Day After Christmas

I can't believe I didn't get around to posting more Baby S pictures.  What is wrong with me.  And her birthday was yesterday.  One year old!

We had lots of good visitors the day after Christmas.  M, V and Baby S still had stockings to open.  

And several of us headed out after lunch for a long walk around the farm.  It was another beautiful day.  I handed S a leaf and Aunt L pick up a walnut and handed to her. 

She held tight to both items, 

until she got to Pep and tried to feed her the walnut.  I say feed but it could just as well been hit, it was sort of hard to tell the difference.

But she held tight to the leaf even after visiting with the dogs.   

When we got back to the house, J headed back out to do the evening feeding before I remembered to get a family picture with the tree.  Looks like I will have to try to photoshop him in later. I love to see our family growing. 

Seeing Eye Birder

E has been home for a few days over Christmas and it has been wonderful visiting with her.  She was reading an article in a birding magazine about a visually impaired birder that had a seeing eye human.  I think that is what E is for me.  Thankfully, I am not visually impaired but I do need someone better at spotting and identifying those little flitty things.  With her help I have added 3 more birds to my county list.  This should move me into 62nd place.  So, I made my goal of top 100 but not my stretch goal of 50th. 

She spotted this yellow-rumped warbler in the yard.

I got a picture at take off. 

But my only yellow rump picture was blurry.  

And I spotted this yellow bellied sap sucker all on my own for my TV room window. 

Monday, we drove around to the other side of our farm across the creek to check out the pond. 

There were 5 mallard ducks, 

and about 25 killdeer.  But I already had both of those on my list. 

Carolina Wren, 

and goldfinch have both been seen before too. 

There is a goldfinch in this picture if you look hard.  The only new bird from across the creek was a golden-crowned kinglet which I am taking my seeing eye birder's word on.  There was no way I could see it long enough to study on what it was or get a picture of its flitty fluttering body. She said that it's movement was part of how to identify it.  I have 3 more days to work on my list but E is leaving tomorrow and I have to work for the next 2 days.  So I guess if I want to try for one last push for my stretch goal, I will have to go birding all day Friday.  Thanks for all your help E, I have had a great time. 
 

Just Kit Sunday #176 and MOST AMAZING BOOK EVER!!!!

Kit Kat came in for his annual photo shoot. 

Now if I could just keep my thumb out of the picture.  It reminds me of my Grandfather's vacation photos.  I think he always had at least one picture of his thumb.  

And E is home for a few day.  We are having a very enjoyable visit and Kit Kat is getting some extra attention.  

And for Christmas, Sister C gave me the best book EVER!!!  

It brought tears to my eyes as I read it.  

I can't wait to read it to Baby Sadie over and over again.  

 And hopefully, there will be some sequels. 

Merry Christmas

 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Christmas Parties and Match Stick Chairs

I finally stopped decorating last week and took time to have 2 parties on the weekend. 

I have always loved this reindeer set from my aunts.  It just seems so retro. 

Baby S and her first Christmas with the R's

J's family came Saturday, a limited number because some are still fearful of covid and some had other engagements.

But we  had a nice visit with the ones that were able to come and thankful for another year together.

 We miss those that were not able to make it and are hopeful for a summer get together. 

I had J cut the tree entirely too early.  A cedar is just not meant to last a month.  I love the sand dollar ornament E made for me last year.  It's a very special reminder of her time on Cumberland Island and our visit with her there. 

And a new ornament for this year, Arches National Park.  Another reminder of a visit with E and a wonderful trip with 2 of my sisters.  

My second party was Sunday night with 4 other couples.  Another great meal and time to visit, until...

One of the chairs turned into firewood.  We had finished eating and the men stayed at the table to talk while the women moved to the living room.  After about an hour, crash!  Sam, who has had a double lung transplant, had a ear removed for cancer and skin graft from his leg to repair the defect and ended up with bell's palsy , got covid and was in organ failure and is now on dialysis 4 days a week,  was down.  He said he shifted his weight ever so slightly and the chair just collapsed.  Thankfully, he was ok.  He had a doctor appointment the next day anyway and I don't think had any issues from the fall.  This isn't the first time for one of these chairs either.  Sister C had a similar event a couple of years ago.  I see some new dining room chairs in my future. 
 

Check Job For Otoelene

I have ridden Otoelene a few times since her navicular diagnosis.  She is no longer on bute and I have turned her out with the other horses.   She still has the wedge shoes which really cause a shorten stride which is taking some getting use to for both of us I'm sure.   It's hard to know how much I can ride her but I feel like if she isn't really limping without bute and she still isn't limping the day after I ride, then that is probably an ok amount.  I told J I was going to take Otoelene for a little ride today.  He said, check the cows in the hayfield, look at the bull, and check the water tank while you're out. 

But when I went to catch Otoelene,  which wasn't too difficult considering her position, she really didn't want to get up.  The sun was shining, the wind wasn't blowing, and she was having a nice rest.  

Draper tried her hand (or mouth) at getting Otoelene up too, with no success.  I sat down and waited her out.  When she finally decided rest time was over, we headed to the barn.  

I had never really notice before, but her Paint spot looks a lot like a bat. 

I trotted around in the barn for a little bit and everything checked out fine, so we headed off for a ride around the farm.

The cows had drunk down the water tank but there was still some left, so check. 

Saw the cows, check. 

Found the bull, check. 

And had a pleasant ride, check.
 

Random Item Christmas Craft

Every Christmas, for certain gift exchanges, I try to come up with a nice craft project.  This year's random items that I rounded up to use include, 

some rusty washers that came with the work bench when we bought the farm, 

an old shower curtain hook, 

a piece of nylon rope from an inflatable raft that I got rid of because it was no longer inflatable but the rope was still good so I kept that part, 

a piece of decorative chain from an old light fixture, 

and of course a horse shoe. 

Then a not so random item, a used compressed air tank.  

I cut the bottom off, scraped and soaked the labels off, and filed down the sharp edges.

Assembled the rope, washers, shoe and chain,  (bonus Kit Kat Sunday)  I did have to drill a hole in the top of the shoe for the chain link to go through. 

Then I pulled it all through and out the top to be secured by the shower curtain hook which I bent closed. 

I think it turned out well.  It has a nice tone.  At the first gift exchange it was a pretty hot item.  Walker, (who rides Hank and helps up with the goats) ended up with it.  I'll she how the second one goes over tonight.