Tuesday, December 29 2009

Sunday, December 27 2009

My girls headed home today.  How sad, I missed them before their car was out of sight.  The holidays always fly by so quickly.  We had a spectacular few days together. 

Last night, the three of us were able to spend the entire evening together.  We started with a simple meal of shrimp cocktails appetizers, followed by salmon croquettes and green beans.  Of course, there were plenty of holiday cookies and candy left for dessert. Then we cleared the table, lit candles, poured a glass of wine and turned on Christmas music.  The first event was our book club. About a month before the holidays, we decided to all read “Sarah’s Key”, a novel based in Paris during world war two.  The three of us spent about an hour discussing the story, author's writing style and historical context.  We agreed that the first half of the book was better than the second half.

After our book club, we played a game of Trivial Pursuit.  About half way through the game, we pulled out the leftovers to snack on, cheese and crackers, pickles and olives, swedish meatbals and cream cheese and crab dip. By midnight, we all had become tired and silly, so the game ended before we completely finished. 

Each year for the past five, the three of us have taken turns gathering photographs from the prior year’s events and turning them into a printed photo book.  Each Christmas, the current book is given to the others.  The photos are a great way to capture our adventures and life events during the year.  Looking back at the collection brings back so many memories for me.  I absolutely love this particular tradition!

Now on to 2010!

Friday, December 25 2009

Merry Christmas!

Thursday, December 24 2009

Sissy, Spooky, Slick, Mama and I are enjoying a calm, peaceful Chrismas eve.  Hb always travels to VA for Christmas with his extended family.  This arrangement works well for us.  We miss each other terribly but are both attached to our individual family traditions so this solution works best for us.

My daughters arrived yesterday and surprised me with tickets to the Penguin game.  The Pens are so popular that tickets are hard to get.  I have not been to a game in years.  Seeing the game with my girls was so much fun and brought back so many wonderful memories of past games we attended when my daughters were young.  The Pens not only won last night but played an awesome game, scoring 8 goals.  Our seats were at the end where the Pens shoot just once but they scored 5 goals during that period.  We ate nachos and hot dogs, yelled and cheered and had too much fun.

Today, we visited my great-aunt who is my maternal grandmother’s sister.  She recently turned 94 and still lives in the house that she and her husband built as newlyweds, about an hour away.  My daughters are always anxious to see her when they are in town.  After a pleasant visit, we returned to the farmette where my girls regrouped, and then left together to visit a variety of friends and family around the Pittsburgh area.

Tonight, I will pick up Isabelle to take her to the local church for candle light service.  After church, I will visit with her at her farm until Christmas arrives.  Then I plan to come home and enjoy another Christmas on the farmette.  My girls will return later on Christmas day when we will celebrate Christmas together.

Monday, December 21 2009

New pictures of Puff and Junior on the Feather portfolio page. Check out the close up of Puff with his blue head against the blue sky, an awesome photograph. Another great picture is the one of Puff and Junior in their coop . . . real buddies! And the picture of Puff from behind,with all of his tail feathers tall and wing feathers dragging. He really is an amazing turkey. Junior is a mighty fine rooster too.

hb and I celebrated our Christmas yesterday morning. hb gave me a Kindle, really surprising me. I have already downloaded a book and am shopping for a magazine. Very thoughtful gift. hb also gave me a beautiful silver and leather cuff bracelet from Kemo Sabe in Colorado and pants and a sweater from REI. I gave hb two merino wool sweaters and a dress shirt, slippers, bean boots and the National Parks series cds and autographed book by Ken Burns.

Of course, Santa left a gift for Sissy. She was such a good dog this year! Santa gave Sissy a new toy, a bag of doggie cookies and a pig tail.

She was really excited to open her presents:

There are more new Sissy pictures on her portfolio page. Many of Sissy's outdoor pictures show her at the end of a lead. As much as I dislike having that lead in the pictures, it is a neccessity for our walks. Honestly, that small lead keeps Sissy comfortable, relaxed and moving along. Without the lead, she beomes fearful and stationary. I get the sense that Sissy takes great comfort knowing she is attached to me through that lead. If I have to put Puff in his coop or gather eggs, I set down my end of the lead and Sissy never takes a step until I return. She is the best, most trusting, sweetest dog ever!

Saturday, December 19 2009

Excellent snow storm today!  We woke up this morning to 3-4 inches on the ground already and with constant snow falling all day, by evening we had 6-7 inches.  Hb and I hung out all day at the farmette.  We cleaned the guest bedroom, wrapped presents and took pictures. Check out the Scenery Portfolio for new pictures of the snowy farmette.  I finished decorating, well almost finished.  I managed to put up the main tree but not the aluminum tree yet. 

Knowing a snow storm was predicted and hb was busy, I worried about how and when to get our main Christmas tree.  So Thursday evening I ran to a  Walmart and bought a semi-ghetto artificial tree.  Since I was shopping alone, dealing with a huge tree box was unappealing as was spending lots of money without hb to help pick a style.  So I selected a modest 6 ½ ft with clear lights for the reasonable price of $35.  Hb laughed when I assembled the tree because the sad thing kind of looked like a Charlie Brown tree.  But after I added a few strands of blue lights, and hung my favorite ornaments, the tree looked almost pretty.

The domestic birds did not like the snow.  The hens stayed inside their coop as did Puff and Junior.  Everyone was cozy and safe and comfortable.  

Hb made an amazing soup for dinner.  It had a tomato base with small pieces of venison, chunks of tomatoes, okra and corn.  He also made cornbread using his grandmother’s recipe and great-grandmother’s cast iron skillet.  Perfect meal for a cold, snowy winter day.  Very delicious as well.

Sissy does not like to have her picture taken.  She is afraid of having a camera pointed at her.  So capturing her sweet looks and perky ears is tough.  Check out the Sissy Portfolio page for a couple new pictures. 

Thursday, December 17 2009

As promised, here is a picture of our western Christmas tree,

The beagle under the tree is not a real dog, but a lifesize statue memorializing my past beagle pets. He is named Polayru (Po-Lay-Ru) which stands for Porter, Layla and Rudi, my beloved beagles.

We are supposed to have a few inches of snow on Saturday. I am really looking forward to spending the day inside my cozy farmhouse, wrapping gifts, decorating my main Christmas tree and setting up the aluminum tree.

Hb has been trying to capture the real Spooky for years, and finally took a really good picture. Spooky has these fangs, which are always showing. But point a camera at him and Spooky takes off and hides.

Tuesday, December 15 2009

Winter seems to have arrived, although we have had more rain and ice than snow this last week.  Finally tonight, the flakes are falling.  Amazing to think the holidays are just a little more than a week away. 

Hb and I have only put up our western tree.  This weekend, I hope to put up my 4ft vintage aluminum tree with all of the vintage ornaments including elves, plastic Rudolph’s, strings of glass beads and sputniks from the 1950’s.   All lighted by a multi-colored rotating spot light. Then we still must  buy and decorate the main Christmas tree. 

Each year, I am traumatized by the task of killing a tree merely for a few weeks of decorating pleasure.  So this year, I decided to check out artificial trees.  The western tree is an artificial one we bought at Walmart.  And honestly, the tree looks very nice!  I never have to water it, the cats are not interested in climbing it and there are not any needles on the floor.  Best of all, my carbon footprint has not been lessened!  So this weekend, hb and I will go shopping for a second artificial tree for the living room.  I will post pictures of all three later this week.

There has been an outdoor cat visiting the farmette recently.  I have been setting food out each day and by the next morning, all has been eaten.  Also, a flattened spot in the a pile of straw in the springhouse is just the size of a cat.  I think it might be Gomez, a local feral guy that hb and I accidentally caught in a trap a couple of years ago.  I am always happy to feed and house these outdoor cats.

Wednesday, December 9 2009

Check out my first published book . . . Black Bear Visits the Farmette
It is a children’s hardcover book, good for ages up to 8 or so, but the pictures are enjoyable for everyone. When you follow the link, there is a preview button under the book image that shows a few of the first pages.

As most of you might guess, hb and I took those pictures a couple of years ago here on the farmette.  The bear first went after a hummingbird feeder hanging from the house.  The banging woke me up.  When I looked out of my window, there he was looking back at me!  We grabbed our cameras and enjoyed an amazing experience snapping pictures of our large, hungry black bear visitor.

Major winter storm came through today and tonight.  The wind has wreaked havoc, blowing and gusting constantly.  My Christmas geese blew over, the hen house timer had to be reset and all of the clocks reset.  All last night a heavy rain fell, which I love , so I had a very good night sleep.  But convincing Sissy that she had to complete her business outdoors, in the rain before she could eat breakfast was not as pleasant.  Sissy would walk 3 feet and the look back at the door.  Took me 5 minutes of standing in the rain at 5:30am to get that dog to finally pee.

Monday, December 7 2009

There are some weeks that I just know will be rough to survive.  This week is one of those.  Yesterday hb and I decided to take the front loading washing machine off of the base.  The stupid thing vibrated and walked so much that it hit and dented the wall during every spin cycle. A planned halftime activity turned into a two hour, non-completed task.  After removing the base, we discovered the feet on the base did not fit the washing machine! 

First thing this morning, I called the appliance store and reserved a set of washing machine feet to be picked up on my way home. Turing my attention back to work, everything has been crazy busy, with everyone wanting projects started and completed yesterday.   On top of everything else, Sissy had her holiday beauty appointment today.  I dropped her off before work and picked her up at lunchtime.  Then, after a long day of work today, I drove 35 minutes to the repair shop to pick up the new feet.  Hb closed up the hens, put Puff in his coop and started dinner before I walked in the door.  My first task after changing clothes was to feed and walk Sissy. Then Hb and I installed the feet before dinner and tested the washer. No vibrating and no walking . . . amazing and fantastic!  Such small successes can really make my day.  This was Monday, and looking forward to the remaining week, each day looks to be just as crazy. Come on Saturday !!

A few months ago, I mentioned to Sissy’s groomer that I could make a website for her business.  Today, she asked if I would create a few pages for her.  I plan to send my photographer (hb) to her place to take some nice pictures.  Look for the new site, Hungry Hollow Hounds Website, in a few months.  

Friday, December 4 2009

The Dog Whisperer is on again, yahoo!  For the past three Fridays, the show has been not been scheduled.  Tonight there are two whole hours of Cesar starting at 8pm.   Hb and I were going to go out for dinner but we were both tired after a long week so decided to stay home.  We ate grilled cheese sandwiches with lentil soup.  Good meal for a relaxing evening.

Sissy was in rare form on her walk tonight.  She must have some beagle in her genes because her sense of smell is amazing.  We followed our normal walking path along the orchard, around the edge of the field, past the burn pile and then back toward the garden.  Near the end of the field, Sissy caught the scent of a deer and became very difficult to move along.  She can be very stubborn at times, more of that beagle gene.  Puff and Junior were ready to go into their coop before I finally got Sissy back close to the orchard.  As always, when I drop her lead, Sissy never moves an inch, so I left her sniffing the ground while I put the boy birds to bed.  Back to gather up my dog, Sissy looked at me with longing eyes and her ears laid back.  I look at her and said, “Want to go back to the deer trail?”  She immediately took off running.  Well, not really running, more like very fast bunny hopping because her poor back legs always move in tandem.  In a slightly long flash, we raced back to the corner of the field.  Sissy spent another 15 minutes tracking that same deer over a 20 ft area.  After such a strenuous outing, she is now sound asleep on her bed, dreaming sweet dreams and softly snoring.

Thursday, December 3 2009

Winter is a great time of year with the cold, crispy mornings together with a heavy frost or a layer of new snow covering everything.  At night, the stars and moon seem larger, closer and more brilliant than during any other time of year.  My only complaint about winter are the short days.  Well, not the short days themselves, but having to work in an office all day during the winter months.  Being cooped up away from the Farmette,  I really miss seeing and feeling the sunshine and daylight.  My days begin early so my morning chores are always accomplished in darkness regardless of season, except at the very height of the summer solstice.  But for three seasons, I can get a good dose of outdoor time in the evening. Then winter hits. Just this past week, darkness has begun to descend during my journey home, making my evening tasks done without daylight.  Sissy is more spooked walking in the dark, and my poor hens haven’t had a treat all week.  By the time I clean their water, refill their food bowls and collect the eggs, they are getting up on the roost for the night.  Thank goodness for the weekends when at least I can soak up two days of daylight!  Honestly, without much natural light, I have a noticeably lower energy level.  I am tired in the evening, falling asleep in my muffin chair by 9 or 9:30pm.  And when I wake up around 5am, I still feel weary.  Maybe I will get one of those sunlight bulbs for the light above the muffin.  Thanks goodness the shortest day of the year is just a few weeks away, then things will start to lighten up, literally!

The happy news is that the hens are doing so well.  Each one is plumb and smiling.  Yesterday and today I gathered 7 beautiful eggs each day!

There was a full moon last night, and an almost full moon the night before.  I was walking Sissy as the moon was peeking over the hill behind the Farmette.  That moon looked as large as the moon in the movie, “National Lampoon Christmas Vacation” when Clark Griswold is trying to get the lights working on his roof.  Great movie!  We have a family tradition of watching that every year, at least several times between Thanksgiving and Christmas.  “A Christmas Story” is another great movie.  I bought the Ralphie house as a gift for my sister this year.  I think it will look really cute, lit up under her tree.

Sunday Nov 29, 2009

Beautiful morning today, the sky is clear and blue with a hard frost covering the ground.  Sissy enjoyed her morning walk very much.  She is feeling good, and wearing a smile!  With the temperatures cold during the night, I have been putting the pink fleece jammies on her each evening before bed.  She must be really comfortable because each the morning, I have to coax her out of bed for breakfast. 

The first day of deer season is tomorrow.  I hate the first day of hunting.  So many people wander out into the country side, armed and dangerous.  They spend one day a year in the woods, and have itchy trigger fingers.  Sissy and I take our morning walk before sunrise.  Hb gave me an orange vest to wear over my coat and I dug out an orange hat.  For the duration of the season, our walks will be shortened to between Puff’s coop and the house. I hope no one mistakes Sissy and me for a deer one of these mornings!

With the windy days we have been having, the hens keep flying out of their pen.  Yesterday and today, I have had to lure a hen back inside the fence with a piece of bread.  Currently, I am not motivated enough to extend the fence high enough to add a roof.  Maybe in the spring.   But even with a daily escape or two, overall the hens seem to be happy campers as we are getting at least 4 eggs every day. 

I saw an automatic coop door in my Backyard Poultry magazine.  The door opens and closes on timer.  I am thinking about buying one . . . hope it works and is not a waste of money.

Check out the beautiful Christmas outfit that Sissy's Aunt sent to her. Sissy will be best dressed, cutest dog ever!

Friday Nov 27, 2009

I love Thanksgiving!  Best holiday of the year in my opinion.  Dinner was an anonymous 18.62lb turkey (not Puff . . . once named, never eaten), Harvard beets, turnips and corn all from my garden this past.  I was not in the mood for a lot of cooking, so no stuffing in the turkey and white rice instead of potatoes.  There were lots of leftovers for tonight’s meal as well as several meals for the freezer. 

While I worked on a couple of my projects, I watched football and some of the parades.

Over the last couple of days, I have been decorating around the outside farmette.  I decided to put those icicle lights along the tops of the tetons. 

Then there was one decoration that I really liked, and fit perfectly on the stone wall.  Not quite as sophisticated as the lighted tetons, but very cute!  A trio of lighted geese, in winter wear!!

This morning, I drove to visit my great aunt.  On the way, the first snowflakes of the year fell.  The first snowfall of a winter always makes me smile.  My aunt lives about an hour away and has just passed her 94th birthday.  She lives alone but has many friends and neighbors to look out for her, not that she requires much looking after.  We had a very nice visit, as always. 

Tuesday Nov 24, 2009

Sissy has recovered from the Bacon-Fiasco, as we now refer to Sunday night.  She is back to her bouncy, happy self.  We are all smiling!

I finally solved the chicken water bowl problem.  The problem was that ever since I put the heated water bowl into their coop, the hens have confused the bowl with a potty. Every day, I have had to clean out the bowl and refill it, only to find it completely filthy 24 hours later.  Yesterday, I grabbed a piece of leftover fencing, bent it into a semicircle, left open by 3-4 inches along one side.  I put the fence around the bowl with a upside down plastic tray for the lid, leaving the opening in the front.  24 hours later and the water is still clean!!  And, most importantly, I spied the hens drinking out of the opening so the liquid refreshment is still very accessible for the girls.

Check out what I bought myself on ebay!  A total splurge, buying back good memories of my childhood.  This was one of my very first toys, a gift one Christmas from my grandmother. I loved playing with all of the animals, the ladders and the wagon itself.  I even found one still in the original box.  Now I will be able to give my future grandchildren the same good memories with a great toy!

Sunday Nov 22, 2009

I had planned to post a journal entry last night, but when I started my MacBook there was a system upgrade to download.  No problem , as the upgrades usually take just a few minutes.  Until I got the message on my screen, “Not Enough Disk Space”. What?  No way!  Amazingly, I have used 96gb of my 100gb hard drive, yikes!  So I spent over two hours backing up and moving data around.  Then, I restarted the system download.

Just about the time I had my MacBook good to go, hb calls out from the kitchen.  He had stepped in something unknown and smelly.  Never a good phrase to hear, even worse at 9:30 on Sunday night.  This morning, I had given Sissy some leftover bacon with her bowl of normal dog food.  Seems that bacon and Sissy are not friends.  The poor dog had the squirts, in a 10 ft path from the dining room through to the mudroom.  I spent the next hour washing rugs, floors and walking Sissy outside.  No more bacon for her!

So this weekend’s post is late.

We spent Saturday out shopping. Between hb and I, we had many stops to make for supplies and Christmas shopping.  First, we went to the Strip District to buy food.  The produce and fish are amazing there, fresh and beautiful, straight off of the trucks.  At Wholey’s, we bought snapper and mussels for Saturday’s meal, tuna steaks and salmon to freeze for later.  We decided to pass on more cheese from The Macaroni Factory, but bought a bag of huge, fresh pistachios, fresh baked bread, risotto, fresh basil and wild mushroom pasta and a few heads of garlic.  At the produce store, we found collards and apples.  There are always stands lining the streets selling Steeler and Penguin merchandise, so hb picked up a few t-shirts for Xmas gifts.  I bought a bouquet of cut flowers for the table.

Here is a pic of our meal Saturday night . . . we were too starving to remember to take a picture of the mussels, which we ate as an appetizer.

For breakfast Sunday morning, hb and I had poached eggs and grits.  We had picked up these really cool silicon egg poachers at Sur La Table on the Southside of Pittsburgh earlier in the month.  Our new hens have started laying eggs, so we had the first poached egg breakfast of this winter.  The silicon cookers worked perfectly, and were very easy to clean.

Hb loves lasagna, and having a pan in the freezer is nice for a quick meal.  So I made a couple pans Sunday morning, one for dinner and the other for the freezer.  The football games were just dismal this weekend, hardly worth mentioning.  None of my teams played well, and everyone lost.  As usual, Sunday is my outdoor animal care day.  I cleaned out Homer’s coop, refilled everyone’s water and food then composted and watered the mushroom bed.

Thursday November 19, 2009

Sissy has made such great progress that I sometimes forget that she has undoubtedly been through terrible experiences.  Unfortunately, this morning I remembered.  Sissy and I went out for our morning walk, well before sunrise.  We were about 30 ft from the house when I noticed a small animal digging in a flowerbed near the house.  I immediately thought the critter was a raccoon or skunk or possum.  Not having a flashlight and fearing a confrontation, I tried to get Sissy moving in the opposite direction.  But she is an old dog, somewhat hard of hearing and was oblivious to the potential danger.  Abruptly I reached down, putting my hands around her body to pick her up.  The poor dog let out a loud yelp and hit the ground like she had been electrocuted.  I had forgotten that she is so easily scared and felt terrible for startling her.  She was shaking!  I knelt down beside her, petting and reassuring her. Reminding her that since she came to us all touches have been safe and good, and would always be so for the rest of her life.  After poor Sissy calmed down, I picked her up and walked to the mudroom door.  In the porch light, I saw that the wild animal was in fact Mama!!  She had gone out for a morning stroll and in the dark I did not recognize her.  Sissy and I took a deep breath and resumed our morning walk. 

I am glad dogs can't talk and tell their stories. Sissy can't have much good to look back on. Overall, dogs are such amazing creatures. They always look forward, tails wagging, tongues flapping and eyes sparkling. Everyone should adopt a rescue dog!

Sunday November 15, 2009

Cleaning day today.  Inside the house, I vacuumed the rugs, washed the chair covers, swiffered the wood floors and cleaned the windows in the frnt bedroom. 

Later, while hb was power washing the water buffalo and the dog house where the hens lived when they were young, I cleaned out the hen house, stirred and watered the compost bins, cut down the spent asparagus plants and covered the strawberries with straw.

Then, hb ran errands so I went back inside to give Sissy a bath.  She was dirty from rolling in the grass, but now smells like a rose!

Here is another picture of Sissy. She is warm and cozy on her fleece jammies, sleeping on her orthopedic bed.

See more Sissy pictures on her portfolio page.

Saturday November 14, 2009

Finally, I have some new pictures to show. We have been too busy lately!

Hb took a couple of pictures during the evenings, when we are relaxing with computers on, watching tv, usually either sports, nova or hgtv.  A couple of years ago, we bought new furniture for our living room.  I got a chair and a half and hb a leather recliner.  Hb calls mine the cowgirl muffin, and I always have company.  Slick, Spooky and now Sissy are typically scattered about, somewhere on the muffin with me.

Here is picture of Slick:

And this one is of Sissy, and Spooky (can you find him?).  Sissy knows he is there and is a little freaked!

On our last trip to Virginia, Sissy decided to ride in the middle of the two front seats on the way there.  Once in Virginia, we found a Petsmart and purchased a nice crate.  Having Sissy nearly in our laps was not safe, for anyone!

She is too cute . . .

On Thursday night, the space station passed overhead at 6:11pm. We weren't doing anything and the weather was clear, so hb suggested we hop in the truck, drive to the top of the hill and look for it. Sure enough, as we sat on the swing looking at the stars, here came a bright light from the west. We were able to see it for about 2 minutes. Nice way to spend some time on a Thursday evening!

Today was a beautiful, warm day.  The temperature was close to 70 in the afternoon, with sunny blue skys.  Hb and I drove to the South Side of Pittsburgh for some Christmas shopping and lunch.  I found these two small pine trees and knew they would be perfect for the empty planters next to the mudroom door.  In the spring, I will plant them outside.  And over the holidays, I hope to string tiny lights around them.

Tuesday November 10, 2009

Here is another gift idea . . . check out the beautiful jewelry made by bead dazzled creations

Although I did not create the web site, I may be working on some of the pages to increase hits and traffic. I thought mentioning the beautiful items here was a good start. They would make great holiday gifts!

Saturday November 7, 2009

Rock moving day was successful, and mostly completed!

Digging up and relocating the sidewalk rocks went smoothly.  I laid down weed fabric along the new rock location.  We hope to set the rocks vertically but the weed fabric will buy us time into next summer. This morning, I started moving the rocks alone, but wanted to move the large ones first.  So I ended up asking hb to help move rocks with me, and then I helped him break up the cement out front.

Here are some before and after pics of our efforts.

Before relocating the sidewalk rocks:

After the removal:

Most of the rocks are place in their new location. I will finish the rest tomorrow:

The front steps came out easily.  Hb had them broken up into small pieces then I helped load them into the tractor bucket for disposal.  The front sidwalk was more ornery.  Hb had to run to the rental store to get an electric jack hammer.  After using that for an hour, we conquered the first square af the sidwalk.  At this point, hb and I agreed that the remaining three squares were actually in good shape, and did not need replaced.  We saved time and money, and our already aching muscles were grateful.

Before and after pics of the cement front steps and sidewalk. Check out hb's shadow on the after pic. Not intended but turned out cool!

Wednesday November 4, 2009

Did I mention that I am not a fan of changing time?  Here it is, Wednesday, 4 days after the clocks “fell back” and 3 nights since I have slept well.  Being a morning person by nature makes the fall change even worse.  I am sleepy early in the evening and then wake up in the middle of the night, sleeping well for only about 6 hours. Not nearly enough, leaving me cranky and tired.  Can we please stop changing time twice a year???

Hb is so good to me! He made a straw run on Monday, bringing me 12 bales  to batten down the coop hatches for the winter.  First, I put two bales around Homer’s house then two bales for Frodo, one inside his coop and the other outside. Each bale angled towards the other with the corn stalk bunch at the center point.  The setup makes a perfect wind block for him.  Frodo using the inside bale as a lookout to get a better view in nice weather.  I stacked six bales of the straw against the chicken coop then covered the pile with a tarp weighed down with bricks.  These will help insulate the hens and serve as bedding during the winter months.  The last two bales I temporarily stored in the spring house to use for Puff and Junior’s coop.  I will stuff straw in the coop eaves and pile 4-6 inches on the floor and about a foot up each wall.  Everyone will be warm and protected until spring.

Guess what happened today?  One of the new hens laid an egg!  This was the very first egg from any of the young hens!  Good news because hens laying eggs are happy, healthy hens.

We are having a cement sidewalk poured and the old broken front steps re-cemented next week.  A neighbor is a mason and has agreed to take the job.  So this weekend, hb and I will be relocating the large rocks we placed down as a temporary sidewalk and attempting to removed the old cement steps.  A lot of work for one weekend!

Sunday November 1, 2009

The clocks were moved back last night.  I am not a fan of changing time.  Everything gets off schedule, including me, and the benefit to moving time forward then backward escapes me.  Needless to say, I was awake early this morning.

The weather was not to bad today, a very nice fall day.  Cool in the morning and comfortably warm by the afternoon.  This morning, hb worked on clearing more of the lower 8, while I winterized around the house.  I took down the screen doors, planted the mum’s from the pots into the garden and put away the pots.  There were still of number of weeds in the outhouse garden so I spent some time pulling these.  I also transplanted several ornamental grasses.

We finally took up the remaining garden, picking the Brussels, turnips and one meal worth of beets.

As I have mentioned in the past, a group of my neighbors and I gather once a month for dinner at Isabelle's house. Sadly, the mother of one of our friend's past away last week. Kay's mom was 92 years old and was still living alone in her country home. Kay and her sisters had been maintaning 24hr care for nearly a month until the end. What a gift those sisters gave their mother, enabling her to stay in the comfort and familiarity of her home. This afternoon, I drove my friend and neighbor, Isabelle to the funeral home to pay our respects. Kay appreciated our presence and Isabelle appreciated the ride and company. Funerals are for the living.

I have been working on a logo for my FarmetteLife copyright/trademark.  Using hb’s idea of the turkey tail photo he took a few years ago, I came up with this design.  I like it, what do you think?

Thursday October 29, 2009

My evenings have been filled with web designing.  I have been working on a website for a close friend and author, www.GingerTheHappyCat.com.  Work on the site is still underway, but so far I am pleased with the results.  The Ginger book would make a great holiday gift for any children out there!

Tuesday October 27, 2009

Remember KC, the little girl cat that I adopted a couple of years ago?  She was a little devil of a cat, cute as anything but was always getting into trouble, teasing the boy cats, walking on the counters and clawing the furniture.  But she had her good points and became friends with hb.  Each evening, KC would saunter into the living room, slink around for a few minutes and then jump up to sit on hb’s lap.  He was the only one who KC would show affection to.  KC and Murray had a particularly thorny relationship.  Each would take turns spraying on the doors, trying to leave their scent on top.  Nice.  But since there were 3 large male cats against one, small female cat, KC would often lose the quarrels.  Peace did not reign among the felines at the Farmette.

So last June, I found a new home for KC in eastern PA with family friends.  They loved her and she was doing well in an only cat household.  Yet ever since Murray died, hb and I somewhat regretted giving KC away.  Without Murray, she would have had a better chance and Hb missed her nightly company.  Sadly, on Sunday I learned that KC escaped her new home and was fatally run over in the road.  We were so sad, as were her adopted family.  KC had a habit of trying to escape to the outdoors at the Farmette, so I understand this was caused by poor judgement on KC’s part.

As I pondered the loss of both cats, the thought occurred to me that maybe KC and Murray not really enemies but were in love with each other.  Their teasing and fighting was the result of  friendly play, not animosity.  Maybe Murray missed KC in cat heaven so he figured a way to have her to join him.  Murray probably sprayed the kitty door to cat heaven, enticing KC into heaven to spray on top of his spot.  Right now, they might be chasing and wrestling with each other, having a good time, together as eternal friends.

Then I thought, instead of being in cat heaven, maybe Murray was reincarnated . . . . and had been driving the car!

Sunday October 25, 2009

Beautiful day today!  Morning temperatures started cool, then rose up to the low 60’s by afternoon.  Hb and I spent the morning working outside. Hb cleared more of the lower 8 acres.  The land down there really looks nice now.  Easy to walk through with all of the briars cut and the ground is getting plenty of sun to promote grass growth.

I clean up and put away all of the outdoor flower pots,  I also weeded the teton garden and the outhouse garden.  Amazing how many weeds, especially Queen Anne’s Lace, have infiltrated the gardens since the last time I weeded. 

We have two amazing dinners this weekend.  Yesterday, we cooked a 12lb turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes and green beans.  Today, hb made his famous venison stew.  He adds carrots, parsnips, turnips, onions, celery and a few potatoes along with the venison.  All of the spices, except for the juniper berries, came from this summer’s herb garden.  Both meals gave us leftovers for this upcoming week and two additional meals for the freezer.

While hb was making dinner today, I worked on the website for Ginger The Happy Cat.  With a few solid hours of (nearly) uninterrupted of work, I was finally able to design and upload a beta version.  Web design is fun and creative!

Friday October 23, 2009

I have started gathering up the outdoor flower pots and yard décor for winter storage.  Yesterday, I took down the hanging plant from the front porch.  The poor thing had not been watered in over a month, at best.  It was more like a hanging dead weed.  It’s summer time glory long faded with the remnants of pink and purple blossoms scattered from one end of the porch to the other.  Into the compost it went, along with just as dead annuals from the window boxes.  The volunteer watermelon vine that grew from behind the compost bins and into the yard, was gathered up and put into the compost bins.  I had spent almost two months mowing around that vine and the few small melons struggling to grow. 

Sissy has developed a bit of an attitude these last couple of days.  She has decided when mealtime is near, and her stomach rumbles, that the easily accessed, bottomless container of cat food makes a perfect snack.  Of course, after a large serving of cat food so close to mealtime, she is not hungry for her dog food.  I have thrown away almost 3 entire bowls of food in the last two days.  The first change I made was to put away the cat food each night, much to the dismay of Spooky and Slick.  But then yesterday afternoon, Sissy again raided the cat bowl, eating enough to make herself sick to the stomach.  So this morning, I made another change and relocated the cat food to an upstairs room.  In addition, I figured out that Sissy was not fond of having her dry food moistened with beef broth.  Now that her bad tooth was eliminated, she wanted crunchy food.  This morning, I again tossed out a full meal of dog food.  This time replacing it with crunchy dry mixed with some canned.  Sissy was pleased and ate most of her breakfast.  That old dog is just like an old woman.  She figures she has lived long enough to know exactly what she wants and how she wants it!  Guess I can’t argue with that.  She keeps me smiling.

Tuesday October 20, 2009

Hb and I set out heated water bowls for everyone except the hens.  Ten hens in one coop generate enough heat to keep water liquid while the temperatures fluctuate night to day.  Running the power cords, unpacking the heated bowls, washing and filling each one for Puff & Junior, Homer and Frodo took us nearly an hour anyway.  We were more than ready for dinner by the time the job was completed.  Sissy enjoyed sitting in the yard in the evening sun watching us work.  Spending time outdoors in the cool autumn air improves her outlook on life and helps her sleep soundly.

Our days have been so busy that we have eaten spaghetti three nights in the last week! Pasta has been the only meal we could defrost and cook once evening arrived.  Last night, hb proactively planned two meals for the week by removing turkey brats and chicken thighs from the freezer.

Since the last Phyllis Diller sighting, I decided to carry a flashlight during Sissy’s morning walks.  Good thing because Phyllis was there today, digging up grubs.  She looked startled but headed in the opposite direction when I shined the light on her and said “Shoo” a few times.  Sissy and I certainly do not want to get on the wrong side of a startled skunk first thing in the morning!

Tonight, the earth passes through the Halley’s comet trail.  The hours before sunrise on the east coast will be prime time to see falling stars.  I am looking forward to the show!

Sunday October 18, 2009

Fall weather has definitely arrived.  Daytime high temperatures are in the forties with nighttime lows in the thirties.  Hb and I took a drive on Saturday through the mountains of central Pennsylvania. The leaves on the trees were beautiful.  All shades of orange, red and yellow and the mountain tops were covered with light snow.  Sissy went along for the ride.  She loves a road trip!

Baldy has been happily accepted into the flock.  The first several days, a few of the other hens inspected her bald head as hens do, tilting their head sideways and staring with the closest eye.  All decided she was within the normal curve, so there is peace in the coop.

Frodo’s wild pheasant friend has returned.  I feed him cracked corn each day, which seems to please him.  Frodo keeps him company during the day, and at night, the wild pheasant roosts in the nearby trees.

Thursday October 15, 2009

With a sad heart, I report that Murray passed away this morning.  Poor Murray had not eaten or taken any fluids for 3 days, ever since the appetite increase medicine wore off.  We will never know if he had a tumor or got into poison, but regardless, his suffering ended peacefully. As I have done with all of my animals who reached this sad stage, I held him in my arms until the end. 

I suspected this day was coming, so spent the last two evenings holding Murray on my lap for hours, keeping him comfortable, warm and in friendly company.  The other cats all came to say goodbye to him last night, as if they knew his time was short.

Murray’s nickname was Mur-sicle or sometimes, McMurray.  We often referred to him as the Beige cat, as his coloring was more beige than yellow.  He greeted me every time I came home, emerging from a hidden sleeping spot, meowing, purring and plopping down at my feet for a pat on the head.

His skill at catching rodents around the Farmette was unmatched.  And his fear of thunder storms great.

Murray was a well loved and already, deeply  missed member of the Farmette.

Monday October 12, 2009

For some reason, my allergies were acting up last evening.  But when I think about my day, I cleaned bathrooms and vacuumed. Given my severe allergies to cleaning, I suppose there should be no surprise by my congestion.  The only available medication was 24 hr, no-doze Claritin, so I took one just before going to bed.  At 2am, all signs of the annoying allergies were gone, nice!  However, I was also not dozing, not so nice.  Thus began my Monday, at 2am, as wide awake as a hoot owl. 

As I lay there, wide awake, my mind turned to Murray.  I reviewed his current condition against the old Murray of 3+ weeks ago.  He was not well, and not improving.  I determined to take him the vet when I made the appointment for Sissy’s tooth, and help him escape from his pain and suffering.  Sad, but a relief for the poor cat.

While enjoying the complete lack of allergy symptoms,  I watched the minutes tick away until my alarm sounded at 5:25am.  At first, my morning progressed as normal.  I turned on the lights as I walked down to the kitchen, still worrying about Murray and Sissy.   Lights are crucial in cat homes, as one never wants to find a cat gift first thing in the morning in bare feet or slippers.  Sissy went out for a quick pee,  the cats were fed one can of wet food divided among just 2 bowls for Spooky and Slick.  Mama had her bowl of kitten milk, and then Sissy ate her breakfast.  I put away the dishes from last night’s meal and packed lunches.  By then, Sissy was done eating, so back outside with her for a 5-10 minute walk to finish her business.  We always end the walk at the orchard to let Puff out of the coop, giving him some distance from Junior’s wake up crows. 

Back inside to deal with Murray, who was just added to my morning schedule.  Armed with medicines, electrolyte liquid, a can of food and the one and only litter scooper, I entered Murray’s sick room.  No one should ever, ever, have to deal with such a mess before sunrise, and more importantly, before a strong cup of coffee. There were clumps of loose kitty poop mixed with litter were strewn from litter box to food mat then to the sleeping mat.  Poor Murray was sitting on his bed, contemplating grooming himself and looking absolutely green at the thought.  Using my reliable disinfectant wipes, I wiped up most of the chunky litter, gathered up all of the soiled bedding (old sheets and towels), grabbed Murray and headed to the laundry room.  Another rear end bath for Murr-sicle (one of his nicknames).  Just a month ago, anyone who petted Murray any other place than his head, came away bloody.  I think of those times with sadness, watching Murray put up no resistance as I scrubbed his tail, legs and underneath areas with jets of water soaking him.  

After Murray’s bath, I was now running very late, with my cup of coffee cold, sitting untouched next to the pot, the news on tv and I had heard not a word of the weather forecast.  Back upstairs, I replaced Murray’s bedding with clean towels, medicated him and filled his food bowl.  Finally, I jumped in the shower (much needed by this point) and started preparing for work. My clothes are stored in the room where Murray is sequestered, so I dashed in to grab an outfit.  There, I see that Murray used the litter box since his bath 15 minutes ago, and now has litter stuck to every wet hair on his body.  I almost cried.  I used several wipes to take off some of the litter from his fur, with little success.  Is it any wonder after a Monday like this, upon arriving to work, I discovered I was wearing a blue crew neck t-shirt under a purple v-neck sweater and my socks did not match?  Sissy’s vet appointment was still hours away . . . this day had to improve!

Back from Sissy’s vet appointment, and she needs surgery to remove a cracked molar.  Thursday is her surgery day.  I will worry until she is recovered. She is so sweet and I am totally in love with her!

Sunday October 11, 2009

I saw a shooting star this morning when I was opening Puff and Junior's coop! Very cool start to my day.

Murray is no better, but no worse. He has not groomed himself for days and is suffering from the squirts. Very messy, and smelly. This afternoon I washed his back end in the wash tub, and am sure he appreciated the help. Poor thing looks so miserable and perplexed by his condition. hb and I are holding vigil and keeping our fingers crossed.

As if a sick Murray is not enough to deal with, Sissy's tooth is hurting again. Another visit to the vet for me this week. I might as well sign over my paycheck to them. Sigh.

hb made great progress on the lower eight this weekend. He brush mowed about a 1/2 acre, and made a nice walking path down to the clearing. Looks very nice. We plan to plant grass and keep the cleared acres mowed.

Friday night, as hb and I were walking around the farmette, we both noticed the small red maple tree growing on the far side of the garden. The tree is young, but doing well and very pretty. Yesterday morning, a buck had ripped of the protective plastic tube around the maple's truck and rubbed the bark off from ground to first limbs. In an effort to save the tree, I sprayed the trunk with tree trim sealer. Then hb added a protective fencing. That darn deer . . . must have been a large one to have pulled off the plastic so easily.

I spent the day cleaning the house, yuck but necessary. The curtains in the extra bedrooms were changed from summer to winter, carpets vacuumed, fall decorations set out and the bathrooms cleaned.

And, finally the remnants of the wasp nest from the attic were removed. I plugged the hole with a special sealing putty used by electricians.

Saturday October 10, 2009

Murray is home and alive, but not feeling great.  No clear explanation from the vet about the cause.  He said the pancreas was probably like smoldering coals, with a pre-condition or a virus.  Then something caused it to flare up, and he could not say what would cause the flare up. Could have been something poisonous that he ate. Poor Murray.

So after $513 of rehydrating iv's, intravenous antibiotics, appetite stimulant, blood work, catheter and a bagful of meds to go, I still have a very sick cat on my hands.  Murray looks better, but I am still worried.  Time will tell if this is an episode or more serious.  I have been giving him electrolytes orally with a syringe to keep him hydrated.  One of the medicines he takes is an appetite stimulant, so he does eat a little. He is sequestered in an upstairs bedroom, forcing him to rest.

And for the “best” part, Murray uses the litter box, but is not grooming himself so I must also wipe cat butt . . . yikes.

OK, now on to hens. Baldy is doing very well.  The other hens are treating her like a normal hen.  During the first few hours, some of the other hens stared at her head.  But nothing more . . . so far so good!! Baldy is one happy and lucky hen.

Friday October 9, 2009

Good Murray news!  The IVs and medications are improving Murray’s condition.  The vet says he is sitting up and even eating a little.  I will pick him up tomorrow between the hours of 8 and 11am.  Just in case the vet charges by the hour, I plan to arrive before 9!  The sooner I close out the open tab on my credit card the better, hopefully before Murray’s treatment maxes it out.

On the farmette, things are always in a state of flux.  Take for instance, the chicken living arrangements.  If you remember, combining the new hens with the old flock was a traumatic event.  First, Junior had to be relocated with Puff.  Then the Baldy incident happened resulting in Baldy living alone.  I have been spending too much time feeding, watering and cleaning coops.  The number had to be reduced.

Puff and Junior are getting along well.  In fact, I think having Junior for company has improved Puff’s disposition.  So that living arrangement will stay in place.

Because Baldy was lonely and in her own coop, this was the best place for consolidation. She has healed as best as can be and refused the safety of the hen-helmet, so she will have to find her place among the other hens. Tonight, Baldy was reunited with the other hens.  So far, everyone is doing well.  Hopefully tomorrow will be as smooth.

However, I did make some modifications to help Baldy’s re-entry to the flock.  Yesterday, I asked hb to remove Romeo and the queen bee hen from the flock. Romeo was the one who scalped Baldy, and the queen bee hen was always chasing and pecking the young hens. When I arrived home late in the afternoon, both were gone and the remaining hens were very calm and happy.  With no rooster and no mean hen, peace reigns, and I asked no questions.  There were no additions to the freezer because we do not eat those we have named.

Life on the farmette is never boring!

I had lunch today with a good friend.  Look what she brought me . . . hydrangeas!  They are so beautiful!  I love fresh, cut flowers.

Thursday, October 8 2009

Just returned from an emergency visit to the vet with Murray.  He is very, very sick.  Vet says he has pancreatitis (sp?).  His blood work was awful, almost nothing in the normal range and he has lost 30% of his weight.  We left Murray at the hospital, he was basically put into intensive care . . . and the vet asked to open a tab on my credit card.  Sigh.  Of course I did, there was no other choice.  When I saw Murray early this evening, he looked terrible.  I gave him some fluids with a dropper, then tried to feed him wet cat food.  He could not even keep the food in his mouth.  I did not think he would live through the night.  And in reality, he still may not as the vet indicated his chances of recovery are 50/50 at best.  All of the other cats and Sissy miss him already.  I will call tomorrow for an update.  My fingers are crossed that he has the will to recover.

Tuesday, October 6 2009

Poor Murray.

He has been ill for almost a week now.  About two weeks ago, he began spending more time outdoors.  He was gone for whole nights or entire days, hunting and catting around.  Normal behavior for an indoor/outdoor cat.  He showed up every day for a quick snack or short nap, then would be off again. No worries.

Then last weekend, Murray did not come home for nearly two days.  I was mildly concerned but guessed he was just having fun.  After 3 days I was more worried, and searched the weeds along the road edges, thankfully finding nothing.  This past Saturday, with no signs of Murray in days, I called for him often, without luck.  I wondered if he was living somewhere else. By late Saturday, I started searching areas where I knew he hung out.  When I finally found him, he was sleeping behind the studio, in a small nest made of leaves and grass, too ill to walk.  I carried him home and layed him on the guest bed where he slept until yesterday. 

By yesterday afternoon, Murray seemed improved.  He was eating a little, walking around and wanted out.  He followed Sissy and I during our evening walk but did not return with us.  At dusk, I grabbed the flashlight for another Murray search.  He had only made it ½ way along our walk, where I found him huddled under the tractor brush mower.  Again I carried him home, settling him comfortably on the bench in the mudroom.  He does not have a fever, and there are no signs of injury.  My guess is that he ate some rodent who had been poisoned, making himself sick in the process.

I will keep him indoors for a few days until he is fully recovered.  Poor thing is so listless, even Slick gives him pitiful looks.  Sissy pines for him during our walks, as she and Murray have become walking buddies.

Tonight he looks no better, still sleeping on the bench, listless and sad. I am reluctant to take him to the vet, since there is no way I could medicate him once he feels better. Murray is half wild, and I have several scars to prove it. I really hope he feels better soon.

Monday, October 5 2009

Remember Phyllis Diller, the skunk? 

After a long hiatus, she is back.  This past July, Hb spotted her at the top of the hill with a trail of babies.  This morning, in the light of the full moon, as Sissy and I were taking our morning walk, I spied Phyllis 20 ft from the driveway, on the grass in front of the orchard.  I had seen the signs of a skunk over the past couple of weeks.  Skunks turn up sod in search of grubs, and there were all of these small dug up holes right around where Phyllis was this morning.  I scooped up Sissy and headed back to the house for a flashlight.  Then as Sissy and I resumed our walk, I shined the light into Phyllis’s direction, shooing her away.  She glanced up in surprise, and then trotted along on the right side the orchard towards the woods.  Sissy and I continued along our path, going around the left side of the orchard.  As we rounded the corner, here comes Phyllis, trotting straight towards us.  I suppose very reluctant to pass up a fantastic grub breakfast.  Quickly, I turned on the flashlight and shooed at her.  Thankfully, Phyllis turned and headed across the field behind the studio.  The last thing I wanted at 6am on a Monday morning was a skunk shower!  Sissy agreed. 

Phyllis is the most amazing looking skunk.  Her fur from the back of her head, completely across her back and her entire tail are white.  In the full moonlight this morning, she was easy to spot and identify.  Still was too dark for pictures, and I was already running late.  Tomorrow, I will take my camera out with me and try to get a shot. 

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Here is the good news. I successfully crafted a Hen-Helmet for Baldy. I used soft black vinyl, with a black snap. The I sewed a few barred-rock feather to make it look authentic.

Here is the disappointing news. Within 30 secs of having the Hen-Helmet on her head, Baldy scratched it right off.

Sigh. She better get used to being alone, or get very aggressive!

There are pictures of the sunflowers hanging in the studio on the Garden page. The studio smells amazing, fresh and minty pine. Soon the flowers will dry out. The seeds are really good to eat, even raw. Some day I will have to harvest a few for us to eat. For now, the birds will dine all winter!

My friend asked for a recommendation on gardening boots. I own several types, the classic low, waterproof LLBean boots, the knee high rubber boots so I can tuck my pants inside from Tractor Supply and these in-between boots available from Plow and Hearth that I just bought this past spring. All are great boots for gardening in any type of weather. My feet are always dry, long pants fit inside the two taller pairs and the soles grip the ground in mud, wet grass or leaves.

Friday, October 2 2009

First, let me tell you where my head is with respect to dogs.  In the past, I have owned beagles.  Beagles love to live outside.  Beagles do not go to the groomers, you just hose them off in the backyard.  Beagles eat so fast you need to mind your fingers.  Beagles howl loudly and often at the slightest provocation.

Fast forward to today.  My current dog is Sissy.  She has never barked.  She eats timidly, often leaving food for Slick to clean up.  Sissy goes to the groomers because her hair grows irradically. 

At her first trip get a hair cut, her groomer Deb, who is very knowledgable about dogs, gently suggested that Sissy was not 10 years old as I expected but closer to 12.  I accepted that wisdom, 12 years for a small dog was not too senior.  Then last week, Sissy spent the weekend with Deb.  When I retrieved her, Deb suggested, very gently, that Sissy might be more like 14 years old.  14!  That is an old dog!  No wonder her hair is uneven, and she walks funny.

Really, Sissy looks so much better with shorthair, so Deb recommended that I get her a sweater to keep her warm as the weather turns.  I have never bought clothes for a dog in my life!  I googled “dog sweaters” and decided on this one. 

What do you think of my old dog, in blue jammies? There is another pic on the Sissy page.

Thursday October 1, 2009

Happy October!

Check out the pictures of our sunflower harvest on the Petals Portfolio. We hung all of the sunflowers from the rafters in the studio. This winter the wild birds will eat well.