What have I been up too???

No pictures to go with this posting of the hard working gal at the Funny Farm - for the past three days I have been a busy bee. I have moved and stacked 3 ton of hay in the barns, set up the birthing pens, moved all feeding equipemnt inside, moved and stacked wood in the forest for the campground, raked up bag fulls of scrub oak leaves to bed the chickens in - they just roll in the leaves like they are on vacation on a sunny beach, built three compost bins and then filled them with old straw, llama poop and chicken coop cleanup, scrubed all the feed and water equipment, cleaned out the tool shed and reorganized it, dig up about 3 ton of rock for the flower beds and redesign the grave of "Jaws" one of our Great Pry's who passed eight years ago. Then I finished replacing the signs in all the pastures and the last of the fencing. Meanwhile, I dyed about 100 poounds of yarn and now they wait for me to sit and place their labels on. Now that is what I call a fun time!!

Now this is nothing new for us country gals and I would not trade it for the world. Anytime I am working outside it is a great day but if I do not get up and moving the next morning by mid-day I am stiff as a board. Soon the snow will be here and I will be enjoying the fact that everyone is snug as a bug and life will be in the routine of snow drifts and births. Oh, I forgot to say I have constructed a new addition to the birthing barn, a pen for the little one's who might need special care, weather permitting. That does not mean that if the need presents itself I would not have a little one back in the house but I am planning for any situtation. Today I am reorganizing the food pantries, making my lists and counting the candles, batteries, and extra propane canisters for emergencies. I already rearranged the freezers and updated the lists so food does not go to the back. Just another week here at the farm. Would love to here what you do to get ready?

My breakfast guests are back

My guardian was back at my driveway this morning. After having his early morning breakfast he awaited my routine of opening the chicken coop greeting my furry babies and grabbing a cup of coffee. How easliy they find themselves in my daily chores and they seem to be welcoming what quite transactions happen between me and my extended family. I feel honored that he now considers me part of his duties - such grace he shows but such power all the same.

You can be strong yet kind

At my front gate I found the herd again grazing at my front driveway. THANKS for getting those weeds I have been trying to find time to get to those. As you can see my sweet orphan is enjoying the bond she has made with her new protector. This gentle Buck has found a group of girls and has been nothing more then the missing fathers my little one really needed. He is so kind to her, patient and shows that he will protector her from the monsters in the forest. After gazing at them for close to ten minutes I had to move because that ankle was really hurting. The movement had Buck look up to see what was going on - look at those eyebrows. Really they are just markings but their sure remind me of Groucho Marks. I am truely blessed to have such four legged visitors.

Never a dull moment

Tuesday morning was another heart stopper. The farm had received some snow and I am back into my rountine of before breakfast going out and breaking the ice on all the water in the pastures and barns. I admit it is a mindless task - one I do without really much effort. With the snow I also check for prediator tracks so my head is bent down. As I approached the little boys barn and went thru the gate I found the little guys sitting outside the barn. Such brave boys. I never gave it a throught as I walked thru the open door and heard movement and could feel the movement of something coming towards me. I quickly looked up only to fall on my butt and my orphaned deer came flying past me, thru the door and ran to catch up with the little goat boys. As I pulled myself off the ground I had to laugh - "How many folks have orphaned deer sleeping in their barns? I do, I do"

I hobbled into the house, twisted my left ankle, found the camera and back out I went. There was my sweet boys - sharing their pasture and last of the season grasses with this lost soul.. I have not named her because she is not my animal but rather a traveler who is making her way in life while sharing a bit of it with me. She spent most of the day with the boys enjoying their company. They even took a nap in the field while my Great Pry Sophie watched in disbelief. Now I am back in the house with ice on my ankle - no not from the barn - from the freezer...

My Orphan has a new family

For those who have been following the story of my little orphaned doe, I have been worried becaue since the mountain lion killing spree I had not see her for about two weeks. I each morning would look in all the pastures to see if my little one was sitting and resting but each morning I was very disappointed. My heart grew heavy - but what I saw this morning had me doing the happy dance.

My little one has been excepted in a small herd of two year olds. As you can see there is a great macho bull with his rack of horns growing. Then there is four two year old does and my little girl all eating right outside my fence. She brought them to my farm because she knew I would let them be and no hunting is allowed here. My heart was flying!! She is safe and has a family. What more could this two legged mommy want for her little one?

I am in the grove

You know my life sometimes just comes together in front of the dye pots and it a feeling of just hitting your GROVE..... I wished I took better photo's because you just can not see all the complex shades in this silk. I have not placed it in roving form but rather I just teased it open with my fingers after drying. Your imagination will run wild with this batch.

Something about trees - just love them

I have always loved the Silver Birch tree - just the way their bark looks but needless to say the Funny Farm does not have them so this is my way of having their splendor. Hope you find them as interesting as I do???