The 'Coons are coming . . .

... the coons are coming! ! !  "MOM!  Quick, come here, but don't turn on the light!" .. HAH?  I rushed into the kitchen, and looked out the window at the maple tree where my daughter was pointing.  All I saw was an animal tail.  I got the flashlight and crept out the back door, but saw NOTHING.  I did see, however, Pompom, the barn cat.  Her tail was not as bushy as my daughter thought she'd seen on the tree, so we explored a little further.  I took the flashlight to the garden, and there were two small raccoons dashing under the fence.  AHA!  COONS!  I decided to fake some bravery, so I shone the flashlight the full length of the southside fence.  I saw eyes in a tree ... but as the animal scurried down, I deducted it must be a squirrel.  I commenced to shine the light along the front facing fence line and low and behold!  There were at least five or six coons running along the fence line, looking for food.  Of course, discreet me (read NOT) scared them and they all scurried up my three maple trees alongst the fence line.  WHAT a picture opportunity, but alas, I didn't have my camera with me. 

Like Father like Son

The  BOY is home .. well, it's home for him now.  When he enlisted into the Reserves, our home was in Hawaii.  When he left for basic training, we moved away from the islands, leaving only our relatives behind ... all our other belongings were shipped to New York.

    His first assignment a few months after returning to the islands from basic was to Iraq.  Funny, we couldn't wait for all the kids to leave home, yet it was with great anticipation we greeted him at the airport!   
   He has already shocked the  shoes off of us ... got out in the garden and weeded for me ... and NO MONEY INVOLVED!!!  He mowed the back path to the tree line for me so I could get back to my "observation rock" ... I highly suspect is was more PLAY for him than work, all in my favour! 
   See my guys here .. like father like son ... this was the best shot I could get of them ... see ... two pairs of legs ... two pairs of tennierunners ... like father like son!
  I will cherish all these times, and try not to think too much on when he has to return to the sandbox. 

Farm update

*** Been busy trying to fit into the "farmer wife" shoes, so a farm report is long overdue. 
*** The vegetables in the garden are growing like weeds ... OH WAIT ... maybe that's because the weeds are growing faster than the veggies ... what's with that!  Anyway, soon, very soon we will have MORE zucchini than we ever thought possible.  Send on  the Zucchini recipes please! 
*** New fencing is being put up in anticipation of the girls' BF's (bulls).   Have run into a few snags, but the new fencing should be up before we take off for the deep south in a few weeks.  We went out to pick up cedar posts for the new fencing.  Just a 4 hour trip, but it ended up being longer than 7 hours, thanks to a FLAT trailer tire!  HAHA ... this is the second time we forgot the spare tire at home on a long trip! 
*** We've discussed the front porch for the hundredth time.  The farmer suggested a partial wrap around porch ... I choked a little (( Should I have LET him think it was his idea?  ))  I snorted and asked him "Is that such a great idea that you had to steal it from me"  OR  " Does this mean you were NOT LISTENING when I suggested it ages ago?"  He looked rather sheepishly, but I think he REALLY thinks it was his idea. 
*** The kittens continue to entertain, and BE ENTERTAINED.  What IS IT about an automated litter pan that is should become center stage?  Maybe the dome shaped entry way suggests to the kittens "ARENA" ... it's SHOW TIME!  haha
*** Well, again, I must rise early to help collect the remaining cedar posts.   Guess what?  We have SPARE tire this time!!!!!  :D

Around the Farm

Funny how NO ONE imagined I would end up on a FARM, especially ME!!!  I think I have adapted rather well though.  I have herded runaway yaks ... put the truck into 4WD *yippeeeeeeeee* ... fed and watered goats and yaks in deep winter ... even managed to stifle a scream when a milksnake ventured into my home. 

Above is a collage of life at the farm.  Cat in the Hat ... right in MY house!  A pile of cat nappers; lone albino weed; FIRST zucchini; robin moth (see my earlier entry); swallow nest with 4 young`uns; FIRST and ONLY guinea hen egg; apples galore; tigerlily and wild daisies. 

Empty Nest.

Empty nest.  You think that's just a bored persons variation of "emptiness" with a "T" at the end?  Empty nest would suggest that we are all birds.  That's fine with me, since I am a Redbird.  I'm not so sure how that affects others though.  Oh wait a minute, then there's Rat's Nest, perhaps this is where everyone else fits in?   My children have grown and gone.  Grown up and gone away.  I still have extra beds though.  One for each child if necessary.  You know, if a visit is in order. 
       
 The little Precious One would have her pick of beds if she wants to spend the weekend, or summer with Grammy and Papa.  There is to be a new arrival late this summer.  We're expecting another grandchild.  I suppose this is ONE way to re-fill the NEST!  No complaints from me. 
(I'm still writing, but must save this due to so many "browser error" shutdowns!)

Some weekends are good . . .

What can I say of this weekend?  Well, it's over!  HA!

It's been one of those fun weekends, the kind you just want to sit back and say "aaaaaaaaah!"

a)  Riding lawn mower was not working, so it was HUFF PUFF and push it till nearly half the lawn (about .75acres) was mowed, THEN the darned rider starts effortlessly!!!  Below is a little organic snack I found in the lawn, "Dandeshroom Salad anyone??"

Okay, Okay ... so mowing the lawn is boring, but it DOESN'T HAVE TO BE!!!  I dressed this pile of mushrooms with dandelions and added hashi and holder ... very appetizing!

b) I started a tow service, no start up fee.  Had to haul my hubby and "effortlessly purring" riding lawn mower out of the ditch TWICE.  He thanked me and said I was the cutest tow driver he's seen!  HA!

c)  I cleaned and made ready the guest room, and ALREADY have guests!!!  Ms Kitty carried all three kittens up the stairs to their NEW play arena, my freshly organized guest room!   

I hope you all are having an Aloha Monday!!!  Why wait for Friday to celebrate Aloha:  carry some around with you every day of the week!

Sneaky slithering snakes!

This farm  life is  proving to  be more  eventful  than I ever  bargained  for.  One evening as we were bringing our dinner to the den to eat, I heard an odd sound in the  darkened  hallway.  I looked down and  only saw the  shadow of  something laying across the heater vent on the floor.  I kept asking ... WHAT IS IT ..WHAT IS IT???  We turned on a light and heard a "rattle"  OMG .. I just KNEW it was a baby rattlesnake in my hallway!!!   Well, after careful research, we discovered it was none other than an eastern milksnake, complete with rattle imposter. 

And then a day or so later, the farmer ran

across a garter snake in the outer pasture.  Of course, we, being city folk, had to research to be SURE.  And, me being a snap baby snap kinda gal, I had to snap baby snap!  These are about as good as it gets for now.  I am sure, as we are in the BOONIES ... REALLY in the BOONIES, that we will encounter countless opportunities to assert my photographic passions!