Happy Birthday to my darling FurBabies -

George & Gracie's "Gotcha Day" was July 9, 2011.  We were told by the lady who gave them to us that they were born "sometime in October 2010"  - So I went with the best date 10-10-10 - a very lucky day indeed. 

They still sleep like this - all curled up together.  It's the sweetest thing I've ever seen.

George loves to help me with any project I'm working on - here he was helping to wrap Christmas presents.  His current favorite thing to help me with is typing on the computer.  

And any comfy spot he can find to sleep is good with him.  

Gracie prefers The Shepherd's side of the bed.  But I'll often wake to a crushing sensation - as soon as I figure out that I'm not having a heart attack or something like that, I realize that all 14 pounds of her is balanced on my chest.  Breathing issues soon arise...

So, happy birthday, my darling little FurBabies.  You have brought us much joy...

 and lots of small dead animals. 

To celebrate they got special dinners & extra Party Mix.  And maybe just a little Half & Half poured over their pate... 

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You know the old sayimg?

"I brought Mummy a Present this morning.  A real live burdy.  Then it flew away.  Someplace in the house.  We don't know where it went, and we haven't seen it all day. Oh well, them's the breaks..."

Mummy here, and Nope, that's not the "old saying" I'm thinking of...

But, he looks pretty proud, don't ya think?  

 And don't you look so nonchalant, Missy...
Yeah, you know what I'm talking about...

"Oh, Mummy,  I just don't give a rat's ass"

Yup, that's the old saying I was thinking about - seems the "MIGHTY HUNTERS" were out in force this a.m. 

I woke up to hearing George with that "gutteral Mreow" that generally means he's got some kind of a critter stuck between his lips.  I went running down the hall uttering words that would probably cost me a buck or two if we had a swearing jar.  George had something, "Oh, it's a bird."   I think it might have been a chick-a-dee, although it was awfully dark, and it flew away before I could catch it.  I don't know if The Shepherd caught it in his net, or if it is still languishing someplace in the nooks and crannys of the kitchen.

You know, there's something very comforting about sleeping with a cat sometimes - their purr is just at the right decibel to encourage healing -  sometimes they can hog the bed a little, but frankly, it was the "rat's ass" that really got me going this morning. 

Got up, took shower, got ready for church, spread up bedding - "Ick - what is that on my bed?"

OMG, it is a dead rodent - or rather HALF a dead rodent.  ICK, ICK, ICK!!!!!! 

The BACK HALF of a dead rodent, to be exact, (which my church choir partners seemed to think was hysterical - Hence coming up with the old saying "I don't give a rat's ass..." )  Luckily, there wasn't a lot of blood and gore, and after knocking half the stuff off of my bedside table trying to get to my box of Kleenex, ratty (or, what was left of him) was wrapped in a shroud of tissue and dispatched to the garbage can.  Of course, blankets & bedding had to be washed after we got back from church - like I didn't have anything else to do. 

Found this on Pinterest - thought it fit the situation... Ha ha -  Those kitties better watch it, I'll start shutting the bedroom door at night. 

Well, I'm off to write in my gratitude journal (like, "I'm grateful that rat was not alive!") and hit the sack. 

Have a great week!  

 

We think something might have hatched in the garden.......

Hi Effurrybody and Effurrykitty!

Gracie here with an odd report of things happening in the Shepherd's Garden -

We think something might have hatched.....







Mummy was out walking in the garden with some friends and they came upon one of her dragon eggs -

It was cracked open!!!!!!!!!!


We think something might have hatched! 

Mummy - you'd better get the net out - what ever came outa that egg - it looks like it might eat joocy kitties for dinner!  

To Be Continued............ 

PeeEss -  Mummy says to tell you all that things are really good at The New Salt Mine and she Love, love, loves her job.  :-) 

 

Happy Gotcha Day to George and Gracie

 Four years ago today, I brought home the most precious gift - George & Gracie.  They were "barn cats" living on an alpaca farm out in the county - The farmer man had passed away suddenly and the farmer's wife had decided to sell the farm so she needed a new home for these two kitties. 

We had been catless since Sinda went to the bridge in February, and I was ready for some new kitties. 

Here is a picture of Gracie taken last month as she hid out in the coolness of the hops & kiwis arbor.  She is such a sweet kitty and sleeps on the foot of the bed most nights. 

I just have to convince her not to play "whack a mole" with my toes as she has VERY sharp daggers for claws and you'd think I was trying to murder her when I try to trim them!!

George is my handsome man - he loves to come in and sit on my lap when I am spinning - or like right now, when I am trying to work at the computer.  Sorry George, I'm busy - you'll have to come back later. 

Many of you know that last month, I was offered "early retirement" from the "salt mine", so right now I am home all of the time - they still haven't gotten used to me being around, but they are starting to run in and out now and then to say "hi"  -  especially in the hopes that I might give them a snack. 

 Here is one of the ice cream cakes that they had at my going away party :-)  

I'm looking for new employment, but don't hold out very high hopes.  There are several large employers in the area who have just laid off a fair amount of their admin & accounting work force!  I'm very glad to have George and Gracie to keep me company as I adjust to not working. 

Happy Birthday to the "Kittens"

Hey Mummy, we're not Kittens any more, in fact, in people years we are 4, but in Cat years, we are the ripe old age of 32!

And you are very Handsome too (I can say that, I'm their Mummy)

They have grown so much.  

When we got George and Gracie in July 2011, I was told they were born in the "middle of October 2010" but the lady I got them from did not know the exact date.

I decided that 10-10-10 would be a very auspicious date for the birthday of my kitties.  Don't you think that was a good date to pick? 

Happy birthday my babies. 

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A lazy Caturday

Just wandering around the gardens a couple of weeks ago - we had our first corn of the year last night for dinner - it was truly delish!

 We had a couple inches of very needed rain last week, and the temps dropped about 15 degrees for a couple of days - it was nice to have it cool off!

The front deck is always a nice place to sit on a summer's eve and the petunias are so fragrant - plus there are a couple little froggies living in there, so they serenade us.

We will be going up to Blaine for a fund raiser concert for our church this afternoon.  I have been busy making food for the reception for afterwards.  

It's always fun to tag along with George, Gracie and Bella out in the garden. 

Who knows what kind of mayhem will ensue...

Ooops, lasers activated. 

Calm down kitties!

One more frontal attack!  

"You can't see me"....................

"Oh, yes, I can"


Happy Caturday everyone! 









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Meet the "Flockers"

Halo Effurybody and Effury Kittie!

George here with the summer "state of the union" event - W&W   -  or Worming & Weaning! 

Our friend Nurse Nancy came over to help, since Mummy is not too steady on her feet out in the barn.  

The Shepherd tried a new approach this time - he gathered everysheep into a smaller pen inside the barn using panels from the lambing jugs! 

It worked like a dream. Everyone was calm and, most importantly, easy to catch - no running or jumping - what a concept. 

So, without further ado - Meet The Flockers! 

This is Frostiana - her wool is much like her daddy, Elliott's wool - lusterous and long.

This is Lori - she needs a new home. 









Her wool will eventually be white - but I think this first fleece will be fawn colored.

This is Ana - She needs a new home too. 

Ana's fleece is more mioget - golden - and I think this lamb fleece will be beautiful! 

Elsie is what we call a "snausage sheep"  - she is a little roly-poly -   but she is one of The Shepherd's favorite little girls.  She likes to lie down on his feet! 

Elsie is Ana's sister - and she'll be staying here on the farm.

Lettie is Lori's sister - she really does have a sweet face when she's not being strangulated to death by The Shepherd. 

And Whoo-ee - look at the color of her fleece!

Vikki is also a favorite of The Shepherd.  We thought she was going to be black and white from looking at her when she was born - but look at her now - soon she'll be white. 










She also has her daddy, Elliott's fleece characteristics.  Soft and lustrous.

Christopher will have a nice white fleece - he needs a new home - because we have limited space - the only wether that we can keep is the ram buddy - that will be Jackson (see below)

Christopher will have a beautiful white fleece! 

Here's our "ram buddy" Jackson - he is very close to Django in size and temperament.

I'm hoping that we will have some fleeces to take to Black Sheep next year.  What do you think? 

And here's our new little man himself.  Django! 


Pretty color, good nature, and nice fleece - we have 3 or 4 ewes who are not very closely related who will be put in with him in the fall. 

Talk about a golden fleece! 

Donna, Sandy & Vanessa look somewhat relieved that the lambs are out in a pasture by themselves - but oh, what a racket!  Great amounts of wailing and gnashing of teeth! 

"Gracie, do you think they'll ever shut up?"

"I don't know George - those lambs sure can do a good holler" 

Mummy here - The lambs pretty much cried for 24 hours, STRAIGHT!  Then they realized that they were on this wonderful lush pasture, and one by one, they quieted down.  Thank heavens! 




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New Year's Greetings!

 So, this is what we've been doing -

I've been spending a lot of time spinning.

The Shepherd wants another sweater vest from his sheep's yarn - This is "Donna" 








The roving was done for us by Evergreen Fibers in Woodinville - He did a really nice job. 

We went to brunch at our friend Nancy's farm to celebrate New Years - Lots of good music, good food and good friends.  I had finished two bobbins of "Donna" so I took my spinning wheel and started plying it.  I'll take a picture of it when I get it skeined up. 

This is some CVM/Romeldale  yarn that I spun up last month -

 and this is some "Kathy Green Roving" - She uses a high micron count fiber and through a process of combing, dying & carding comes up with a yummy, easy to spin fiber.  Some of my favorite! 

The kids have been spending a lot of time snoozing.  They are such funny & affectionate kitties.  

Sorry I haven't been blogging much lately - my "new eye" is at war with my other eye and, obviously the prescription in my glasses (which is over 2 years old) is not corrected yet.  So I end up trying to focus both eyes, generally unsuccessfully. - making it extremely difficult to see/read what is on my computer screen.  BUT, tomorrow is my one month appointment  from my surgery and my Dr. said I would get my new prescription TOMORROW - You can better bet I'll be checking out some optical shops this weekend to get new glasses - YAY!!!

Til next time - Happy New Year from everyone here on the farm!