Bing and Bittersweet sittin' in a tree...

This has always been my lambs' jungle gym – their playground tree. But this year's lambs and ewes didn't spend any time in the wooded lot, so Barbados isn't sure what Bing and Bittersweet are doing.

Bart was in a mellow mood this morning – unusual for this big, shy boy with the big, luxurious fleece.

That's it for today from . . .

A breather

I've been blissfully present at home today, except for taking Brian to his fencing lesson tonight. I haven't done anything more exciting than sort mail, do laundry, pay bills, reconcile bank statements, feed the fire, pet the dogs, knit, and be Brian's school teacher and music coach – and that's just fine with me. It would have been nice to get in a ride, but it rained all day. I got in a session with my equine therapist yesterday afternoon with Brian's cooperation, though, so I'm okay.  ;-)

That's it for now from . . .

It's up

We cut a Christmas tree on Sunday from our generous neighbor's tree lot. I chose it, Rick cut it, and Brian decorated it – with his dad's and grandma's help. Me, I was busy trying to get our church's newsletter done before reporting for work the next day. I finally snapped quick photos of the finished product tonight, after another day at work and finishing a client's newsletter.

Tomorrow I go to work again, run some errands, then make and host an early birthday dinner for Brian so we can celebrate before his grandma leaves town to visit her other grandchildren and Rick leaves town for a veterinary conference. With them both gone, I'm not sure what I'm going to do with Brian next Monday and Tuesday when I go to work. (No, leaving him home alone is NOT an option.)

Life just keeps getting more complicated at . . .

Last leaves hanging

Surrounded by nakedness, one modest cherry still clings to clothing.

"Black Friday" was a grey, wet, windy day here. If it had been 30 degrees colder, we would have been battling a blizzard. Fortunately, the temperatures dived after the rain moved out; by yesterday, it was crunchy-crisp and clear.

Some years the weather is typical, staying at or close to "average" temperatures, rainfall, etc. Some years – like this one – veer wildly from one extreme to another. In the end it may all "average" out, but in the meantime, I'm getting whiplash.  :-/

Okay; enough of the weather-whining. On to interesting avian observations. Remember these two? When Brian saw Goldilocks (the Easter Egger, one of his favorites) crowded in with the Buff, he put her out in the chicken yard. He said "all" the other hens attacked her viciously, driving her squawking back into the henhouse where she dove back into the nest box with the Buff. So he took his reading assignment down to the chicken quarters to supervise them for awhile, and observed the Buff protecting Goldilocks. I wasn't sure how much stock to put into his testimony, but have since watched the flock dynamics more closely. Yesterday morning I observed Goldilocks taking a dust bath while the Buff appeared to stand guard next to her; when next I looked in, they were sitting together on a roost. Interesting.

I don't like the color of the Buff's comb and wattles at all

Perch hasn't been allowed to free range for awhile now. Some weeks back, Brian saw a bird of prey hit the roof of the chicken yard, scaring the girls half to death. A few days later, I pointed out the window to a red-tailed hawk in the big fir in the middle pasture (very close to the chickens), and Brian said, "That's the bird that landed on the roof of the run!" When I was riding my horse on Thanksgiving day, I saw a red-tailed hawk land in the same pasture the sheep were in two different times. It would have made an entertaining video; when the hawk took off, the sheep spooked, then watched in unison as the bird flew over. I did grab my camera and captured the hawk perched near the arena.

Well, I'm woofed, and should head to bed. Adjusting to the new demands on my time is going to take some getting used to – for all of us.

That's it for now from . . .