# 487 - Marking off Perimeter for Guest Cabin and Enjoying Visitors

This past week has been wonderful. Stefie and Brice, came to visit us in the country and they stayed several days. They've been working so hard at Texas State and are glad to be on Winter Break. Stefie made it through her first semester for her Master's Program and this coming semester is Brice's last semester, then he gets his Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice. He just went through the ring ceremony to get his Texas State ring...we are very proud of him.

Brice and his dad, "Mr. Jay."
Such a wonderful day to share with your son!

Perhaps a trip to the country was a good down-time trip for them. It was great getting to spend such high quality time with both of them. We were a tad cramped in our RV, but we made it work.

 

The four of us spent one afternoon laying out, measuring and marking the site for the guest cabin which will be a small two-bedroom cabin that will be the next phase of living on our acreage. This cabin will be about 600 square feet, giving us plenty of room to stretch out and enjoy ourselves.

 

It was exciting to see this first step in the construction process take place. In the future, Stefie will bring her own kids for a visit, and they'll stay in this cabin. She will be able to tell her kids that she helped Pappy and Nana lay out the groundwork for the cabin they are enjoying.

 

 

We used bright pink Contractor's spray to mark the cabin's perimeter. Next, I will mark off the rooms, mark the position of the doors and windows, etc., so we can get a feel for the layout.

 

The next thing that Stefie and I did together was plant two long rows of Sweet Yellow Onion seeds. It was the first time for Stefie to plant such things, even though she grew up with edible gardens. I was glad we were able to do work in the garden together.

 

Meanwhile, Gracie and Howdy are becoming much more acquainted. Gracie is a sweet dog. She has already learned to sit for her treats. She feels much better and has a lot of spunk!



 

 

Gracie knows how to gain Howdy's affection --- with a mix of sugar and spice!

 

And for my long time readers and for those catching up, the photo below is of a Yorkie who is ALSO a rescue dog that found her way to our last home. She was in BAD shape. At the time, my youngest daughter, Stefanie, had been asking for a Yorkie. Then, one day, my husband was in the driveway detailing his truck and this little gal covered in filth and coated with oil on her white coat came out of nowhere to launch herself INSIDE the truck with Sgt. Dave. After the initial shock subsided, he scooped her up, saw she was in bad shape, and our family banded together to help her heal.

 

 

Belle needed SERIOUS love and attention to get past her extremely aggressive behavior and lack of trust. Her flea problem went beyond a couple of rogue scavengers...she was COVERED in scores of fleas, and had become weak and sick due to anemia. We took care of her - giving her a bath within thirty minutes of her claiming our family as her own. I remember her patience while being terrified, shaking so violently. Yet, she sweetly let us bathe her while we baby-talked to her and hand-picked hundreds of fleas off her underweight body. She seemed to know we were trying to help her.

 

I admit that Belle tried my patience beyond expression because she constantly wanted to attack our old gal, Liyla; however, Stefie played tag-team at a crucial time by taking Belle into her own home.  Brice and Stefie continued the process of rehabilitating this sweetheart. Now, she is a different dog. We love her; she is part of the family.

 

Our family is definitely a dog-loving bunch of people.

 

Brice is Stefie's boyfriend. He's been around for a long time, and I adore him. A mom is very blessed to love her daughter's boyfriends.

 

My oldest daughter, Heather, married an incredible man who I respect and adore.

 

My oldest daughter, Heather, and her
first baby, Coraline...on September 1st.
Henry is my son-in-law and as I told my
daughter, "Once you marry Henry, he
becomes family...the kind we fight
and die for...that means I will also might
take HIS side on issues."

 

Henry is a gem --- I can sit and watch him holding my grand-baby, his first child, and I know he has a heart of pure gold.

 

Then, I get to enjoy Brice. One thing is for sure, Brice knows I enjoy a good movie, so every time we get to spend time together, he tries to pick out a movie that I would not normally pick out on my own. EVERY TIME he picks a winner. If you don't know Tom Hardy, then I mourn for you --- Brice introduced me to the actor Tom Hardy, and my husband must accept that a part of my heart belongs to Tom.

 

 

Watch the Wutherford Heights that Tom Hardy is in --- stick with it --- it's incredible.

 

I need a piece of chocolate! Onward!

 

Brice has a mini-Aussie named "THOR!" Thor is awesome.

 

 

And Brice is brave enough to play hard-ball with Howdy. This kind of playing cannot be done by someone who is afraid of being hurt in the process. Howdy is obsessive and very serious with his games; his amazing athleticism makes him a powerful buddy.

 

 

Playing like this requires Brice be fast, strong, and ready for those powerful jaws to clamp down so HARD that you can hear them click from twenty feet away. I'm not kidding.



 

 

Then, we have Liyla...our old girl. Of course, Liyla is another dog we rescued about ten years ago. She is the best dog I've ever had, and I can't imagine life without her. She's sweet as can be, but she becomes a vicious bundle of power to protect her loved ones beyond anything I've ever seen. Every time my dad comes to the acreage, she sees him from a distance and goes into a low predatory run to CHARGE at the perceived threat while growling and barking.

 

Liyla playing with Gracie

 

Thankfully, she still recognizes my dad as she gets about 15 feet from him, which completely changes her demeanor. My dad LOVES that this dog has such strong protective instincts and that she runs TO the battle without fear. Liyla has always been this way. And she LOVES Stefie.

 L

Stefie and Liyla share a very special bond.

 

Liyla always seeks Stefie's affections and wants to be close to Stefie. This dog actually SMILES when she sees Stefie. There is a beautiful relationship between this daughter of mine and one of her dogs. Actually, in our family, we all love each other's dogs... as if they are a big part of the family.

 



 

So, this past week we enjoyed some great days on the acreage, especially with the dogs.

 

Sgt. Dave eagerly looks forward to the day when he can add more
farm and ranch equipment to his collection. A small tractor with
several attachments, such as a post-hole digger might be next.

 

Brice had fun being able to walk out the front door with a .22 rifle and go hunting in the family's own yard. Of course, he'd go off into the woods in search of game and would have fun being in guy-land.

 

Maybe that is the unofficial name of our acreage, "Guy-land."

 

In the below shot, you can see Brice whittling wood into a "Stabbing Walking Stick." He's using a machete. Yep, this is guy-land.

 

 

Later, Brice would be poking this whittled stick into the fire as he consumed nearly a dozen roasted marshmallows. Guy-Land.

 

 

It was in the 30's --- SO COLD, but we still had a ball!

 

Moving to the country has increased our freedoms and our level of peace. Additionally, there are always projects to be done and this is good for people with personalities like my own and like my husband's. If we aren't busy, there is likely to be trouble. Plus, we do share a love for the country and for nature...this is the place we were meant to be all along. 

 

 

And country life brings lots of laughs. In fact, in the picture below, Howdy expresses his own love for country life.

 

My favorite shot of the week!

 

 Sometimes, it's too good to be true!

# 387 - Chickens + Dogs + Rains = Awful Backyard

The drama of having a house on the market never ends. This past week we've had terrible downpours that have made our backyard look like a big mud-pie. Unfortunately, a big mistake of having chickens in our backyard was to let them have access to our back patio areas because out of the choices for shelter, the patio areas are first for the chickens to take during rains. This means poop...lots of chicken poop at the doors to the houses, not a good combination.

One thing is for sure, chickens are much more joyful creatures when kept from the immediate zone of your home...not close enough to sit on your patio furniture, patios, door-mats, etc., because there will be poop bombs everywhere.

Making it even more disastrous in my backyard has been these four critters.

All the dogs are watching Stefie load up the truck
so she can head back to college. 

I'm thinking of giving my chickens to a friend so we can sell our house without having to worry about chicken poop being in the way. It'd be nice to have a larger area to pen them in, but they are so free-range spoiled that they literally scream when fenced in too tight of a space. I despair over the thought of being separated from my chickens. It's silly, but true.

But, the poop is one problem I could enjoy getting rid of. I'll keep the chickens if possible, just move their whereabouts far from my patio and main yard zones. Then, we'll all be happier.

Controlling the poop will make it easier to show this house and for all those potential buyers who are NOT happy about confronting a chicken, it will be good because more buyers will leave this house with warm and fuzzy feelings instead of fearful anxiety that came from looking into the beady eyes of the first chicken they've ever seen.

Days and days of rain have taken a toll on the backyard. It's a mess. If we get a few days of sun and dry weather, things will look better and will start to become greener again. But, until then, it's a mucky mess.

Fortunately, the sun can provide miraculous healing to a soggy yard. I like a good rainstorm, but I'm about ready for this constant rain to let up. And as I type at midnight, there is the pitter-patter of rainfall coming down. Great...just great.

My chickens are also behaving more territorial lately. Once I walk out the back door, the chickens sometimes rush me and one even pecked my toes. OUCH! Yesterday, Howdy was trying to do his personal-yard-business and a chicken flew up behind him and landed on his back, he jumped and spun around to lunge at the chicken with bravado, but I thought the chicken was pushing her luck.

I'm not sure why extra aggression is being displayed, but perhaps it is due to the foul weather. Maybe the chickens are becoming a bit broody. Lately, when I try to get the chicken eggs, a couple of the hens will behave very upset that I'm approaching the coop. The darker colored hens are more aggressive than the Buff Orpingtons, for sure.

For now, I'm a bit dismayed at the state of my backyard, especially because my grand-dog, Thor, decided during his visit over the holidays that he liked to dig holes. Not good. Holes in the yard are bad for the ankles. Even worse is that my dog Howdy is so smart that he stares at any actions being conducted by a person or other dog and he tries to replicate the motions, hence his ability to open doors on his own. I'm hoping he won't start digging holes because he'd probably dig to China.

Thor...a little destructive booger. It's a good thing he's so darn cute!

# 383 - Great Moments with Creatures

Who would ever think that creatures with sharp teeth, powerful jaws and tails could bring such delight into our lives? Dogs can add great warmth and goodness to our lives. Our family is very blessed to have many dogs as part of our family.

The dog below is an Aussie; his name is Tux and he belongs to my oldest daughter, Heather. Tux is a Blue Merle and is gorgeous. He lived in our house for long periods of time while my daughter went through her studies at Texas A&M, so I developed a close bond with this magnificent creature.

Of course, my own Australian Shepherd, Howdy, is one of the best dogs I've ever had the privilege of spending my daily life with. Here we are in the dining room, enjoying a feast and he remains vigilant, looking out the window on guard-duty.

Howdy LOVES to play ball.

Howdy has to be careful because he can easily knock me down, but he is very protective and tries to restrain his high-energy level when we romp around.

 

The reason we have Howdy is because our little Cinnamon died and left a big hole that no other dog could fill. Cinnamon had been about 15-16 years old when she died peacefully at home. A little apple-head Chihuahua that brought untold joy into our home.

My youngest daughter, Stefie, often comes home to visit from college and she brings her two furry friends, Belle the Yorkie (a dog we rescued), and Thor, a mini-Aussie who is the cutest bundle of fur imaginable! Thor is about six months old now. Howdy and Thor love rough-housing.

Dogs sure do know how to communicate. I love the tilted head expression. Gets me EVERY time!

Of all the dogs, Liyla is probably the BEST we've ever had in our lives. She is calm, loving, protective and extremely patient with the younger dogs.

Liyla is also called "Big Red"

My feathered gals in the backyard have to share their space with all the furry creatures and sometimes they aren't too happy to be forced to dodge the tennis ball zone as it heads their direction. But, the good part is...all the animals get along.

The hens are doing great. The Buff Orpingtons will be two years old in March. I can't believe it! I am so glad they were some of my first chickens to raise, they've been hardy and full of personality. They're also great layers of big, beautiful brown eggs. Every now and then, we'll get a double-yolk egg and I revert to being a six-year old jumping up and down when I crack one open.

One of my favorite pictures is when my niece, Shaye, tried to hand me Miss. Speckles. Of course, she is handing me the chicken with the rear-end first. I laughed so hard I nearly rolled on the grass.

Life has lots of goodness to enjoy. Don't let hard times make you bitter and angry; shake it off and make the best of what life has given you. After all, once a minutes has passed, you cannot recapture it, so make those minutes worthwhile and full of goodness. All those efforts will one day equal a life well lived.

I'm thoroughly savoring all my minutes!

# 330 - Whirlwind Whacky Weekend

Having two special girls in the family with birthdays only two days apart, well that is a unique treat.

My sister and I have daughters whose birth years are far apart; however, their birthDAYS are only two days apart.

The result with these close birthdays is exhaustion from my Sissy and I having to plan our daughters birthday parties, then having to run from one place to the other, as if it is no big deal. In truth, we have a great time, but we are dragging. August is always a rough month in Texas...it's hot, it's back to school for both school-age and college-age kiddos with all the stress that it brings; it's always a time of change...birthdays add to the chaos of this month. But, it's the POSITIVE kind of chaos that fills each moment with joyful anticipation!

Stefie's 22nd birthday was this past Friday. I can't believe my baby is TWENTY-TWO years old! First of all, she doesn't look 22, she looks 14. When she puts on make-up, it helps her to look older.

I must say, I think it's awesome that I have two kids who are now in their twenties. This is an exciting time for me as a mother who worked so hard to try to raise my children the right way. Being a mom was the best thing I've ever done; I took it seriously. My children were my true priority and it seems that the hands-on parenting, for us, worked out just fine.

Getting to see these gals begin putting their own lives on a good path is thrilling for me...it can be nerve-wracking, but they are so level-headed that their good choices only heap more blessings on top of my head. Of course, they are made of sugar AND spice, so they're good, but not bland!

As for Stefie, it's still very difficult to see her little bitty self and to remember she's all grow'd up now. It's great when she comes home because I get to see Brice AND Belle the Yorkie! PLUS, her and Brice got a new addition to the family this week, a sweet little mini-aussie they named THOR. There he is in the picture below, only two months old and such a ball of adorable puppy kisses.

We had a wonderful gathering, lots of people came out to celebrate with us. In fact, we had about twenty people here at the house having a great time. It's great to have close family and good friends.

I guess staying up until 3:00am with my daughters...talking, listening to music, laughing and just enjoying the moments of sharing space with each other meant a lot. Three in the morning came too fast.

Stefie holding her boyfriend's nephew so he can blow
out the candles. Then, everyone yells, "I'll take the
spit-less side, please!" So hysterical! Two cakes...one is made
from towering layers of COOKIES! Yum!

I especially loved sitting next to Heather, my oldest daughter, and we listened to song after song to be played at her wedding in October. The funny thing is...Heather and I have almost identical taste in music. She can play a song, one of her "favorite" songs and I promise that it's probably already one of my own "favorite" songs or is about to become one. From vocals to instrumentals, we share similar taste in music. Her and I have a musical bond that is timeless; we love our music.

Stefie loves music as well, but she's a more classical girl...Sound of Music, Phantom of the Opera and such. So, I guess that Stefie and I love our musical shows! You should hear the two of us singing Phantom of the Opera numbers...we are unbeatable! For sure!

Saturday morning, since I stayed up until 3:00am, I found it shocking that I didn't even stir until around noon...not a usual habit for me. I usually wake early, and if it's too early, I read my book. But, I guess I was sleeping like a log and needed the sleep because I was SHOCKED to see I'd "over-slept." In a groggy panic, I woke up rushing around to get ready to attend my niece's birthday party at the local gymnasium that trains gymnasts of all ages.

Apparently, my oldest can stay up until 3:00am and wake up at 6:00am without any problem. Oh yea, she's TWENTY-FOUR years old! I remember thinking I didn't need sleep during fun times at that age either. Somehow, it becomes critical the older you get. Still, I wouldn't take back my 3am visit for NOTHIN!

So, we partied from Friday evening until Saturday morning for Stefanie's birthday, then Shaye's birthday party began at 1:30pm on Saturday.

Shaye is explaining the next move to her buddy.

A party at 1:30pm...no, that's not early, not unless you stayed up until 3am that very morning.

Still, seeing all those little 5 and 6 year old children running around the gym, doing flips, rolling down slopes, climbing ropes...it was enough to make you bubble up inside and remember what it felt like to have such abundant energy.

At one time, I also thought it was incredibly fun to run around and to jump and to fall on the ground and flop around like a fish; however, my body these days has too many "extras" that want to go in different directions during such movements. I have that Body-Echo-Syndrome...the jiggle that keeps rippling outward for more jiggles to take over, so it's not such fun trying to keep the jiggles calm and motionless at my age and body type. I'd rather walk a straight line and keep everything headed in the same direction than you very much.

During the rowdy part of the party, the adults got to sit on the cushy gym floor that should be for sale at the local Home Depot as floor runners to go all over the house...that flooring would put a little bounce in our step and it feels so awesome to the feet and legs!

Heather, Stefie, my dad and Brice watching the kiddos!

A couple of us were having discussions of how some kids go to gymnastics and become a gold medalist one day! After watching the Olympics, it makes you better appreciate the pure power those gymnasts have during their floor routines as they launch into the air for multiple aeronautics. That floor has some bounce, but unless you have near-super-human powers, it won't help you do much other than do a little bouncy move at a minimal level. Brice, Stefie's boyfriend, was so disappointed because he thought the floor would be like a trampoline...he bounced up and down a few times and as reality set in, he lost a bit of cheer. Dang, those gymnasts really do have to be strong enough to propel themselves midair while doing flips without freaking out.

All in all, the 24 hour span from Friday to Saturday was nonstop and just the way I like it. I end the day hurting so bad that I can't hardly take a breath without my rib cage feeling as if it has been pummeled and my joints feel inflamed, oh yeah, my big toe wants to whine as well. Things are harder to get moving these days, but once it gets moving it's harder to unwind and deal with the aftermath! But, it's worth it.

I think I looked as tired as I felt. Well, I finally can see my
laugh-lines, my crow's feet in the corner of my eyes.
For me, that's a good thing! I've wanted those since I was a
little girl --- I'm weird --- I finally am getting them and am celebrating!
 

After Shaye's party today, I came home and got to have more excitement...I cleaned house by myself. Believe me, after having nearly two dozen people eating and drinking in your home for hours, it HAS to be cleaned. After all the planning and cleaning it took to put the party together, I rather enjoyed taking my time to clean up the evidence of our celebrating, and I did it in style. I cranked up some 70's music as I washed dishes, swept floors and polished furniture...feeling ALIVE and peaceful and joyful.

I'm thankful that I can re-program myself to focus on what really matters in life. No matter what anyone else is doing or regardless of a tough situation in another area, I am able to regroup myself to focus on the moment at hand...that feels good. There are killjoy people out there and I don't let them kill my joy for things that COUNT. As a good time heads my direction, I stop thinking about painful things of the past and forget about any worries for the future...I stop and make myself feel, see, hear and experience the PRESENT without nagging interruptions from my own mind spinning. Suddenly, everything slows down and all I can see are the smiles around me, the joy that is shared and the people who mean the most to me.

Learning to be present right NOW is such a beautiful lesson. I looked around the room at the people present and could see that each one of us has had our own battles in life...some more than others, but we're there together at THAT moment for a fun celebration and we smile, we laugh and we soak in the goodness that pervades the space...more goodness than anything.

We all keep going --- keep supporting each other --- keep accepting each other --- keep loving each other --- keep being real with one another --- keep being THERE and PRESENT whenever possible. That's what counts. The people in your life.

And I am here right now, looking at the pictures, remembering the sweet moments of visiting with others at the party...people who mean a lot to me and I am thankful to have more memories of good times with those I love the most.

Next post, I will share with you the present I gave to Stefie...my own creation. That's for next time! For now, I'm going to ZZZZ land!