Well here we are at another new year. That last one went by fairly quickly- is it just me or is time speeding up? Overall it was a fairly good year- I got to visit with family, at least some of them, and Ted got to spend time with his family too. One of my sisters moved close to here so it's wonderful having family that close again.
We are slowly getting this place set up to our liking; we signed a 5 year lease so that helps us to want to get a few projects done. The big one for this year is setting up some kind of hay shed- I really dislike having tarped hay. Too much goes to waste no matter how rigorously you tarp, the Alberta wind has ways of rearranging things! And with hay this last year averaging $200 for a 1200 to 1400 lb. bale, wasting any hay is not an option. I'm hoping this won't be a disastrous year for hay production.
Speaking of the hay burners...
Did you say hay?
Velvet is getting to the wide load stage....
Baby on Board
I saw a post on FB where someone was asking for old wives tales about predicting foal gender. Some folks swear by the one where if the mare is carrying low it's a colt, carrying high it's a filly. Hmmm... Belle always carried low and she had mostly colts. Velvet appears to be carrying low, so maybe a colt for her?
Ruby is carrying high and tight as can be expected for a maiden mare. Filly maybe?
Shall we sing, I want a hippopotamus for Christmas?
The weather has been just lovely! Above freezing during the day and not too terribly cold at night. The wildlife have started coming back around. A small band of deer were investigating the spilled birdseed outside our living room window, and didn't mind me spying on them.
And Humphrey is back!
When I turned the outside light on he fluffed up his quills but kept on eating the birdseed. We make sure he gets some if the deer don't leave him any.
I took a sunrise photo the other day and was delighted to find a smiling face in it.
Can you see it? Nice omen for starting off the new year.
This is Misty, the female barn cat. I saw Bandit breeding her just before he went missing in mid November and it looks to me like she may be carrying a kitten or two in there- due in a couple of weeks. In other barn cat news- Smokey has stopped hissing at me and has become quite friendly, even lets me pet him before and during feeding time. Progress!
Every year, a key word comes to me right at the beginning of the year. This time, my word for the year is Patience. Especially with myself, as I navigate the changes in physical and spiritual life that aging brings. But also with those around me both human and animal, and with all the things that I will be dealing with this year that may not be pleasing to me.
Hope you all have a good year, and don't forget to always look for and find the beauty surrounding us.
