Painted and Ready

We received an e-mail today detailing the arrival and pick up of Chloe's nuc(pronounce nuke) of bees.  She jumped out of the car after school and painted the last minute detailing on her hive to make sure the bees feel comfortable in their new home.  I'm a little nervous as I will be moving a perfectly happy bee colony to a new hive festooned with flowers and caterpillars.

 Enjoy the photos of her art work.

I am thankful for beautiful weather to paint and prepare for the bees.(Day 123)  Goodnight Friends.

Chicken Mystery Solved

I was cleaning out the chicken coop and discovered the cause for my red chicken's illness.  When the raccoon came and killed my other chicken it must have tried to get this chicken first.  She had a deep wound in the side of her back that I discovered yesterday when I was giving her a full body inspection. I guess it never entered my mind she was injured as I focused primarily on her having an egg stuck in her egg laying area.

no injury

injury

We also painted Chloe's beehive this weekend.  I believe we will be receiving our bees sometime next week and we want to make certain the bees won't be bothered by the smell of fresh paint.  Chloe wants to personalize the hive with flower and bug details on the sides.  We will see how much time we have to do all of these little projects before the actual bee delivery.

The kittens are growing and wandering around the barn.  Sometimes if you sneak up on them, they hiss.  Oh how I love tiny kittens, but now I have to worry about the dangers they might find in the barn.    The mice that live around the barn are tiny, so they shouldn't pose too much of a problem unless they befriend the kittens; that would be trouble.

It is a regular Monday except for the air conditioner that decided to break, again.  I am enjoying the rain and the beautiful thunder and lightning.  I am not enjoying Brett's naked self wandering the house in search of random "lost" articles.  I think it is time to send him to bed.    I guess it rivals Chloe's discussion of the 4th Grade Annual Tongue Test.  It involves sticking your tongue out as far as possible to be measured.  Longest Tongue gets a prize.  Interesting.

I am thankful for the rain.(Day 122).  Goodnight Friends.

Live Milking!

I'm not sure I can be considered a pro, but I tried out the milking stand this evening.  One of my goats I can contain since she has horns, but the other one just slips her head out.  I think it is going to take a little time to get this milking thing figured out.  I'm also going to have to wake up earlier to milk before school.

Tonight's milk will be butter.  I will let you know how it tastes.  I imagine it will be delicious!!  I hope you are able to see the video.  It is dark and short, but at least you can actually witness live milking.  It might be banned in some states.  Honestly, I think the upside down milking would've made a better film!

I am thankful for the milking stand to finally milk the goats!  Soon I won't have to buy milk any more!(Day 121).  Goodnight Friends.

A Milking I Will Go

Today we rushed around trying to get stuff prepared for the creation of the milking stand.  I had to be at school by 3:50 and I had to drop Chloe off with a friend, go to Home Depot and Tractor Supply, have a visit with a friend, and shower and get fancy for the talent show.  Thadd was supposed to cut and prepare all the parts for the stand and I was going to help him make it tomorrow.  At around 7:55, I sent him a text message from backstage at the talent show and he sent me a picture of the finished milking stand, stained and all.

I don't deserve such an amazing husband.  I often him "you must've been bad and awful when you were young to get me, but I must've done something really good!"  This morning when I woke up, he was gone with the kids.  They went to the office to pick up his computer and they ate at Chick-Fil-A.  I made lunch.

I am thankful for a husband who finds time in his schedule to make me a milking stand.(Day 121).  Goodnight Friends.

What Are Your Priorities?

In all of my "trying to be better" I'm falling short of some of my roles.  I arrived home this afternoon, exhausted, to my husband cleaning the house.  The guilt I feel when I see him cleaning the house is overwhelming.  Maybe you've read the book about love languages, well, Thadd's love language is "Acts Of Service."  Sadly, he was investing his love language to my life instead of me to his life.

I ended up unloading the groceries while he put them away, collecting the eggs, and taking a nap.  I was so incredibly tired I couldn't keep my eyes open.  The kids sat on the bed watching a movie about nature while I slept.  I missed three phone calls and some text messages and I'm certain my husband continued to clean.  Although the nap was refreshing for my tired self, my guilt grew.  Am I alone?

Clearly I'm alone in having a husband who cleans and puts away the groceries, but am I alone in feeling so overwhelmingly exhausted?  I often look around at my friends with three, four, and five children and wonder how they do it?  I can barely get homework done with one, am a mediocre housekeeper, and have to take a nap occasionally to make it through the day!  Maybe the cure is to give myself a break or maybe I need to get more organized.  I get to school and work, get home and cook dinner and do homework and then fall in my bed.  Unfortunately, my husband seems to be the one suffering the most.  He works long hours and comes home to an uninspired dinner and a dirty house.  There is no amount of cute outfits, compliments, or affection that can make up for the acts of service I fail to provide.

The weekends are the only chance I have to sleep in late, but he likes breakfast when he gets up.  Early.  Marriage is hard.  Marriage is hard because it is about self sacrifice.  When he placed the shiny engagement ring on my finger I never imagined it would mean I couldn't sleep in on Saturday, I would have to make my bed everyday, or clean the house every week!!  In some marriages, these are not requirements, but in mine they are the things that make my husband feel loved and appreciated.  I've also come to understand that whether I have one pet or 100 pets, it doesn't make me more willing to want to wake up early to make breakfast or clean the house more often.

I know I sound like I'm whining, but the truth is, I needed to see this on "paper."  Truthfully, I often write a fairytale, but I'm not the princess I often pretend to be.  I'm real.  I'm human.  I clean toilets.   I'm not a person who ever makes New Year's Resolutions, but I likely need to make some sort of resolution to be a better wife.  At our fiftieth wedding anniversary I want him to look at me and say, "Thank you for making me breakfast even when you would've preferred to be asleep."

Please understand that I didn't write this to get sympathy or even empathy, just perspective.  I think I need to re-evaluate my priorities.  Maybe it will all disappear when June arrives when I don't have the stress of, well, everything.  Maybe not.  It WILL change if I choose to be different.  One step at a time. What are your priorities?

I am thankful for a husband who helps me ALL of the time(Day 120).  Goodnight Friends.

Our Day In Pictures

We arrive and everyone comes to greet us.

A package arrives and the UPS guy drives up and scares the baby goats.
"What is Mann Lake?"  says Fuzzy, the caterpillar.

"Oh what fun!  We want to open this big heavy box!"

"What could be inside?"

"OUR BEE STUFFFFFFFF!!!!!!!"

I'm afraid Brett might find more than one use for the smoker.

Scratchy found a mouse.

Look under Scratchy's arm.  The mouse found a cozy spot and the cat is looking around for the mouse.

Just another day on the farm.  Our bees arrive within the next two weeks.  I am thankful for the daily farm entertainment.(Day 119).  Goodnight Friends.

Are You Always Talking?

I'm always thinking about ways to be better; better wife, mom, teacher, friend, daughter, etc.  As I was driving it occurred to me, I out-story people.  I have good stories, not because I live a fascinating life, but because I can make a regular task sound fun or glamorous by using the correct words.  I've lived for more than thirty-five years and in many cities, states and homes with fortunes won and lost more than once.  It is easy to find a story to rival your story or possibly, beat it.  There is a flaw, a deep flaw to this  story hogging.  Friends don't out-do friends.  Friends share, listen, trust, listen, cry, listen.  If you notice, listening is a big part of friendship.

I struggle with listening.  Time is slowly teaching me to listen more and talk less.  There is so much to learn from the people around me, both young and old, to do all the talking.  I'm not sure I ever intended to have a better story, but life is so filled with stories and I love to talk so I tell you my story as a reaction to your story.  I don't think we shouldn't share stories, but it is important to know when you should talk or listen.  Next time your friend tells you a story, think about how you can best serve them.  It might mean you share something with them or it might mean you look more closely at their situation.

You might be friends with a story hog, like me.  Likely you are my friend and are familiar with my story hogging.  It sounds like maybe you've been praying for me to "get over myself."  It might be working, but it will require lots and lots of prayer!!

As I evaluate my friendships and how they ebb and flow, I often find myself to be the one who needs work.  I often pray for God to change my heart.  I truly like correction and constructive criticism, as it makes me better.  I ENJOY making corrections in my life and it usually starts with me.  Next time you find something yucky or "unattractive" in your friend, look and see how it FIRST applies to your life.

If no one else reads this blog post, know that it was written for me.  A reminder of how to better at being me.  I figure, I only have one life, I best make it the best life possible.  Will you change and be willing to look at your flaws or will you continue to be only a talking friend.

I am thankful for my friends who have been patient with me for so many years of talking. (Day 118).  Goodnight Friends.

Sea Star

I certainly never imagined my life would be what it is today.  My name, "Merissa" means Sea Star.   Interestingly, a sea star can regenerate limbs that have been severed.  This week I picked up the student newspaper and one of the teachers at school jokingly said she would choose to be me if she could be anyone else.  I was both flattered and a little sad.  Flattered because she said nice things about me, even if she was saying them in jest.  Sad because the things she wrote are just a vision of my past.

Tonight was the school talent show I helped organize.  I remember many a show, play, or performance opportunity in my childhood.  Frankly, any time I had even one person watching it was enough to bust out a song, a dance, or even a monologue.  Tonight's show was no different.  It was a stage for kids to get up and show their friends they have talents other than Reading, Math or Science.

One group of students created a group number by combining the solo of Castle on a Cloud and then finishing with One Day More from Les Miserable.  They waved flags, sang with confidence, and even had groupies following the performance.  From the young soloist to the large group, every child had a place on the stage and a moment to shine.  Performing was my thing, but I wonder what it will be for my children.  Talent show wasn't even on their radar, but the thousands of caterpillars roaming the yard and the aisles of books at Barnes and Noble are joy to my children.  I guess the important thing to remember is to foster a love of something in our children and in those around us.  Be an encourager.  Be the audience for one.

I want to go back to why I was sad about the vision of my past.  We must live now.  The past is gone and it was good and I was thinner, cute-er, and way more fabulous, but today I am me.  Me is not so bad.  Everyday is an adventure and a new opportunity to make a difference.   Live now.  Encourage now.  Make a difference now.  If you must, have a break down, BUT pick yourself back up again and press on.  One. Foot. In. Front. Of. The. Other.  I think about the regeneration of the sea star and I am refreshed.  Refreshed that God can reinvent me a thousand ways.

Wave a good ol' Miss America wave to your past and live today for today.  I am thankful for the many people who invested in making me who I am today.(Day 117).  Goodnight Friends.

When Do You Give Up?

The day Augusta Belle gave birth to her twins, was also the day of our "Cowboy Breakfast" at school. My House(The House of Lewis, as in C.S. Lewis) sponsored the breakfast and if you've known me for very long you know I love theatrics.  Even more than theatrics, I love live animals.  When you put the two together you get a grand production!

I borrowed a horse trailer and promised to bring my pony to the breakfast.  We also had a dog, a bunny, and a fake campfire complete with glowing film masquerading as fire.  I also signed up to bring 3 dozen scrambled eggs, which seemed like an easy thing to do in the morning.  I jumped out of bed to gear up in cowgirl attire and cooked the eggs.  I made some extra for my children and then we all packed in the car.  I pulled the trailer to the barn to halter Charles and load him up.  I pulled him in to the trailer.  He stepped up and once he reached the front of the trailer, he realized he was unhappy about the tight space and backed up before I could secure him.  I grabbed his halter and tried pulling him in the trailer.  For thirty minutes I pulled, pushed, slapped, and growled.  I didn't want the kids to arrive late to school, so I abandoned my task and drove them to school.

As I pull up to the school a bunch of students run over to meet Charles.  Unfortunately, Charles is not in the trailer.  I find one of my students, who is Charlie's former momma, and drag her to my house.  We try everything to load the pony.  We pull, push, cry(mostly me), and beg.  Treats and alfalfa don't work, either.  We wrap a lunge rope behind his back ankle and PULL!  HEAVE!!!!!!  Nothing.  He is truly standing with his back and front feet nearly touching from us having pulled them together, yet is no closer to the trailer.  Ellie grabs his front legs and lifts them in to the trailer.  As one goes up, he removes the other.  After about twenty minutes, Ellie's shoes are full of pine shavings and I have sweat beading on my forehead, I turn to her and ask, "When do we give up?"  Ellie lets out her breath and grabs the rope harder, gritting her teeth and replies, "NEVER.  We never give up!"

I've taught Ellie for three years, and by taught I actually mean, learned.  When I first met her she seemed quiet and reserved except for the time she referred to me as, "Lady!"  Over the course of three years what I've come to realize about her is her passion is quiet, but very, very intense.  She is a leader who never says, "Follow Me."  As we were sweating and pulling and trying to load the darn pony, I learned something truly important.  First, I learned that if you want to load a pony in the trailer you have to LITERALLY kick his butt.  Secondly, I learned you must never give up.

The pony loaded after Ellie kicked him in the butt and I scrambled to close the gate.  The pony arrived at school and was a huge hit!  Everyone loved Charles even though he smelled like urine.  Gross.  If you've learned nothing else tonight, let it be, "Never Give Up."

I am thankful for the teaching job that is actually a learning job. (Day 117).  Goodnight Friends!

Hard to believe he is so stubborn.  "He" could technically
refer to either of the two photographed.

Cuddle Time!

Prom Gals

Last night was prom at the school where I teach.  A great time was had by all and it was a seemingly perfect evening.  I'm sure I will get the real story from the kids on Monday.  I will get the, "My shoes killed my feet!" or "My date had gas!" or "The dance floor was too small!"  The kids usually have great feedback and are very appreciative of the festivities.  I have one photograph from prom taken by a student and sent to my phone.  We took this photo at the end of the night after everyone had gone.  I also included a photo of the beautiful tables set up at the Junior Class Prom dinner catered and decorated by the Junior parents.  It looks like a wedding from the pages of Martha Stewart Weddings!!  On my way home, I managed to type a quick blog entry before midnight. Brett did take his caterpillars to church and I believe the caterpillars may have asked Jesus to come in to their hearts, according to Brett.

Today was filled with church, errands, and farm stuff.  I was trying to guilt Thadd in to building me a milk stand for my goats.  I think upside down goat milking won't catch on like wildfire because of the danger to oneself.  The milk stand seems WAY more safe.  I did manage to have some enjoyment with babies and even a bee visit with the neighbor.   Check out the photos below detailing our afternoon.

The Junior Class outdoor prom dinner served and
prepared my the moms and dads.

Brett and Cherry Blossom taking a nap

Having baby goat cuddle time with April

Beekeeping with the neighbor

Buster and Scratchy

Today was a great day!  I am thankful for the nice cool weather that made animal cuddle time and our Whataburger picnic enjoyable(Day 115).  Goodnight Friends.

Church in the Morning

This morning Brett found a tiny monarch caterpillar on a milkweed plant.  He carried it inside and cared for ot the entire day.  This evening at dinner he asked if "Caterpillar" could come to church tomorrow.  "Caterpillar wants to learn about God, too."

I am thankful for a son who values and wants to share God. (Day 114).  Goodnight Friends.

Brett and Stripes in church

The Caterpillar Journal by Brett Stricker

Caterpillar Journal Entry #1
Spots is eating a lot today.  Stripes is hiding.  It seems like Spots is playing with Stripes.  This game is called Caterpillar Hiding Go Seek or as Chloe would call it, "Hide and Go Eat."  I cannot find Stripes.  Spots is eating and eating because he wants to be a pretty butterfly.  Spots is going to be a Black Swallow Tail Butterfly.  Spots eats fennel.  I found Stripes.





Caterpillar Journal Entry #2

The new caterpillar is in town.  This caterpillar has penguins on its backs.  He will be a moth, but he is a forest tent caterpillar.  Spots is longer today.  He is 2 inches long.  Stripes is longer, he looks like a long thingamaboby.  The new caterpillar is so tiny and so fast.  You cannot catch him because he is tiny and fast.  Soon there will be some butterflies.  The butterflies are going to be cute.  Stripes is going to be a butterfly or a moth.  Spots looks like a long worm.

Chloe with her Bee Mentor,
Dr. Donald Fraser

I've watched, for two nights, as Brett sits at the table next to Chloe and dictates his journal entry.  She writes furiously as he tells her about his creatures.  There is such joy in his face.  In stark contrast, Chloe, Brett and I went to do some beehive maintenance with our Bee Mentor, Dr. Donald Fraser, Vice President of the Alamo Area Beekeeper's Association.  Brett was bored after about five minutes and Chloe, though intrigued, had a moment of panic.  Chloe decided to embark on the bee adventure despite her tremendous fear of bees.  When the bees began to land on her, she became very stressed out and began to panic.  As we become more familiar with this new adventure, I hope she becomes less frightened.  Luckily, she looks really cute in the bee outfit.

I am thankful for the many ways we can appreciate God's creations in our home (Day 114).  Goodnight Friends.

The Next Big Thing

I never knew you should buy a gift for a friend when her goat has babies, but my friend did.  You've seen the awesome shirts, but yesterday I received a super precious water bottle!  I think there is a market for this goat baby gift thing!!  I predict goats will be the next "cool" farm animal next to chickens who currently take the spot.  

I am thankful for healthy baby goats(Day 114)!  Goodnight Friends.

Brett: The Entomologist

These are favorite caterpillar plants to move to the
 different habitats

It is Spring time and that means Brett collects caterpillars from throughout the yard and creates habitats for each one of them.  He goes on the internet and identifies the caterpillar and then builds a habitat including all of the necessary food items for each specimen.

habitats

The last few days we have not had any homework which frees Brett up to play and play and play.  He runs in and out capturing the caterpillars and creating homes, all while wearing disposable medical gloves.  I didn't manage to get a picture of him with his gloves on this evening, but I'll remember to take one tomorrow.

Everyone is free to roam and forage this week.  When the babies get too tired they wander back to the barn for a nap.  Keeping up with all of these babies and farm jobs is starting to feel like a full time job.  Thadd decided I finally need to buy or build a goat milking stand.  I think he realized the bruises all over my body from trying to do Cirque du Soleil milking were starting to look like I had an abusive husband.  Between flushing the pony's eyes with saline daily and upside down goat milking, I could either charge admission or offer Crossfarm classes.  Stay tuned for my collection of Crossfarm workout videos coming to Best Buy soon.

For now, it is time for bed.  I am thankful for a son who is thrilled with the beauty God placed on this earth (Day 113).  Goodnight Friends.

Miss Honey Queen Pageant

Baby goats awaiting their bud burning

I forgot to tell you about Chloe's scholarship award issued on Monday afternoon.  I was called by the Vice President of the Alamo Area Beekeeper's Association to inform me of her award and to invite us to do some additional beekeeping on Friday afternoon.  Chloe was excited about the award and equally frightened by the thought of being surrounded by bees.  She did mention she might want to compete in the Miss Honey Queen Pageant.  We will have to THINK about that.  By we, I mean me.  By think, I mean ignore the question and hope it doesn't come up again.  I think the farm will be complete with our bees!  Chloe suggests we make some delicious goat milk cupcakes with a honey almond cream frosting.  YUMMO!

Kittens.  You can never see too many photo of kittens.

This afternoon we went over to a friend's house to burn the horn buds on our goats.  I'm sure I will be getting hate mail from this, but horns can be dangerous on the farm as I am often cutting my goat, Pip, from the fence.  I told Thadd about the horrible burned flesh smell and Brett hears me from the other room and yells, "...stop all the whining!!!  You won't get horned in the butt anymore.  It is a safety issue.  Now stop your whining!!!"  I couldn't argue with reason.

The chickens seem to be safe for now since Brett marked the area surrounding the coop.  I will have him repeat the marking every other day or so to keep the raccoon at bay.  My droopy tail chicken seems a little more responsive, but not great,  She will either be dead in a week or better.  Hard to know.

I am thankful for neighbors who come with me so I don't have to suffer the baby goats cries on horn burning day (Day 112).  Goodnight Friends.

All We Need Is Love

the three little kittens

It was a normal day at school.  Brett got in trouble in class and Chloe had girl drama.  I imagine I will experience both of these things daily for the rest of their school careers, so I best be getting used to it.  Arriving from school we tended to the animals and visited with the babies.  Everyone is doing well except for Charles.  His eyes are very swollen and red.  I grabbed a bottle of saline solution and secured him to the fence.  I held his head and poured saline in his eyes to help flush anything that might be bothering him.  I removed a few specks of debris and placed a cool compress on his eye.  The compress made him relax and he slowly dropped his head and allowed the muscles in his neck to loosen from the tension he created with the halter.  Poor pony.  Tomorrow I will be calling the vet for a home visit.  I really need to attend vet school soon before I go broke.

The chicken with the droopy tail is still droopy.  I gave her a warm bath again and then placed her on a stack of paper towels on the kitchen floor to dry her off with the blow dryer.  She slowly made her way to my lap as you will see in the photographs.  She enjoyed her spa day, but she felt very hot and I'm not sure she will pull through.  All I can do is try.  

pony's swollen eye

After tending to the animals I washed up and made dinner.  I've tried to avoid watching any coverage on the Boston Marathon.  Sometimes I tell myself that if I don't watch the news, bad things don't happen.  The reality is, bad things do happen.  The news I produce out on the farm is bad enough for me to want to avoid all of the mainstream news outlets.  The dead rooster,  the chicken killed by a raccoon, the suspicious raccoon scat, the pony with swollen eyes, the upside down milked goat causing body aches to the farmer's wife.  The war on terror is not over.  I'm sure we will hear lots of reports about how we were warned about these terrorist attacks, but realistically terror is hate.  Hate exists every where.  Take a moment to remove the hate from your own life.  One by one, we can make a difference.  

1 Corinthians 13

New International Version (NIV)

13 If I speak in the tongues^[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,^[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

⁸ Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. ¹¹ When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. ¹² For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

I am thankful for the safety of the barbed wire that surrounds my house (Day 111).  Goodnight Friends.

Anoles and Trains

Last night Chloe had a friend over and they decided to sleep in a tent on the back patio.  This morning we promised to take the kids to Fiesta Texas.  We packed in the car and arrived early to secure quick entry to the park.  We rode rides and found out, for certain, Brett does NOT like rides.  ANY RIDES.  He likes the train that drives through the park and tolerated the bumper cars.  I took him on a moderate roller coaster and the look of horror on his face and the terror in his eyes made me want to stop the roller coaster and take him off.  He was incredibly scared.  The "log ride" features a picture of Brett hugging me for dear life.  If you've ever been on that ride, it has no height or age restriction, it is very mild.
Brett's favorite part of the Fiesta Texas experience besides "Miss Kitty" , the train, was the wildlife.  He made me snap the photograph of the lizards before he jumped in to a bush on the edge of a large water feature.  The piece of wood the lizards are sitting on is one of the bridge supports for the water feature.  Luckily I was able to grab him before he went tumbling into the water on a chase for the anoles.

The emptiness on the train is a good indicator of the traffic at the park until around 2pm when we exited the park.  I was reminded of the expense of visiting an amusement park and also of the difficulty of eating gluten free, unless you count the candy store, YUM!  We had to drop Chloe's friend off at swimming and then we arrived at the house.  I really wanted a nap since last night I woke up at 1pm and spent the next 3 hours worrying about the raccoon finding my kittens and I wandered the property in the middle of the night armed with a flashlight.  I was more of a danger to myself than the raccoon who is hunting my chickens.  I was so incredibly tired and worried that I took an Advil PM (I'm fairly certain it is an expired bottle from 2011) at 4am.  Needless to say, the 7:30 alarm came too early.

Our neighbors were over for a visit when a friend called and invited us over for dinner.  Our neighbors had come to visit the babies and shortly after they left , we went over to have dinner and swim with friends.  When I say swim, I mean the kids swam.  Dinner was delicious, but my mind was focused on arriving home before dark to collect eggs and get the chickens put away before the raccoon has a chance to strike again.  This morning there was a deep hole dug at the door of my chicken coop.  Luckily, the door is built on a 2X4 which requires a deep and long hole in order to bust in to the coop.  The wire goes down 6 inches around the perimeter with wood along the base and then cedar logs stacked against the inside and outside of the border of the coop.  It is FORT KNOX, but this raccoon is starting to get hungry.  I've turned my attention to the tiny, helpless kittens who are living in the barn and are unable to be moved or protected unless I bring them indoors.  I like being married, so the kittens are required to stay in the barn.  All this thinking and writing is reminding me about the lack of sleep I had last night.  I think I better get some rest.

I am thankful for the beautiful weather spent outdoors with my family (Day 110).  Goodnight Friends.

Chicken Hunter on the Loose

This is FROGGER, notice the smooshed yellow frog.

This morning when we awoke, there were buzzards flying over head.  They are often up with the sun finding the remnants of last night's failed Frogger attempts.  This morning one of the remnants happened to be in my yard.  Thadd called me over to inspect the vulture covered carcass and sadly, it belonged to one of my hens.  I figured it was the hen who seemed lethargic and droopy-tailed last night.  I walked over to the coop and found my droopy tailed chicken in her same spot from last night, still droopy.  I didn't have time to figure out which chicken was being pulled apart by the vultures as I was on my way to the Alamo Area Beekeeper's Association's(AABA) Field Day.

All day, while at the beautiful Majestic Ranch on 46 at Field Day, I couldn't shake the image of my chicken being torn apart.  I wanted to intervene, but this was their food and they didn't kill her.  I enjoyed the rest of the day listening to various speakers on various bee topics.  I even scored a free tomato plant!  Chloe waited as they called the names of the scholarship recipients and her name was not called.  She put her head in her hands about to shed a tear when I told her, "Wait until the end and I will ask if they received your application."  She was unable to concentrate for the remaining twenty minutes while I was trying to figure out what happened to her application.  At the end of the day, I asked one of the AABA Board members about the scholarship.  He told me it must have been an over sight and asked me to contact the man in charge of the scholarship program for more information.  Chloe was happy enough to know she was forgotten and not refused.  We helped with clean up which always means you get to take food home.  Chloe selected the brownie bites, the powdered sugar donuts, the cake and the cookies to bring home.  I had a stomach ache just from thinking about consuming these treats.

Once home we checked on all the babies and my husband.  I asked Brett, "Where is Daddy?  Did he work hard in the yard today?"  Brett looks at me and replied, "Nah, he didn't do much."  Knowing full well Thadd cut four large cedar trees and hauled them to stacks was plenty of work for one day.  One day I will have Brett do the same work and ask him if it was hard work.  I expect he will moan and complain and be very sore the next day.

Down at the barn I found Belle's milk sack to be incredibly uneven one side was very hard and swollen.  I hitched Belle to the leash, milking the engorged side to alleviate some pressure.  She fought with me by throwing herself on the floor, covering her teats.  Eventually I just flipped her over, sat on top of her and milked her upside down.  I'm not going to lie, it was hard and I got sprayed in the face with milk a couple of times.  After the whole ordeal was over, I had milk spilled all over the floor and my white shirt and khaki shorts were nearly the same color brown as the dirt.  I was sticky from the sweet goat's milk all over my arms and face, but I managed to save about 4 ounces that I fed to the dog.    On my way to the house to cook dinner I stopped at the coop to check on my droopy-tail chicken.  She was still looking droopy so I prepared a warm water soak and massaged her vent and egg laying belly parts to see if I could help her drop what ever was making her uncomfortable.  There was some movement, so I returned her to the warm soak and then used the blow dryer to dry her feathers and walked her to the coop to relax.  Luckily, Thadd cooked dinner since I was a dirty mess.

At dusk, I returned to the chicken coop and found some red feathers.  I believe I found the place where my chicken was caught, taken and killed last night.  I followed a feather trail leading me to where she was found by buzzards this morning.  The journey trekked over two acres, but it was obvious she struggled.  Last night we arrived after dusk from dinner, which means she was likely taken right before I arrived to close the coop and collect the eggs.  The raccoon who is picking on my chickens will soon join my other chickens in the Big Farm in the Sky.

Tomorrow is a big day!  Thadd promised WE would take the kids to Fiesta Texas.  I don' think I can talk my way out of this adventure, but I sense some roller coaster illness in my future.  I am so very thankful for a day full of fun (Day 109).  Goodnight Friends.

Rabid Raccoon?

The farm is full of growing babies and the flowers are blooming and bees are buzzing.  Tomorrow is the annual Alamo Area Beekeeper's Association Field Day where guests will be coming to collect their bees and to learn about all things BEE.  Chloe applied for an apprenticeship and we find out if she received the honor tomorrow at Field Day.  Considering she is very afraid of bees, I'm not sure what they will decide.

Screaming Kitten

This evening I spent some extra time with the baby goats and had a friend over having baby goat cuddle time.  If you've never had cuddle time with a baby goat, you are missing out.  The tiny kittens were not forgotten as we handled them too, much to the dismay of their mom.  As we returned to the house, Chloe informed us she located raccoon scat near the front door and was concerned as it was, "fresh!"  I inspected the scat and tried to figure out if it was, in fact, a raccoon.

Rock(y) Candy & Cherry Blossom

Inside, Thadd mentions someone took a roll of toilet paper outside.  LIGHTBULB!!  I walk over to the couch where Brett is watching TV and ask him if he went to the bathroom outside.  He ignores me for a moment and then admits to having been the "raccoon."  DISGUSTING!!  I sat staring at his waste trying to figure out if a raccoon was wandering the property in broad daylight! GROSS GROSS GROSS!!!  Brett has a habit of trying to "show off" when girls come over.  I need for his father to work on the things he does in order to "show off."  Flexing muscles, doing pushups, cleaning your room, and helping around the house are impressive.  Pooping in the yard is NOT impressive.  

A package arrived today in the mail.  It was a shirt for each of  the kids with a goat theme.  A sweet friend of mine felt it was essential to buy the new goat baby family, treats.  She is always so creative and thoughtful.  I can't wait for her and her family to come visit this summer!!

I am thankful for Friday and dinner with friends. (Day 109)  Goodnight Friends.

t-shirts from The Frain Family

It Was Time

Yesterday afternoon after a long battle with illness and random injuries, Fighting Irish went to the Big Farm in the Sky.

R.I.P. Fighting Irish

God Knows What He Is Doing

Brett is, once again, having trouble at school and last night I was feeling exceptionally sorry for myself. I am trying to find solutions and wanting to understand what goes on in his head and to be fair and firm.  Certain forms of discipline work better than others and yet none really works as a solve all.  I wish there was a perfect formula.  Actually, there does exist a perfect formula, but I usually refer to it last instead of first.

This morning on my drive to school I was praying for my brother, my sister, a school friend, a non school friend, and my son.  Upon arriving at school I went to the art room to work on lion manes for our annual benefit gala.  There was only one other mother, the woman who purchased and organized the effort, working on the project.  I walked in with a Starbucks in hand apologizing for my late arrival.  I had to return home to tend to the baby goats with the cold weather blowing in.  I needed to make their quarters draft free and cozy to avoid losing a baby to illness.  I managed to brush off the excess shavings before I entered the room, but I'm sure I smelled of Earl Gray tea and pine shavings.  She was kind as she looked up and smiled, managing to seem optimistic about being the only mom who showed up for the mane making.  As we began to talk, I realized her smile was more than an attempt at optimism.  She was, in fact, grateful for my help and happy to complete the task alone.  I know God orchestrated our meeting before the beginning of time and allowed me to think my prayer this morning opened the door for this visit.  We sat, talking and working.  Every word she spoke I listened to and digested as if reading the most interesting piece of literature ever written.  Her wisdom was mature and warm, like the afghan knitted by my great-grandmother.  Her words flowed from her lips with purpose and gentleness, never threatening and with a joyful acceptance I longed to adopt.

A mother of four, she has children ranging from high school to first grade.  Four boys and twins at the youngest end, she proudly spoke of their accomplishments.  She praised their mentors and their activities for giving them purpose.  It all sounded very normal and almost, too easy.  I began to think I wanted to know these things about my children and to speak purposefully about their interests and successes.  We continued to talk and one by one she unveiled the truly amazing aspects of her children's personalities.  A child with each of the following:  Asberger's Syndrome, ADHD, and Down Syndrome.  Here I was, wondering how I was going to cope with Brett's obstacles and this woman is a mother to four boys, which in and of itself is a FEAT!  Additionally, she has survived both diagnosis and life coping with obstacles in which most families experience singly.

She was optimistic, gracious, and truly content with her life.  She was thankful for her many blessings and for her four boys.  My prayers were answered today.  Her life is no better or worse, it is only that her life is lived in gratefulness for its existence.  The smile she shared as I walked in the door, the one that seemed so grateful for my arrival, is the same smile she gives God for his overwhelming blessings in her life.  Lord, my prayer is to make me more like her.  Thank you for reminding me of your grace, mercy and blessings today.

Today I am thankful for the chance to see life through her glasses.  Her glasses were clearly blessed with your overwhelming love and mercy.  she is defined, not be her adversity, but by her joy. Thank you for bringing her in to
my life today and for allowing her to share her life experience and her wisdom.  I am hopeful that my son will be the person he is meant to be, DESPITE me!  Goodnight Friends.