Monday Funk Made Right

I have found my new rain dance - it is "Grace trying to get outside work done" and boy does it work. I was hoping to get more of the broken pallets loaded in the back end of the truck when again out of no were lighening started hitting the ground and the billies and I ran to the house.  In seconds the clouds opened up and the rain came in sheets. Crap I had the truck windows open again...  As I stood takening pictures and billies ran under the back deck. 

Not all are being smart.  Llama Boy instead of going to the barn or even a loafing shed he just sat down and kept a watchful eye out.  Silly Guy...

After the first wave of rain the Llama Girls and Kids went to see the pool that appeared with 10 minutes.  No sooner then this picture was taken the rain came again.  On and off thru the early evening which was great but the lightening was horrible and scary.  Lost power on and off so I stood with my hand crank carding machine and made batts while watching "Saving Grace" on the battery DVD player.  After the lightening stopped I did go to the forest to listen to the water rush over the rocks and smell the air.  Pure Heaven !!  It amazes me that no matter what kind of a funky day I have  - all I have to do is go to the forrest and my heart comes back alive.

Live and Let Live

Thursday night while trying to get my computer work done in the kitchen while at the same time cooking up meals for the coming week a new House Guest decided to check in.  This was not one of the baby birds or their parents this was a brand new bird.  So Scared!!  This lovely girl was not wishing to leave the house after four hours of watching me work.  Finally I had to go to be at 1:00 am and I left the kitchen door open risking something else to come walking into the house like a Skunk, Raccoon or worse the Mountain Lion.  I wished her well and went up stairs.  At 4 am I had all the sleep I could do and went down stairs to the kitchen where here she was still sitting in the same spot I left her. 

After working in the fiber room, doing morning chores as the sun rose and then back in to make breakfast she finally decided to take off.  A much calmer sweet girl.  I thought I had provided a port in her storm and now she was composed enough to carry on...  Well, good thought but in she flew at the same time as the night before and again did not wish to leave.  This time I did not leave the door open - did not wish to risk something larger coming in as well - so we have repeated this pattern now for three days in a row.  This is all so strange since I am NOT a bird person...  Oh Well, Live and Let Live....

Wee One in the Shop

As I was sitting in my office Friday night trying to get my office set back up and struggling to understand how the paperwork got out of control again I kept hearing this strange high pitched noise.  I admit that most times I chalk things up to my lack of sleep.  I tried to ignore it and just turned up the sound up on the movie.  After an hour of this noise I had to figure it was more then brain cells firing all wrong.  I went around and around the shop trying to pin point the source.  Finally I moved some display pieces and there on the ground I found this tiny little baby. A little girl mouse.  Not sure how in the world it got to the middle of floor behind a wire display but I kept hoping the parents would come for it but after a half hour I admit it I could not help myself  I moved it closer to the wall and hoped with all hope that this would aid the parents - No, I did not touch it with my hands - no human smell added to keep the parents away.  I had to leave the shop because it broke my heart to hear it cry out for its parents.  I checked every half hour to see if it was rescued.  After four hours the poor thing expired.  Yes, here went Grace feeling so sad and upset.  Now I know it makes no sense since I have mouse traps all around the house and shop but I always get invested in new born things - I want to save them all if I can.  I figure grown up things have the presence of mind to make choices but not so with new ones.  Hard to get back to work in the shop but work is demanding more time

New Guest

Finally know why the dogs have been barking for the past three nights - an injuried doe has found her way to the farm and has taken up residence.  She has a limbing right front leg - can't get too close now to see exactly what is wrong - right now she just needs to settle in and find peace at the farm.  At least I know it is not the Mountain Lion....

Pool Party

 Trying to find ways to cool down?  Here is my way  "Pool Party" a wonderful cool and Oh So soft set of 4 batts totaling 3.50 ounces.  They contain Alpaca from LFF Appolo, Cashmere from LFF Boy Blue, Merino Lambs Wool and Silk - all the best for next to the skin softness.  Don't you just feel cooler looking at them??? Looking for a new home for them - now listed in my Etsy Shop.

Last Nights Luck

Last night I  was a bit worried because the farm was surround by very black clouds and more shafts of lighting then I wanted - one hit into the forest and all I could do is pray that it did not hit a tree.  I sat with again a sick stomach hoping Mother Nature would just leave this farm out of what she had planned.  After about a half hour of this horror I was lucky enough to have a gentle rain and also two rainbows visit the farm.  The one on the left is faint beacuse the clouds where moving quickly.  I love the dot, dash one on the right.  The rain was the type that the ground could use - slow, steady and not coming sideways.  Even the animals stood out in it and just enjoyed it falling on the over heated bodies.  I admit I put down the camera in the house and stood outside just looking up. 

As I walked back into the house I noticed that the pine tree next to the kitchen had just went wild with making pinecones.  I could not believe my eyes.  I had to take a picture because this tree in the past years only produced about 6 to 10 cones a year..  I stood in the rain a bit longer just to admire what this sweet tree was doing even when Mother Nature has not given it any reason to celebrate. Sometimes we just have to give our gifts even when life keeps hammering away at us.

Spitting Mad

I pulled back the curtains on the French Doors in the fiber room while I was trying to check colors before starting up on some new batts - I had not realized that "Happy"(one of the Llama Mums) were sitting there trying to get a bit of the cool water coming from the sprinkler.  Well, I guess I gave her a fright and this is what she gave me.. Or should I say my French Door Glass.   Once she realized it was just me she had a very embarrassed look on her face and she slinked off around the corner of the house.  Now who is going to clean this mess up?  Mother Nature is not helping with a good rain just thunder and lightening with continual heat... I think I am just going to close the drapes and pretend this did not happen for now.

Morning Wednesday

Up again before the sun rose in the East - trying to get a jump on what is predicted to be days upon days of in the high 90's and low 100's here.  I wished I would not have spent so many wonderful hours in bed opening up dyed fibers and sorting through a baby fleece.  I know not many would do this work in bed but I really wanted to relax this tired body while still getting work done.  I should have known the touching of the fiber only serve to make my mind work overtime with ideas of great blends, awesome yarns and new projects.  As I finished teasing open the last of the coral silk I slip away to dream land.  With strange dreams running the short hours of rest I awoke to the same list I had on Tuesday.  So up and out I went to get chores done so all could eat before the heat.  I now sit here typing away and dealing with flies that could drive a sane women over the edge so imagine what it is doing to me. 

I hope you all have a productive day and that the heat does not hamper you joy.  Well, it is back underwear and a muscle shirt while working in the fiber room...  Make it a Great Day!

It is Tuesday - Now What?

This mornings Sunrise was just the push I needed to get the body going outside before the heat was to come.  I was amazed to find that even the hens were still sound asleep on their roost and the billy goats were still curled up in their family groups dreaming of green pastures.  Yeah, I had that same dream but will be only seeing brown weeds and dirt.  Trying to stay on the positive side of this drought I decided to unpacked my evacuation suite cases and put everything back in it's place.  I will admit I still have the files, business records and jewelry packed but my jeans, shirts and shoes are back in their place. 

It is hard to watch the pastures turn to dirt, to see wild birds sit at all the bowls I fill each day and drink like there is no tomorrow.  I am still several times a day walking buckets of water out to the forest for the wild animals who are struggling through this drought as well - it is getting old but I fell so sorry for all they are experiencing.  I also do not wish those preditors to find another reason to come in closer to my sweet ones.

I know so many who have a farm, or raise animals and who's business is suffering so with what Mother Nature is handing us and we just have to find ways to carry on.  It will be effecting the rest of the world in months to come so I hope you are thinking about what that will mean to you and yours. 

This evening we have rain clouds rolling in and I am hoping for a gentle long rain without all the high winds, frightening and deadly lightening and most of all for it not to come so fast that it all just runs away.  I know - NOT ASKING FOR MUCH!  I will take what I can get in the way it comes because I have no choice.  So as I settle into a night of hunting for hay, posting products on line and keeping watch over the farm I give thanks for another day here in the life I love. Wonder what Wednesday will bring?

Stupid is as Stupid Does

Friday at 6 am I went to town - food and feed was in need after a month and I told everyone to behave.  Yeah Right! I came home to Sundance again with his head thru the fence.  This is an every week deal with him and in time or the sound of thunder he figures it out.  I have tried to help him every time he does this but I end up with smashed fingers, cut hands or many other injuries.  Besides he has to learn this ...

Before you feel too sorry for him - I gave food and water all the time, tried to comfort him to relax so I could get him out and even his twin brother tried to comfort him which Butch was met by the same bad behavior.   

It is now Sunday afternoon and still Sundance is stuck. I have had no sleep because he cried all night long and when he was not crying Kasha was barking telling me that he is still stuck.  Now as the saying goes what goes in must come out - but finally about an hour ago I went out with the heavy wired cutters and Yes, cut my fence - CRAP!!!  I am so so so so mad that words can not even come close.  The moment I cut it he still would not put his head back so a tap on his nose and he jumped back and then pronged around the pen so Happy.  So do you think this will stop the silly bugger???  NO- I am sure it wont.. 

Yes, I forgot to take a picture of his silly self stuck in the fence.  I admit I was so pissed that it never even entered my brain.  Now when the sun goes down I have a fence square to fix.  You know I had nothing planned for today anyway - Yeah Right!!

Hear the Frogs

So I guess my Naked Rain Dances WORKED!!!  We have had three rain storms hit the farm in two days and this one is a HUGE one...  Beyond what these pictures can show - the rain was in continual sheets that for a while I worried that I should have been building an Ark instead of cleaning the chicken coop on Sunday..  Just wait till you see the coming pictures. This picture may look out of focus but it isn't - it is because the rain was coming so fast and hard that is really was a wall.

This is only after 10 minutes and the rain had filled the pond and now was backing up across the driveway and standing 4 inches deep in the south pasture.  There are three great big pipes that drain that area but the water is coming too fast for them.  I could only stand and watch and wonder how long this was going to continue.

This is the dry pond that ran over with all the water.  The frogs did not take long before they were out and singing so loud that you can not hear the TV over their sounds.  The rain had stopped and now I am able to take the billies out to the forest before the next storm might come our way. I hope by showing you this rain storm you can also see how incredibly brown, dry and dead the plants are at the farm.  I pray that this water can soak into the ground but it came so fast and hard that most will run away but still I am so very thankful.  Great to fell the rain and hear the frogs....

Sharing Accommodations

While Birdie Sitting the little one's in the house this morning the Mother sat outside on the front deck bent willow chair and sang her song so loudly that I thought she must have been sitting right next to me.  I grabbed the camera and took a quick snap.  They have such a routine now about dropping the babies off early in the morning into my house and then going about their day.  With having two days of rain storms the babies are taking more flying lessons but always returning to the living room if the door is open.  So far there has only one accident and that was on the wooden floor which was easily cleaned up.  Their sweet songs and muted chirping adds to the flow of the day but I am sure most would not be thrilled to have wild birds feeling right at home in their living room.   I guess over the years I have learned I am in their space and need to share  the world I live in - now that does not mean I will invite the deer into the house but last night I guess they decided the mint and sage in the front bed was the best tasting food around seeings how everything else is brown and crunchy.  I did not mind so much but I do have more then my share of round poop pellets covering my front driveway in front of the house and shop.  Time to get the rake, shovel and wheel barrel going.  Just another unexpected result of house guests.

Celebrate This Moment

 Around this farm we work 24/7 and party 24/7 - we do not wait for a holiday because we live each day to the fullest if we can..  Last night we celebrated a whole 5 minutes of rain and the cool breeze that graced the farm.  I sat on the front deck with Sherlock and my two baby birds just breathing in the cool (somewhat smoke scented) air. I gave thanks for letting the worry drop for just that night and be in the present moment.  This morning I saw my guard goat Sherlock making sure my truck was safe.  You see they had to take out the alarm because it kept shutting down the engine.  Now Sherlock has taken it upon himself to make sure no one even thinks of getting near the truck but me!

 Now don't let this sweet face fool you - he is serious about his truck.  He even cleans it by licking off the dirt - talk about detailing!!!  All this is hard work and a guy has to rest just a bit.  I could not resist getting a couple of pictures of him resting while make sure all was safe.

Yes, that is a smile on his face.  He knows he is loved, that he has a big purpose here and that all is right in our world for now.  I hope you find such a life and that today you celebrate all that is right in your world because we spend too much time guarding against what might happen instead of enjoying what is happening.  I can even forgive the poop on the deck or on my Welcome mat outside the shop door to see this gentle guy care so much for me and the farm.

Birdie Daycare

This morning while coughing up a lung from the smoke that seems to gather in the early morning I opened the doors and hoped to clear the smell from the house.  I started the coffee pot and look who was waiting for me on my kitchen window.  The two sweet baby birds had left the chicken coop and flew over to start what I now call "Birdie Daycare" - it seems that the parents have felt their day too full to watch their little one's so they now hang out either on the window ledges or in the house.  I still have not had a chance to talk payment but their lovely songs and sweet faces are payment enough but don't tell the parents that - I am still hoping to earn a bit more scratch around the farm.

Wondering what the going rate for daycare out here goes for out here?  I must admit I am not much of a bird person but these sweet one's grow on you.

An Angel named Sheri

I can not believe what a lucky girl I am!!  My sweet long distant soul sister angel sent me a package in the mail with some of the most incredible items that she knew would put this gal right.  The first is hand spun, hand dyed, hand knit socks from her own two talented hands.  Aren't they just too much!!  I admit I went and washed my feet off and had to try them on.  They fit like a glove or should I say sock - Perfect in everyway.  The color are my favorite and I really can't tell if they are coming thru because my eyes are so foggy with all the smoke here that everything is a blur.

Next came some hand burned CD's for my listening pleasure and a CD of Tibetain chants - love them and listen to them all the time.  Her sweet daughter found this and said that it surely had to come my way.  I even have one that has Sheri and her late husband signingon it - they where professional singers and it brought me to tears.  She can no longer sing like she would like too but I can hear in their songs the love they shared.  I have been listening to them all and finding such joy in them...

Next was a beyond words picture from a friend of hers who created this with such amazing insight and soul spirit that I have every seen.  It is very hard to get all the detail into the picture but it shows what I see in my heart and soul when I spin.  I am just floored every time I gaze at it.  I will have to find the perfect frame to do it justice.  It will also have a place of honor in the house - I think next to were I spin to remind me that others see the world the way in which I do.

Now there was one more special gift but I did not post a picture until I hear back from Sheri - she made this fantastic blown egg ornament but since she is thinking of selling them I did not want to jump the gun.  I know how easy someone takes your creative idea so I will wait till she gives me the go ahead to post it.  Just know it is out of this world and you holiday tree will have to have more then one to deck it halls....

I can not put into words how special this lady is to me and not because she sends me amazing things but she gives her heart, soul and time to me - we talk of many things and how alike we are.  She listens so lovingly to me and I know that I am heard.  I hope in some small way I can return that friendship, love and caring - this is what a Girl Friend is to be in life.  The universe was so kind to bring her into my life and I give thanks every day for her.  By the way she also makes the best Strawberry Jam on this planet.  A package she sent me last year of her more then Yummy Jam and I have been enjoying all year..  I still have a couple of jar and they are such a special treat.

Many Thanks Sheri for all you are in this world and the kindness you share so freely.  I want folks to know there are Angels on this world and Sheri Chin is one of mine.  Hugs and Blessings Angel

Baby Sitting for this Grand Mother?

You would think after all the years living a not NORMAL life I would be use to strange happenings.  WRONG!

I admit I got two hours of sleep because I was watching "Being Human" on Hullu - Yep, I was trying to get with the flow of modern computer life.  Also with the heat I just could not sleep.  So with little sleep again I started my Sunday morning with great hopes and a long list.  Trying to read the huge operators manual for this computer on line was like pulling my finger nails out and half way through the computer acted weird.  Yep, I paniced and called the help center They again had such patience was so wonderful.  We had a bunch of issues, all of which I did not understand but we are running again...  I can not express how much this kind of stuff freaks me out.

After that two hour horror I needed to be outside with the animals.  I took the big billiesout of their pens because they have no grass with this heat.  So off to the forest we went so we could knock down the tall dry grass. While out there I had about two dozen dragon flies whirling around my head - really neat and so calming!!  Really needed that after the computer thing.  On the way back to the house and putting up the boys I kept thinking I just really needed a quite night.. I also need to sleep. Oh and should I even mention some RAIN!!!!

As I came upstairs I could not beleive what I saw -  flying in the house was the two parents of the babies in the coop flying around screaming around my living room and kitchen.  I had no idea what was going on.  When the parents left the house there I saw was the two babies.  So now it is an hour later and the parents have come into the house about a dozen times talingk to the babies and then go away while leaving the little one's here.  The babies are only moving around the ceiling and talking to each other softly.  I am trying to just let them be so if they will gather their wits..  At first I thought this might have been a accident but I think the parents feel my house is a safe place to leave their little one's.  Why doesn't anyone ask me first???

I just want to know how much should I charge for baby bird sitting???