Koi Corners

Our dining room has the big tank with our koi and loaches. We have always had fish in our home. It is very relaxing to watch them. If we are watching a movie they also watch with us.

Our koi are growing very large in our tank.

This orange goldfish has changed colors several times.

Silver and gold scales

One of the loaches

Curly, Larry and Moe

 Our car broke down in Willow Springs yesterday and my husband and I had time to talk about rabbits. We were down to a single indoor bunny. And we knew our friends had a litter. The pros, bunnies make great poop for the plants. The cons, three bunnies get big and are more clean up inside the house. The biggest part of our choice was that sibling bunnies get along. These are a month old and are a bit wild. But the larger white one is outgoing. The other two are a brown curly and a grey blue. We are not sure of the sex, yet. So for now they are Curly, Larry and Moe. Moe is the white one and Curly is the brown curly and Larry is the grey.

Larry and Curly

Moe and her 2 litter makes. Moe looks just like her mother.

Here is the father rabbit of the litter.

Christmas Day After

For Christmas Eve and Christmas Day we have been a bit busy with church and visiting friends. So busy we forgot to get our propane tank filled for the house and it is very low. So it will be a challenging week for showers. I do not mind cold showers, but my husband cannot deal with that. Plus washing dishes in cold water not fun, but do-able. The biggest problem will be not using the stove/oven. We will have to cook outside on our smoker/BBQ. It can be done, hubby just not to happy about that. So it is going to be an interesting week.

One of my sweet Americana roosters, is used to being held.

Dog statues trying to catch a very smart squirrel.

My dogs never catch this guy. They have run over him and each other, to no avail he always escapes.

My ducklings new home.

This is a friends chicken coop and will be home for the 6 ducklings to grow up in. They will have the company of some hens and a bantam rooster. We went to their farm for Christmas dinner. They have built so many things themselves. It was amazing to see how other people get things accomplished. The night was filled a with ping pong contest with 4 players. It could have gone on all night but the ball was eventually lost behind some boxes. We finally got home at 10 pm. It was a wonderful but busy 2 days.

Snow Chickens

These are from a a few weeks ago when we had a lot of snow.

This is a Silver Phoenix rooster I was given. He is elegant and feral. But the ice finally drove him into our coop. Now he has 2 hens and is one of the flock. His tail gets about 3 feet long. He is a survivor.

My Ducks

I get asked what kind of duck do I raise. I raise meat and egg layers. Mostly Cayugas, Swedes, and two Khaki Campbell.  The Cayuga are solid black with green when the sun hits them. The Swedes are black with white chest and very large. They have been crossed with the very broody Khaki Campbell giving me the cross you see in the photo. 

These are large happy ducks that lay big eggs. The egg shell is black when they first begin to lay. As they get older the shells become white. They are great parents and always have healthy ducklings. I get about 4-5 clutches that hatch each year. I just put the last hatch outside, six very large black ducklings. They are doing very well with the adults and the chickens.

Christmas Piano Playing

Here is a 108 year old upright all dolled up for Christmas. She sounds so nice and rich. 

I do not have a piano bench so I use a tuffet I made years ago. 

LED lights and garland to make my spirits bright as I play holiday tunes.

Merry Making

I finally got my decorations up. After surgery last year I was in no condition to decorate. This year I decided to keep is simple and put up things we both enjoy. Snowy village, palm penguin, cabin and the tree.

A real Missouri grown tree from the tree farm on O hwy. 

For our new donkey, Shelby a vintage glowing donkey ornament. While it is all pretty and nice, the most important reason for the season is Jesus born to us. By keeping things simple we can keep our souls open for Him all year long. I count my many blessings and try to 

share my gifts as God intended.

Merry Christmas!

The Missing Earring

I got a box in the mail last week from New York and waited a while to open it. I finally had time and opened the box from the bottom and heard a clicking sound on my floor. I found this single earring on my floor. The earring was impaled under the bottom of the box unharmed. So I contacted the person the box came from, not theirs. Then I contacted my post office, again no one is missing any. So I called the main post office and again no one is missing an earring. I contacted several women I know whom it might belong to and again no luck. So I am posting this single earring in the hopes someone I know might recognize it and it can rejoin is twin again.

December Sunrise

The sun was all kinds of reds and oranges this morning. I got out my camera and wanted to share the beauty.

Horse Paths

My husband noticed the horse tracks in the snow and followed to see where the horses go.

Turns out there is a creek back there for thirsty horses. I like this photo with my husband 

and the setting sun behind the woods.

Muddy Ice Days

The snow and ice is melting around us. But even in the mud, livestock needs to be fed. 

The round bale fell off the bale spike so my husband is up-righting it and then stake it again.

Moving on down to the lower pasture.

Zilla keeping up with the tractor.

Not So Merry

For the last 2 weeks I have been a great deal of pain. A year after my hysterectomy I suddenly had menstrual pain and bleeding. But I had farm chores and people to help, so I avoided the issue. But I was snippy and on edge and my husband noticed. I informed him of all the pain. So off to see my doctor. She was very concerned, put me on heavy antibiotics and referred me to an OB 2 hours away. We got up at 5 in the morning after farm chores were done to get to the OB.Good news was, I was not bleeding to death. It was scar tissue inside (called granulation) that was irritated and needed to be removed in the office. Bad news it was going to hurt, a lot. They insert silver nitrate stick on the dime size scar tissue area to burn it off . I had severe cramping during this procedure and tried to take my husbands arm off. Not everyone has this much pain. And I have to have it done two more times, oh joy! Tis the season for pain and bleeding. I walked it off and took some ibuprofen. My husband was kind enough to do all the icy and snowy driving. 

When we got almost home at dusk we saw a neighbors truck in the middle of an icy patch of farm road. We could not get him unstuck off the embankment so we drove to another neighbor to find help. Sure enough the truck bumper was stuck on top of a tree stump. The truck was dislodged and everyone got to go home safe.  I came home and put up poultry and fed animals.Very busy day. Looking forward to taking it easier for a while.

Ice Horses part deux

I went and got heat lamps for my ice covered equines. But I called several local horse pals and talked about this. They all said not a good idea. Horses have winter coats and can handle the snow and ice. The heat lamps would melt the ice making them wet. Ditto blankets. They would not stay insulated and could get sick. The ice balls in their feet, Pam works great for that. Spray under their feet. But most horses work these out naturally. I was just panicked and they were just fine. They are all running, jumping and eating out in the snow. They enjoyed the extra attention however.It is good to have happy horses.

Snowersville

The only reason I was out in the snow was to buy heat lamps for my poor horses. Our local feed store was open. So on they way I took photos as we drove about 25 miles an hour down the highway. Best to be safe than sorry.

The highway heading into town after plowing.

The church across from the mill

The old mill

The road from my farm to the highway. Four wheel drive don't fail me now.

A bull in the snow.

To Roost You Say

This is the view of my forest from the horse stalls. The snow piled on the branches, frozen in place.

My feral phoenix rooster frozen in the cedar trees. He is tough and had avoided becoming dinner for months now. I keep him around for his smarts and lovely plumage.

Cedar trees and oak trees in the snow.

Frozen Poppy

What? You want me to go where now?

Outside! But baby it's COLD out there!

Twelve inches and counting of snow. Up to my knees out there!

Not a chicken in sight, just ducks and a dog in a jacket keeping watch.

CFL U

I hate CFL bulbs and this is why. Ten year lifespan? Nope, try 8-11 months tops. They burn up and stop working worse than any other bulb I have ever used. I pay more for this bulb and it performs poorly. And fire hazard? Maybe. I caught this one dimming poorly then going out. And this is what I found, an almost melted ballast. And we are being told these are good for the environment. Right, nothing like have mercury in my house. I have to bring them into the recycling center and I get strange looks. No one knows what to do with them there. Good Luck environment. Finding regular Thomas Edison bulbs are more difficult thanks to our government. Being a farmer I rely on regular bulbs for heat and light for baby livestock needs. CFL's do not make heat and are not safe around animals.  Am I saving electricity? Maybe. They just do not last long enough for me to find out. And they are so ugly looking, too.

Flaky Friday

The snow never stopped after the sleeting yesterday. It snowed all night long. 

Our swing is coated in white.

Not an ice slide, our stairs on our deck are under here somewhere.

My truck is frosted.

The green house is half buried.

The road from our house to the highway. Slow going in 4 wheel drive in my truck.

 It was so nice to see the the winter wonderland.

Ump watches the snowfall.

We left the bowls outside to catch some snow. You fill a cup with snow and pour some 

condensed milk over it. A winter treat from the Ozarks.

My new "ice slide".