A New Dog

We got a new dog yesterday. Luckily it didn't stay long. In fact, Iris never even knew it was here. It was a sun dog! I didn't think to get a complete picture of it, but here is a left and right shot. It was centered over Stella's house. She really wishes I'd gotten a picture of that. Sigh. It was early?

Come On In!

And shut the door behind you. Some welcome signs of spring.

Spring, On Ice

We dodged another one. The "big" ice storm they'd predicted drifted further north (I'm guessing - not a big weather junky), so I was happy to head out with the camera this morning. Ice is beautiful as long as no trees (or power lines) are harmed in the process.


I wished I'd had a video camera rolling as the Adventure Chickens ventured out - "Wooooops - b-rok, bok, bok, bra-a-a-ahk! (slip sliding away) I know it's not nice to laugh.

Frost Weaving

Fence shadow frost. Art in nature. Watch closely. Always.

All Girl Fishin' Trip

The sun was shining and it wasn't too windy, so the Adventure Chickens decided to take the afternoon off and do a little fishin' down at the wet weather creek.


Weaslie/Miss Tilly (depends on the day ;-) loves to do a little wading and given half a chance will jump in the Frog Pond. I didn't let her anywhere near the water this time though. After her skunking (yes, the barn skunk is still around) a few weeks ago, even after two baths, if she gets wet, you can smell her coming. She's quite proud of that - sort of a badge of courage I suppose.


It's a good thing they're cute.

Seed-eorologists

I don't need the weather channel to tell me what the weather's going to do. I just look out the window and if I see more than one or two cardinals at the feeder at one time, I know to batten down the hatches, put the rugs on the horses and double check the heater in the green (I mean cat) house.

Why For You Bury Me In The Cold, Cold Snow?*

And then, just when it was looking so pretty - just before dawn - cover it with freezing rain so that now all I have is a slushy mess and no power...again. Sigh.

* From Bugs Bunny cartoon? Can't remember and don't have enough battery left to go look it up.

Hazard-ous

Normally there are nine heavy paint drums positioned out in our back field. These were not housing fighting chickens (as our neighbors originally feared ;-), but were a driving "hazard", or obstacle, we used to practice with our carriage horses. We have found all nine barrels, strewn over the 10 acre field, along with roofing and siding from several neighbor's houses and barns.

Connersville, the area of Harrison County we call home, was hit by a tornado two nights ago. It's a part of the county that rises and falls in a series of slight ridges. Our farm sits a bit lower than some of our neighbors and we can only guess that's what saved us. I've often wished for their views of the beautiful rolling hillside, but not today.


Amazingly no one was hurt, but the devastation to barns and houses in the area was extensive. Our only damage, other than some minor fence repair, was to our bee hive. Saint Tim donned the bee gear and re-set it upright, as there were still bees inside, and we are hopeful they'll pull through. They were a very angry group though, I can promise you that. They are still angry.

I believe the rest of the neighborhood is mostly just thankful. Within minutes after touchdown, the phones started ringing to check on everyone, and you can see (click to enlarge) by the number of cars and people just at this one house how well we all come together to try to help get everyone back on their feet.


Most of the tin roofing we found all over our farm came from this barn we believe.


With hay in as short supply as it is this year, every bale is precious. Our normally quiet road has carried hay convoys all afternoon, trying to get every last bale back under cover.


We are heading into the second night without electricity, but the temperatures are not so things are dire. Dinner by candlelight and spinning by the fire is really kind of nice...for awhile.

Buddy Makes It To The Big Screen

With furry faced sheep, you have to watch that they don't have issues with too much wool growing down and getting into their eyes, not only limiting their vision, but also potentially causing health problems. We knew we were overdue giving Buddy a little trim, but he's just so darn cute that I'd been putting it off.


Turns out all we needed was the proper motivation.




Don't look so sad Buddy. The only difference between a good haircut and a bad haircut is about three days. I had to cut that one side higher because you had a burr caught in there.

The Birds And The Bees

We had beautiful, almost springtime, weather this weekend. Perfect for getting some outdoor chores caught up, including cleaning out the bird houses in preparation for spring nesting.


I love to see what the birds have used to build their nests. Most of the time I recognize and can even remember where they might have found some of their materials, but one house we opened was full of dark blue and light blue yarn. I frequently work outside during nice weather, but did not use anything like that in any projects last year. Could there be another spinner/weaver/knitter working outside in my neighborhood, just like me?

Then, while we were working on this, I noticed a honey bee buzzing around. Bees will venture out on a warm winter day to "do their business" and clean out their hive. I walked to the frog pond, and sure enough, evidence of house cleaning out there as well.


Here a couple of bees have hauled out a dead bee (on the right). Very tidy these bees.

The Winter Oddity That Turned Out NOT To Be Stella

"Have you ever seen water run out of a tree?" Stella asked.
"Um. No. What do you mean?"
"You know, like when water flows out of a rock."
"Um. Noooooo." (What on earth is she talking about?!?)
"Well, there is water running out of one of my trees."
"I'll be right up with my camera!"
And she wasn't kidding. Nor was her furnace spewing hallucinatory fumes.