Snow In The Foothills

Woke up to a snowy day.

Lovely to look at but I'm very glad

that Kristine was able to get home before the storm.

I still need to get iPhoto updated

before I can get to my photos on the computer.

Posting from the iPad does work

but I then open the post up in Blogger on the computer

and do some editing and then post again as an update.

Mr. Pumpkin has turned into 

Mr. Snowman.

Morgan doesn't want to go out for a walk in the snow.

Me either.

It's cold.

Smiles

~:>

Pen The Kids!

This folding wire pen was supposed to keep Morgan downstairs but served a better purpose as play equipment for the three younger children. I have other photos but I need to update iPhoto. I got a new computer and the old iPhoto won't work with the new operating system. I miss my daughter and family who have gone back home. But I was very happy they were here for Thanksgiving! Miss you all!    Smiles!

Blogging from my iPad with Blogger

Not A Good Surprise

Well, these persimmons and pomegranates 

are a great surprise!

We found each other at the

Farmer's Market this morning.

So good!

But this leak we found in the closet was not good.

Monday we will remove the sheetrock

and find out where the water is coming from.

At least now I know where the musty smell was coming from.

I covered the chairs and what I could with plastic

to help ward off dust and dirt shed by the removal of the 

loft rug and furniture being moved around.

It is nice and warm in the kitchen.

I would like to keep all the dirt and cold air away.

~:>

Smiles

Dead Tree In The Woods

While walking with Morgan in the woods this morning

I was admiring the various open areas

that I had cleared of brush and small trees.

I still have a lot of clearing to do.

Because the small trees had been cut back

I could get a good look at a very tall old dead tree.

The top 6+ feet is laying hidden in a bunch of young trees.

I tried to get a photo of the scraggy top

but it was too dark.

Here is the middle of the tree.

And the bottom.

This tree is so tall it would be too scary to cut down

without professional help.

The tree was standing here when I moved here

(except the top has fallen off)

and will probably stand until it falls over. 

I really don't want to be in the forest

when this tree hits the ground.

~:>

Smiles

The New Flooring Is In The House!

Well, the flooring is in boxes but it is here!

Two egg veggie omelet for breakfast.

Since the arrival of the new floor cheered me up so much

I got busy and made myself a good breakfast

instead of cold cereal.

The chickens aren't laying eggs

but these store bought eggs are pretty good.

Pale but good.

23 boxes of flooring!

The floor installers may start laying floor on Monday

but since there is some painting to do

and removal of the loft railing

the actual putting the new flooring down

may not happen for a day or two.

I need to pick up a couple of light fixtures also.

I love it when stuff starts to happen

I have been years waiting for this floor.

Exciting!

The golden leaves turned to red?

I wish I could say the leaves turned red

but the red is reflection from the setting sun.

Still it all makes for a pretty picture.

~:>

Smiles

Introverts And Energy

Not any interaction going on here.

Morgan could care less about what the chicken is doing.

Introverted or just disinterested?

White Brahma and Morgan with wearing her muzzle
that keeps her from eating stuff off the ground.

My daughter sent me 

a link to a cartoon about how to socialize with introverts.

Love this!

I'm an introvert.

I haven't actually hissed

at anyone but I have felt like doing so at times.

!:>

Smiles

Scruffy Chickens

This Brahma is beginning her molt and is just starting

to loose feathers.

It is getting cold so I hope the hens hurry up and

get their new Winter set of feathers.

After I cleared out the dead vegetables,

I moved all the different types of lavender plants

into two beds that are close to each other.

My experiment this Summer has shown that there is not

enough sunlight here to grow vegetables.

So, I'm going to try herbs, flowers and I planted two blueberry bushes

in this area and will see how well they grow.

Not much to eat but at least it will be green.

~:>

Smiles

Getting Ready For Roosting

The hens congregate around and in the coop before 

going inside and finding a spot to roost.

Some hens will go to bed early.

I guess they want to make sure they get the choice places to roost?

Spooky night sky!

Too late for Halloween.

Tonight when I was walking Morgan the sky was covered 

with a puffy layer of shining clouds.

And a tiny moon.

I wished I had a camera that could have

captured the lit up clouds that covered the sky

but this is the best I could do with the iPad camera.

Pretty quiet day.

Lucky had to go to the vet to have his paw checked.

I raked paths.

Nothing much interesting.

Which is a good thing.

I can really do without interesting!

~:>

Smiles

Seasons

This month I have been enjoying the beauty 

of an old oak's golden Fall leaves.

Since I have taken photos of the interesting old oak

during different seasons, I thought I would share.

Fall

Winter

Spring

Summer

I love how the early or setting sun lights up the tree

and makes it glow!

~:>

Smiles

Golden Tree Tops

Lovely!

The tops of the oak trees shine golden in the 

late afternoon sun.

We don't have colorful leaves in the Fall 

but these golden leaves make up for the lack.

Pretty much took the day off.

~:>

Smiles

Speed Post

Power off/on...

The chickens like smashed pumpkin.
I only had to drop it 5 times.

Thought I would post now because the

power is back on...

don't know why the power went off last night.

Very nice to have the wood stove when the electric

heaters stop working.

Oh, dear!

I just realized that the time is wrong on the computer

and I have missed my appointment with Michelle.

Oh, well...would have missed it anyway

because Tom is not back yet.

I'll update later if anything interesting happens around here.

~:>

Smiles

Mountain Drive

Very nice drive down the mountain today.

Lovely balmy day.

Did some early Christmas shopping.

The Christmas decorations are up in the stores

but I didn't see any

Thanksgiving decorations 

in or on the stores where I was shopping.

I think I am going to be really glad

that I did most of my shopping now

before the stores become 

crowded with people and lots of merchandise.

Leaves cover most everything.

But there are still plenty of leaves in the trees.

We are supposed to get rain on Tuesday.

A nice storm would be good!

Still doing laundry.

~:>

Smiles

Rats! Out Of Chicken Feed

There is enough feed for today.

And there is a bag of chicken scratch in the coop.

But this is the last of the lay pellets in this old goat feeder.

The chickens don't mind the goat feeder

 and I like how it hooks on the door so the hens can't tip the feeder over

when they hop on the edges,

Notice how this Wyandotte is all by herself.

Well, that is because she chases the other hens away.

She is a little thing, but she is tough.

I gave up feeding the hens in the chicken pen

in the hanging feeders because the forest rats

figured out how to climb down the wire and eat the feed.

I lock up this feeder at night in a new metal 

garbage can with a tight lid.

The rats and other critters need to go find

something to eat somewhere else.

The wood rats look kinda like little squirrels.

If you would like to see a photo of a wood rat

that looks like the ones we have eating the chicken feed.

Click here for a photo of a wood rat.

So cute!

I took a shiny ring off outside and hung it on a nail

in the greenhouse.

Gone!

I think one of these little guys took it and added it 

to their stash.

Wish I could find the stash.

Maybe under the shed?

Still doing loads of laundry.

Change of plans.

We're not going to town today.

Tomorrow.

:>

Smiles

Tidy Tuesday

Only not so much.

This doesn't look good...

The washing machine has developed a leak after

four loads of wash.

I hung the clothes up after a turn in the dryer to 

make sure they finished drying.

I'm emptying Kristine's closet so the new floor can be installed.

The heavy material holds on to moisture especially in the seams.

Hope the heat from the wood stove

will dry everything.

My big achievment today was setting the clock on the oven.

Doesn't look difficult but it took me some time 

without the directions.

I hate daylight savings time!

Tom was gone today taking Lucky to the vets.

The poor dog has an infected paw...they think.

So, he has meds and has to wear a collar.

Lucky...not Tom.

Hope I can do more laundry tomorrow.

~:>

Smiles

My 3 Profile Photos

Update:

I went back to my old profile photo

after I figured out how to crop it so I wasn't chopped in half.

~:>

Smiles

-------------------------

My latest profile photo.

I am not much good at taking selfies.

This sunflower took the place of my first profile photo.

I put it on my YouTube page thinking that

my first profile photo would stay on the other pages.

Nope.

I like this sunflower.

The first one that grew in the garden.

So I searched around and found this photo of me feeding chickens

which was my first profile photo.

But when I went to restore it the photo was cropped

almost in half so I used the selfie.

When Kristine is home for the holidays

maybe I can get her to take a better photo.

I think that white hen closest to me could be Pastey.

She is still here!

What I would like to do is use Hen Roo's photo!

I thought I would post these photos here so they would

be easy for me to find again.

~:>

Smiles

Old and New Thanksgiving Decorations

Old fold out out paper turkey.

Old turkeys and pumpkins.

Closer look.

New wreath and welcome banner.
I turned the banner around to get them both in the photo.
There is a little girl welcome banner
in the light on the other side of the door. 

I do love this time of year and all the cheerful decorations!

Morgan checking out the pumpkin.
The chickens are getting a bit violent with Mr. Pumpkin.

Morgan still has to wear the muzzle when we go outside

to make sure she doesn't eat anything that would make her sick.

She is much healthier now.

Last year at this time she was a very sick doggie.

~:>

Smiles

I Spy

On my walk this morning I went by this large stack of wood.

Kindling?

This end of the shed looks battened down.

Wonder what is inside?

Tom was busy when I was in Idaho,

The shed is full of wood.

Right up to the roof!

I was busy too.

I got all the Halloween decorations put away

and hung up the Thanksgiving stuff.

Then I did lots of loads of laundry.

Now it is almost dinner time

so I'm heating up leftovers.

Pot roast always seems to taste better the next day.

~:>

Smiles

Breakfast Time

Happy November!

~:>

Smiles

Happy Halloween!

Trick-or-Treat

The chickens got a pumpkin and some broccoli.

The two Buff Brahmas are low in the pecking order

and have to wait until the

other chickens are finished eating.

Sometimes chickens can be so mean.

Today I raked the path all around the 3 acre fence line.

There will be a new batch of leaves

covering up the paths in a week or two.

Raking is good exercise for me and it is enjoyable being out in the forest.

Have a fun Halloween!

~:>

Smiles!