I am looking forward to a few days of visiting, relaxing, and possibly knitting some dish clothes I've been intending to make.
The forecast calls for some seriously chilly temps, so...... There will be lots of time to curl up by the fire and watch to owl's eyes glow:-)
I wish you and your family a very Happy New Year. I hope it finds you surrounded by the ones you love.
Though it may seem like I have boarded a Slow Boat to China, the truth is far less glamorous.
That, coupled with a massive computer crash right around Labor Day left me off the grid for an extended amount of time. I considered letting go of blogging all together, but the truth is, I miss it.... I miss you guys.
When I passed a small garden plot filled to the brim with bright yellow sunflowers. As I was admiring their sunny disposition, I spied a small sign at the corner of the garden~~
FREE flowers
pick your own
Well bless my soul! How did they know how much I could use a pick-me up right then. I came home with an arm full of happiness and I have smiled every time I have caught site of them radiating joy from the center of my old farm table. The sweet spirited gardener who freely gave away these beauties will never know how much their generosity has meant to me.
The problem is that the kittens are not weened, we figure them to be approximately 3 weeks old, and they could not eat the plate of milk that Lindsey offered them. In fact they were very weak and could not even walk steadily... possibly from their age and the fact that they were very dehydrated.
Now I ask you, WHO could do such a thing to this sweet little face?!!
I soooo got the best end of this arrangement:-)
My bees have doubled or tripled in numbers.... or more. I am adding new frames and supers (levels) to accommodate there increase and the honey... oh the glorious honey!!!
And last but not least..... I am bottle raising 5 kittens, YEP, 5 kittens!
I'll tell you all about it and show you pictures tomorrow... as soon as I find my camera, it's MIA.
~no this is not a photo of the actual snake I saw, I got this photo from Google Images~
I hastily retreated!! Since I was dressed in a skirt and canvas sneakers, my legs suddenly felt very vulnerable. I wish that I could claim that I handled the situation in a calm, no nonsense manner, but the truth is that the Fight or Flight syndrome took over, the adrenalin started pumping and by the time I reached the house I was shaking like a leaf!
But now I had a problem. There is a large venomous snake in my backyard. The yard that my chickens, chicks and ducklings roam around in.... and most importantly the yard where my little Blondeheaded boy plays. Something has to be done about it. My husband was on a bicycle ride, 10 miles away. I called my neighbor Mark to see if he would come and dispense of it... he was not home. Well then, it looks like it is up to me.
I knew I would have to shoot it, no way was I getting close enough to kill it with a shovel or a hoe. I thought about my handgun, but what if I missed and scared it off. I called my husband for advise. He told me to use the 12 gauge shotgun. It was big enough to do the job, but small enough that it wouldn't knock me back on my bum. He talked me though step by step how to use it because it had been years since I had fired a shotgun and could not remember how to operate it. He also told me to use ear protection... very good advise.
I traded out my sneakers and skirt for bluejeans and rubber boots and set out to do the deed. I returned to the place where he had lain, soaking up the warm sun, only to find that he was gone.... DRAT!!! I had wasted too much time. Well, this will never do, I can not have a poisonous snake slithering around, sneaking up on us when we least expect it. I'll have to find him. So I began to cautiously walk around, my eyes scouring in every direction... where could he be!? I said a little prayer... "Please Lord let me find him, and please Lord, let me see him before I step on him, Amen." As I passed under the low-hanging branches of some small trees, the scene of a snake falling from a limb and landing on a soldier came to mind... was that from Platoon? A chill ran down my spine. Good grief Rhonda, get a grip, copperheads don't climb trees!
It took me about 5 minutes, then I spotted an old tire almost completely covered by periwinkle vines, not far from where he had been. That's where he is, I told myself, and why is that stupid tire laying down here in the first place! I go into the garden shed and retrieve my hoe, I'm not lifting that tire up with my hand. As I scrape away the vines and dead leaves, I see it!!! The metal rim is still in the tire and through the holes, I see it as it realizes it has been exposed and slithers to the outer edge trying to hide itself. I stand there for a moment, not sure what to do. I know as soon as I lift the tire the snake will run and I can't manage the hoe and the shotgun at the same time. Hmmmmm, what if I just shoot through the hole in the rim? No, that won't work. I can't be sure I will hit him and if some of the shot hits the rim it will surely ricochet and I will wind up shooting myself.
I decide to gently move the tire to the side just a little bit. YES!! That worked, I have exposed his back and he is not moving. I put down the hoe, take aim and BOOM. I am instantly glad I chose the gun over the shovel method, because suddenly his head emerged and even though he is mortally wounded, he begins to strike at everything. I reload and this time I make sure I get the head. Strange as it may seem, I didn't want him to suffer. I moved him inside the garden fence so that I can show my husband and my son who so wanted to take part in the hunt but after recognizing that his mother and her jangled nerves meant business, agreed to stay in the house until the snake was dead.
Then I put down the gun, took off the ear protection, picked up my camera and returned to my former mission....
Before I close for the day I want to state that I do not take killing anything lightly. I believe that each creature has a purpose and was place upon this earth by our Creator for a reason. But just as I accept the fact that predators in nature are necessary and only act on instincts and their need for survival, I also accept my responsibility to protect my family and the animals in my care. This means that I guard against predators such and coyotes, hawks, weasels, raccoons, black widows and poisonous snakes. And if that means I have to pick up the shotgun and dispense of a threat to their safety, well then, I'll take a deep breath and I'll accept the fact that I will do what I have to do. ~Rhonda
Mission accomplished! Now a little time to stop and smell the homegrown and hand-picked flowers:-)My yard will play host to a large yard sale this weekend which will include goodies from, me, my Mom and my two twin Aunts. For the first time in over a year, I hope it doesn't rain.
Time to roll up my sleeves and get to it.
So as this 42 year old body tries to summon the energy of someone half her age, there is bound to be some ground rattling going on. ~Rhonda
His Papaw let him operate the Bobcat all by himself~ of course there were four adults standing at the ready just in case assistance was needed.
With the heavenly sweet fragrance of... 
He is not really mad here, the sun was reflecting off of the water and made him squint.
When we got back home, we let the ducks out to enjoy some swim time. They have graduated from the bathtub to my son's old swimming pool.
Today promises to be another glorious sunny day and I am hoping that my garden is dry enough for me to get in and work a little. We have had an incredible amount of rainfall in the last few weeks. It has done wonders for our water-table, but has made a muddy mess of everything.... not that I am complaining, mind you.
I hope it is sunny where you are~Rhonda
Baked him a Boston Creme Pie.
It was a wonderful week~Rhonda
