Freaking Friday

I don't even know where to begin - I was out the door early this morning (no sleep again) to get feed, take large parcels to post office and got back before 9 am.  Was hoping to just get the compressed bales into the barns and then into the house to get some carding and spinning done..   Yeah Right !!

I came into the house and changed to work clothes, grabbed my tunes and gloves from the kitchen counter and out the door I went.  As I approached the truck I picked up the hay hook and pulled my work gloves on.  I climbed into the truck bed and hooked the first bale.  Just then a sharp pain hit my left hand.  I pulled off the glove and there was a spider stuck to my middle finger..  That (words that I will not type but trust me they could hear them to the other county) Spider!!!!!  Tiny as the little shit was within seconds my finger was turning red/purple and throbbing.  Just what I needed with all this work ahead of me.  I shoved the glove back on and two hours later the feed was moved, barn floor scrapped down and all animals fed and watered. 

Now I sit with a throbbing hand but it looks like it is not spreading.  Freaking Fantastic Friday.... Oh Well, I guess I will write labels for yarn that is sitting on the table (only requires my right hand) and hopefully by this evening it will be willing to work the wheel with me.  Have I ever mentioned HOW MUCH I HATE SPIDERS - Now I have to check my gloves that where sitting on my kitchen counter for these monsters???  By the way no comments on my very over worked and under pampered nails.  I am lucky they are not orange or have six band aids on them - that is very normal for me but this is a new one for this gal.... 

Look Mom What I Did - 24 hours

My HUGE Crown of Thorns is soon to celebrate his birth 12/19/1983     He was given to me on the evening of the birth of my first son Nicholas by a business associate of my husbands.  I thought it strange that he gave me this weird very pointy cactus but he stated it was a family tradition.  I thanked him and tried to keep it and my son from freezing to death when we headed home on the coldest day ever recorded for Colorado.  After all these years this Big Boy takes up the whole window and then some in my living room.  It loves the south and west window rays, drinks every Friday two cups of warm water and loves to watch me as I spin... As you can see in the picture there is another one next to him but this is his summer buddy.  I was a bit remiss and forgot to move the Summer Buddy which happens in October.  I noticed last weekend that my Big Buy was having leaves turn yellow.  Silly guy I said "What is your problem"

Brain dead Grace finally remembered and moved his Winter Buddy over to Big Boy.

This little one was almost dead when I brought it home.  Neglected and over watered it almost died several times but with love and knowledge he now is 6 years old.  I moved him over to his Big Buddy and talked to them as I picked the yellow leaves off the sad monster  That was Tuesday morning and

see what an old little friend can do for my Big Guy.  That's right in 24 hours he made a flower that is right next to his little buddy.  Who says plants don't respond to love and companionship.  It will be a joy to sit next to him and spin today - my heart knows he is righting himself. 

What Do You Make Of These?

Needed to step outside and clear my brain - look what was over the farm - amazing clouds that looked so angry but was not producing anything but something to think about

 

 

What do You Make of These?

No Black Friday's for this Gal

Cashmere (my sweet Marvin) Musk Ox (from a breeder in Alaska) and Silk from the coop I belong to.  The soul sang sweet words while I spun - my way of being in the world.

Today's Poultry Talk

Mom - what is all this nonsense the turkey's are saying about hiding until February???  Why do we have to pull our weight and theirs during the coldest months of the year??  The girls and I have talked and we just don't think it is right....

You see my sweet Hen -
23 Wild Turkeys live here and enjoy the protection we offer them especially during this trying time of the year.  On Wednesday when Kasha and I ate our lunch in the forest the group of them came walking by us finding morsels in the dry grass.  Kasha did not bark or chase because she understands that they are allowed to live here without worry.  I marvel at these amazing creatures.  I am not against eating meat but here is my thought on that -  I wished each person who does eat meat would have to at least once kill the animal of which they have chosen to eat.  I think not only would that stop folks from seeing meat as just something that sits under plastic and you can purchase with a coupon but rather as a real living and breathing creature.  I also think the general public might also understand what those of us who raise animals go through when and if we sell them for meat.  Lastly, I would hope that you might give thanks everyday for what you eat and for those who gave their life for you meal.

So my sweet Hen - just know that we all pull our weight here at the farm and no breathing creature is living in fear that they will be on our dinning room table.  So go enjoy the warm sunny day and soon I will be bringing out the blueberries for your holiday treat.

From all at Larkspur Funny Farm we send to you and yours Love, Light, Peace and Blessings this day and everyday.

Can You Hear Me Now?

No, Grace did not get a cell phone.  I have to say getting older can be an issue and of late I was wondering if my hearing was failing...  Since I live in a quite world where I know every sound that this farm and animals make I always seem to be humming along with the small sounds.  I have noticed that when I listen to my tunes I am not hearing everything like I use to - muffled and not as sharp.  At first I did not pay attention because there is always a wind going on here and most of the time I only listen to tunes when I am working outside anyway.

The other issue is no matter how hard I hide those wires for the ear buds a goat can walk by, find it and with a single bite they take out my tunes. I have even taped them to my body to hide them but still within a blink these cleaver goats manage to chomp that tiny wire.  I can not even count how many I have purchased just in the last three years.  I just don't want to know.

Well, when I was in town Friday I decided since I was down to only one pair I better purchase a few more.  I went to the electronic department and first found a CD of my favorite Beatles album.  Yeah for me because I only had it on cassette and could not listen to it while outside. Then I asked the sales person if she had anymore of my ear buds in the back.  She came back and asked if I was going to also purchase the Beatles album on Itunes?  I giggled and said I don't have an Ipod so No.  She asked then why was I purchasing ear buds for an Ipod???  WHAT?  After reviewing how a clerk picked this brand over a year ago and I have been purchasing them ever since I could have just kicked myself.  We giggled (I did that giggle I do when I am truly mad but know the anger is not going to help) and I got me two pair of the correct ear buds.

As I started to get ready to unload the hay at the farm I put in the new ear buds and wow - SO LOUD !!!  I am not losing my hear - well I might if I don't turn the volume down. 

I was singing along with Michael Jackson and enjoying the clear sounds when Llama Boy came up to my rubbing his nose on my cheek and giving me love and attention.  He has been mad at me so this attention was a happy turn of events.  Just as I was truly enjoying his soft nose this tender lips grab one of the ear buds and Chomp...  There went my new ear phones....

Luckily, I have another pair and after yelling and having a temper tantrum I went to the house and got the last pair.  I know most would not risk it but when I work hour after hour in the outside wind it is my only way to stay sane...  So, Yes I am blasting the tunes and enjoying every note...

Saturday was not easy

This weekend I started the process of digging the final resting place for my sweet Kasha.  She is my heart and soul, best friend and protector.  Her health has been declining and I need to get this done before the ground freezes.  Saturday, I brought her out to the place that is the resting place for another one of our Great Pry's "Jaws" and began using the pick axe to break the ground.  Kasha rested while I swung away.  The older billies demanded to be with us and so I let them share in the day.  Kasha kept an eye on them as I plugged away at the rock bound ground.  It was very slow going and with my shoulder not what it should be I lasted longer then I thought I could but was reduced to sitting and using a regular hand scoop that I use in my floor pots.  I know, slow but it was the best I could do... With each scoop I was listening to some of the best tunes - Beatles... Wave after Wave of memories. Tears streaming down my cheeks and dropping on the ground that I was trying to scoop away.  Then a smile would come over my face as Kasha would lick my face and give me that award winning smile of hers.  I worked until I could no longer move my arm and called it quites for the day.

Kasha and I walked back to her trailer.  With each step we felt the heaviness of the day but  I promised her I would be back soon after grabbing a tiny bite of something, put on warmer clothes and swallow three more Advil...  Through the night we snuggled and just remained present.  It was hard not to think of our younger days and better health. It is impossible to sleep with her because despite her not feeling well she still works.  Reminds me of me... No matter what I get up and work even when I don't feel like I can put one foot down I just do it... I have never regretted a single day since I started this farm and no matter what life has given me I understand this is where I was meant to be.

There are much more work to be done on this sad project.  Tomorrow I will be digging more, picking out rocks to cover the grave and dig deeper in the memories that have created my life here.  I sure hope the Advil hold out!

Inquiring Minds

I am not sure if you can enlarge this article (again I state I am not the best with computer things)  to read it better but I was cleaning out the upstairs office files and found a recent article written about your truly in the "Metro Magazine" this spring.  The magazine came out to the farm after a big snow storm to see what this college grad has been up to - trust me, nothing to do with the degree I earned... For those who wondered also what this very tired farm gal looks like guess which one I am???

Yeah - Poop Day

Not much in life makes sense to me of late but today I was having to put my mind and soul into something that is me.  Yep, that means mucking out the goat girls barn.  To most in this country that task would make them feel like they are being punished or not valued  but for me I love order and cleaning.  I have been struggling with many issues of late including a very messed up right shoulder but as I could not sleep again last night every inch of me was aching to get outside and do some WORK...  Most would rest their broken body, maybe even take some med's and pull the covers over their heads but for me the best way of healing I know is getting outside, connecting with the needs of my animals and moving shit... Tiny round pellets that my sweet animals leave every where - not those smelly, nasty "Road Apples" or the wet, round "Cow Patties" but what I call Larkspur Funny Farm Raisinetts,,

I got this sleep deprived body outside early and went to work with good tunes in my ears and a willingness to just be in the present moment.  To let go of all the things that are not going right, and just be with the task at hand.  I gathered all the tools required including the pick axe.  I know what your thinking great way to really make the shoulder worse but it is what it is and no one else does the work for me...

As I arrived at the barn the girls cleared a path because they understood MOM was in the cleaning mode so it is best to just move out of her way.  As my sons can testify to when I get going I don't stop until it is all done.  I found if I stop for any reason it is like letting the air out of a balloon.  So hour by hour the scrapping, shoveling and removing continued.  Then came the Pick Axe Work which requires all to move away and me to keep focused as to not put it into a foot or leg.  I have to admit I really can get out some great frustration and angry during this part of the cleaning and I tell you this was long overdue.

Eight hours have passed and the barn is done.  Gates rewired and water containers scrubbed and filled.  As I gathered my tools and checked over to make sure I had not left something Dot (the llama baby boy) came up and was ever so snugly.  As I looked closer at his face I noticed the silly boy had a rock stuck in one of his nostrils.  I gently removed it and had to giggle because he in turn gave me soft Llama kisses and wrapped his neck around my waist.  As I walked this tired, smelly and poop dust covered body back to the house I took a moment to reflect on the peace this day gave me. 

After cleaning myself up and finally eating something (I told you I don't stop for any reason) I could slowly feel my body starting to feel the aches of the work day.  However, this gal would rather have a day like today then just about anything else.  For those who say they had a "Shitty Day" I can truly say "I had a Shitty Day and LOVED every minute of it"

Amazing Batts Posted in my Etsy Shop

I will be posting all day some of the best fiber blends I completed while struggling to find sleep.  Stop into www.larkspurfunnyfarm.etsy.com and get your holiday shopping done without leaving your home.  Thanks for peeking - more goodies to come.