Still Spring Here

As I write this, I have another batch of banana bread in the oven! 

I just reread my last post, I was baking then, too. 

I have one of these small loaves earmarked for an elderly 

friend, and hope to run there today and leave  

eggs and bread outside the door. 

Yes, folks, I am wearing a mask when I go out.  It's reality. 

I noticed this morning when I had to pop in the store for a few 

things that even men are wearing their masks with pride. 

We have had some beautiful days here lately. 

Two days ago, we broke the record for heat, it was 

88 degrees out!  I actually broke shorts out for the afternoon. 

I was really, really worried about Niblet and Fluffy, the two wool sheep. 

So, let's talk about them. 

I wrote about Fluffy almost knocking me down a week ago. 

Well, my Good Neighbor Troy was able to find someone for me 

to shear.  The other night, they turned up at my door. 

I would show you the pictures but frankly, I cannot get the phone 

pictures to come over right now. 

The young man, Troy and I tried to catch these two inside the pen, 

they would absolutely NOT go into the barn where it would have been easier. 

They broke a post and pulled all the wire loose trying to go through. 

Yes, the young man finally tackled each.... but as they ran at me, my life 

passed in front of my eyes. 

As the young man sheared, he asked "Did I ever trim hooves".  I shook my head and told him : 

"This is why I  need to rehome them, I cannot take care of them alone". 

And then, a miracle happened. 

The next morning after the Shearing Rodeo, the young man called and told me he 

had asked his mother and my sheep will be joining their flock.  I am overjoyed, to know

they will go to a home that knows sheep and can handle them right. 

Here is the better part.... He will use my pasture and Troy's for several months this summer, 

bringing his flock over (there are about thirty).... and then they will all go home in August. 

I get to watch them all summer, which makes me very happy.  He will be over daily to check on them. 

This young man, Samuel, is on the Stranger Creek Fire Department with Troy. 

I am so impressed with him, and glad to make his acquaintance. 

Yes, friends, I am giving the sheep to him, I was never in this to make money. 

I asked him not to tell me what would happen to Cookie, the wether, my pet. 

I have to let go. 

So, last Saturday, I decided to keep Gemma. 

She was whelped on June 1st, 2003.  She will be seventeen on 

June first. 

She is a chicken killer... she had Buddy down yesterday and by the time I got her, 

I thought he was dead.  He can no longer be in the yard daily because of it....  he did revive, 

after his comb and head had turned blue from shock.  I have him all fixed up in the little henhouse today with one hen... he has a makeshift fence in front, and while he would like to be out with 

the main flock, he is happy and has good shelter.  The thing is, she can't get to him. 

She will literally pace back and forth at the fence for an hour, so I only let her out for 

little bits of time. 

As you can see, she has fit in. 

I no sooner had paid her fee on Saturday,  when I had a crisis with Fritzi.  Fritz had been going in and out 

at frequent intervals day and night, and I should have tipped that there was something very wrong.  I rushed her to an emergency vet hospital last Saturday when my son and I noticed she was 

trembling badly on her bed. 

Fritzi was diagnosed with diabetes and it was touch and go for two days.... she did not come home until Wednesday. 

She gets shots twice a day, and is on various meds for a few more days, 

but is much, much better. 

On our left in this picture is Abby, and in the middle, 

Gertie, and leaning on her, Hannah. 

These three girls were our beloved pugs, they had been 

preceded by Addie Mae, who had already died. 

Abby became diabetic.  Keith and I were not shown how to 

give her shots, and we were given a prescription for human 

syringes and needles, and not trained to use them. 

It was a nightmare, which culminated in Abby dying at home. 

For four days, I agonized about giving the shots to Fritzi. 

Guess what? 

NO PROBLEM. 

I think it's mindset, and a vet tech at the hospital took time to have me practice with 

sterile solution.  The syringes are much different, and I am getting ones designed for 

animals now.  My vet has the Vetsulin. 

So far, I have had only one tiny yip, and yes, she does not like them... but is 

taking them like a rock. 

I'm proud of her.  We are on a different diet, supplemented with 

some chicken breast cut into it, and she loves it.  It's a whole new world for us, and one in which I believe she will be around for years to come. 

The porch cam caught this bluejay looking for cat food this morning at sunrise. 

The camera caught Gems as she came out, too!

It is going to be a strange Easter this year.  I did drop off 

a makeshift Easter basket for my two youngest grands yesterday, 

and an Easter "sack" for our little friend Brayden.  How good it was to see him. 

Mass will be said on tv and also on Facebook, and I will watch 

from my home.  

My traditional thing to do on Easter (besides cook) is cut grass, 

but I have actually already started cutting this year, you know. 

I am going to do a little trimming with the push mower this afternoon, to get ahead of the game. 

We are expecting thunderstorms late this afternoon, spring is truly here in Kansas. 

Last Sunday was the seventeenth anniversary of this. 

That is my stepson, Brandon, in front of Keith and me at our 

wedding.  

What a happy day that was for us, and we did not know 

we would only have thirteen years together before 

Keith was called on ahead of me. 

Brandon has gone on ahead, too, and they actually shared a birth date. 

I hope they are not laughing to hard at me as they look down on me. 

Everyone stay safe, and have a blessed Easter! 

Bits and Pieces of Stories

First, I need to tell you that the hurt horse I saw will be okay. 

She had become cast in a fence, and had skinned her leg from 

hoof to shoulder, but the owner was able to load her and 

get her to the vet hospital, where she was stitched up. 

She is home now, on stall rest.  He was very pleased with the job 

that was done at Strain Equine Services, in Bonner Springs, Kansas. 

I told him that I looked forward to seeing his horses, pony and little goats daily, and was so glad to hear this news. 

We have not seen many turkeys lately, but we did see this group in good health yesterday morning in a field on our way to the old house. 

This is the little black rooster that came with the red hens last Saturday.  He was a cute little guy. 

Yesterday morning, when I went out to do chores before going to the Ag Hall, he was crowing away, and in fact, had crowed and crowed and crowed non-stop since we got him last week. 

Yesterday afternoon, I was rushing to get home so we could go to the first T Bones official game of the year... last week's were exhibition games, and we only saw one. 

I thought it was strange that I did not hear the little guy, but, as you can see, the yard is so full of foliage that I did not question it too much. 

He was enclosed in the little red henhouse yard by himself because he was fighting with Blooey, the 

big blue cochin rooster. 

This morning I got there early, because my friend Diane had contacted me and wanted to take her cochins home (that I had taken care of the last 5 months or so). 

The little rooster was gone.  G.O.N.E. gone. 

I looked under the foliage, thinking maybe he had dropped dead for some reason... no rooster. 

The fences are six feet high. 

I pressed the fences to see if I could find a place where they are loose, torn away from the wood, but I have not found any as yet.  Outside one part, I found dog prints... but I am sure they were Lilly's.  However... they were on the pasture side, and the foliage was all beaten down there. 

No feathers.  The only one I found was a long feather in the water dish. 

I had left the little henhouse open for shelter, and there was another shelter in there, too... so... I am just not sure. 

I recounted the red hens... 

There were still nine.  I know they have been going in at night to roost.  You have to remember that when I lived there, I ALWAYS locked the birds up at night unless it was steaming hot summertime. 

Right now... I leave one pophole open, so they can come and go as they please. 

Here were the cochin babies and the two brahmas in the yard last night, their 

last night on the beautiful green grass. 

They are back in a pen now with no shelter other than a tarp, and no green grass, ever, their owner does not believe in babying her stock. 

Yes, I'm sad. 

I bought the two brahmas. 

Notice I say "bought", even though I fed them for the last five months. 

I'll miss Rooster Cogburn, who was so brave and good. 

Here are Silver and Goldie, the lone occupants of the henspa now. 

They were traumatized all day long.  

Even this evening, they fled to the corner, and they had always been friendly. 

They are going to be moved over to the old henhouse with the other girls once I have satisfied myself that nothing is going after the girls there.  The reason I am not moving those nine over to the henspa? 

First, they are so traumatized after their move, it will throw them into another tizzy. 

Second... there is lots of room in those two yards  and they have room to stretch out.  The birds in the henspa yard were allowed in the regular yard because of what you see above... bare ground. 

I am trying to find a rooster, large or small... old or sort-of young. 

Diane, who usually has many "dumped" roosters at her place... told me she has none to give me. 

So, I'm searching.  I would feel better with a rooster. 

I look up every time I pull into the gate. 

You see how overcast our weather was today. 

See the wind tonight?  I saw something so phenomenal... this hawk 

drifted down, kiting from at least 40 feet above the tower into a landing right there.  It was so neat to watch, like a helicopter... but we were just leaving and the camera was in the car while I opened the gate. 

Same hawk as this morning, I believe. 

This was our evening: 

We had another game tonight... but, as you see.... 

the rains had come back, and are expected to last all week. 

We have flood warnings again... 

and... 

our side yard is worse than this: 

I took this a week ago, and it is like a deeper pool tonight. 

I have the window cracked... and frogs are singing away from the direction of 

our patio and "pond".  We love this little natural pond, by the way. 

A year ago yesterday, we lost our little Abby to diabetic shock. 

We wouldn't wish this disease on any dog owner we know. 

How we miss her sweet little face. 

A Very Cold Thursday

What is going on with our winter this year?  

One day, 70, the next 25. 

It's hard on the constitution. 

These beautiful mosaics came here in the mail yesterday, 

they are from our friends Ramona and Ronny Davis in 

Mississippi.   Ramona makes these as a hobby. 

The garden one is going down by the door to the patio, where the garden is here. 

The towel holder is going in the downstairs bathroom... I wanted an excuse to take down the "Barrel of Monkeys" shower curtain that was left up here when we bought the house, and now I have it! 

They are beautiful, aren't they? 

Thank you, friends. 

This woodpecker was so happy to be eating the suet. 

And he flew off with a big beak-full. 

Look what I found in the henspa! 

One bird has laid for the past five days... now another has kicked in! 

I don't think it's any of these. 

The face-off is still going on.  

Rooster Cogburn will be living in the feed room for the duration. 

Of course, his water was frozen this morning... so... I bought him a 

heated dog water bowl to use... and then realized the only 

extension cords out there were 50 footers.  Tomorrow, I'll take one from here and get it plugged in. 

He had warm water today, and it was still open this afternoon, when the dogs and I got there. 

I put some warm water in his bowl... and tomorrow, he'll have a big bowl of 

water that won't freeze.  He also has a deep nest of straw and hay. 

A Blue Jay visited. 

And a little junco ruffled herself up to keep herself warm. 

The bluebirds were cold, too. 

As we were leaving, a cardinal came down. 

Geese are still visiting all the bean and corn fields around here. 

And I stopped to take their pictures on the way home. 

I did not take the dogs this morning, it was just too cold at 11 degrees. 

Three years ago today, Abby laid in a sunbeam at the old house.  How I miss her! 

And Another Year Is Gone

It was the

 

year with something I never, ever thought I would do... move again.

First look at our what was to be our new house... January 29. I still can't believe it. 

I was so happy at the old house, the little house... and imagined I would be there for years seeing scenes like this. 

How I miss them, bad little things!!!  

My little Farm Helper, Abby, became very sick in late January, early February, and we could not 

figure (the VET could not figure out) what was wrong. 

In February she was at least still able to help me do chores in the terrible cold. 

Snow did not stop the Intrepid Lil a bit. 

By March, the snow had thawed and Abby was desperately thirsty all the time... and we 

began going to our old vet in Kansas City, Kansas again... and his new associate told us he was sure she had diabetes... and she did.  We started a regimen of two times a day shots... but we were NOT good at giving them, and Abby was not good at getting them.  It was misery for all of us. 

I started finding homes for all my babies.  Yes, it hurt badly.  It still does. 

Especially my beloved ducks, that I had worked all through the bitter winter to keep watered and protected. 

Moving day came, and the whole family pitched in to help. 

The brothers worked hard and did a man's job.  They spent the night here. 

I didn't think we would get everything put away... ever... and in fact, I am still moving things.  We went from 1000 sq. ft. to 3000 sq. ft. Whew. 

May came, and I was still moving things daily, though by now, all my animals were gone except Abby and Lilly.  Abby was worse, and Keith began to get sick, as well. 

On the fifth, we started our 2014 Kansas City T Bones season, and were back at the ballpark.  Keith began to have to have almost monthly "taps" on his abdomen for the fluid being retained, and we kept hearing from the doctors that his kidneys were worse. 

Our little girl's condition became worse, and she had regular "fits", rubbing her face and head into the floor, or the beds, in this case, the mattresses the kids were using at the time in the basement. These fits would go on and on, until she became exhausted.  

It hurts to see pictures from this time. We lost her here at home, on May 23rd.  We just could not get her blood sugar balanced right.  On the night she died... the vet sent her home with me, and told me her time had not yet come.  I knew on the way home we were losing her that night.  Our poor little doll. 

In mid-May, my friend Valerie had four new puppies in her kennel, Sandy, Shandy, Austin and Billy, three girls and a boy.  They helped the hurt from Abby's death. 

I took care of them all summer, first letting their mama out for exercise while they were nursing, and then, letting the puppies, their mama, and their cousin Mia out to run in the yard. 

They grew by leaps and bounds. 

We celebrated the fourth of July at the T Bones with son Jim and his family. 

We watched a lot of baseball. 

And in mid-July, Keith's daughters and their husbands came to help us fix up the old house.  We were there 9 years, and are still upside down in it, and will be renting it next year... we hope by April. 

Even though Andrea was seven months pregnant!  She watched little Carson for Amber. 

Jace helped, too! 

On the 19th, we had another work day.... but... 

But Keith became very ill and was hospitalized for a week. 

The puppies were almost as big as their mama, Uno, and their cousin Mia, pictured here with Sandy. 

Their owner, Valerie, decided to move back to her home state of Michigan, and I had to 

say goodbye to my babies. 

Lilly Ann and I began walking in the park daily. 

My only surviving sibling, Pete, had had to be hospitalized at the first of the year, after a serious illness.  He was moved at mid-summer to a nursing home in Liberty, Missouri, where they take good care of him.  He suffers from dementia. 

Fall came. 

And Labor Day weekend brought us a new dog, Jester the Boston Terrier. 

My "garden" at the new house began to wane. 

And Keith went back in the hospital, this time, for ten days... from the VA to St. Lukes in 

KCMO... When he came out, he was on dialysis. 

Fall baseball

Jace turned three. 

Haley Kay was born. 

Jes wormed his way into our hearts 

Thanksgiving was celebrated in a small way, as Keith has many new dietary restrictions with his 

new dialysis diet. 

Carson turned one. 

Brynn turned two. 

We Christmas-partied...

and we Christmas-partied some more. 

And I've had a blast this fall learning to use Keith's big Nikon. 

In February, Pete and I lost our brother Mike.  Pete has dementia, and still does not 

understand that Mike has gone on before us, to join our little sister Kathleen, and our mom and dad. 

He left a big family, five kids and many, many grandchildren, as well as a wife to whom he had 

been married for over 50 years. 

I still can't believe he and Kathleen are gone. 

Our Sweet Girl. 

Here's to a more interesting 2015! 

Your blogger and her smiling Lilly Ann