Orchid Fully Bloomed

Two years ago my husband gave me this beautiful orchid for my birthday.  It was pretty then.  It is spectacular now!  It has been in bloom for a month.

Ashley had great success with orchids when she was home.  She knows lots about them, so I always call her when I have questions.  

"My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD: and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever."

A Few Recent Pictures

Here are just a few updates.

Elvira is a Mama again.  Strange.  This is her second  flock of chicks this year.  The first flock had  about 5 or 6 chicks.   They disappeared.

Now she has another family.  There are five.  Maybe some more will hatch.  

Tom is really pretty.  

Here is my honey and Daniel.  They are pals.

Sawyer took part is singing camp.

This was taken on "Little Girl Day".  Isabella and Uncle Hamlin.

Hens and Chicks

You have to have a sense of humor when you live around here.  

A few weeks ago, Sayre had a broody hen.  He just so happened to also have some bantam eggs, and I had some duck eggs.  So we put all our assets together and you can see what we came up with.

Just so you can get an  idea of the variety of "objects" Mother Fluff-Ruffle had to sit upon for three weeks, you can see the brown egg at the top is a large chicken egg.  The little ones are bantam eggs.

 Bantams are just miniature chickens; usually very brightly colored and the roosters think they are hot stuff....  The bantam roosters are usually the first ones to begin crowing in the morning, and their cah-cu-doodle-doo would register in the high soprano range.  

The large eggs are from ducks.  They are nice to bake with. 

 Mother Fluff-Ruffle is real proud of her little brood.  You have to wonder what she thinks about her progeny.

Here's Tom.  He spends the whole day strutting.  He is really friendly.  He is a heritage breed Bourbon Red turkey.  I'm hoping for "turkeyettes" in the spring~~and Thanksgiving dinner in November.  Of course, we will not be eating Tom.  Or his two hens for that matter.  Just the kids.  That sounds terrible.  

Happenings In My Neck Of The Woods

It's been a long, long winter.  I feel as if I should be out in the garden trying to get ahead of the weeds before spring planting.  But wait!!!  Even the weeds are cold!  So that gives me a little time to catch up on the spring cleaning inside before moving outdoors!  Here's a few pictures of life on the "farm".

These are the Cats.  They own the place.

Let me introduce you to Marmacet.

The Little mailman.

Collin like to cook at times.

I hope you have a wonderful Wednesday.  Maybe spring will get it's act together soon.

The Little Mailman Recieves a Letter! and His Further Adventures

It's been a while since you have heard about the resident mailman.  I thought you might enjoy  a continuation in his little story! 

Our little mailman now has his own letter box  as well as a mail pouch!  He recieves his mail on the back porch of the house because he's too little to go down to the road alone where the family mailbox is located.  He likes to receive letters also!  Someone has sent him a letter!

Savor the moment . . .

 "Look!  A letter with MY name one it!" the little mailman exclaimed!

"Wow!  Look at all those 'numbers' " said he.

"What does it say, Mama?"

Mama replied, "Well dear, lets read it together."

Life is good!

 

THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF THE LITTLE MAILMAN!

Two days later, another letter arrives for the Little Mailman!

Thank you for joining me today to enjoy this little family tale.

Bessie-Dearest

 I would love to introduce you to a sweet little girl that has come to live in the pasture.
Her name is Bessie~Dearest. 

 My son, Tristan, got her for me.
In early August, he came home one evening a little later than usual. 
When he came in he said, "Mom, come out here."
Of course my antenna went up immediately!
When I came out, he had the front door of his truck open,
and lying on the floorboard was this little bundle of life!

She is 3/4 Jersey, and 1/4 Holstein.

She's less that a week old in these pictures.
Isn't she precious?

 She has been taking two bottles a day and gets really excited when I appear with her "eats".

 Baby animals, like calves, box as they nurse to cause the milk to come down.
Bessie~Dearest can knock the bottle out of your hand if you don't anticipate it and get yourself braced. 
She is quite powerful, even at such a young age.

 Lila is such a mother to the animals~if they will let her.
Here, she is eaten up with curiosity at this new critter, and is actually licking the milk off her face.

This is not just a calf; this is our future milk supply!
THIS is Bessie~Dearest!

Thank you for visiting!  I love to have you!

The Little Mail Man of Bayberry Lane

 On a recent day, Hamlin and I decided to play "The Little Mailman of Bayberry Lane."
 

 This has been one of our most favorite "old books" since my children were small.
Needless to say, Hamlin loves it as well. 

 The Little Mailman of Bayberry Lane is a jolly little fellow.
"Now who do we have letters for today?" he asks.

He loves to put letters in the mailboxes of all his neighbors.
He knows they wait anxiously for his appearance in the lane.

Today, Mr. Turtle receives the tulip catalog he had waited for for so long.

 The Little Mailman takes a rest. 
It makes him happy to put lovely letters and parcels in his neighbor's mailboxes.

 Mrs. Goose is out picking bayberries for the bayberry candles she is going to be making.

Mrs. Duck is hoping for a letter from her sister. 

Will it come today?

 Mrs. Pig is waiting at her mailbox.  She never receives any letters, but every morning she hopes for one.

"I wonder why Mrs. Pig never receives any letters.  Maybe it's because she never writes any!"

Of course, I can't tell you what happens after that because you have to read the story for yourself!

But you probably have already guessed that Mrs. Pig does eventually get a letter placed in her mailbox!

 Another good day's work done by the Little Mailman of Bayberry Lane!