Awards Time!

Please check out my blog entry at essays & utter nonsense. I've got a new award to tell you about...

Since different followers of mine read different blogs, I'm posting this short message instead reposting the whole story here.

In the Out House (for women)

Everytime I behold this sight, I want to share it on my blog.

I'm asking you...

Could I make it any easier?

life on the gravel lane

Sadie's favorite cat is Teddy Bear... she just doesn't know it yet! Ted B. adores Sadie. He was the runt and has a funny sound and wobbly walk. Anytime Sadie is around, Teddy wants to rub faces, but Sadie's favorite activity is finding Daddy. When she spots him coming up the lane and runs past the rooster's territory, he sounds his warning!

droplets at sunset

The rain stopped right before dusk. You can keep the morning...

Foggy mist smudged the outline of the trees into the darkened sky. The air was heavy with sweetness, but yet crisp and clean, freshly washed. The irises, late in bloom and looking tired, folded in for the night, their blankets damp.

back then, now, later...

Another rainy day for writing and creating...

I just stepped out into the sprinkles to look from my balcony down to the goat shed. I have been putting some attention into sprucing it up since it's the focal point from the front porch. Here is an old picture back when we first built it. Except for the detail on the doors - not much to look at... I added shutters, a nice shrub, a rock border, some Japanese blood-grass, mulch and a bird bath. Plus with the new trees and shrubs in between, it's beginning to look picturesque. There are some baby willow trees (my own propagation) to the right and left that are too small to see. This is what it looks like today...

The next things I will be adding this year (God willing) are a trellis with ivy on the blank wall, and a fake window box with wood painted flowers that will brighten even in the winter! I'll probably plant another pine in the big open area, and the bird bath will get a deep green coat.

That should be enough for awhile. I'll turn my attention back to the 'people' shed...

Ohio Gardening Kit

A few weeks ago, Hubby picked up this gardening kit for me at the nearby Tractor Supply Co. I already have all the hand tools I need for the job, but he was thinking of me... sweet.

My old recycled steak knife was my most often used tool until the last couple of weeks...

This time of year in south-western Ohio requires some special items that you won't find in your run-of-the-mill garden shop. One would have to spend hours driving around town to locate all the needed supplies. We're all trying to save time and gasoline, right? So, I have decided to market a gardening kit made specifically for the Ohio Valley area. It contains all the essentials needed for the hobby gardener in this area... All shipped directly to your doorstep, so you don't need to be out in the flying cotton balls any longer than necessary. Please indicate your choice of Wild Cherry or Honey Lemon.

WARNING: Please check with your Respiratory Therapist before beginning any gardening activity. Some users may require a higher dosage of medication than contained in this kit.

baby steps...

My asthma treatments are slowly working... I snuck outside today to help Hubby with the next step of my project. I wanted to concrete around the top slab so the sand base wouldn't wash out.

Hubby readied the site by clearing the sand around the slab. He then mixed up the concrete while I was a safe distance from the dust. (He's great.) That left me with an easy sit-down job. He shoveled the concrete mixture into the larger areas, so I could just use my little gardening shovel to fill the gaps. I then pressed the crushed brick into the top layer of concrete.

The crushed brick will soon replace the mulch under the steps. It will flow down around the bottom slab and on down to surround the stone steps to the lower level. I was hoping to open the pool this week since Grand #2 will be here for the summer. (she is a water rat-the one being flipped in the video) but we've got a ways to go and I hear the thunder coming closer. That's good news though... Hopefully God will wash all these little puffy things from my airspace and I can get some work done!

Grace in the Garden

Since I'm still 'under the weather' (I wonder where that expression came from) I don't have any new news to blog about, so here's a farm-fresh oldie but goodie...

Gotta love that Gracie (Grand #3).

She was trying to be a farm girl and bring in

a bucket of corn and green beans for dinner.

She is quite the drama queen!

pool time

I am praying that my health will improve very soon. I hate being stuck in the house, but since I am I've been browsing through some old family photos and video clips. Watching the short films of the various family pool parties, I am anxious to get finished with the landscaping project and open the pool! For those who don't know, we installed an outdoor boiler system last fall and the plumbing for it went straight through the landscaped walkway to the pool.

This is not a top-quality video, but I think it summarizes my idea of a wonderful summer day. Whenever I get tired of cleaning and maintaining the pool, I watch a clip like this and I am reminded of why I love it so.

In this clip, Hubby takes his traditional place at the grill, with my son-in-law nearby. Grand #2 is driving Uncle Tim (my step-son) crazy making him flip her in the pool. Towels and pool toys are strewn everywhere. I'm probably ready to put the camera away and yell at the kids to drip-dry for dinner... Worth every penny!

finishing touch

Yesterday pushed me over the limit. The Dogwoods are killing me with my asthma! So today I decided to greatly limit my outdoor time. It's hard when it's so beautiful out!

Anyway, I had Hubby fetch me a load of mulch (He owes me... I'll probably write about that one on my 'essays' blog.) so I could cover the black plastic under the new steps. A few minutes later, I was safely back in the AC.

Later, I went shopping with a newbie... a friend needed help picking out her first computer. We stopped at Michael's first (a wonderful craft store) to buy some flowers. She has a shady spot that she brightens with artificials. I left there only spending ten dollars! Yea me! And it was $10 well spent!

The new planting bed beside the new steps will take a while to fill in. The chives looked so whimpy they reminded me of weed stragglers. I plan on later adding something pink with a little height, but that comes after I paint the foundation and finish some other projects. I didn't want it to look half-down until then, so the $10 worth of artificial flowers will due until then.

I bought a $1 bundle with many branches of tiny white flowers. The stems of the flowers blended perfectly with the chives, so I pulled off the silk leaves and stuck them in with the baby chives. It gave them a little punch until they grow their own. I found the pink flowers for $1.89 each to put behind the blue fescue. Nobody really sees this area except me and Hubby, but now we have this secret little place with perky blossoms waiting to greet us.

project moving ahead...

We hit it hard today! Fortunately, (as you can see) we got out there while there was still shade. In this photo, I have placed 2 layers of plastic under the steps to control weeds. It will be hidden by mulch. Hubby is screwing the stringers to the posts while the supervisor inspects the job. Add a few plants, some compost and mulch, a blue slab at the top and ... voila!
The stone steps will take off from the lower slate slab to the right and down to the patio below. Then I will continue the planting bed to the right of the steps as well. I have to wait a month or two to stain the new wood, and it will take a little while for the sedum to spread. I couldn't wait to see what it would look like, so I faked it on my computer.

I love making progress! And I really love the new steps.

So much better than the old muddy slope!

progress on the steps

Asthma & bronchitis has caused me to lose time on my outdoor projects. I finally got out there late today and helped Hubby put the posts in for the top of the steps. Here he is digging the first hole with his beloved tractor... After placing the steps back in the proper location, I held the post perpendicular while Hubby tamped the dirt in the hole. Note the 'supervisor' standing in the background. Nothing gets done without Sadie's oversight.

If I don't die in my sleep, we will anchor it all together tomorrow and start on the stone section that goes to the lower level.

Awards and Friendships

Squirrel Queen has made my day! I look forward to her posts with the lovely photography and thought-provoking words. Even though we have never met 'face-to-face', she is a very good friend. Today, on her thrusquirreleyes blog, she honored me with the Most Wonderful Favorite Award. I love that this award focuses on friendship. I have made the most wonderful friends through blogging.


These are the rules in accepting this award:



Deliver this award to eight bloggers who then must choose and deliver the award to eight more and include the following text into the award.





"These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers."





I would like to honor the following bloggers. As noted in the text above, my aim is to find them as friends. These are blogs that I hope everyone will visit and follow.

1. my thoughts dani-mhs1
2. chase at 290minus100
3. Joan at 50somethingwoman
4. TC at animalsthatgivepause
5. mkreider at fromthenorthfork
6. Cameron at ricemansblog
7. Jessica at countryfamilyrobinson
8. Lady Katherine at ladykatherineteaparlor

There are many, many more that I also think of as friends, but life is short...

last chick update

Well, maybe... we'll see. It was pretty rough going into the chicken house today. Hubby keeps it super clean, but there are a lot of chicks! As much as I love fresh eggs and being self-sufficient, I want nothing to do with the chickens. I have a medical situation that dictates I should not be spending time in a chicken house. 'nuf said. And Hubby is not one to pick up a camera. Once they are old enough to go outside there will be more pictures, but for now... 0n to the comparison shots.

The top photo is one from April 9th - our 1st day. It's not the greatest, but I wanted to include the gallon waterer to give scale. At that size, they could have used the lip as a bird bath. They were no wider than the trough. The 2nd photo I shot today in the chicken house. That makes them 5-1/2 weeks old. Also note that in the 1st shot the waterer is sitting on the shavings and in the 2nd shot, it's up on large bricks.

Beauty on the Farm

Another beautiful Saturday spent with Grace, a.k.a. Grand #3

Maggie & Me

I was just gazing through some old pictures and thought I'd share.

Believe it or not, it was love-at-first-sight with Maggie.

She was my first horse... an off-the-track thoroughbred,

neglected and needing a home.

Here she is, the way she looked then, at twenty-five years old!

My favorite picture... This was taken about three months later.

I got her weight back to what it should be and she looked like a winner!

I never used a bit with her. Only a halter with reins clipped on.

I trail-rode her this way. Lovely gal. I miss her.

She lives a ways north of here now with a friend of mine.

...and she still runs like the wind!

beautiful day on the farm

The weather was beautiful today.

I managed to get some garden chores done and even got a start

on the steps project from my balcony to the pool area!

I'll post some pics when I get farther along.

The forecast indicates it may be awhile.

But for now, enjoy these sites I shot today...

I love this willow shrub! It is over six feet tall now.

This time of year it is covered with a worm-looking growth.

It was too breezy to get a good close-up of them.

The Japanese blood grass I transplanted is doing very well.
I love the way it looks when the evening sun hits the blades.
It becomes almost transparent!

The color of the sky was a perfect contrast to the brightly lit branches of our ornamental plum.

This iris is what I remember from my grandmother's flower bed.

I love the combination of the stark yellow and delicate lavender.

I only wish my camera could capture the brilliance of the evening sun

hitting this bright yellow iris!

I just noticed this artwork on the sitting rock today.

The grandkids were playing with their sidewalk chalk this weekend...

I think it's a 'welcoming' touch!

The new iris bed is doing well.

I worried because the bulbs were out of the ground so long.
It's certainly an improvement over the transformer box!

One of our baby pines. It's about six feet tall now and is getting it's first pine cones!

chickens, and horses, and goats - oh my!

Ridding the critters of mites and worms... I never had these worries in the burbs. Hubby suspects the chicks are infested with mites. No big deal, it's quite a common thing, but still needs prompt attention. The big deal is in the treatment...

There is a powder that will eliminate the problem. The problem lies in that the powder must be applied to not only the hen house cracks, crevices, bedding, nests, etc, but also to each and every chicken. ALL EIGHTY! So Hubby asked, "How are we supposed to treat seventy-five chicks?" I replied, "One at a time." I've got a plan. I hope it works.

Let's make it a pest-ridding week. I figure I might as well worm the six cats, four goats, and two horses.

The last time we wormed the goats was nearly fatal... for us! Fully grown, they are quite strong. I, being a 'townie', bought the first goat wormer I found. The labeled stated how much of the liquid was to be administered to each goat. Apparently, even though the goats love the taste of mud and dandelions, they abhor the taste of this pink liquid stuff! I'd love to have a video of Hubby wrestling Elvis while I scurried around them with the eye-dropper! I'm sure our 'country' friends laugh at us quite frequently.

I'm using a different approach this time... Turns out there's a pelleted form of wormer for goats. They're supposed to eat it like feed. You just pour the correct amount into the feed trough and let them eat it! Who'd a thought? I'll let you know how that turns out.

I mastered the cat meds long ago. When we had fourteen (oops) it was either learn a fail-proof method or be scarred for life! I tried the 'wrap-the-pretty-kitty-in-a-towel' trick. Yeah, right! Without resorting to duct tape, how do you keep the claws inside the towel? (It did qualify for my insurance to cover a tetanus shot on my next doctor visit.) Four hands were simply not enough to control to flailing limbs with extended switchblades.

What would a mother do? Isn't that a question we ask often when faced with a dilemma? So what does a mother cat do when handling her young? Of course! The scruff of the neck! Turns out it works, not just for kittens either. Now, whenever I have to give meds to any of the cats, I simply lift their front-end off the ground by the scruff of the neck. (Sqeeky Bear sometimes requires lifting his entire body.) They passively accept anything I stick in their furry little faces.

The horses can't be picked up by the scruff of their necks. 'Real' horse people do not approve of my worming method. Some meds must be administered orally, so teaching a horse to accept the wormer is a good way to keep them 'med-ready'. Mine aren't. Sorry. I do need to take the time to work on that someday. But for now, I use a wormer they like. It comes in a tube they don't like. So I squeeze the wormer into a little bit of grain and stir. They lap it up as long as I use enough oats & feed to dilute the taste.

So 'country folk' - go ahead and laugh! At least I have blog material!

I've Been Nominated!

Rae at WeatherVane has nominated my 'blahwg' blog for the 2009 Blogger's Choice Award for best blog about animals and countrylife! I am so very flattered. But now I am, according to Rae, supposed to shamelessly solicit votes from you guys! So here it is: PLEASE, PLEASE, PRETTY PLEASE WITH SUGAR ON TOP follow the link and vote for me... or not. But thank you Rae for including me in a list of some very fine blogs.

http://bloggerchoiceawards.com/

chick, chick, chicken....

This dude thinks he runs the place! Not really a rooster yet, more like a chickster. But they are pecking and fighting already! Hubby is regretting his decision to take the 'freebies'. We were going to raise those 25 for the freezer, but I'm not sure he can hold out that long.

This gorgeous gal is one of our silver-laced Wyandottes. Not exactly a great shot, but seeing how I was all alone, I think I did pretty good with a camera in one hand! They're getting pretty hard to catch. Their feet are huge! It's going to be fun clipping the wings - NOT! When you spread out the wings, the feathers in the section farthest away from their bodies gets clipped... Just the ends and only one side. This keeps them from flying off. When they molt and get new feathers, guess what? Yep, all over again!

In case you don't remember, scroll down... There is a short video of me spreading the wings on this beauty. I called them angel wings. The light from the window made the feathers glow. In the video, you could see my hands. Yes, they've grown! A few more months and we'll have plenty of eggs to sell.

a perfect fit

Never in the history of furniture has a chair had such a perfect fit. Let me introduce you to Mickey. She looked like a tiny mouse when she was born, hence the name. She is the only barn cat that comes inside. Being the runt, she was always picked on, so her place is in the woods and not the fields. She has a nice home there. She doesn't get wet or muddy. But when she gets hungry, she comes up to the door of my bedroom. She disappears, sometimes for days on end. She went out one day last week and didn't come back until yesterday. Hubby had given her up for dead. (He worries a lot!) But, as usual, she came back to catch up on her lovin'. I missed sleeping with her. So that's Mickey. I caught her sleeping today in one of the bedroom chairs. It seemed to be just the right size...