Critter's Breakfast on a Sunny, but Cool, Winter Morn

Papa - "Why did the sheep get a traffic ticket?"
Barnaby - "I dunno."
Papa - "Because she did an illegal 'ewe' turn!"

I can't tell if Barnaby is laughing
or
trying to get away from the really bad joke.

Dodge is working on an interesting hair-do. Going through one of those 'teenager' phases where he's got to have enough fluff in his eyes to do the Bieber flip. 

 Papa and I load up in the gator with warm water to help break any ice in the water buckets. Then we drive to one of many haystacks Papa put up over the summer to grab armfuls of green and golden hay for the critter's breakfast.

BREAKFAST!

Clive - "Hay. Please sir, I want some more."

"He said no. How can anybody say 'no' to this face?"

Annabelle - "I'm queen of the breakfast hay!"

Clive - "Here, let me help you with that breakfast crown."

Clive

Melted snow and rain make excellent puddles for my fancy boots to splash around. 

And you thought gloves were for keeping hay out...

A New Year, A New Thing - Yarn Along

I LOVE reading farm blogs. It's my one weakness. And, every time that I read through these wonderful blogs, I give myself a pep talk about how I need to do a better job of keeping up with our blog. 

So, in reading one of my favs, I noticed that some people are doing this "Yarn Along" thing. Basically, you take a picture of your current knitting project, and a bonus is also sharing the book that you're reading at the time. I thought with a New Year, I could try a new thing to help me keep up with our blog better. So here goes a resolution that I HAVE to keep up with, because you all will nag me until I do, right?

                                                         

I'm nearly finished with The Lonely Tree Shawl. I bought this beautiful yarn from Kit at the Woolfest in Falmouth, Kentucky last year. It's an uber soft blend of merino and silk, and so beautifully dyed!

And I'm at the most exciting part of The Hobbit, where Bilbo and Smaug talk in riddles to each other, and though I know the end of the story, it still sends shivers down my spine!

I'd Rather Waltz Than Just Walk Through the Forest

New Year's Eve the sky was breathtaking. How awesome is our God!

For a few years now, our family has begun a tradition of vacationing the weekend after Christmas. Our favorite haunt being the lovely little cabins in Carter Caves, Kentucky. The drive's not too far, but far enough to feel like we're leaving town. We're so blessed to have sweet neighbors to check on the critters for a few days, and sweet church family to check on Uncle Jerry & Aunt Ruth. 

The drive down was rather uneventful, excepting the rain, sleet, ice, and snow on winding roads.

The cabin is always cozy and warm. It's fun taking a break from routine, sleeping in every morning, eating junk food whenever I feel like it, etc. 

The second day, Josh and I decided with the sun out, we'd brave the great outdoors and go hiking on one of the many beautiful trails nearby. I brought my hiking boots; Josh did not bring 'hiking' boots, rather his cool guy boots with zero tread. I did a lot of giggling on those trails. 

Folks would carve their initials in larger trees on the trails.

"What are these?"

"Where did they come from?"

"I love you sweet icicles!"

ok. Josh. let's move on now.

The Fern Bridge all iced over. 

A Time of Sorrow

It's been a hard week on the farm. While I was at the Wool Festival in Falmouth, our sweet Clara got very sick. It was a sudden thing. One minute she was fine, and the next, she was not. Clara had struggled with bloat often as a lamb. I always referred to her as 'our miracle lambie.' She pulled through bloat, I don't know how many times. But, this time, she didn't. I miss my sweet girl.
A few days later, I had to make the heartbreaking decision to put Lightning, my sweet dog, to sleep. He had struggled with ear infections for years, almost his whole life. They finally culminated into a number of other issues. It was time to let him go, but I will miss my best friend.
Saying goodbye to critters is never easy. They have a way of wrapping themselves around my heart, and to let them go; it's hard to breathe. I'm so very thankful for the time that God gave me to have with His creatures. I will miss them both so very much.

while sheep safely graze

The sun is always so pretty right after dinner these days. Days are starting to get shorter. A sign that fall is nearly here, and winter will soon follow. 

Cora loves these 'picture visits.' She's a bit of a camera "hog," for a sheep that is.

Clara, on the other hand, is quite sheepish about these visits. Every time I manage to get the camera in focus on her beautiful face, she up and turns around. Thus, I have multiple 'Clara butt pictures' to delete.

This one I kept, because she does have pretty curls, even on her back end. :)

Dodge never wanders too far from his mama, Annabelle.

My sweet Aliyah, basking in warm sunshine.

It looks like some sheep have been here...

 It's so fun to take pictures of Cora. She stands there pretty patiently, nibbling on bits of green grass.

 

Cora lashes.

A wee sheep grin...you just can't help but grin too.