December 15, 2019

How could we be at the end of another decade? 

It just doesn't seem possible, does it? 

I am blessed to still be here, I lost my sister and 

my two brothers, my stepson and my husband is this 

decade...it seemed like a long one, to me. 

Here's to the next! 

We have just had our annual Santa's Express and Country Christmas 

at the National Agricultural Center yesterday and today, 

the 14th and 15th.  We had decent weather, if cold, 

yesterday, but today we have had a snow storm all day. 

Ten of the volunteers and faithful Judy, who is one 

of the two Ag employees, made it to the building, 

where we truncated things and had Santa in his wonderland, 

coffee and cocoa, cookies, and two crafts for the kids that we 

brought up from the general store and school. 

We had 50 hardy family members come out to see Santa, and it was 

wonderful to see them. 

Driving was very treacherous, and we closed up at 2 PM so 

everyone could get home safely. 

Sorry for the blur, but we had some silliness going on 

Paiton's best friend Jocelyn, Paiton and Jax were all volunteers 

and worked as elves yesterday.  Here they were at lunch break in the barn. 

Cameron and Judy are the only actual employees at the Ag Hall, 

and Debbie, on the right, is a board member who volunteers regularly, and it 

was her concept that was used for this year's Christmas wonderland in the 

original gallery.  It was wonderful, and a big hit! 

The pictures do not do it justice, it was awesome. 

Here was Paiton last week, grooming Kali.  

I'm so proud of her, she is doing much better in her riding. 

Last Saturday, Paiton and our little friend Brayden decorated Christmas cookies here. 

This made my heart swell. 

I have noticed, too, that when they are out in the yard and greet each other 

on the deck or porch, they are joyful, playing and jumping at each other. 

I am really glad to see that. 

No, we are not doing too well on the diets, we will tackle them again after Christmas. 

Bittersweet, growing in the front fence line. 

There are also some humongous vines, which I am 

going to start working on now that Santa's Express has been 

put to bed. 

An example of the number of steps I have been getting daily in the last three weeks. 

Whew!

I'm so blessed to live where I can see such beauty daily. 

Of all the animals we had here, llamas, mini-horses, a wonderful old pony, 

and the goats... the sheep have been my favorites. 

To see them grazing in the pasture or yard makes me feel so 

peaceful... and I totally understand the words now, 

"Sheep may safely graze". 

I am blessed, too, to have a good hay supplier and know that

I can feed them over the winter. 

I caught that stinker Singleton the other morning, crowing. 

He has a sort of truncated crow now, after the coyote attack 

last summer.  

I discovered it is Singleton who is chasing his daddy, Ferdie, out of the 

hen house every morning.  Ferdie pretty much lives in the yard now, 

except he is still sleeping in the big hen house at night.  He waits for me at the gate

to let him in, and then sneaks in so his son Buddy does not see him. 

I am still toying with putting him in the unused little hen house with a hen or two, but... that would mean more work daily.  

I found out a little earlier this evening that the camera I had on the porch the last three days was set to video.  I am going to try to figure out how to transfer a video to blogger, 

these are different than others I have dealt with, 

it's a Bushnell cam and I hardly ever use it. 

There were some interesting possum interactions going on, 

and I found out that the sparrows are eating the cat food during the day!

Tomorrow will be a snow day, and I will be working on cleaning and getting the house ready for Christmas!