A Long Time Gone

Friends, I have not posted in some weeks, so much so that a friend 

contacted me to make sure I was okay. 

Our world is changing.  I pray, for the better. 

I am as guilty as all my friends and family of not being 

as supportive as we can be of our brothers with different 

skin color. 

I hope to do better. 

I am trying to learn, at this ripe old age. 

The beautiful Baltimore Orioles are gone, now. 

I have put their feeder away for another year. 

I really enjoyed watching them. 

I did not see a hummingbird for a week, and I clean and refill the feeder every other day. 

Last night, I was about to step outside, and one went to the feeder just then.  I was so glad to see it. 

The pasture cam picked up one of the Hampshire lambs in with the group of 

ten sheep in the pasture (and one goat). 

They are the cutest darn things you ever saw, they are the youngest ewes here. 

I had to bring that camera in, the darn ants made a nest in it and it was 

full of antlings when I took it down. 

I'm trying to figure out where to re-hang it. 

Snowy and Jester have become good friends, and often lay near each other. 

Fritzi is good with Snowy, too.... but not as cuddly. 

Meet "Tanner".  (definitely a boy). 

Tanner is the cat I thought at first was a white cat, coming on the porch to eat. 

The camera picked him up as white at night.  He also was eating in the pasture feeder. 

As you see, he is tan and white, and the last two days, has hung around the porch and deck. 

The dogs know he is there, but have so far left him alone.  

When he sees me, he does not take off as Rusty does.... and for his trouble, 

he got a can of Friskies yesterday and again today. 

I saw him under there watching me do chores yesterday afternoon. 

There are plenty of places for him to sleep around here, and I think he is 

fine, as long as nothing gets him.  I can tell when he is 

under the deck, as Snowy's tale begins to wag. 

This beautiful daylily is one of many on my deck this year. 

I removed a 25 foot long bed on the south side of the yard, 

and I dug up all the daylilies I could find.  Next year, I'm planning 

on making a bed for them where irises are now, and putting the irises together. 

This lily was unnamed, and was on sale for 4.00 at Home Depot, I bought four. 

It is a beautiful buttery yellow. 

I asked Sam's permission to let the herd graze on the south side of my yard for a few days. 

Can you see the goat?  She has started trimming everything on that side, including a big stand of poison ivy.  To me, she is worth her weight in gold! 

I did go ahead and mow yesterday, because the clover was getting crazy, but in a few days, 

I will let the goat and three of the Suffolks back on it.  There are two Southdowns who need to stay out, they discovered where the old hen house feed cans were, and got into them. 

I'm wasting a fortune in food by feeding finch mix on the railing, but.... it pays off with 

my being able to see wonderful birds as I sit at my table and eat. 

This indigo bunting has been visiting regularly. 

The baby squirrels are still here and doing well. 

I found their mother dead under the maple tree one morning, no marks on her... I just find it 

hard to believe she fell, but that's what it looked like.  Two days later, as I was mowing by my front fence, I found another squirrel dead in the grass.  

I love squirrels, they are always welcome here. 

I have been posting a lot of snake pictures and videos on FB and Instagram. 

I am going to forego that here, as there are many out there who are uncomfortable with them. 

Wait, I lied.  Here is a snake that has just swallowed an egg... can you see it? 

It is a healthy sized snake, too.  

And finally, on June 1st, my little Snowy girl celebrated her 17th birthday!

I BOUGHT HER AN OVERALL DRESS and some bows, I've never done that before. 

She had that outfit on long enough for pictures to be taken, and now it's put away!

I was so lucky to be able to adopt her. 

Everyone stay safe out there, and I'll try to 

post more frequently.