Calamity Acres Hobby Farm

Sunny, but cold all day, and worse in the blowing wind.  At least we had sun and everything was in one spot, unlike the poor folks east of here who have suffered so much in the tornados this week.  I sat for a while with the pugs this afternoon and saw the scenes of devastation and said silent prayers for all those lives in upheaval.

Keith is in Harveyville again, our own tornado disaster in Kansas this week.  He will be home late tonight, as they are closing down the emergency center, and turning things over to the town leadership. He and his co-worker Jackie, who is another of the emergency coordinators, will check daily on the city this coming week, to make sure they are getting everything finished up.  They have already removed most of their debris... the town of 275 lost about half it's houses.

Here are some eggs getting ready to be taken to the pantry this morning.  I think our eggs are the most beautiful colors.  I can almost tell you which girls layed which.

I took seven dozen down... and before I could even get up the steps, a dozen was taken out and put with food going out with a mother and little daughter of maybe 3 years old.  This, folks, is why I get up in the dark and cold and rain and go out and take care of these birds.

This afternoon, I leaned down to put something away in the refrigerator, and found another dozen and a half in the back of the bottom shelf!  I had pushed them back as I added cartons, so they will get cleaned up and Keith can drop them off Tuesday morning on his way to work.

The llamas had a great morning, resting and chewing their cuds.  It was 38 degrees but they have warm wooly coats on.

Official Farm Assistants Abby and Gertie helped do chores.

For a week, I have been looking at the north end of the yard as I have come and gone. 

Today, I was rewarded by what I was looking for.  I wonder if you can see it in this cropped and enlarged picture.

There it is, folks, the FIRST ROBIN OF 2012!!!!  YAYYYY.

They always, always stay on the north end.

"Would you please put that camera away and PUT MY BOWL OF FOOD DOWN????"

The chickens had a great day,too, but I noticed that they did not hang out much in the pasture.  It was so cold in the wind.

I didn't want to be out in it, either!

Keith and I had planned (before the tornado) to go to the Johnson County Home and Garden show this weekend.  I told Keith last night that I would drive over today and go to it alone, but found out that the highway I would have to take was going to be closed while they took an overpass down. That meant that I would have to detour around in a very, very busy and crowded Johnson County, and I realized I was not up to that today.  I declined to go, but instead, did something I rarely do... went shopping for a little while, buying a book on sale, a couple of decorating magazines (I'm an addict, I admit it) and some sugar to decorate Easter cookies.  Pretty eclectic!  I stopped at the library and post office, and came home and have been home the rest of the day.  I have to admit I am a little sore from the collision yesterday, so will keep taking Aleve until the soreness abates.

Here it is 5:56, and it is still very light out... but I don't see any chickens, and the llamas have moved down to the sheltered southeast corner of the pasture.  The evening birds are feeding at the feeder... the cardinals, the titmice and juncos, and the mourning doves.  Lilly is outside on guard, but Bessie, Gert, Abs, and Ranger are all in here where it's warm.  I'm going to get up from here shortly, fold some laundry, and put the last of the laundry loads in.  Keith should be home around 9 tonight, but will be very tired, I'm sure, as he left at 5:30 this morning. 

I hope everyone will join me in remembering all those hurt by the devastating weather this week in your prayers tonight.