Wilson update

Wilson is still growing by leaps and bounds. I decided that I would post monthly updates instead of weekly, even though I am taking pictures of him almost daily. I guess I should take some pictures of my kids??? Anyway, we moved his kennel out of our room last night in hopes that we would all sleep better...and we DID! I was so proud of him. He cried for a bit, not long and then only got up once to go out. Other than that we all slept very well. I hate having to be the "pack leader" sometimes. It is oh so hard to be firm with this sweetheart. I am overwhelmed at his behavior sometimes, so polite, so eager to please, and good grief, so darn cute. He conquered another milestone this morning and went the whole 2.8 miles with me around the "loop". We've been half way up to this point but went all the way this morning and he did very well. He became quite a bit more cautious when we started down the trail he had never been down, but he was a brave little soldier. 

Photos

Well, Saturday the weather finally broke and I was able to get out with my new toy. I wanted to get some pictures of deer but was unsuccessful. I wandered about the pastures finding anything of interest to shoot. I only shot about 200, these are the best ones. None of them made me have that heart stopping feeling that I get when I know I've just captured something amazing, but they are nice to look at. I am so excited that I now have a great camera so that I will have heart-stopping moments of photography, and I'll be sure to share when I do. 

The Best Christmas Present EVER!!

Tis better to give than receive. I believe this with all my heart and now I sit here in shock over the best "thing" I've ever received. I'm so unsettled about how to feel, for I feel I did nothing to deserve it. My family sat around me this morning as I nervously dug into my gift, one that I wasn't expecting, except for the fact that I knew they were all up to something! I thought maybe they were getting me a bunny or a donkey or something, not this. It did enter my head but it shot right back out when I though of the expense. They all pooled their money together to bestow this grandest of gifts upon me. My hands shook as I touched it and tears fell and I knew that as much as I loved it, that I would have much rather been on the giving end of this deed. I wondered why it is so hard for us to accept gifts, especially ones as great as this. I guess because it is more blessed to give. I know this now more than ever, however, I also know that the only proper response to a gift is gratitude, and I am indescribably grateful. So prepare yourself because I'm about to go on a photography spree like nobody's business. 

Winter Wonderland

Oh my goodness how pretty everything is this morning, and how terribly freezing. When my alarm went off this morning, I turned the radio station to our local channel and was shocked to find that my kids were going to go to school despite it looking like a giant popsicle outside. The roads, thank goodness, were not that bad but Rodney and I decided that we would be more at ease if we took them instead of letting Taylor drive. 

The birds are surrounding my house in droves and I've put out lots of food for them. They are so lovely to look at and I have been filling up with winter time cheer every time I look out the window. I worked yesterday afternoon for a while in the cold building a shelter for my goats to get in out of the weather. They were ever so grateful. I've been watching them this morning and they are just barely poking their heads out wondering when I'm gonna come feed them. I guess I better get on my warm digs and get out there. We've got a lot of farm work to do today...chickens are coming on Thursday. It will be an adventure to say the least, just getting off the porch is challenging. I've already busted my butt once. Don't worry though, I've got padding.   

Crap happens

Don't Sophie and Charlotte and Wilson look so cute standing in the door? No, the glass in my door is not very very clean, it is not there anymore. We had a little mishap yesterday, one that I knew everyone would want to know about. I'll be adding this story to my "white trash" memoirs.

Yesterday, I decided to let my goats out of the pen so that they could have a little freedom and browse around on the vegetation in my yard, perhaps do a little bit of hedge trimming and fruit tree pruning along with some fertilizing. Amazing how versatile a goat can be. I'm sure the story is already taking shape in your head. I had to go help Dad on a job in Gillham and, when he came to get me, I jumped in the vehicle paying no attention to the goats grazing in my front yard. Oh, the thought crossed my mind that it would be smart to put them up but I thought "they're just little goats, what kind of trouble could they get into?" So after being on the job for a few hours, I got a call from Taylor who had just arrived home from an upward bound event in Mena.

• 
  
• "MOM" the voice on the phone said in a panic, "We've got a MAJOR problem", 
  
• 
  
• "Oh no" I said "what's wrong" You could imagine the thoughts going through my mind
  
• 
  
• "OK, Did you know the goats were out?" 
  
• 
  
• "Yes" I said
  
• 
  
• "Well, you know our front door, the glass one?"
  
• 
  
• "Yeah??"
  
• 
  
• "Well, it's not there anymore"
  

So, then I had to decide, do I get upset about this? Should I rush home and make a big deal about it or continue on working and deal with it later?
I decided to let it slide. Taylor put the goats back in there pen, I'm sure with a small amount of scolding. Taylor doesn't let anyone get away with mischief...not even me. She also cleaned up the glass (sort of). We figured that Mo, our buck, saw his reflection in the glass and decided to head butt himself. Rodney had been home earlier and said that Mo was really being rambunctious.
So, now I have no glass in the front door and with the way things get fixed around here, it may be that way till next Christmas. But at least I can tell people that my GOATS broke the friken thing. The good things is that the breaking of the door must have scared the poor goat so badly that he and the rest of them ran away from the house and apparently didn't come back. What a mess we would have had if they decided to come on in and make themselves at home. I can see it now, Christmas tree turned upside down and half eaten, little goat poop everywhere, furniture torn to shreds...I shudder at the thought. Yes, I may go down in the bumpkin hall of fame before my life is through. If you know me at all, you'll know that this doesn't bother me in the least.

Dreams

This is the best depiction I could come up with for my dream last night. I did some research this morning and found out some interesting things about myself. I really wish I had Daniel or someone to interpret this dream for me and not have to rely on internet research, although I find it fascinating.

I've always felt that my dreams were an insight into my soul, what is really going on in my life, revealing things about me that, in my waking life, I'm not able to see.

So, last night, I was very busy planing seeds in a very long hallway. They were growing instantly into beautiful flowers. I was digging into carpet, tile, linoleum, digging through layers to get to the earth and there I was placing seeds. When I got to the end, I'd left a trail of all different kinds of vegetation.

The first thing I looked up was "hallway" and this is what I found. To see a hallway in your dream, symbolizes self exploration and the beginning of a  path that you are taking in life. You are going through a transitional phase in your life and journeying into the unknown. It signals spiritual enlightenment, emotional growth physical prowess, new opportunities and mental passages in your life. 

Then I looked up plants and it said.. To see plants in your dream, indicates fertility, spiritual development, growth or the potential for growth. Alternatively,  the appearance of plants in your dreams reflects your caring and loving nature. 
In particular, to see indoor plants in your dream, suggests that your growth is being hindered or slowed in some way. You are experiencing a lack of independence. Alternatively, the dream signify your desire to be closer to nature.

The last thing I looked up was seeds.To see seeds in you dream, symbolizes fertility, heritage, and potential. It also represents the continuity of life. Alternatively, it relates to the human psyche and soul. An idea has been planted in your mind and new experiences are created.


The conclusion that I came to was that apparently I'm on my way to some serious spiritual growth. I love that I am journeying through the unknown. Whatever path that I am on, I am thrilled that I am on a path of constant growth and I sure hope I am leaving a beautiful imprint behind me.

10 Weeks

Wilson gained a little over a pound this week, apparently all of it went to his EARS! Just look at those bad boys. Maybe Weimeraner's ears grow to their full size in 10 weeks and the rest of the body must catch up. There are times when he reminds me a little bit of Dumbo, like when the wind is blowing them horizontal and he looks like he could take off at any moment. He is so smart and doing the cutest things, although he still sleeps for much of the day. I guess I'd sleep a lot too if I was growing that fast!

The STARE

Most dogs that I know, when they want a hand-out, will pitifully give you a look that says, "have pity on a poor poor puppy and feed me, I am starving to death and I am so lonely and sad, please feed me." Well Wilson has another way of going about this. We have come to call it  "the stare". I think he is trying some sort of doggy hypnosis...take a look

See, Charlotte has a pretty typical look, "mommy, feed me", while Wilson is going "look deep into my eyes...you want to give me food, lots and lots of food"

"you want to give me your cookie, you want to give me your cookie"

"you want to make me bacon everyday"

"look deep into my eyes, you must give me greasy hot chicken skins"

"I am eternally grateful for pork fat, it makes my skin so shiny"

I also have to mention that along with all of the other bountiful blessings in my life, I've also been blessed with paw prints on my kitchen floor. After living on the farm for 9 years, I've had to make peace with the dirt and mud. I encourage all of you to do the same. Embrace the dirt, love the mud, it came from the earth, what could be more natural?

The First of December

Wilson woke me up around 5:30 this morning to go potty. When I opened the door I was hit in the face with little bits of cold slush and the porch was covered in this strange frozen frothy substance. In the blur of sleepiness, all of this was quite foreign and peculiar and while Wilson was out doing his business, I stood in the doorway in a stupor, confused and sleepy and cold. It wasn't until he woke me again at 6:30 that I opened my eyes and looked outside and exclaimed "It snowed?!?!?" Then it all became clear to me. I guess nothing is quite clear at 5:30 in the morning. After the kids started stirring about, Taylor was walking through the hall and I said "hey, Taylor look outside", she turned and blearily looked out the door and said "no freakin way!" Then Kyle did his normal Daffy Duck woo hooing. The snow wasn't a hinderance as far as travel went so they had to go to school.  It is all but gone now but it sure did make my little double-wide-cottage look Christmasy and festive considering that this is the first day of December. The old-timers are calling for a snowy winter because the persimmon seeds are shaped like spoons. Now who can argue with a scientific theory like that?? I guess we will see.