Saturday in the Tundra...

Half heartedly looked for pictures of ice, ice storms, ice on the chicken coop...anything! But there was nothing I could fine that suited me.  LOL  I did not take any pictures yesterday or today.

   Got a call from MissB's niece this morning asking me about getting out and said it didn't look good over here. She said not at her place either. I got to stay home today with my Irishman. I got to stay in my pajamas ALL day and watch schmaltzy Hallmark Channel movies. He almost went outside to get the kerosene heater cleaned up and ready to use if needed, but he never made it.  (He even had his big mud boots on!) We had a late breakfast of home made buttermilk pancakes and eggs and hot dark chocolate.  Then about 3 we had a big bowl of popcorn.  Then at about 6 we had pizza and salad...with peach short cake for dessert.  It was an absolutely lazy day. 

  The movies we watched were all  a string of stuff all based on books written by someone named Janette Oke (Love Comes Softly)...about homesteaders in the late 1800's (I think)  and all about love and family values and God.  I told the Irishman that I was nearly family values saturated...but they were lovely movies.  (Probably not anything I would ever have watched unless we were having an Iced-in day ). And actually, it was really something, watching the trials they faced and the hard realities of living the homesteading life back then. 

  By dark, all the ice had melted off the roads and the temps actually came up to about 30. At one point , all the dogs were in the house but one, and when I went looking for her, I stepped out the back door and called her. Her location was given away by 2 male cats sitting in the yard and staring intently at the pond. Of course, it was the snow dog.

  You must know that one of my biggest fears here this time of year, is that one of the dogs will be traversing the icy pond and fall in and get caught under the ice and drown.  I called and called and she finally came dancing across the ice and got to the shore and came in. Her poor little pads were very cold and sore to touch, but she was thrilled with herself.

  So....here at Honeysuckle Hill, we had a very atypical Saturday...lazy and homey and filled with love and cats and dogs.  Short posting tonight as I am very ready for bed (did NOT sleep well last night, tossed and turned all night.  I thought about doing laundry and a myriad of other things, but I didn't.  Just laid around and loved me some pups and loved that big old man of mine.

  Goodnight all...I'm heading for Dreamland....

 Namaste.

Mondays Meanderings...

   Wandered around outside a bit this morning...looks like we survived the rains/wind okay, with the exception of a few purple irises that decided to lay down in the dirt. I have a ton, so I just cut the long stemmed flowers off and took a bouquet to Miss B, and put some on my own dining room table.

  Am pleased to report that there is major germination going on out there, and the plants that are in are looking great.  Supposed to have some warm weather coming up, after tonights possible low of 36. Keeping my fingers crossed it doesn't get quite that cold. I am soooo done with this chilly damp weather.


  Read Miz Moon's blog about Pearl, and I started crying over losing my Lucy all over again. It feels like this grief will never subside, though I know it will.  I have so many pawprints on my heart...Lucy, Sophie, Bella, Seamus...Little Caylee came over and put her paws on my chest to lick the tears off my face. She is such a sensitive dog, and has not left my side since I started to cry. She's laying here at my feet, with one paw on my leg. Anchoring me. Loving me. This is why there have always been and will always be animals in my life.  Unconditional love.

  The mechanic called and said that the truck is done and we could come pick it up. I will go first thing in the morning. He had said earlier that he might not get finished with it until Wednesday, but ...maybe it wasn't any big thing...(hope, hope!)


  I spent a leisurely morning housekeeping...doing some laundry, vacuuming up tons of dog and cat hair (gotta love this time of year when the shedding begins...)...homey stuff.  I miss the time when I never had to leave the house for days and days at a time if I didn't want to...As much as I like the extra money, I have a feeling something is about to change. We shall see....we shall see.


  I am having a problem with someone and it feels like 13 year old girl BS...I was always a tomboy. I played with the boys and rarely hung out with girls when I was a kid, becaue I couldn't handle all the games. I refused to get involved with the cliques, the gossipy crap, the competition. And I am feeling like that is what I am dealing with here. I'm not going into detail about it ...but if it doesn't resolve itself, I might be travelling down a different road soon. And I am being a bit bitchy about it, which makes me feel like as much of the problem as anyone..I have drawn a line in the dirt, and crossed my arms and am being as stubborn as I have been about anything for a long time. AArrrgggghhhh....


  In the meantime, the moon tonight was so fabulous, hanging there in the dusky sky that it almost made me cry.  I love a good full moon, and it's a remarkable sight to see out here on the Prairie, with no city lights to mess it up.


  Okay, I have to go to bed.  I am cranky and tired and weepy.

  Snuffling off to Buffalo....



Namaste.

Quiet moments...

 Sitting here looking at a recipe for Walnut Snowball cookies. Have run out of time to make them today, as I got sidetracked with things like laundry, vacuuming and making a big pot of stew. BUT--the house is cleaner and the smells are heavenly. I'll make a batch of garlic-cheese biscuits to go with the stew and then I'm off to visit MissB.  Had to re-order a Christmas present today,so it won't be here on time. Ordered it late one night and the charge has never shown up on my card, so I called them. Oops. Confusion and oh, well. That's just how it goes sometimes.  I didn't have to go nuts...they will do their best to have it here (no promises)  by Christmas and if it doesn't make it, then it will just not make it.  On a brighter note, the dvd set of the complete series of Waiting For God DID finally ship yesterday. It should be here on time,. I already got the Vicar of Dibley set. In fact,. I need to get it wrapped before he stumbles across it. lol

  It's cold.  Finally warmed up to 13 today, up from 3 this morning. Brrrr....It doesn't feel so bad though, as the wind has stopped howling. The chooks are all happy since I took out carrot peels and a head of lettuce to them when I fed and watered them./ We got a second heated dog bowl for their water so it won't freeze. They are steadily laying 3-4 eggs a day. More than enough for us and a dozen for the neighbors every couple of weeks. The dogs are in and out...except little Caylee, who thinks she's a snow dog. lol She loves it outside, even in this ridiculous weather. The garage is always open for her, and I try to get her in when I can,. but mostly she's having no part of it. Hard to keep water out there for her...it freezes within minutes it seems like.

  The local grocer has whole New York  strip steaks for 2.99/lb  Think I'll stop on my way home tonight and refill my freezer with them. I try to buy them when I can at that price...otherwise they typically run anywhere from 6.99 to 9.99...and I cannot pay that.  lol

  Off to finish folding a load of dark clothes. Hope everyone is staying warm and safe !!

  Namaste.

Wild Wednesday

Probably not, really. Off to a slow and peaceful start...a little over cast out there after 2 days in a row of mid 70's sunshine. The weather cannot decide what it's going to be...late summer or real autumn.  

My favorite giant coffee mug...

  I started to post the picture of Miss Molly McGee, the Jack Russell Terrorist, with a caption that read: "Does this LOOK like the face of an alleged attempted murderer?"  But changed my mind.

 The neighbors have accused her of attacking their poodle again. Again, they didn't see it. My dogs had no blood on them, Molly did have a couple of flecks on her side/rump. But it's deer season here, and she finds carcasses in the woods. Nothing on her chest, snout or legs. He demanded that I pay the vet bill of $162.00  I did. But I am not admitting anything here. He has no more proof that she did it than I do that she didn't. She is, however, on house arrest once more. And I am boiling...

  It's eating me up...that we have to maybe get rid of her? Or that she's being punished for something she didn't do.  There are at least 10 dogs roaming around here in the country every day, excluding mine.  

 On a brighter note, I have a little over 15,000 words written for NaNo. I try to work in the morning before and then again after I get home in the evening. This morning I have managed to waste about 2 hours+ just screwing around here.  lol  I am a master procrastinator.

  I need to  get out and feed the chickens and clean the catboxes and then settle down to some serious writing. Yesterday I had to go to work at 10:30..today I am free until almost 3. I was so tired last night when I got home I couldn't write, and was in bed by about 11:15.  I woke up this morning about 6:30 and still haven't written a thing. Well, a few emails. Some FB comments. Some blog comments. Here. Everything except what I SHOULD be writing. lol

 Okay. I'm gonna go light some incense and feed the chickens and clean the catboxes and make my bed. THEN I'll be ready to write. So, until tomorrow...I remain, your friendly neighborhood dogmurderer harboring writer.

Namaste

Saturday in the rain...

This picture is entitled "JOY".

I can feel that....the joy oozes out of vibrant colors. Joy is a companion of mine these days...and it sneaks up on me sometimes. Sometimes it is a subtle joy and sometimes it's a shout-out-loud joy.

The coolest thing about living a life of joy, is that you are always making exciting discoveries. Certain music evokes joy in my heart, like Handel's "Water Music". And "Suite for flute and jazz piano" which I adore. Sometimes it's a painting, or an old carefully crocheted doily that someones great grandmother made. Sometimes it's the blue of the sky. A few days ago I was sitting in the car waiting to leave when I saw a shooting star. I am always awed by those things. The sound of children laughing brings on a rash of joy for me. The velvety feel of a small puppys ears or the smell of lavender. The intricate dance of words in a poem or crafted into a book... Things that are somehow connected to my feelings and trigger a reaction almost every time I encounter them. It amazes me always the way the human mind works.

It's nearing the end of another day here on the Prairie. I have to get up early to go to a meeting and I am tired from a full day. I have a guest slumbering in the room next to me here, and Ifeel blessed to be able to provide a respite from time to time.

I have cats sleeping on my desk, doggies snoring at my feet. All well with the world...


Namaste.

A January Sunday with whipped cream and nuts!

It was a nice Sunday...busy enough to not be boring and time enough to breathe.

I have a busy day tomorrow. Have to take hubby to work and then from there take the youngest dog in to be spayed. I'll come back home and take care of the rest of the animals and then go for a brief stop at the memorial service for my sponsor which is from 4-6, before I have to be back up north (about 45 miles) to pick hubby up from work at 5:30 and then on to pick up the dog and bring her home. It's just the way it's working out, and there's no other way I can manage it.

I really hate having to take the pup to the vet and then leave her there all day. I hate that she has to have surgery,...so many things can go wrong. I'm not a worry wart, really, and I'll put her in God's hands and pray for the vet. But I still don't like it. And almost as much as that is that she's already walking around tonight looking for something to eat, and she can't have anything, even water past midnight. I've already picked up the bowls...the other dogs are cool with it, as they've already eaten this evening. But little Caylee is a night-time eater. And she expected a cookie when she came in from her evening constitutional...and didn't get it.


Today I was blessed with time with my dear husband, a lovely meal of sushi and maki, some warm temps for most of the day (around dusk, it started getting really cold, wind came up--ugly!), and a sober community where I fit.

Have started making plans for the 3rd sober gathering at my house this summer. It's people from a sober site I belong to and people from my community and whoever else I decide to invite. lol Last year was a little smaller, but in years past there have been as many as 70 people at my house for the big Saturday bbq. Good times, meeting people from all over the world, as well as all over the country. This event is a great blessing in my life, both that I can host it, and that I get to meet Cyber friends f2f.

I am blessed with having some friends coming down from Akron this week. My bb birthday is Tuesday, and they'll take me out for lunch on Friday. They'll be meeting up with us at the speaker/potluck at the women's group on Thursday. I haven't seen them since last May, so this is a blessing indeed!!!!

Life is good. Sobriety ROCKS !!!!!