Atticus weigh in...28 days later..

Nickys little foot in comparison to his....

he gains like I do...24 lbs in 28 days! He now weighs 75 lbs and is just a week shy of being 5 months old!! He doesn't seem to eat any more than the other dogs but boy does he pack it!

He is one big marshmallow! Just about the same size as Tess, but with all the puppy fur and not quite as stocky as Tess.

He is definitely loveable!!

my favorite Christmas gift!

my granddaughter...who decided it was time to ride Scooter (her horse and one of the biggest pets I have). And everyday she did just that, ride! She had me of course keeping the horse in check, but she even decided she could get off and almost on by herself. I like that the grandkids both enjoy being outside with me and it truly made my Christmas! One of my older sons made a game of a treasure map outside and my grandson was more than excited in finding the treasure...It was a very good holiday memory.

Today I realized that I really need to be in much better shape if I am going to keep up with them. My legs are a little traumatized from the march through the snow with horse and child.

Frankly if there had been a blizzard, I think that girl would of braved it just to go out and sit on that horse. I did teach her one memorable thing though...and told her to smell the fur of her horse. Which she did and went "AHHHHHH" with a huge smile on her face! I told her its the best smell in the world....and I bet ...I just bet...she remembers that forever!

if only these pictures had a sound button...

you would of heard the hundreds of Northern Canadian Geese flying overhead!

What a spectacular moon last evening. I could of walked to the river and back without a flashlight and I could see for miles in all directions. Such a thought that while I gazed at that illuminous moon...so did millions and millions of others! Merry Christmas all!

There should be a prize for the biggest WORRIER!!

I would win it hands down...

My big dog Tess, she has had a tiny limp for a month. I am saying tiny limp too, you would watch her race across the field/yard/pasture like nothing was wrong...but on a slow walk...there it was. So watched her and was thinking it was most likely sprained. Not a bad limp but just a little hop on occassion.

Then this weekend, she went totally 3 legged! Not letting that bad paw touch the ground. So Saturday, while I did chores and she hopped along....it was exactly like when one of the kids took fever on a friday night. Worry..Worry and Worry!! Was it going to get worse over the weekend and she would need it amputated?? Could it be Bone CANCER!!!??? Was I going to have to put her down because of the PAIN!!!???? ARRRGGGHHHH!!!

I had my son load her up and bring her to town today when I could get her an appt with the vet.

AND...after just talking to the vet, it seems she has an absess. Just simply draining it and having a little antibiotic! OK...OK...I feel so relieved now.

But really?? I can totally WORRY to the extreme...and it seems I'm getting better and better

and better.....

a Hoar Frost!!

(click on photos to enlarge)

We had spectacular frost...but it was also followed later that day with Spectacular fog!

The kind that stops you dead in your tracks! Thankfully the fog only lasted a few hours but I did get some fantastic photos of the frost before it all melted.

p.s.

and poor Gus did get that date he was dreaming about....

weighing Atticus!

Atticus has become quite the big baby around our house. Even Tess my year old Collie/Pyrenees is quite a protector already and guards him like she does the goats.
He has found a very attentive life here and has an easy going smiley attitude. So we decided to track his growth and weighed him last Tuesday. This is what we got...

so this is the scale when my lightweight daughter is weighing herself.. 96.5 lbs.

and after she hoists up the big furry baby...

I know its hard to read, but they weighed in at close to 146.

(ignore the books on coffee table, sometimes I can't find a thing to read!)
anyway on to the post...
So last week he weighed right around 48-49 lbs.

Last night we weighed him again and I will say that Thanksgiving was good to him. He gained 3 lbs....but so did I!

and this one is for my Granddaughter!

My granddaughter broke her leg a few years ago...actually broke her femur while sledding!! It was extremely painful for a little 6 yr old!! And a Favorite Uncle produced a clip for her to watch while she was in the hospital...along with sending her a cute little bear! My granddaughter has a most creative Uncle!

for my Seeesster!!

She loves it when I have fun at her expense.....I just know she does!!

and she said..."write it down"

I read a blog that has some incredible insight into loving what you do!

http://coldantlerfarm.blogspot.com/

She writes it wonderfully! It so reflects my thoughts and my passion. Her last post on "write it down" really says it all.

I am passionate about what I do and my own life. I always have someone almost every day make a remark that says, " Why would you want to do all that work?" Well, her post says it all and while I can also state many of her same remarks on witnessing and experiencing life, death and self sufficiency, I too love every minute of it.

Just yesterday a co-irker, actually told me "You have too many animals" Seriously? Not one of my livestock are uncared for and not one is mistreated. I take great care with all of them and they are fed before I am. They are doctored carefully, they have a quality life and they are appreciated. They feed me and they heal me. That very co-irker is one though that has never in his life owned a dog. I simply don't see how I could possibly explain to him how fulfilling it is to care for and harvest your own sustenance. How amazing it is when you see those newborns have survived by your own hand and you are there to witness it and help when needed. I fret over them as much as I did my own small children. I am a good Mother and care dearly for anything that I am responsible for. I do not have too many animals and I know my limits. His remark is more directed at himself I believe, in that he isn't all that happy in his own life. His to me seems very unfulfilled. Each to his own. I don't give his a thought and he should not worry about what I do. I did not respond to his statement and I simply frowned. We don't click!

My enjoyment was just like this morning and every morning....I went outside dressed in layers. It has a windchill of below zero today. I fed an extra bale of hay to my 12 cows. I grained the two bulls and fluffed their hay. I fed the 5 horses and petted and hugged a couple. I greeted my three faithfull dogs and they followed me everywhere. I let out the chickens (70+) and fed and watered and set up some heated waterers for my goat pens. I took one very spoiled wether from the doe pen and put him back in with the bucks/wethers. I grained the Bucks/wethers.
I added two extra bales of straw to the bucks building and reenforced the fence...too soon for breeding just yet...a couple more weeks at least. I repaired a gate and checked on the thermal water tank for the cows/horses. I came inside and thawed out my toes and enjoyed a hot cup of coffee and sat down to read my favorite blog posts. I couldn't want for more actually and it makes me feel very strong in that I handle what I do and keep things (knock on wood) together. I do just fine!!

update on the mystery on the River!

The paper called and wanted an interview. I had emailed the owners of the message in the botle and we had visited about the story .....it all seemed so romantic and quite amazing!
Seems the two couples , Greg and Kathy and Shar and Mike are still married couples! Not only are they still happily married but true friends to each other.....seems Shar opened a Daycare and babysat all of Kathy and Gregs kids. They bowl every Wednesday night and while Kathy was the maid of honor for Shar at their wedding...they have shared many events over the years.
The two couples have reflected on how long ago that camping trip actually seems and it has refreshed to them just how wonderful a life they have spent together.

They told me about that trip and how it was incredibly hot...now keep in mind they were barely in their 20's...and while Kathy said she had gotten a terrible sunburn, she thought she suffered some heat stroke. Then later in the day...they killed a rattlesnake. Seems her husband lost a fishing pole in the river and hours later Mike snagged that very pole on his line and it was miraculously recovered. The final straw came in the middle of the night when Kathy was quite miserable and demanded they pack up the tents and LEAVE!! She remembers that she was NOT popular!
I also quizzed them about us finding another bottle there and we were trying to make out what it may of held...perhaps wine?? Whisky?? or simply maple syrup? Kathy remarked...while they consumed a fair amount of beer...she couldn't remember pancakes! She said, my thoughts were correct though on a little partying by the fire though.
They have Thanked me many many times on reminding them of how fortunate they have been on their friendship and that we took the time to call them on finding that message in the bottle!

So while these last 30 years that little bottle has been weathering storms and mother nature and survived intact.....so has their friendships and marriages. To me that is the real story!

a mystery on the River!

My son was out scouting for a few pieces of twisted wood...when he came upon a washed up cache of wood. The river is extremely high this year and floating debris has traveled and deposited in some pretty unusual spots.

We find all sorts of odd things..fishing lures of all kinds...oars..boat docks...and occassional bottles still intact.
Well, this one my son found was pretty interesting, as it had a note.
It read:
"On May 24, 1980 we,
Greg, Kathy, Mike & Shar, camped here on this site.
If your ever in Phillip S.D. please Thank Us for leaving you a nice campsite with plenty of wood.
Be careful - we killed a rattlesnake!!
Have fun! "


Now How Cool is that!! and don't you wonder how Greg, Kathy, Mike and Shar are doing these days??

in the words of my son...

"Tiniest calf ever!!"

He's not so tiny, but its his incredibly cute little button face...I don't think I have ever had a cuter little face! Oh wait!! I do seem to say that of all the babies...but seriously...this one is REALLY a button face cutey!!

p.s.
day 11-12-13-14 quite a blur....and getting back on the wagon...so to speak! Plus, I managed to catch a cold. Seems conference air is dicey and while it toggled between 30 degrees in the room and then a heat wave spike to 95 degrees, I wonder how I didn't manage to come back with pneumonia!!
We ate out too much and too often and now..I must get back in the act and pay attention, cuz T-Day is only 10 days away!!

Day 9 &10 to T-Day!

Heading to seminars today and not back until Friday late....sure hope I can stick to my guns and watch OUT what I eat! Seems like that's the highlight , go out to eat, then eat again and more eating during breaks! I guess we do take in a movie on one night, and I and one of the gals in my office have become family with a couple of the staff where we stay and meet in the sports bar one night....Norm will be there sitting at the end of the bar and Tiny will be our bartender! We have a couple toddies while catching up on the year.

Meanwhile at the homefront, it's getting that notorious chill in the air and it seems I will come home to possible snow on the ground.

Well, I guess it was going to happen sooner or later...just have to be thankful it's been a little later this year!!
Now.....Focus.....Focus....

an entire week Under my belt...day 6-7 & 8!

and I survived without any food fallout!! I even made pizza and a delicious stew with a nice crunchy pastry crust!

Although, I think the real kicker was I stayed outside and

1. Re-sided a portion of my garage.

2. Rebanked the barn wall with dirt and dug a ditch. (with aid of the bobcat)

3. Moved a couple tons of manure into a large compost pile and over garden. (bobcat)

4. Dug potatoes and turned soil in garden. (also used bobcat...I know...but it worked!)

5. Took down and reconstructed a large goat pen.

6. And for fun watched Toy Story 3--Now folks ...that was the movie to run out and BUY!!

It was a good weekend...although I did NOT get the heated water buckets set up for my goat pens.. I have just a couple of nights to get that done before the freezing weather sets in for winter.

Now with this Daylight Savings time change, HeadLamp Gear is a must...this time change really shortens the day!

fantastic Fasting Dreams...

Day 5:
Understanding why going to bed without being overly full from supper (since I was in a bad habit of eating too late) is such a benefit!

My dreams now, are colorful, exciting and positive. One other benefit is my feeling of lightness, (even though the scale doesn't show anything) I feel BETTER!!

I have been eating by 7 and if I need a snack, I stick to sugar free pudding or jello. Now for heading into the weekend...and how to control my urge to be baking!

So far this week I have made 3 different batches of soaps. Every nite I try a new scent and color swirl. It allows me to be in the kitchen AND keeping busy...So now to find that dealer to sell all this soap too!!

Bad Hair Day!

meet Zeus...alias Lyle Lovett

He was my boy who about died when the weather got cold last year. This year is a different story...he stands on his own! ...but so does his hair
I always laugh when I see him, he makes my day!
Sidenote: Day 4...it's getting easier!! :)

Day THREE...starving...

and my head is swimmy! How can reducing the caloric intake to a reasonable 1800 calories make me so incredibly focused on FOOD!! I will stay on track and make a very very sensible meal tonite. It may have to be a little more carbs and right up the the limit on fat, but I have a plan...

and another bouncing baby boy!!

It started....my calving season for the year 2011!

It's early but at least the weather is holding for newbies. This year I WILL take my bull to another place many miles from home so I can have babies all in one month for my next calving season!!

I may just have it fairly organized for a change...Oh well....he is cute and he is extremly healthy...what else is there!!?

Day 2 and counting down to Turkey Day!!

Been talking alot to myself of late...and realize since I have taken or been in several photos of ME...its time to realize...this fat girl has got to get rid of a few extra useless pounds before winter hits.

Sorry, but I am going to post a little more frequently for my own personal log of sorts..

Please bear with me...

Now, when I look at that photo of myself atop the Milk Cow..truly I was thinking "I wonder if they will be able to differentiate which was the cow?"

But after this last farmers market and my daughter and I took my a Star Attraction with us to the market...(Starbrite) my little model Fainter goat...daughter also took a snapshot of me while I let people pet Starbrite.

I note a scary double chin..sad thing is....I wasn't even trying!!

So anyway...I started yesterday and so now I am midway through..(drum roll please)

DAY 2 and sticking with it!!

p.s.

Starbrite was a hit and it definitely helped...cuz I had 4 bars of soap left for that final day!!

Atticus (my new pup) came with also...and that sealed the deals!

It made for a Fantastic ending to the Farmers Market 2010!!

One week ago...and Momma's Day Out!

I roasted chicken on Friday evening and planned the weekend for many meals of leftovers...

In the morning on Saturday, I treated myself to a delicious omellete. Which included my own eggs, a little roasted chicken(home raised), tomatoes(my own), onion(farmers market produce) and some wonderful Wisconsin Aged Swiss.


I played in town browsing my favorite places and found a wonderful set of Fire King Gay Fad Peach Blossom tall Collins glasses. I was excited...and that reminded me I needed a really good quality Vodka! I had ordered some Madagascar vanilla beans from Penzeys and wanted to try out homemade vanilla. I also found some fun foods and interesting ingredients for some other recipes I wanted to try later this winter...


I made the vanilla and put it in the pantry with the rest of my winter stash!!


then for supper..I roasted some winter squash and tried out a recipe for curry squash soup...it was...EXCELLENT!!!

and since the entire day was devoted to "Momma's Day Out"....I finished my day with a wonderful toddy in a (now favorite) glass!!
Some days you just have to treat yourself!!

p.s.
See now...I'm not totally about goats, dogs, cattle and soap making...I take care of me too! (This post is a reminder to me that I really can do this more often...treat myself)

Announcing Atticus..

We drove a long and amazing road... and came to a mystical place with Giant Guardians and fluffy sheep. While we grabbed half wild pups from under the outbuilding...we learned many facts on the amazing Livestock Guardian Dog, the Great Pyrenees. While we told him we had our own LGD at home, I admitted that mine had good qualities in keeping the coyotes out of the yard...but she was also a Greeter at the gate (the Lassie dog in her), without being very menacing. We love our Tess and thats that!
We had several pups in a horse trailer to choose from and while deciding, the mother of the pups came around the corner of the barn. She was carrying something of a fresh kill to her pups. It was a prairie dog......one thing we did notice was while there was dog food for the pups there were all sorts of LARGE bones, the kind with hooves still attached. These Mommas take care of their own it looked. We were pretty shocked at how like a Mother lion these dogs were, but after watching for sometime, it was understood that these dogs were Stock Guard dogs who were nearly totally self sufficient. Pretty tough dogs. Now understand these dogs don't kill the livestock, this was all from the dead animal pile that these types of places have....he ran around 1500 head of cattle also.

I understood from the rancher's viewpoint, that the key to keeping them protectors was to not interact very much with them (his opinion and I appreciate that)....Well......that's just not going to happen, but I kept it to myself and just simply smiled at my daughter. To each his own, but I did note how well those sheep stayed close to the 7 dogs out in the field he showed us. He was quite proud of his Guard dogs...and it was quite understandable. The largest male dog looked like a lion out in the field...ENORMOUS!!

While we were grabbing puppies, we put them in a horse trailer so I could actually make my decision. I picked up the second largest pup first, and he demonstrated very soft eyes.....I like that.
I picked up the LARGEST pup and thought, I want "big" though..and put him down to see him walk. He had a slow sort of skulking look and not those big soft eyes. Then back again to the second largest....and while he looked with those big gentle eyes...he wagged his tail. Done deal and home "Atticus" came!
He slept the entire way. When we got home, I milked the goats while he sat by and watched and had his first dish of warm fresh goats milk. He ate his puppy chow with gusto and I put him in a pen with adjoining fence that he can go in and out to visit with the goats for now. He sniffed the goats and seemed very at ease with them. It was the goats who gave him the official snort and every single one of them stood and stared without blinking in his direction. He was unaffected and snuggled in a corner right at home. I think we chose Good!

adding to the brood...

Tomorrow we are going to the outback country of northern SD. The ranch that raises the Great Pyrenees, uses them on their 25,000 acre place for sheep patrol. I have visited a great deal with the owner and it really sounds like their place is all business....I think they have 10 Pyrenees and each one of them guards their own flocks. Sounds incredible doesn't it? The pup we are picking out is 8 weeks old and I am told they are all the Badger marked Pyrenees.

Question is...HOW do I just pick one and not come home with all 6 that they have to choose from??? Boy is this going to take alot of self control.

Badlands Fall Rock Hunt

A day trip to the Badlands of SD in the Fall is spectacular. We are always wishing we went alot more after we get there.....its gorgeous country. With finding some pretty good finds (agates in the rock beds)...we also spotted alot of living breathing ones.

If anyone wants a guided tour...give me a call...I can show you the sites while I get to do one of my favorite things....a little rock hunting!