a friend that Jessie was lying down with her eyes and mouth open, locking my keys in my truck, running out of our prime timothy hay (for some reason the horses were hogs!) and hurting my back lifting an old leftover 120 pound bale up into the truck bed that my supplier had in his dark barn at 7 am, and worrying about a little yellow homeless kitty at the hotel, the weekend went well!

Heritage Farm Village

2010-10-22T15:09:00.001-04:00

A big thanks to Heritage Farm, a large tourist attraction in Huntington WV, for contracting with me to design their blog! Voted one of the top Appalachia destinations by National Geographic Magazine, this 500 acre farm houses several museums, hosts classes, puts on festivals, has wonderful lodging and is a village in itself!

I would be so pleased if my bloggie buddies would join them and give them a welcome comment. Be sure to explore the site as you will enjoy seeing all they have to offer and maybe even you can come visit! Take a class, host a group, cozy up in one of the five inns or attend the huge Spring festival...I guarantee you will forget the 21st century and feel as though you stepped back into time!

A big virtual hug for those of you who joined them! I still have some tweaking to do but thanks again and next time I'll be back to blogging about our farm.

A Very Disturbing and Worrisome Gift!

2010-10-08T14:12:00.001-04:00

Today is Daddy's birthday and he would have been 80 years old had he not suddenly died from a heart attack February 13, 2008. I didn't cry today though I miss him terribly. Maybe a tear or two watered my eyes, but instead I thought about him alot. I thought about the life he lived from a child's view, of course! I thought about how much of him is in me when it comes to the love of the outdoors. Those thoughts are most comforting and I feel he can see our farm 'happenings' if he chooses. I thought about the subtle things he taught me which is why I can spot 4 leaf clovers while walking and not even be thinking about them. I found one the other day. I found two a couple of months ago. One time when I was hand grazing Jessie and actually looking for them, I found six! One of the most important things Daddy emphasized to me was to be observant. I think I am pretty good compared to most but I know I have missed a lot and need to get better...way better especially after today!

I never see Brownie's twins till August!

The one thing he and I had in common was the love for the Whitetail though for different reasons. I never thought much about them until we moved to the farm. He used to hunt deer which was always deplorable to me as child, but he quit decades ago for reasons I never learned. Of course, I love my deer, name my deer and watch them pretty close each evening. He used to make gun noises and pretend he was shooting at my bucks while visiting our farm. Always teasing, always trying to get a rise out of me and of course I reacted exactly the way he wanted!

Brownie's Nub November 2008

Brownie was my first and favorite deer that I watch; she is probably 4-5 years old now and very dark brown, much more so than the others. Brownie is calm, sensible, and not skittish like her sister Bossy. Brownie has had three generations of fawns that I know of. Twins her first year (my research states this is rare, usually they have a single their first year), twins her second year, and twins her third year. However, after I have been searching through old photos, Long Horn and Wide Horn always stayed close by and Long Horn looks a lot like Nub so maybe he was her first born!

Brave One and Shy One are both females, both still hang out with her and both had female fawns their first term. Brave One now has twins and Shy One has one fawn.

Nub and Cocoa are Brownie's second set of twins. Nub was a buck and Cocoa is a doe who also still hangs around her mother. Nub is no longer with us and has been killed. Cocoa gave birth to her first male fawn who is very very shy. I loved Nub and rescued him from drowning in an old well though he was not tame like Buttons. Read Defying Death which is a most gripping account of the rescue!

Buttons and Peanut are her third set of twins. Buttons allowed me to pet him this summer, a first for me but now I stay away and he has backed off as well. His rack is very mature like Nub's due to the corn. I pray he will be safe from the killing season. Peanut remains very small but is such a cute little doe. Peanut had a fat stomach this summer which worried me. Her stomach seemed swollen and I was wondering if she was extra wormy. She was born last July. Brownie's eustrus is very late and occurs in January. It takes about 200 days before the fawns are born. I also figured maybe Peanut was just a corn hog and prayed it wasn't an illness, and thank heavens I didn't try to deworm her!

For me, gifts can be given in a more spiritual sense. I believe I recieve all sorts of gifts on this farm. I am privy to spot the most unusual, the most fleeting, and the most rare. The ability to be in the right place at the right time and to be in the present moment so that you can see or hear something that is spectacular is extremely rewarding. One time I was fortunate to look out the window at the right time and see an all white Great Heron. They are extremely shy birds and usually they are colored with varying shades of blues and grays. Not this one, it was pure white and yes, it was a heron! I never saw it again.

I had a riding lesson to give, so I had to bring the horses in around 5pm. Usually I bring them in at dusk. It was a spectacular day with a clear blue sky and a bit of a breeze. I didn't see much on the way, no turtles sunbathing on the old sunken log, no blue birds flitting about, no hawks tag teaming and screeching for a meal, and thankfully no trains, planes or automobiles disturbed the peace and quiet. Then, while almost to the gate, I saw the most unusual vision and most out of place little 'being' in the middle of the gravel road staring at me. What the ? I had just walked down the lane an hour or so prior and saw absolutely nothing...

Willard, can you tell the sex yet?

A three to four week old fawn with star bright spots and a very red coat was staring at me. What is going on? This is October 7th! Even Brownie's new twins have faded spots! Dumbfounded, I racked my brain for an answer and came up blank. It didn't move when I spoke. Why not? That was a big clue that I missed. I inwardly damned myself for not carrying the camera which was at the barn. The clock was ticking and I had to get the horses. Darn...I got Jessie and Blue and feverishly prayed that the baby would still be there because there was no way I was going to miss this opportunity.

My prayers were answered! Brave One and her two twins and Peanut were visible and meandering about. I spotted Cocoa was hidden at the edge of the woods. Baby fawn was grazing on down against the fence line with not a care in the world while Peanut looked a bit nervous blocking me. Peanut, I asked, is that you? She turned away and raised her tail and then I saw my proof....a little bulging 'milk sack'! OMG! Peanut is the mother! Peanut who is barely a year old and who got impregnated around 7 months! How can this be?? I couldn't wait until I could research the 'net. I wished I could ask Daddy, he would know; I thought of Willard, the author of a blog I follow from Pennsylvania who is a former DNR employee, and to this moment I am hoping he will read my post and educate me . I did find only one entry online that said it was possible for fawns to be impregnated at 6 months (all the others say 18 months) providing its size was large and the food source was plentiful. Well, I can vouch for the food source but little Peanut is tiny! And come to think of it, Peanut has not darted away from the bucks this week. Bossy runs from them but Cocoa and Peanut have not...hmmmm. Most would say it is too early but no way, not on this farm. Their coats turned gray earlier this year. Everything is going to be early I fear which is why I worry about that little fawn....

Where is this baby's winter coat? It hasn't much time to learn anything and missed a complete semester of Summer school! No time to put on a lot of fat. Winter comes early now and can be harsh as last January we didn't see temps go above 32 degrees for the entire month, and this little thing is tiny! Its neck does look thicker, so maybe it is a boy. I pray a trespasser doesn't hurt it during the killing season. I pray no stray dogs find it as they were scarce this summer but one was giving chase this morning driving my dogs absolutely crazy. And by the way I haven't seen my Brownie nor her twins for about 4 days now...that worries me. She is always there at feed time, maybe she is helping Peanut babysit. Peanut came down each evening this week, but not Brownie... and they do help eachother babysit, I see that all the time!

So, dear Daddy, Happy Birthday to you. I can no longer give you material gifts, but maybe seeing this strange little fawn for the first time on the very day of your 80th year is a gift that we can share. I Love you Daddy, thank you for being my father, and thank for all of your gifts you so generously passed on to me!

Blue's Boo Boo

2010-10-03T10:32:00.000-04:00

Blue is always a handful but lately when under the saddle, he has resisted the bit especially while walking. In doing so he brings his head up and down as though saying 'yes' but it is really a 'no'. Sometimes there is a fly on his chest or on his forehead or just those persistant gnats but during the summer (besides the usual fly spray), I put the Cashel riding mask which helps a lot. But it is no longer summer....

Last Sunday we traveled down to Lexington to practice cross country at a local park. I never went cross country with him and of course he was wired. Jessie was in the trailer munching on hay and out of sight. Uh oh! I knew there would be nervousness from that alone, but he was with three other horses and the wide open fields has several horses and riders running around. He finally settled down but this head bobbing during the walk was constant, as though I put a quarter in this horse machine....up down, up down, it was getting tiresome. His behavior required a more firm feel of the mouth than the usual arena work although he settled down somewhat. His bit is an expensive copper three part D ring snaffle which supposedly fits horse's mouths better and enhances acceptance. I thought the little bean would make the bit more comfortable for him.

When horses are in pain, they move away from it. I noticed his back is getting better and the simple act of gently laying the saddle on his pads, resulted in no movement the other day. I was surprised as we have been working hard but his back is pliable and there is no muscle firing...for now. That might change again but I hope not. Noticing this, brought me to take a look into his mouth. Maybe there was something hurting him. I dislike getting hold of the tongue so I peeked in and thought I saw a tiny slice on the right and a dot of red on the left. These marks were not at the edges but inside, especially the dot. I was very very upset. This is not good, this is not what I am about. My horses receive the best care, the best tack, the best of everything that I can afford. My wardrobe has suffered greatly due to the money that goes to my horses, but I don't care anymore which isn't very 'girly', I know. No more manies, no more pedi's, that extra cash goes to my ponies. They rely on me and I must give them the best possible care. I can't stand people who say they cannot afford to have the vet in, then go off on a vacation, or overspend on some useless material object while their animal suffers. It makes no sense to me, and these people are not true horse people in my opinion.

We went to the vet the next day at 5 pm. Blue needed some vaccines so I saved $60 by hauling in. This is what the vet saw...this is part of the reason for the head bobbing though my vet and my instructor agree that the resistance will not stop...that is just Blue until I correct it and they know I spoil him. I didn't notice the dot on top of the mouth until I zoomed in on these photos and I know my vet didn't notice either! (And his tooth looks chipped in the front but it isn't! )

Poor Blue, has such a bad boy reputation and didn't help the situation much by biting the vet! Yes, he bit the vet! It wasn't bad, but I know it hurt and he drew blood. I was told there is an extra fee for that, but I sassed back and told my good vet that he should have known better and gotten that big fat tongue to the side. The vet has never been bitten before after all these years and this is the first time! Thanks Blue, please remember the vet is our friend, not our enemy!

So, there is no ointment or meds to administer as my vet says these cuts are very minor and nothing to worry about. He said that I should see some of the mouth sores that are out there...no thank you, Doc. I think this is awful enough. I did get some vaseline to cover the dot and I was told to give it five days with no riding. I guess I will be doing a lot of handwalking!

Blue, you are a baby! Those marks probably came from all of your head tossing in Lexington. Why can't you be good like me and be brave?

So that is the lastest on Blue. They were happy to get back into their paddock although they like short trips. I will try Jessie's medium stainless steel eggbutt snaffle. I checked all the bits for rough edges. I had originally gotten him a larger bit, but my instructor said it was too big. I thought I measured correctly but I readily listen to those who have more experience. Maybe I shouldn't have....time will tell. Ok big Blue, get ready for some groundwork and there better not be any resistance!

Country Living Fair 2010

2010-09-27T15:38:00.000-04:00

This fair is HUGE! Talk about sensory overload! I wanted to go last year but the good or shall I say the 'bad' husband refused to take me so sadly I forgot all about it until 'Miss Amy' from Verde Farm blog invited me to join her. Yay! There was no stopping me this time so off we went.

The weather cooperated and surprisingly the traffic wasn't too bad considering the throngs of women walking towards the entrance gates. There weren't many men at all. I could just imagine being with the bad husband and hearing the typical 'you don't need that!' mantra as I would attempt to get a closer look at something cute.

As we reached the ticket booth, Amy discovered her camera wasn't behaving. Oh no! After a few worrisome moments, I got it going and we began trekking towards the tents. Goff Creek Pottery from upstate New York proved to be our first find! I found these tasteful but very heavy cow figures for my kitchen. Reasonable pricing afforded me two and thankfully, they held our bags so we didn't have to lug additional weight around.

The crowds began to thicken and the lines grew to extreme lengths. One vendor had the longest wait to purchase which was a complete turnoff so I didn't spend much time with them knowing there would be that punishing delay....and I so wanted those straw pumpkins!

Did you know there are hundreds of 'war dogs' saving our soldiers from bombs that are killed? So very sad, I could not be a soldier, love a dog and see it die for me...I hate war!

There were all sorts of crafters. Cute pumpkin pillows, scarecrows, aprons, and vintage linens attracted me but one of my favorites was a woman who featured dried florals. Very different from the norm. I didn't get any photos but did notice she had participated in the Philadelphia Flower Show. I really wanted to buy some of her arrangements but due to too many bags I feared the delicate beauties would be crushed to bits by the time we reached the truck. I loved her Fairy Grass. And speaking of dried plants...Sweet Annie was all over the place. I hadn't heard of it until I read about it on a blog a week ago. I think I will grow some next year. Its' distinct scent had a mix of mint and floral and a kind lady told me that it is exceptional at repelling insects.

Nancy Drew Birdhouses! I wanted one!!

A few reanactors in a small colonial house.

I wanted that cute scarecrow too!

Lunch was easy and quick and we were lucky to find a table. We met two separate sets of folks who shared our table from Indiana and they were so friendly! Kudos to Indiana! We stopped in the Country Living store and finally found those green floral canvas bags that so many were carrying. My fingers were relieved that the blood could now flow ending the purple hued tips. Seriously, my bags were full!

I loved seeing all the pumpkins and gourds everyone was friendly and mannerly which was nice. I don't think it was layed out well though and for 'nubies' like us, colored tent tops would have helped so we could know what areas we already visited. You know, blue over there, orange near the food area, etc. 'Bag Check' tents should have been installed (i think there was only one) and scattered throughout and I would have paid to store mine. It began to get tiresome to always put down my bags in order to take a pic or examine a potential find and it prevented me from further purchases. Crafts can be bulky!

Boo! No hanging animals!!

Overall it was a blast and I am so glad we went. Amy and I are a lot alike especially when we ooohed and aaahhhed over all of the neat 'eye candy'. The bad husband always mocks me when I exclaim over something unique, insisting that I sound like Edith on Archie Bunker....thanks honey, such a nice thing to tell your wife! Now I feel better as Amy is even worse and I told her we were like the folks at Mayberry (Andy Griffith show) who have never been out of our small town. We just couldn't help ourselves as bad as we tried to control it! For those of you further south, Country Living is having this same fair in October near Atanta at Stone Mountain. If you attend, I am sure you will not leave empty handed, unless you bring your husband! ; )

Prepping Pumpkins

2010-09-06T12:32:00.000-04:00

Have you noticed that there hasn't been a can of Libby's or Stokely's pumpkin on the shelves of your favorite market since last Christmas? Usually nobody notices, unless you love eating pumpkin goodies throughout the year like me. Originally I thought it was a regional issue and asked a Walmart stock person and he told me due to last year's growing season not being up to par, the pumpkin crop was diminished and they ran out during the end of the Holiday season. I even asked a Walmart stock person in a huge city and they said the same thing. I looked online and I found cans costing upwards to $10! Wow!

How thrilled I was when we stopped at a farm stand near Columbus, Ohio to see cooking pumpkins stacked in a large box. No jack-a-laterns, just small cooking pumpkins. Evidently they ripen earlier at that farm or were planted earlier for the fall season. I bought three just to try it out. They were $2.75 per pumpkin. I also found a cute little recipe booklet which offered printed directions as to how to prep these orange beauties. A no brainer, really, just wanted to be sure...

There are two ways to cook them. Boil or bake. I choose bake since I didn't want to fool with tough skins or lose precious vitamins to boiling water. So, I cut one pumpkin in two, removed the stem, and put the halves face down in a pan. The directions say to cook for 40 minutes, but it took about an hour before mine were evenly done.

I scrapped off the fiberous flesh and made sure I didn't go through the soft skin and get any tough pieces. I put mine in a large blender, turned the indicator on high and let it work for about a minute.

It tastes and looks squashy as does organic pumpkin in the can. Not as dark orange as the Libby's nor as dense and contains a bit more water, but SO healthy with no preservatives, no chemicals from the can (the white interiors of cans contain that BPH that leaches into foods and can be found in our bodies) and it costs a little less. I got almost 4 cups!

I froze my pumpkin and will thaw it out to see how it tastes in November. The next processed pumpkin I will use immediately for maybe a pie, a loaf of bread or some cookies! Oh, and I saved the seeds. Hopefully I will be successful unlike this year at growing pumpkins. I didn't notice many honey bees on our farm this year which really worries me. We have a new cell tower nearby which I learned 'confuses' the bees. One can self pollinate and I may have to try that next year. I got several blooms this year and one tiny fruit that died. Anyway, I am a happy girl now that I have my pumpkins!

Summer on the Farm

2010-08-10T19:21:00.000-04:00

What a summer! So hot, so stormy, so buggy! But with those complaints out of the way, we have been blessed with garden goodies, good health for all humans and animals for the most part and good living. Who could ask for more?

My horses are doing well. Jessie continues to patiently trot around the arena while young children learn to post. Blue is being good while his mother puts him through his dressage lessons though now he has decided not to give me left lead canter each time I ask....groan!!!! A chiropractor is coming to the farm at the end of the month so maybe she will fix his back. The nasty flying vampires are relentless this year. I turn out at dusk so they can't torment my poor Jessie. I do hate horse flies with a passion!

My deer seem to be doing well too. So far I have seen eight fawns but I think Brownie has yet to show me her twins that were born July 3rd. Bossy was the first to bring Cappy to the corn yard. His pronounced markings look like he has a little cap on his forehead. I think Bandit is the father since he has the same markings.

The fawns love Ringo for some reason. They love to smell him. He seems to be happy especially around all the girls. Bossy's Boy still has that awful arrow sticking out of his right shouler. It looks like it is trying to come out with a wrinkling around the entrance of the wound. It hurts me to know what is inside him. I looked the other day in a hunting catalog and the arrows are brutal.

My little Buttons has now decided that I can pet his back! A first for me. It is such a joyful thing to pet him while he eats his corn. Some will disagree with my actions thinking he will get tame for a hunter. I am not so sure. Thousands are killed each year anyways that are not tame. Bossy's Boy and Bandit have survived 3 killing seasons though they are not tame like Buttons. I can only pray my Buttons will stay around the farm like Bossy's Boy and hopefully avoid that evil tresspasser. Also, I remember that the boys become more shy as the weather cools so I am sure the petting will soon be a thing of the past and I will back off getting close to him.

The garden didn't do as well this year. The corn was a disappointment as it was planted too early and received too much rain, then the crows ate the second planting until we planted American flags all along the rows which seemed to help but now the cobs aren't growing well and something is eating them. The good husband thinks it is a raccoon but they have electric fencing every four inches so I am not sure....

Cricket has been on the attack lately which is very disappointing. He will be 4 in September and so far hasn't figured it out yet that other cats are ok. He is unlike any other cat I know with his huge fangs on the lower jaw as well. He moves like a leopard and still remains so dense, so long and so lean. His 15-inch tail seems like it might have grown as well! The other day I found Daddy Cat with a bloody eye lid. Of course it was a Saturday when nobody was open. I elected to wait a day and sure enough, the eye lid looked better. Then I discovered an old wound under his throat! Probably the same day. Then just two days ago, Callie's tail was dripping pus. They shaved it and there are two wounds. It has improved immensely but she is still on antibiotics. I put Cricket in a huge dog pen at night so the other kitties can have rest and Daddy Cat refuses to allow me to pick him up and put him in the tack room during the day while Cricket is out so I am stumped. Sylvester goes out when Cricket is in and just cowers if Cricket gets close. So sad. They all know Cricket rules and nobody dares to challenge him so I don't know why he continues this domestic violence!!

My little Bridget will have been with me almost a year now...August 14th....she has grown a lot but her little head doesn't match her body. She is getting independent and doesn't want her mother to pick her up and very rudely puts her strong little paw against my chin to avoid those human kisses! How spoiled is that? By the way, Cricket was outside which fascinated the indoor kitties. Princess was behind them but jumped down.

Poor Nugget had to endure another TTA surgery on the other knee. He is the perfect patient. I used a local vet who did a much better job than the huge well known MedVet in Columbus Ohio. Not once did he whimper and my beautiful golden barely limped the day after surgery!! I was shocked. Pleasantly shocked. This dog was limping horribly before surgery and one would think the limping would continue until healed as it had done previously...not this time. The incision was done a bit differently and the miniscus was not removed as there was no damage to that knee. Dr. McNeel at Cross Lanes Veterinary Clinic has done over 60 this year already. If anyone in WV is reading this, you need to see him if your pet is experiencing a torn ligament. He is cheaper, better, and your dog will be recovering a lot quicker.

What a long post! Hope everyone is doing well. I don't blog as much due to some other things that dominate my time and I do miss reading all of your interesting entries. Have a great August and stay cool!

Darling Deer

2010-06-25T11:20:00.001-04:00

It has been so long since I last posted....ugh oh, sounds like the beginning of 'confession' for all of you Catholics out there. Like you, life got busy and after a chilly spring, I relished getting outside as much as possible!

My deer seem fine but disappeared for over 60 days offering me only a few sightings but come May they began their nightly trek to the corn yard. Bossy Boy still sports a partial arrow behind his right shoulder. Brownie has not given birth to her twins yet nor has Cocoa given birth to her first fawn but Bossy, Brave One and Shy One all show the telling 'dent' where the tiny fawn(s) once were.

Brave One positioned little 'Clover' out in the middle of the First Field again just as she did Sunny the year before, but due to visitors at the farm being a bit too nosey and getting too close, she decided that was not a good idea. Good for her! Baby Clover didn't need to be baking in that hot sun!

Ringo is growing a nice rack as is little Buttons (already!) who I fear will be like my Nub, taken too early in life for a yearling. Ringo is 2, Buttons is only 1 year old. Bandit still hangs with Bossy Boy and Tanner hangs with Ringo both two year olds looking up to the wiser and older big boys! But my little BB, Nub, Long Horn boys, Beauty's Boy from last year and the older Twin have not shown up this spring. Sigh..... Patty Pat, Limp and Runt survived the killing season and hopefully have given birth and are doing fine. Beauty's Boy who is so light in color has no friends and has yet to hang with other little button bucks. I hope Beauty is ok...

The yearling girls are cute! Shy Girl is very friendly unlike her mother Shy One, and Sunny is very shy unlike her mother Brave One! Brownie's 2 year old Cocoa has decided to be like her Aunt Bossy and push everyone away from the corn. Brownie's Little Peanut is so sweet but not as brave as her twin, dear little Buttons who touched the back of my hand with his moist nose a week ago. A first for me! Brownie won't even do that and I have known her for 4 years!! What a thrill, what a gift to be given from my darling deer!

A Fair To Remember

2010-04-14T21:45:00.007-04:00

The Spring 'Chicken Swap' at an Ohio fairground is quite the regional event! A relative invited us to go since she wanted some peacocks and thought that if we saw chickens then the good husband might relinguish and eventually change his mind. I had a plan you see...I told him it was a 'farm show'. Well, in his mind he envisioned farm machinery, and in my mind (and in reality) there were lots of animals.

He agreed to get up early and even agreed the night before when she called to confirm our meeting time since we were going in the same vehicle. Oh how things drastically changed when 6:30 arrived, and he abruptly refused to get out of the warm and cozy bed. What? You just confirmed last night! The bad husband blamed it on Sammy as he is the only dog without an electronic collar and Sammy would need to be let around noon to relieve himself. Of course I had that planned out...the bad husband's brother could come and complete the simple chore, but noooo, that wouldn't do. The real reason was the desire to return to lala land. Fine, I threatened to bring home oodles of baby chicks, goats, lambs, etc. I could tell in his voice that he wasn't quite sure if I was serious and laughed nervously...Kritter Keeper was very upset at being stood up!

The morning traffic at 8:30 was backed up for miles. Unsure of the cause and not familiar with the area, my friend stayed in the left lane passing hundreds of vehicles, mostly pick up trucks with lots of empty cages in the bed that told us we were close. I noticed absolutely no cars coming down from the north and told her pass the entrance since we couldn't get in the right lane and enter from that direction. We saved probably a half an hour and avoided polluting the environment with another idling engine. Luckily a shortcut allowed us to quickly park within walking distance.

So many people! And, so many little cages containing roosters, chickens, goats, ducks, turkeys, puppies, etc. And...sad to say, so many men resting newly purchased rifles on their shoulders. Not to mention the hand guns that dangled from trigger loving fingers of the opposite sex. Those were not the visuals I preferred to see.

(The black lab puppy in the back looked just like our Sammy!)

We stopped, looked and cooed at so many furry babies. The breedy chickens were fun to see in person and much better than the images on my calendar. I am glad I went but I left with a heavy heart knowing that some of the animals were not treated well.

The miniature horse had dull eyes and showed no interest when I softly spoke. A set of mini donkeys stared blankly into space. The tiny black pig screamed as the fat lady in the wheelchair pulled it up out of the cage by it's little hind leg. I kindly verbalized my dislike ....'oh no honey, don't do that, you'll hurt it!' She smiled at me and gave the pig to my friend to cuddle. The Great Pyranees owner had no clue if her litter of 8 pups were susceptible to hip displasya. Her perplexed look gave me my answer. A dozen of ducks were stuffed into a small cage and I voiced my concern in a louder than normal tone to my friend....'oh that is awful, look how small that cage is with all those ducks!' My peripheral vision saw the scruffy owner turn towards me noticing my pointed finger. Sometimes a word or two said in a kind way or not directed at a specific person may provoke a positive change. Who knows...but I do know I wouldn't buy these poor animals. Thankfully the peacock man was of a different type. His fowl was pricier but he knowledgable. Brochures, website, business card, all helpful ways to connect with the new owners in case a question needed answering. The peacock man was from Indiana and his birds were healthy and seemingly relaxed except for the two nervous pheasants who finally calmed down. Poor things. So out of their element.

(i loved the bronzed peacock!)

(learning how to clip the wing)

(learning how to properly administer meds)

It was interesting. It was a different setting. I learned a lot. But I probably will not return though I was able to photograph affection for the animals. I'm pretty sure the pair of hens cuddled in loving arms of a cute young couple with small children will be fine. The new owner of a sweet little mini goat was wearing a harness instead of a collar which offers a more humane way to lead an animal. A young man was cuddling a goat unafraid that his outward display of love will harm his manly reputation. The tall burly motorcycle man gently lifting the tiny min pin smiling broadly was pleasant to see though he did not buy the pup. I am left wondering...did the sweet little jack russell that was shaking with fright, and all alone find a good home? Will those little ducks be offered fresh water to swim in and the freedom to spread their wings? Or will it be like the person I met a year ago...

...who in the past bought several chickens from this fair and locked them in a small pen outside preventing them from free ranging, preventing them from eating delicious bugs and allowing for frost bite. She even left them with no water (I watered them when I was there). I live in an area that can be mean with neglect towards animals. I also live in an area that is home to so many loving people who adore their furry or feathered or scaly friends. So, I choose to hope that the beautiful animals I saw last Saturday will find better homes and be able to live lives full of love, good food, quality shelter and humans who are humane.

Oh, and we teased the bad husband before we got home...my friend happily relayed to him that I found a nice Amish man and that I wasn't coming home for awhile. Now that would be an 'affair to remember!' ; )

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Beautiful Bloggger Award!

2010-04-06T08:58:00.000-04:00

Thank You Stephanie! Please check out The Life of a Farmer's Wife for a truly cool farming blog located in the south....you will learn a lot when she blogs about cotton or peanuts, etc.

1. You must accept the award.
2. Thank the person who gave you the award.
3. Add a link to the person who gave you the award.
4. Paste the award on your blog.
5. Write 10 things about yourself that others might not know.
6. Pass the award on to 10 others.

Okay here goes....
1. I am the youngest of five girls...poor Daddy! I was the tomboy and played sports.
2. I hate cigarette smoke...my parents smoked and Dad died of a heart attack...boo smoke!
3. Dad was driving a Toyota Camry when he had the unexpected heart attack. The car zoomed backwards down the snowy driveway and stopped short of going down the steep hill with the front tires still spinning. No rubber was on the treads and the whole yard was full of smoke. I often wonder, did the car go out of control and cause the heart attack...he had just seen his cardiologist two days prior.
4.  Dad's mother, my grandmother died a couple of weeks before her 100th birthday...I would like to reach a happy healthy one hundred!
5. My husband and I have been married since 1993 but we lived together 5 years prior so all together we have shared 22 years come this September...Yeah! Love you good husband!
6. I have always loved the Old South, but of course not the slavery...I love the architecture, the clothing, the 'genteel' manners (well, the ones who had them...), the food, the gardens, the old trees, etc. When I was 8, we traveled down to the Gulf and I saw abject poverty for the first time...don't get me wrong, we were plain middle class folks...but these people were living in run down shacks...I remember crying when I saw them....
7. I love old things...people, homes, furniture, dishes, letters, recipes, photos, diaries...I think we can learn a lot from age and hopefully it will make us better.
8. I really miss my ancestors (grandparents, etc.) and think about them a lot wondering what the ones that I never met were like...what were their days like, what did they love, etc...
9. I love to laugh and tease people. My poor vet can attest to that as I gave him a hard time when baby Bridget had to go in Saturday morning.
10. I am very observant. I can read people very well. If I ask a question, just by watching them most times I will know the true answer as to how they choose to answer, which words they say and how their bodies react.

There you have it...nothing too exciting probably just like so many others. Now I get to pass it on! Okay bloggy buddies...so many already have this award and there are a couple on my list that do not have any awards on their blogs but each is well worth your click.   I wish I could meet all my blogging friends, as my chosen are special people and offer such interesting prospective to life.  Check them out, you won't be disappointed!

1.  Chocolate and Marmlade Tea
2. Flat Creek Farm
3. Life on Sunny Ridge
4. Thoughts From a Yodeling Goatherder
5. Chippewa Creek
6. Michelle Palmer
7.   Blessed Country Mom
8. Cottage Farm Villa
9.   Rural Rambles
10. Pennsylvania Wildlife Photographer (Willard, if Dad were still alive, this would be his fave. He lived only a couple of hours away from you!)

Turkey Time

2010-04-03T16:05:00.005-04:00

The turkeys are learning! Awhile back I blogged about trying to teach the turkeys that it is safe to eat in the corn yard and that I am not a threat when they see the strange creature with two legs, two arms and two noisy buckets scattering yellow goodies all over the ground. Tis the season for making babies and I was blessed with a gift from God to see a spectacular tom display his beautiful feathers early one morning. I am quite sure there is correct terminology for his behavior so my apologies to my more knowledgable readers. Ok, I decided not to be lazy and look up some info....he was strutting...intending to attract females (obviously) who largely ignored him and scare away other males, which must have worked as I did not see any other toms or gobblers.

A few days earlier, I saw two toms by themselves checking out the corn yard for the first time. I wondered about those feathers dangling from their chests and originally thought maybe they were molting (the horses, dogs and cats are shedding) or they were in a fight (the deer are always 'hooving' eachother), but something in the back of my mind told me those were males and (I looked it up) that is their beard! It grows longer with age however, my source says they could live up to 13 years but most die after two years or so...strange. No explanation as to the early deaths unless it is resulting from the hunters. Speaking of such individuals, yesterday morning I heard a gun shot close as I was in the barn. But due to being slightly downhill and in a brick building, I am unable to tell the direction of the shot. It was tinny in sound and I have heard that gun before. Little Bear, when frightened, trots down to the barn to get me, so I walked up to the house with her to discover Nugget and Coty were nervously awaiting for me on the back porch which tells me it was close to the house... damn the soul that continues to trespass on my property. It angers me to no end knowing what a stray bullet could do... Sammy was out too, and the idiot could have shot him...So off I go up the woods along the deer paths but found nothing. Of course I won't, this man is good at hiding, he is a hunter....I did scare off my turkeys and some deer so he must have already left after hearing my angry words or he was not in that area, etc. Alas, I got some decent exercise as I walked up and down some hills, covering about 50 acres. I was down with a severe cold for 9 days prior so this was good for me to get back in the swing of things!

I now have a lone female who frequently visits the corn yard now, so perhaps she has found a safe place to nest close to the house....Sammy, don't you dare go in the woods now! (and yes, Sam is off the 'deer' hook. Many thanks to my educated readers who enlightened me on deer carcasses...I saw it again yesterday and it is now obliterated)....Have a Happy Easter and enjoy a wonderful holiday with your loved ones!

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A Most Mysterious Murder

2010-03-14T00:58:00.007-05:00

March has not changed one bit...there are always murders of various victims on the farm during this month. Usually the devious deeds result from the 'resident serial murders' a.k.a. barn cats however this time I was most disturbed at what lied on the back porch after letting Sam in from his nightly 'bathroom break'.

Our evening was spent at the Pi Sigma Alpha Political Science awards dinner in which a relative was the keynote speaker. Lovely evening, despite the rain. All seemed well. Upon our return, Nugget, Little Bear, and Coty were very wet but happy to see us. After their dinner, Sam was let out as he does not wear a shock collar due to extreme fear of anything around his neck. Sammy is scared of many things including my camera however only in the past year has he began to accept the strange flash of light accompanied by weird clicking noises. My beautiful black lab was only out in the dark night for 10 minutes. Something accompanied him upon his return, something most disturbing and distressful. It was promptly dropped on the mat when Sam rushed into the kitchen. No bones are allowed in this house and Sam knew the rules.

This bone is not of the bovine type whatsoever and certainly did not resemble the worn and hollowed stocking stuffers they received in December! This bone had a flat portion and a tendril of flesh remained attached with a red spot on the tip signifying a fresh kill. 'What the ....?' is all I could think. Sam stays in while we are gone. The other dogs cannot and do not dare get near the painful and shocking borders. So many questions, so many visuals swirled in my poor brain and to make it worse, it was late at night, raining, and of course the huge flashlight wouldn't work so I had to wait until morning to look for the carcass. I googled deer anatomy and found the type of bone immediately. Shoulder area.

The good husband quickly told me it could be turkey or geese, but no way. I asked him to remember what I do each November and December....cook a turkey and of all people, I would know what type of bones belong to fowl. This bone was too big and flat. Coyotes were my first thought but I am out at night and do not hear their howls. Besides, there would be no bones left and certainly Sammy wouldn't be able to access it. Stray dogs? Possibly but I would think no meat would be left if a hungry canine got a hold of a deer and it would stay and guard the kill which Sammy would not dare defy it. The stray beagles were shot by a hunter in December and I have not heard or seen evidence of stray dogs for quite some time now. Had a deer tempted our dogs and not have been quick enough to escape? So far, they all have won at 'Tease the Dog' game. Was it my poor 'Limp'? Her front left leg just dangles but she still can run though she hobbles horribly at the walk and trot. I haven't seen her for two days and this was my worse fear. Could it be Bossy Boy or Patty Pat? They currently hate eachother waging war against eachother's bodies. Now that Bossy's Boy lost his beautiful rack, Patty Pat attacks him all the more. The 'hooving' is very hard and is it possible to shatter a spine during these ferocious fights? My corn yard is rated R for violence!

I got up at dawn but began to dread the deed, so I procrastinated until after 10 am to walk the woods. The rain was steady. Sam does not go across the tracks, near the barn or up the lane. He prefers the woods so I began fighting leafless briars and slippery mud to find the impossible. Two hours passed. I became quite discouraged, not understanding why there was no smell, and no remains. As always I am blessed with good thoughts when I become desperate. Hmmm, who up there is helping this mere mortal today? Something told me to stay near the house and search the steep hill that was cleared but filled with weeds. I found a gift! I found Tanner's left antlers! So cute for a such a young buck. A baby four point and quite pretty for a 1.5 year old. (hmmm, now I am not sure those were Tanners as I post the pics...) I checked the well where I rescued Nub, it was still safely covered. I climbed up the right side of the hill above the big Sycamore. Sammy does not come home with burrs or weeds stuck on his coat so I thought he might take a wide deer path and decided to enter a steep one that lowered into a small creek. Thick underbrush slowed my steps as the path narrowed and the cardinals quietly darted around the branches wondering why I was invading their home. This is impossible, I was thinking. Still nothing and those painful thorns refused to stop grabbing at my knit hat causing me to utter obscenties at things that do not understand english! : ~) I saw a worn spot on a tree and wondered if I could find any more antlers so I trekked up the steep hill a little ways. With absolutely no hesitation and no thought an automatic sound full of surprise and shock erupted from my vocal chords. I found it...and it didn't really smell.

A 'baby'...what I call a baby anyways. Assuming it was born in June or July, the remains of an 8 month old deer lie sprawled in an abnormal position. The brain and neck were cleaned however, flesh remained in the interior. To me that was strange but with more thought I think I figured it out. Sam. The prettiest black lab with the sleek luxurious black coat and the cutest puppy like personality killed one of my deer. I found the struggle spot a few feet away. The brush and ground showed a lot of white hair. He probably grabbed the neck to break it.

Two or three days ago it was nice out. Two or three days ago I remember the 'bad' husband forgot to get Sam back in allowing for our black varmint to stay out unattended for over an hour with him not being in the yard with the other dogs. Two or three days ago one of my fawns lost its life because we were negligent. It hurts. But I deserve the pain. Life is precious no matter who's life has been taken. And the sad part is, I am not sure who's fawn it is. Not Brownie's bunch. I believe it belongs to one of the shy Long Tails. That herd of does come and go and are so skittish it is difficult to study them. Mystery solved but March's murderous ways are not over if the past dictates the future. And come to think of it, May wasn't much better.

p.s. This is a link to Camera Critters so my story could be seen by fellow animal lovers who love photography! Check them out!

Honk, Quack, Chirp...Snort, All Sounds of Spring!

2010-03-03T19:28:00.000-05:00

Spring is coming to the farm despite the cold weather and snow flurries!

Instead of the usual pair that arrive each season, six geese visited the pond this morning. They began to honk loudly as I walked Big Blue and Jess down the lane to the Cemetary Paddock. Several robins returned early last week then it snowed on them the following day, poor things. Frozen ground means no worms, but the ground is now soft and squishy so lots of orange bellies are full of protein. My mallards are swimmng around making plans for their version of cute fuzzy things to enter the world. Hopefully those awful snapping turtles will leave them alone...the huge one mysteriously died last fall after making its way to the pond's 'beach'. It looked to be in perfect condition.

Our beautiful cardinals, nuthatches, tufted titmice, and assorted woodpeckers seem to be quite happy as all of the birds were singing melodious tunes while I cleaned the stalls. I just had to stop and listen. They sounded different today and all were very loud!

The Long Tails came running down the hill when they saw me. Since they are the submissive group to Brownie and Bossy's 'brood' they have learned to watch and/or listen for me before the corn hogs appear before sunset. Unfortunately, Patty Pat was with them and pushed them all aside (even a youngster!) despite the over abundance of corn piles. Ringo sooned joined her for lunch. And, my reticent turkeys even watched...but decided that it was too dangerous to share in the bounty and stayed up the hill. They are finding leftovers as I see their prints close to the barn and even in the arena and under the bird feeder which is very close to the house.

Little Snort is Thin Face's fawn. She remains nervous like her mother but thankfully stands still for a photo. I believe Thin Face is warning her not to trust that crazy farm lady with that black thing that looks like a miniature rifle (camera with my long lens). I was surprised not to see Limp with the Long Tails. Her poor knee may never heal. She continues to hobble down the hill and trot around daily, looking for a bit of corn. Patty Pat doesn't even give her a break! Nature is tough to observe at times. Patty Pat watched her mother get hooved constantly so I guess she is making up for past wrong doings! I need to blog about her!

Finally, the ponies are getting more turnout time which makes for happy horses. No crazy bucks today, just some silly crow hops. Got to ride Blue yesterday and he was a very good boy!

Yes, Spring is coming to the farm and happy times are ahead!

Farm Love

2010-02-14T17:42:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentines Day! We have lots of love on this farm beginning with of course the good husband and I and our family. But family on this farm includes all of our furry creatures too.

Check out Ringo and Patty Pat (I guess Patty Pat is a girl though her antler stubs stumped me...She looks a bit pregnant too. I had no clue they loved eachother until yesterday. Bucks and does do not normally hang out until later in the spring and summer. Patty Pat's name is taken from that silly 'Pat' on Saturday Night Live where we still don't know if the character is male or female. Look how proud Ringo is of his Patty Pat!

Jessie and Blue can't even be out of sight with one another. Today they finally got turned out but only rolled and kicked a couple of times. They love being muddy and they love eating their grass!

Daddy Cat and Callie used to love eachother three years ago, for a day maybe...Cricket is living proof of their brief romance. Callie is now tolerating Daddy Cat getting close to her. She wanted him to take her for a ride today (on the Kubota of course!).

Look at Love Rock! Isn't it cool? The excavator was going to throw it over a hill but I noticed its unique shape and directed him to position it under the tree by the pond...a very romantic place to sit!

Big Rocky is totally in love with Baby Bridget! He constantly tackles her despite her squeals of protest. After getting back on all fours and shaking herself, her tail stands straight up ending with that cute curve and she rubs on him for more. What a little flirt! And more he gives, wrapping his strong arms around her entire little body biting harder and harder until I have to separate them. Then he hisses at me like a snake which I have to remind him that he is a cat not a reptile. After that I recieve deep growls and long whiny songs all the way to the bedroom where I plonk him on the bed to give the baby a rest! My big Mountain Lion would have been a great dad...oh well. I wish I had a 'tackle' photo to show you how bad he is...

Just yesterday I discover that Beauty's Boy loves chasing my turkeys! Bad boy! As hard as I work to get those birds to eat, then this little brat has to ruin it! Usually the deer ignore the turkeys. He is so cute and his mother is one of the prettiest does I have seen. I wish I had video yesterday but I couldn't tear myself away from the window to grab the camera. He was jumping all over the place, backwards, straight up in the air and twisting his entire body loving every minute of his new found dominance.

Yesterday was the anniversary of my Dad's passing. Valentine's Day is now a bit rough as the day before takes a toll on my emotional well being. As hard as I try to smile and keep up a good front and continue to do the daily chores, inside I am worn down and old, emotionally exhausted from the numb disbelief that my Father no longer exists in physical form. He loved the outdoors. He used to work on a farm when he and Mom first married and long ago considered moving up to Vermont. He showed me the farm they picked out but could not afford it. How different my life would have been had that happened! But, each day I am reminded of him through myself. I feel he is with me many times and strangely enough that stupid movie that we watched so many times together when I was a kid came on last night...all I had to do was hear that eerie tune and I knew immediately...see the good husband likes westerns and 'The Good, The Bad and The Ugly' appeared. I just laughed and thought to myself that Dad is with me as that movie hasn't come on for years or my husband just didn't tune in at the right time...Love you Dad. There is a lot of love on our farm and I sure haven't and won't forget about my love for you!

Trying to Teach the Turkeys

2010-02-12T11:04:00.003-05:00

Is it possible to train totally 'wild' wildlife? I guess so, for my deer anyways...they have learned to come to the corn yard certain times of the day. They also know if they show up in the morning, I will faithfully scatter their corn in several piles then go on and do my chores. Maybe they have trained me! Certain deer, mostly the smart ones which is usually Bossy's crew, will even wait until after dark, hide near the barn and watch for me hoping for a late night snack. Last week, Buttons touched his nose to my outstretched fingers for a split second! That was a surprising first since his mother Brownie who has known me for three years won't even do that though she has gotten close. Don't worry, when other humans are around, they all scatter. The only other deer I have touched was Nub, Brownie's two year old boy though that was not by choice. Click on this link if you want to read Defying Death. Getting back to the turkeys...it is a tough winter for these amazing birds.

We saw the turkeys close to the house a month or so ago much to our delight as for years they seemed to have vacated the farm due to our dogs roaming at will. The electronic collars have worked wonders for the past few years but the turkeys continued to stay away, until last December.

They are extremely difficult for me to figure out. They do not behave in a consistant manner. They do not arrive on a daily basis nor scratch for leftover corn at a certain time of day. They know the good husband and I are the source of the corn as they must watch while I feed the deer or else how would they know to come so close to the house...

I have learned to just be honest with them... sounds silly, but it works. At first, I thought sneaking behind the barn to avoid them seeing me might be the answer since they used to run like crazy when a human approached. I would walk up the hill with two full buckets of corn and the turkeys would be out of sight. Now, I walk in my usual pace down the to the barn and this time, I talk to them. I know, crazy farm lady talking to turkeys, but their reaction changed! They didn't scatter. Granted, they cautiously walked back up the hill but several of them turned around to watch me. I always say the same words. The deer know the word 'corn' and many know their names, so at least the turkeys can learn 'corn'. One can only hope.

The first time when they didn't scatter in fear, they were headed toward the pond. But, when they heard my voice they turned to look and some lingered, while others walked slowly back in the direction of the corn yard but still on the other side of the road staying close to the brush for safety. They watched me scatter corn. I immediately left and went back to the barn hoping (to no avail) that they would come back down and eat.

The second time was just a few days ago. Did the same thing. This time they were a bit closer to the house but still going back up towards some brush. I kept talking and they kept looking. They very slowly made their way up the hill following their leader with a great view of the corn yard dotted with yellow piles of goodies. Still nothing. I left, this time walking back towards the house thinking my barn noises might disturb them. Nope, nada, nothing.

The third time, the good husband was in the car. They don't seem as afraid of his quiet engine so he backed towards the house, got me, drove to the barn to get the corn, and while they were only a half way up the hill, I scattered the corn from the car. Still didn't work.

I guess it took years for the deer to trust me, so I must be patient for the poor turkeys. I just don't understand why they won't follow the lead of the deer and save themselves from hunger. I know there is an alpha female who heads the flock and I think there is another alpha female who is last in line as the others in between seem younger and slightly different in color. Their behaviors in many ways mirror the deer with several competing for the corn. I've read about turkeys following the deer during Winter feedings so maybe with time, these shy birds will do the same. It is very frustrating trying to teach these turkeys! ;~)

Deer Devotion

2010-02-02T06:00:00.002-05:00

It was super cold and snowy a few days ago. It was not a day for hanging out, nor a day for any outdoor activities. The wind blew and it was well below freezing. Looking like a degenerate, I wore my thug hat. It covers everything but my eyes. The young bucks were hungry and came out early. The chickadees chirped loudly wanting more seed. And of course, Blue always whines about wanting more hay. Jessie just softly nickers. The kitties, tired of being in the tack room, meowed impatiently too. Nobody gets turned out if it is too cold so all they think about is food. Time to feed!

Tanner behind Ringo

Patty Pat chasing off Shy One who usually is the alpha!

I really didn't feel like doing it but the snow was too deep to throw the corn on the ground, so I got the large broom and swept away 20 spots for the deer. Sweeping 4 inches of snow was good exercise! My feet were so cold that day. My toes began to hurt when I finished but it is very difficult to go inside despite uncomfortable conditions when my camera sees those beautiful faces. Enjoy and even in the coldest conditions, all is well on the farm!

(This is Patty Pat, she is so cute and I think she is a 'she' but she has spots growing for antlers. Her neck is female but she hangs with the boys which is unnatural especially this time of year. More about Patty Pat later!)

Huge Heron

2010-01-27T06:00:00.001-05:00

Sometimes my life is like 'Groundhog Day' walking the same paths, doing the same chores, etc. Any change in scenery pops out like a red flag causing me to do a double take. Our lonesome Great Blue Heron has returned to the pond though I have not seen him/her this close to the fence!

Upon seeing it, I was alarmed. What in the world was it doing perched near the fence? Was it stuck? Was something wrong and how would I help that thing if it were in trouble? Mind you, this creature is extremely large and extremely shy. There is no food source that I know of where it was standing either. I was at loss for words as I ran back into the house to grab my camera. Once it saw my slow approach, its graceful wings flapped to safety in the sky, this time with no protest. Occasionally a funny squawk will escape its pointed bill during flight.

Okay, since nothing was wrong with it, maybe he/she wanted a sunny spot to rest after eating a slimy pond victim.
Look how beautiful he is! What perfect form and pointed toes!

Now that is normally where he rests...at the edge of the pond!

No More Farm Fights!

2010-01-23T19:02:00.039-05:00

There's been some fightin' around here! New Year's morning began with a fight that ended with Daddy Cat in severe pain. Cricket must have attacked him in the night and bit his paw. I took him to the ER since it was a holiday. He began the usual round of antibiotics. The bill was a hefty $119 with no xray. It took about 10 days before he could put weight on his injured paw. I thought maybe it was broken but eventually it returned to normal and now he jumps with no problem. My poor baby!

The following week Little Bear decided to attack Coty! She learned this dominant behavior from her deceased brother Black Jack. She gets right in his face with such ferocious barking. He must have initially snapped back but when I got downstairs, all I saw was him leaning on the couch, his front paws resting on the cushion with his back to her paralyzed with fear. She ended up with two small bite wounds, one dangerously positioned under the left eye that eventually became swollen. I applied Zinc 7 Derm (natural antipurific that works wonders) and had to put an E-collar on to prevent her incessant scratching. It is almost healed. No vet bill but almost had to go in...

Tiger always chases Big Rock into a corner but thankfully no wounds have resulted (knock on wood) and I do keep them separated but on occasion they just end up all together especially if a door is not closed tightly. What is up with my neutered boy cats?

We now have a new friend on the farm...a black and white male kitty. He has decided to adopt us and will now stay in the barn. With Daddy Cat barely healed, this worries me. Yes, I have an appointment to neuter him Tuesday. He is not dominant but will resume the feline fight position where cats tilt their heads and move sideways in slow motion all while emitting long screaming meows. He does not fear Callie and chases her. She hisses and runs away. Cricket stares at him and seems to be the dominant one. Daddy Cat wants to protect his barn but then his behaviors change from dominant to passive...who knows. So far there has been no contact with eachother. This little thing is friendly and a little licker! Just like baby Bridget! If he chooses not to stay then at least I know he cannot father any kittens. But if he stays, I might name him Sylvester!

December Dreams is Done!

2010-01-14T06:00:00.000-05:00

Today was the first day of the year that the temps rose above freezing. Today was the first day in 2010 that I didn't work 10 hours + on 'December Dreams' my digital scrapbook. The beginning of our year was filled with a lot of snow, wind and bitter cold weather, perfect for cooking my book! Funny how the weather cooperated. My good husband's birthday is next week and I wanted to make him a memory book of our busy holiday season. It is a 99 page labor of love. Thoreau's quote 'Our truest life is when we are in dreams awake'... is so fitting. I absolutely love my life with my husband and family and it seems like I live in a dream hence the title! Wish you could see the cover but it is of our home and well, that is against Kritter Keeper's privacy guidelines. Seems like all of us are pals, but you never know who is reading your blog, therefore I picked mostly pet pages that will amuse you...

Yes, Jessie allowed me to put a large wreath around her neck, for real!! And Blue's hat is stuffed with bubble wrap and hooked underneath his halter! I had to be quick before it fell off. He was such a good boy and as always, Jessie was perfect! The kittie's bows are fake...

Santa was fake although he looked so real...so nothing weird was going on! :~)
You saw this in my last post but isn't their Christmas basket cute!!

Hope You Had A Happy Holiday!

2009-12-31T15:22:00.037-05:00

Our Christmas was very nice overall though I still miss my Dad something awful. I guess it will never be the same again. I wanted to blog one more time before the new year and share with you some of my favorite seasonal photos. I love to decorate the house though I purposely did not put up two of my trees since baby Bridget would break the glass ornaments. So, that leaves the massive bird tree and the vintage antique tree, one being in a closed area where the kitties cannot access (unless Mama is in there keeping a close watch!) Tiger and Bridget loved their first Christmas and played under the big bird tree dangerously wiggling the massive work of art! I am working furiously on another digital scrapbook with the hopes of completing it in the next two weeks so it can be a gift to the good husband so a few of my pages are included. I love nature and birds so most of my decor depicts the outdoors. Just wanted to thank all of my readers for giving time to this simple blog and the kind and thoughtful words after my posts. I love blogging and look forward in reading all about what is going on in your lives! Happy New Year!

Baby Bridget getting so big...posing on one of the 'good' chairs in the Old House!
Antique bell ornament bought at Gwynn's estate.

A lovely 'pony' ornament that reminds me of Jessie given by a relative.

Cute Coty standing still while this silly hat is perched on his head! Coty has a crazy Mama!

Miss you Daddy! Christmas will never be the same!

Daddy made this copper planter for me!

The mantel in the Old House, with all of Dad's old photos.

Library mantel...I love foxes and dogs! Daddy's stocking will always be hung each Christmas.

Pretty Princess hoping Santa will fill her stocking!

Bandit and Bossy's Boy are still living thank heavens!!

We have new friends! The turkeys scramble around trying to find leftover kernels.

No, not a turkey egg, but part of the big Bird Tree.

Cute birdhouse ornament.

Pretty quail sitting quietly in the tree.

A scrapbook page with a relative standing by the Bird Tree.

Baby Bridget jumping over Princess towards Tiger. They loved the pine branches!

Tiger hiding and having so much fun!

Nuggie being so good wearing his Santa hat (before Mama stuffed it).

A most wonderful glass of Burgundy Montrachet given as a gift...this wine is awesome and we are ordering more. Perfect holiday wine. Happy New Year! Cheers!

Christmas Card

2009-12-22T07:00:00.001-05:00

This is what the front of our card looks like this year. I love to custom design our cards, it's so much fun! That is Bossy's Boy greeting us with his special Christmas collar and Santa medallion with the reindeer. Such a pretty face! The inside I filled the upper half with small squares of different scrapbook pages so that our loved ones can see each of our animals babies. I have been so busy as have all of you as with the preparations, parties, and decorating. Still getting the house ready for guests arrival Tuesday evening. Still must get greenery (I know I know, I have been procrastinating!) for the mantels...at least it will be fresh! A friend is going to allow me to cut some pine branches from her trees. I already have holly and cedar on the farm, but for some reason, we don't have a lot of pine. I know of an old abandon house where there is a magnicent Magnolia tree. I have borrowed its branches over the years.

We lost our electricity three times over the past two weeks which means doing the dishes by hand...ugghh! Thankfully we have a generator but it doesn't cover the whole house. When the electric is gone, my computer is gone! I finally got an IPhone so I can still get online. Back to work I go, but as you read this, I will be busy gathering my greenery, getting last minute groceries, dusting, cleaning, and hopefully baking some cookies! Maybe tomorrow I will have a chance to post about my huge tree....the mother of all trees. She takes hours to complete but she is so worth it as her beauty is astounding!

A Most Insightful and Soul Stirring Story

2009-12-13T15:09:00.000-05:00

My eyes are not as good as in the past...this being extremely disturbing to me as I have never needed the aid of glasses. I am now noticing that while reading or giving kitty kisses, the words and those beautiful furry faces become blurred when they are too close to my face...so last week I reluctantly went for a check-up. I had cancelled the appointment several times but finally committed on Tuesday.

One eye is better than the other, no drastic results, just reading glasses. I was in agony trying on thin rectangular frames that looked so foreign in the mirror. I was so not happy about this. The attendant sensed my mood and tactfully left me alone while I rapidly put on almost 50 frames. I finally found one. While she entered my info, somehow we ended up discussing cancer. We both knew doctors who had misdiagnosed patients who were strickened with this devastation. Cancer is so prevalent in our area. She shared a story with me that was very poignant, very thought provoking, and very difficult to forget...

The attendant, I will call her Paula, would visit or stay in a cancer center located in Lexington, KY for days or weeks while her mother received treatments. She met others sharing her sad circumstances, and together the families slowly got to know one another. She met a new friend whose husband's suffering began as severe back pain. He was a construction worker and was constantly told his problems were muscular. Months went by as several docs failed at finding the cause until finally the tumor was found at the very entrance of the colon but by then it was too late. The reason it was missed was due to the camera not being turned on until it was thoroughly inserted into the colon. This poor man endured several unnecessary colonoscopies due to sloppy procedure. Needless to say, these two woman became fast friends and continue to stay in touch to this day.
On September 11, 2001, the Kentucky man was lying in his hospital bed at home watching TV. He and his wife had two children, both in school. The man quickly called for his wife to see the news flash showing one of the World Trade Center towers on fire with that awful billowing smoke surrounding the top floors. If you will remember, those early reports did not reveal exactly what was going on...nobody knew it was a plane in the very beginning...

The man became alarmed. Something bad was happening in the world. He wanted his wife to pull the children out of school immediately. The wife refused at first. Then the man noticed all of these birds; a huge flock of birds were flying around the burning tower. "Honey, do you see all of those birds?" he asked. The wife replied "What birds? There are no birds flying around!" The man insisted there were birds and the wife thought something really strange was happening to her husband! He never acted like this before. He again insisted that the children be brought home. Then the man began to see a bit more clearer, and said "Oh, you are right, those aren't birds, they are angels! So many angels, look at all of them!" Again, the wife saw nothing but did notice her husband began talking to someone else...he was saying words like "yes, ok, ah uh," words that were in agreement with whatever he was hearing. He ignored her while she was asking who he was talking with, so she went into the kitchen to call the school to release their children. Upon her return to his bed, she found her husband had died. It is obvious that my eyes will see a bit better once I receive my glasses, but I must admit, this eye opening story allows me to see so much more metaphorically speaking. How coincidental that I heard this story while at the ophthalmologist!