Look who is 4!

Conner had a very exciting birthday party. I am amazed at how fast time goes by. What a sweet little boy my grandson is. Does that sound like a true Meemaw?

Double Yolk

Yes, the crazy egg was a double yolk...

and really big!

Projects

I love projects. My honey and I love keeping busy. When the ranch isn't taking up all of our time, we challenge ourselves with fun stuff. We have a shop with alot of tools for working with wood. I love to build things. The lastest projects:

Christmas, we built an entertainment center (much like ours) for Chele & Josh.

I have a "craft center" in the making and made some shelves to get it started.

And in the evenings while we are winding down from the day, we have been working on puzzles.

My honey finished this one just yesterday.

What projects or crafts do you enjoy?

Farm Eggs Crazy Eggs

We have 6 hens and 1 rooster.

We average 4 eggs a day.

All shapes and all sizes.
But all taste wonderful.

If you ever have the opportunity to enjoy fresh eggs

verses processed from the grocery store, give it a try.

Ok Ok enough of pushing the fresh stuff,

I really wanted you to see this crazy egg I gathered this afternoon.

It is a l o n g oval.

So elongated that the carton couldn't even shut.

I wonder when I break it, if it will be a double yolk.

I will let you know .

The New Year

Time passes so quickly.
Kelly has returned to school. We miss her already.

The rush of the holiday season is behind us.
The tree and all it's fun and beauty is tucked away, waiting for next year.
I found some great deals on "after season" sales,

so those things are also put away and will make their debut next year.
All the pretty lights are gone. I think that is my favorite thing about the decorations is the glow of our house during the holidays.

Although the fireplace does a pretty good job these days.
A new year has begun and it many ways it seems like a "do over" has begun.

We look forward to everything all over again.

Birthdays, anniversaries, weekend get togethers and the hope of a better year.

The dream of unknown joys.

And let's face it, the fear of the unknown as well.

My hope and prayer for 2011 is good health and the love of my family and friends. With that.....all is good.

Friday evening there was a red glow to the sunset. My camera is not the best but I wanted to share. I was also happy to see this stack of wood. My honey was preparing for the weather predicted.

We did not get any snow, but welcomed 1 1/2 inches of much needed rain.

I love the fireplace and enjoyed it all weekend.

The Guardian

With John up the hill hunting, I was alone in the house.

As dusk was falling, I heard the rooster making noise I had heard before.

A sort of a warning squawk. I thought for a moment and wondered if that was what I thought it was. Then I heard Yogi barking in a manner I had not heard before.

A very deep bellowing bark/howl. I headed for the door.

As I opened the door closest to the pond...there it was.

A coyote on the other side of the pond.

Yogi on this side of the pond looking and warning.

I went back inside and got the rifle above the door, the one we keep there just for situations as this. I stood on the porch looking through the scope hoping to see the coyote. But nothing. Yogi continued her warning for as long as I stood there.

The coyote was gone.

Yogi did exactly what Great Pyrenees are supposed to do....

GUARD

If it hadn't been for her,

I am sure we would have lost some chickens that day.

As I closed the chicken coop, I counted, and all were there.

6 hens and 1 rooster.

All safe.

The rest of the evening this is where Yogi stayed.

Watching

Tradition

Black-eyed peas and cornbread on New Year's Day.

The story was, at the end of the Civil War, Union soldiers did not take time to destroy fields of black-eyed peas because it was thought they were only good for stock. As the Confederate soldiers returned south, for many the only thing left to eat were the black-eye peas. If it hadn't been for that, many would have starved. So, tradition in my family, has been to enjoy this meal on New Year's Day. It is believed to bring good fortune for the coming year. I don't know about that, but I do know they taste YUMMMY. I cook them in a crock pot all day, add a ham bone and you have

a traditional southern meal.

I want to wish you all a Happy New Year

and may God's blessing be on us all.