I Miss Summer...

Make a wish!! (Please don't try to blow the seed thingies off of the dandelion. They won't blow away and you'll get your computer screen all dirty...)

I like how this is a perpetual wish. Kind of a wish in the making...

I know it isn't Tuesday, but....

I'm proud of myself... I walked/ran four miles in an hour today (which was my goal!!). Maybe, just maybe, I'll actually be able to do the 1/2 marathon in April and not embarrass myself... I have 4 and 1/2 hours to do 13.1 miles. I really think I can do it. I think I can, I think I can...

Dad's Blog

For the next few days, I'm going to be posting on my dad's blog. He and my mom are still in Ohio helping my Granny sort things out and Dear Ole Dad can't get to Mickey D's every morning to hop online.

So.... please visit if you feel so inclined (www.jimfields.wordpress.com) cause you'll be gettin' nada hear until Tuesday and I promise it'll actually be a happy post, k?

Love all of ya!

Letting Go

The earth seems to give up many people in peace. With acceptance. Warm sunny days kiss coffins goodbye and gentle winds urge on the passing of our loved ones. Sometimes accompanied by a gentle shower - I (in my flowery prose) imagine maybe angel tears.

Not so last Saturday. The cemetary covered in snow shivered in expectance and the wind howled and blew and fought. Bone chilling cold seeped into my veins and I imagined for one moment that my blood was ice and that I was a monument.

I stood still in the angry wind watched my cousins carry my Grandpa's coffin through the pouring snow. I watched my Father read from his Bible and heard his words. I held my Grandma's hand and my Mother touched my shoulder. The wind tried to push over the tent. The angry wind. A changing wind. My family stood and we all cried. And then we left the coffin there.

I felt that day that the world didn't want my Grandpa to go and that there were angels swirling all around us disguised by the snow. I felt that my Grandpa wasn't in that coffin, but in our hearts and watching us from behind the nearest tree. Urging us back to the warmth of our cars and the comfort of our family and friends.

I said goodbye once more and left.

Dulce suenos, my sweet Gramps. I'll see you again...

Goin' to Ohio to See Gramps and Granny

I am going to take a journey to Ohio with my sweet Mama and Lil' Sis to see my Gramps and Granny next week and will not be posting until I get home next Saturday. My Gramps isn't feeling so hot right now and we're hoping to cheer him and my Granny up a little.

In my absence, I leave you some bloggy fun...

http://www.pennynroscoe.blogspot.com/ - the "tails" (thanks Abby) of Penny and Roscoe

http://www.abbykey.blogspot.com/ - my sweet, lovin', awesome Abby (and sister extaordinaire)

http://www.betsyhaley.blogspot.com/ - my wonderful, crazy, beautiful Betsy (and sister extraodinaire)

http://www.jimfields.wordpress.com/ - my Dad - his blog ALWAYS makes my day better

http://www.alice-doors.blogspot.com/ - Just found her today, after she found me, but way cool site

She Wants to be Me

This is what I found about 30 minutes after Iwoke up the other day. She loves him. a LOT. He loves her back. She thinks that my side of the bed SHOULD be HER side of the bed...

She's giving me that "don't ruin this" look. I guess that makes me the third wheel. (And no, my husband does not have a problem with his bedroom being girly. So there.)

Have a good day everybody!

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words...

Sometimes I think that they are messing with my head.

How We Roll.....

They'll sleep all day, but when we start playing, it's over. They play and bark and get all manner of excited when they hear music. And they LOVE the good friend David. Once they calm down, they'll jocky for position at his feet.

He's Not Allowed on the Couch...

I just have problems with his face when I tell him to get down. He looks at me like I've deeply injured his self worth. Then he does the leg thing, I throw my hands up in the air and just walk away...
Happy Friday, Everbody!!

They Share...

The first thing people ever say when they walk into our backyard and notice all the animals is, "Do they all just get along? Dogs, Cats, and Chickens??" Then they shake their heads and stare. Adam and I are used to it and do our best to assure people that the chickens are not food or sport for the four legged critters. The cats grew up patroling the coop (for a couple of weeks, the birds are enjoying some yard time and we're all ok with that - we had a lone chicken that needed reintegrating anyway). Occaisionally one of the dogs will remember that they are INDEED a dog and that dogs should chase chickens, but we do our best to reinforce to the dogs that if they eat (ahem, PLAY WITH) the chickens, then there will be no chicken eggs to find and eat. Ever heard the phrase "egg suckin' dog"? They love eggs - it is the weirdest thing. They share... we didn't teach them to - they just did it. Chickens love cat food. Who knew? What I do know is that a bag of cat food is a LOT more expensive than a bag of chicken food. (Note to Husband: we gotta do somethin' about the chickens, baby. I'll help. Really...)

Also, note violet down there by the *pond*. This is a big deal for poor, delicate V. You do not know how much courage that dog has summoned to be sitting where she is. She is not quite the brave country dog. More like a fragile broken thing that is finally recovering and becoming her true self. Good for you, V. (I know that I am talking to a dog on the computer. I know that she can't hear me or even if she could, she wouldn't completely understand, ok? Just cut me a little slack here...)

See, the chickens need a new coop and run*. Their old one is ok, but we have the materials to make them a better one that I can get into to feed/water/health check/collect eggs and not hurt myself (my back ain't so hot). Adam does most of the coop and pen work with the birds because of that right now, but I'd really like to dote on (spoil) them myself.

It has been too cold and muddy to build one or fix the run they escaped from, so right now we have chicken au naturale. We like it when they free range, but then they eat our garden (and our not so cheap garlic fertilizer -I'm not completely over that yet and it happened last year). We settle for feeding them all of the garden scraps (tomatoes - they LOVE tomatoes) we can.

** a run is where the chickens hang outside during the day - the bigger the better the happier the chicken - and we like happy chickens around here)**

Sometimes though, I wonder. Am I going to wake up one day to a big pile of fur and feathers in my backyard??

I think sometimes they wonder the same thing...

Happy New Year!