Wednesday, October 23, 2013

A Bright Wednesday

Well, we got down to 33 this morning... and I am so grateful that the hoses are running! 
Stiff, but running. 


For the time being, I'm still filling the duck pond.  Once it gets really cold, I'll put the pool up and then use the deep fortex, which will move into the chicken yard and out of the pasture. 
No feeding the wild animals this winter, I'm afraid. 
Not with little goat dinners stabled out there. 


The ducks have been sleeping in the lee of the hen house, behind the 4 x 4 pen in the yard.  They are protected from the wind there, and also have light from the yard light pole.  Last night, I put two big armsfull of hay droppings back there for them to nestle in, and they were very happy to find it. 


Obviously. 

Now the chickens have come out and scattered the hay, so as Keith said last night... it's time to make Fort Apache for the winter, and he's right. 

(our straw bale fort constructed to protect waterfowl from the winds and snows of winter). 


The red petunias at the henspa are still with us for a while longer. 


However, I don't know how long the pumpkins on the porch are going to be. 


"You mean US, MaaMaa????"
Uh huh. 


I've been picking up a ton of these in the last few days, and have about a thousand more to bend and stretch for.  Good exercise.  I don't have access to the Walnut Wizard this year, so it's not as fun.  The squirrels are going to get a bonus, though, at the brush pile in the pasture. 


I'm exhorting these guys to GROW every time I walk by them! 



And finally, from my mouth to God's ear.... and via Joyce in Iola, Kansas... I am so grateful to you, Joyce, you'll never know.  I stayed up late last night and read three fourths of my beloved book over again. 


And here is yours truly, at the age of 8 years old... in the Kansas City Star.... displaying my filled library summer reading card... "The Solar System".  It didn't take long for me to fill it, I was reading from the time I was a little thing, and my dad and I read the morning Times at the breakfast table every morning together. 
A life-long love of reading started back then, and the book above was one of the many reasons. 

I never made it to England, and I never owned a stable full of horses like I always wanted, but it's been a  very good life anyway, and the last ten years, bliss. 

Blogging serendipity, indeed! 

18 comments:

  1. omg..that is the cutest pic of you as a little girl! precious!

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  2. Such a lovely post! I remember reading the Judith Berrisford books too, brings back lots of memories of a pony mad child who always dreamed of riding a magnificent arabian along a beach..... funny how life turns out, mules in the English countryside and donkeys for a living - can't say I'd change a thing though, how lovely it is to be content in life :-)

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  3. Oh Mary Ann we loved that story at the end, and your picture just made it all that much better!!! Thank you for sharing it.
    Stella Rose and momma

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  4. P.S. Did you get your name turned in for the card exchange?
    Stella Rose

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  5. Mary Ann,

    Nice post, I love the picture of you when you were a kid!!!!

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  6. I don't think your pumpkin is going to last till halloween.

    So happy she gave you that book. What a sweet lady.

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  7. Hello there neighbor - I (Mom Kim) am from right down the highway a bit - Topeka. Team Beaglebratz started following you yesterday but no time to comment until today. I love your little piece of the country and all the animals that live there with you - you have the life I would love but can only dream of.
    Well I did make it to England for a visit when I was younger and I did have horses (at one time up to 5) but due to medical reasons can't do now. Now I have two Beagles (Team Beaglebratz), Shiloh'n Diva Shasta who can be a handfull sometimes. Love all your pictures - especially the one when you were 8.
    See ya later........
    Mom Kim
    (Yes, I am one of those crazy dog owher's who considers herself "mom" to my dogs.)

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  8. Brrr.. it's that time of year, I guess.
    Not looking too forward to winter, but I suppose that without winter, the Spring wouldn't be as sweet :)

    Love seeing that old article of you .... fun!

    Enjoy this day.

    Kerin

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  9. I love hearing about your daily goings on and seeing the photos to go along with it.

    How cool is that newspaper clipping?!

    Enjoy the rest of your week sweet friend!

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  10. What a cutie little girl you were-when that photo was taken! I bet you had some good times at the library too.
    I think you will have some very happy squirrels with all those wallnuts. I have a feeling they are hiding some right now.
    We have frost in the mornings too,, getting mighty cold-- but all your animals have nice fluffy beds
    love
    tweedles

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  11. Cute picture of you as young reader. Lucky you having access to the library. My summer reading program was reading the old textbooks and Reader's Digest condensed books in our bookcase.

    Glad you enjoyed The Ponies!

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  12. Love the picture of you in the paper. My kids were in the paper to promote the summer reading program at our library when we lived in Massachusetts. My daughter reads like me. I devour books. My son on the other hand, doesn't care to even pick up a book. Oh well.

    I still have petunias flowering too. I thought the plants were done and then over night they bloomed again. It's going to be in the 20's at night by the end of the week, so they will die then. They were pretty while they lasted.

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  13. I never heard of The Ponies Next Door. How did I miss that one? What a thoughtful gift! How many times did you read it as a child, do you think?

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  14. Really love your idea of the hay bales. They would be brilliant for blocking the winter wind here in Australia. :-)

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    1. Actually straw works just as well. We used to build a three sided enclosure with straw bales that the ducks could snuggle into and it totally blocked out the snow, wind, etc. Then in the spring you just take the broken down straw and use it on your garden.

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  15. Its very cold here at the freezing mark on the thermometer out side. Glad you keep those critters safe and warm there. Lots of work though. I have always loved reading too, but didn't read your favorite book, at least not that I can remember. It's wonderful you are enjoying the good life there. Things do turn out for the best.

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  16. Thanks for visiting and signing on to my blog. Loved the photos of your farm--and chuckle out loud at the name!

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  17. Love that picture of you! So cute.

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