What a day!

Today started out with me digging a grave, and ended with a severe storm, with plenty of activities in between. This morning on my usual rounds, I discovered Marshmallow had passed during the night. As you know, this was expected, but still sad. So my day started off with me burying a bunny. At least now he can be in peace.

The rest of the day only got better from there. I spent the mid morning hanging out with my friend Michelle. It was good to catch up with her and her kiddos. I returned home to start knitting a hat for hubby (who always has a cold head). I was in the mood to watch Twilight, so I settled in with my knitting, the dogs and the vampires. This afternoon found me enjoying the 80 degree weather. I donned shorts and worked outside. We had a bunch of peony bulbs from Costco that I finally put in the ground. I cant wait until they are big and plentiful. They will look great with my hydrangeas! After gardening, I took my spinning wheel out to the deck to practice. My parents gifted me my wheel for my birthday, and I am ashamed to admit that I am not very good. Granted, when I look at the yarn I spun first off I definitely have improved. I still have a long way to go. The yarn I plied today is actually useable. My first attempts produced a product that would be embarassed to be called yarn. This afternoon? real yarn. There is not very much, but its a start. I think the setting and the view made the yarn come together.

Hubby and I did our evening rounds together checking in on the animals as we went. After dinner, we sat on the couch to watch New Moon, with Whiskey and Jack. As I type, Hubby is in bed and I am enjoying the "severe thunderstorm" they have been calling for all day. With today in the 80s and tomorrow not making it to 50, no wonder the weather is at odds. The wind is howling like crazy, slamming doors and whistling through the house. I am sure the power will go out. Its been so windy lately we havent bothered to reset the clocks. Every clock in the house is blinking a different time. We rely on our cell phones for the correct time. I personally like not knowing or caring what time it is (only on my days off). I wake up with the sun (and the roosters) and I go to bed when I am tired. I eat when I am hungry, and the rest of the day just is. I am going to go sit on the couch now, enjoy the howling wind and wait for the darkness that I am convinced will follow.

Eggs, Baby Birds and Snow

Wow, the new year has brought lots of changes. One of the chickens has started laying. She faithfully lays an egg a day. Hubby and I have enjoyed them greatly! One of the ducks has started laying too. However, until today, the shells were too soft. If we touched the shell it would cave in. We started feeding them oyster shells for calcium, and wa-laa today we had a hard shelled egg. Which is now sitting in the fridge along side the chicken eggs. Speaking of eggs, the finches are great egg layers. However usually the mama finch decides to kill the eggs (for reasons known only to her). She will either eat them herself, or push them over the nest. She must have known that 2011 is a new year, and made a resolution not to kill her eggs. For as I write, there is a living, breathing, baby finch hiden in the nest. Anytime we try to get a peak, the mama finch gets quite upset. So we will see soon enough.

The new year has also brought along snow! So far we have had 3 days of snow, with yesterdays being the most yet. It started snowing yesterday afternoon, and we woke up to around 3 inches. I let the chickens out of their coop. The walked around, tried to eat the snow, tried to shake the snow off their feet, and returned to their coop. So much for snow chickens... The goats could care less about what the weather does. They act as if they didnt even notice the snow. The dogs opinions are split. On one hand, Jack loves the snow. He would stay out in it all day if he could. On the other hand, Whiskey hates it. But she hates anything cold, wet or muddy. She will avoid puddles and rain as much as possible. But snow is impossible to avoid. So she waits out the day tucked inside her doghouse. Jack sits on top of the dog house roof so he can monitor the snow fall...

I love the snow. It makes everything have a clean start. I love walking through the snow. I love watching the snow blow off the rooftops. I love the way the snow rests on branches in the trees. I love snow. I am going to take the day, and enjoy it while its here. Happy snow day!