Merry Christmas 2020!

Merry Christmas! 

I realized this morning I have not posted in weeks.  

I apologize.  Where I once posted daily, I realize life overtakes things and I just don't get to it, even in this strange year we are having. 

So, this was going to be about Christmas, etc., but I did not gather with my family this year... so... it is going to be about squirrels with a couple of look backs. 

First, the big present... 

My grandson Nathan and his significant other, Rachel, are expecting in June. 

 

This very blurry photo taken with my phone is a picture of the sonogram 

they sent me, "Only the best parents get promoted to be Grandparents" ... and Nathan 

has taken to calling me "Great Grandma" now.  

They bought a house in Garnett in September, and he has been on his job for 

two years now, so I think they feel stable. 

Yes, it was a surprise and what a Christmas gift!

So... the squirrels....

You know that I have a camera up in the bird-feeding area all the time. 

I saw 300 some pictures on it today, and saved some of them. 

You know that they say cardinals are visits from your lost loved ones. 

I have seen as many as eight pair around my feeder. 

There are MANY blue jays here, too. 

The dark shadow pole is the suet pole that the camera is on. 

They crack me up. 

(I am sure he was jumping down because there I am at the gate) 

This strange cat appeared on the porch cam this month, but I 

have not seen it again.  And, in sadder news... 

Spot has not been here since last Saturday morning. 

I am not giving up hope, he was gone for ten days once. 

I believe he has a former family somewhere around here.  

Then, while reviewing the feeder cam this morning after church, 

I found this picture. 

Is this Spot???

I don't think so... but I may be wrong. 

You know what?  Maybe it IS him.  He hates the blow up Santa I have had 

up for the last three weeks.  It sits on the corner of the deck. I do take it down at night. 

(comparing the two pictures now, I don't think it's him) 

That is the only thing I can think that would keep him from coming to the door. 

Today is Santa's last day for the year. 

The possums are fast to get the food on the deck in the evening, so I am not 

sure what he would have found, and he has always come to the door, he does not really like the dogs, but he tolerates them. 

Speaking of the dogs... I also looked at a lot of pictures in my Google pictures archive. 

That was my beautiful Lilly Ann in December, 2014.  We had officially bought 

a big new house about fifteen miles from here, and we were three months away 

from a renter moving into this house.  I came over every day, because, of course, I still 

had chickens here,  Keith's health was failing by this time. 

 

There is my handsome Jester, the same month. 

And the two of them, running up the driveway. 

 

And what would a Christmas day post be without a Christmas picture... here is 

Keith in the kitchen of our big house with Madison, my granddaughter, who is a mother now herself, and Amy, my daughter in law.  

Keith was in pretty good shape here, all things considered. 

He also LOVED Christmas and having parties. 

And... he loved his grandkids.  Here he is with baby Hayley, who is a big 

sister to twins now.  This was at her big sister's Brynn's party that same 

December of 2014.  How little we know what is in our future... but these pictures 

bring back such happy memories. 

My big brother Pete was still alive, and had another Christmas to go... gosh, I miss my brothers and my little sister.  If it weren't for my first cousins, there would be no one who remembered sitting around my family table, that sits in my kitchen now. 

Little Snowy has been sick all day today, in fact, she has only just now, at 2:30, laid her head down 

for the first time.  She has periodic days when she vomits copiously all day... and I mean copiously. 

This morning, I could not get her to take her morning meds.  

After I came home from church, I discovered she had been sick and urinated in the house, and she never pees in the house.  After that, she vomited two more times.  It was only after the second large one that she was able to lay her head down and rest.  I gave her Cerenia for vomiting about two hours ago, and I did not see it come up... so... I am praying it is helping.  She is gently snoring on the orthopedic bed behind me.  I had actually made an appointment for both to see their vet tomorrow morning at 9:30, and am planning on taking them so Dr. Coles can check her out thoroughly.  Jester needs his 

eyes checked again, so he is going along for the ride. 

And now, a little bit about Snowy. 

I took her in as a foster for a rescue in March, the week the area shut down for the pandemic. 

I decided to keep her in about two weeks, I knew she was sixteen, but it was not until they emailed her 

vet records to me that I realized she was turning seventeen on July 1.  She settled in okay, but was not overly affectionate.  She was the only dog that slept with me at this point, but always across the bed, she did not snuggle.  She has clung to Jester since Fritzi has gone, but.... she began snuggling at night a month ago, and this morning, I woke up with her in the crook of my arm.  

I had planned to take her picture over again today with her little Santa dress spread out over her back... but we are going to forego that. 

Here is one of our "official" Christmas pictures, 

take by one of my Grandkids whom I ran in to get specifically for this purpose. 

You notice the dogs are facing away. 

We tried.  (laugh). 

( my hair was also crazy) 

Friends, several friends of mine and one set of dear cousins have 

had Covid.  I know many of you know some who have been lost to it, and who have been ill and recovered.  Please, I beg you, 

wear a mask and stay safe.  I wear a mask whenever I go anywhere, and in fact, we cannot attend church without masks and our chairs in the sanctuary being six feet apart (unless you are family members).  We have to register for mass. 

This morning, at Christmas Day mass.... I was alone in the middle of a row, but grateful to be there.  

Everywhere I go here, a mask has become part of my wardrobe.  I know many people have a problem with this, but I do it to protect me and mine.  

I hope you will all be here to read my next blog post, and those of 

next year's.  I want to be here, too. 

Stay safe, and I pray you have had a Merry Christmas! 

I admit it, I love him.  He lights up at night, too! 

 

Starting a New Decade

So much happened in the last decade...

I lost my sister, Kathleen, my brothers Mike and Pete, 

my stepson, Brandon, and my husband Keith. 

So many losses, but I am still blessed to be here and 

be in good health and be able to get around and stay active. 

I like to think these were still happy years, despite the loss. 

Keith and I moved away from Calamity Acres in 2014, as he grew 

more ill,  

but I came back in the fall of 2017 (we rented the house out). 

It was rehabbed and is a cozy, comfortable home for me, 

the dogs and the critters. 

So, let's look at what is now "last year". 

We'll start in January. 

Lilly Ann was aging, and her body had started changing, see how her 

legs were bowed out? 

Also, see all the chicken poop on the porch?  That was going to go away. 

I still had three of my original four big Pekins. 

Yes, they swam all winter. 

In February...

We had some warmish days, and some of the snakes woke up! 

And that month, there were only two sheep in the pasture, Fluffy, on the right, 

and Flicka, on the left.  Faithful Lilly Ann was guarding them. 

On February 13th, I got a bucket of eggs!  Right now, I am blessed to get two or three a day, 

but the hens are all getting old. 

On the 16th, with cold and snow outside, I had a surprise in the sheep barn!

More snow in March...

I love tracks in the snow. 

On the 11th, Cookie was wethered. 

Dr. LaRosh has since retired. 

In April, I had a real surprise! 

Fluffy was a lamb when she came here with the boarded sheep two 

years ago.  There was a ram lamb in with them, but I honestly never 

saw him breed her, and did not have a clue that she was pregnant. 

She presented me with Niblet on April 2nd. 

By mid-April, spring was on the way. 

In May...

I planted one of the big planters on my deck with lettuce, and it took off! 

And saw one of my favorite groups, Little River Band, for 

the fifth or sixth time.... (Colin Whinnery)... I know they are 

not the original Australian band... but if you ever have a chance to 

see these guys .... GO. 

May 14, one of the hardest days of my life... My beloved Lilly Ann crossed the Rainbow Bridge. She had spent her whole life with me, it was so hard to let her go. 

In June...

In June, the poultry was rapidly wearing out their welcome on the deck and porch. 

Folks, chickens (and ducks) are dirty, there are no two ways about it.  I have kept them 

for many years, but they are dirty.  I had to wash the porch off every single day, 

and use a shovel to shovel off the poop. 

It was onerous.  

The fun of watching them was not equal to the job of cleaning up after them. 

I had cross-fenced the yard in March, and it was rapidly becoming time to 

fence them up. 

We had some spectacular evenings. 

In July....

these were coming along. 

And I was privileged to have the time to take 

my two grands on the left (and their cousins to the right) to the pool this summer...

In August....

(Sorry, couldn't resist) 

And this happened, our wonderful Fritzi came in to Jester's and my lives, and we were so glad. 

She is just our little doll, thank you again, Bonner Animal Rescue.

In September...

I made a decision to re-home Duckie and the Duckertons. 

I love ducks.... but I was having trouble taking care of them 

as I felt I needed to.... they were rehomed to a women 

with duck experience and a pond, and the young layers and 

their rooster went to a new home, too. 

It was very hard to let Duckie go, let me tell you. 

He was the duck with personality!

We had a beautiful late summer. 

And I watched some fall baseball...

On the 28th, I saw another favorite band...

Toto, at the Uptown theater. with a horrid rainstorm 

as we came out of the venue.... What a ride home! 

(that's Steve Lukather and Joe Williams)

In October....

Granddaughter Paiton celebrated her birthday with a riding lesson. 

In early November, I caught a glimpse of my favorite maple tree 

down beyond my neighbor's pond. 

And we began preparing in earnest for "Santa's Express" at the National Agricultural Center, where I have volunteered for five years now. 

Jester was never far from me.  He is the pluckiest little dog, 

and I am so glad to have him. 

December.... 

Penning the chickens on the far side of the yard was a great decision. 

No more nastiness tracked into the house... hardly any flies. 

Of course Singleton, who was living at the Ag Hall, 

is home for the winter, and every morning, chases his daddy 

Ferdinand out of the enclosure...

and Ferdie now lives by the deck, porch and side of the house 

during the day, with one little red hen.  

I am dealing with small amounts of poop again. 

When Singleton and his girls go back to the Ag in the spring, 

Ferdie will move into the old hen house with his little hen. 

We had a wonderful Santa event at the National Agricultural Center, despite the fact we had a near-blizzard on the second day.  Santa was there, and 50 or so hardy people came through the storm to see him, do crafts, and have some hot chocolate and cookies. 

I built Gnomelandia in my spare bedroom, because great-granddaughter Maci 

was coming for the first time. 

I had so much fun doing this, and am going to improve it next year. 

The dogs and I had our Christmas picture taken.

When family came for Christmas. 

And finally....

The Reason for the Season. 

And so it comes to an end, the year and the decade. 

Like I said, I am so blessed to live where I do, 

to enjoy the fauna and flora (a lot of fauna), 

to have two faithful and loving little dogs, 

and an array of critters coming during the night 

to keep things lively. 

I want to thank everyone for reading this and reading 

for the last ten years about my humble life. 

I so enjoy sharing aspects of it with you. 

Here's to a great new decade for all of us!