National Hug A Sheep Day!

Today is Hug A Sheep Day! In honor of this special day, here are a few sheep who might enjoy a hug in case you don't have any of your own.

Duckie would definitely enjoy a good hug and a scratch on those itchy spots.

Ranger was born to hug!

Gracie loves hugs and scratches and cookies--not necessarily in that order.

Luna says you might hug her, if you can catch her!

Enjoy your HAS day!!

The Colors of Fall....

...around the farm.

Maples & Oak

Boone

Red Maple at Dusk

Ashley

Last fling of the Marigolds

Trinity

Autumn Hued Sheep on Fresh Pasture

Maple

Boone at Sunset

Torti Tuesday

Well, it's me, Tempe, again, squeezing in a few words, cause my 'bean doesn't think she has time to let me get in my Torti Tuesdays.

The 'bean was excited when she managed to get five out of six of 'us kittens' in one photo! This hasn't happened for a long time. Since we was bitty last winter. That's me the second from the right. From the left is Chaco, Trinity, Gabe, (Me!) & Verity. We was doing some very serious bird watching from up on our cat tree, until we got distracted by the 'bean.

Our brother Noah, was off catnapping some-wheres, but the 'bean said I could put this picture on here so he wouldn't feel bad. Although I don't think he will feel bad, 'cause he is probably off sleeping again, anyway.
As you probably know the 'bean went on vacation and left us for two whole nights, and two and half whole days. We had some help come in and feed us and stuff, but we sure had allot of time on our paws. We didn't do nothing bad, as far as the 'bean can tell--which really surprised her--'cept there are two cassettes missing out of a book on tape, that sorta fell off the shelf. The 'bean is still scratching her head over that one.

So the 'bean, she was feeling pretty guilty bought 'scaping from us, so when she was gone she bought treats and toys for us kitties and for the doggies. I don't think none of us was impressed.

So anyways, this is the new 'toy' she bought us. (The 'bean says please excuse the floor, we know we need new vinyls for it). Here Me, Verity and Chaco all check it out. Noah is just thinking real hard about when the next treats is coming. The 'bean said she paid big bucks for this toy and it's the last big bucks she is going to spend on us rotten kittens! It has this little thing in it that spins around when you tap it and 'tached to that is this little mousie thing that squeaks when you pat it. Please, it took us about two minutes to get tired of it. The mousie never goes no-wheres, and Chaco he tried to free it, by pulling it out one of the little holes, but it was stuck too tight. He really worked it hard too, with the mousie squeaking and squeaking encouragement. So after the first five minutes of us all looking it over, and the next ten minutes of Chaco trying to take it apart, we haven't touched it since. The mouse sits silent in it's little round prison, 'cept when the 'bean gives it a spin when she walks by. "I guess somebody has to play with it", she says.

Anyways, even though we tried to act all indifferent we was glad the 'bean was home. Our big brother, Sage, he had a nervous breakdown for two days after she got home. He wouldn't leave her alone and followed her all over meowing. He always acts all cool, like he don't care about nothin', so it was pretty funny--'cept the 'bean didn't think so, because she was 'bout to have a nervous breakdown of her own! We had a good week with the 'bean, helping her get things crossed off her list. We was especially helpful when she would take a break to read or rest. Our record so far is six cats and one 'bean all fitted on the sofa! She had to go back to the salt mines though Monday, so we are back on our own.

We all look sorta sad when she leaves, and Sage tried to follow her out the door, but we is adjusting back to the normal routine. Which means we just play real hard in the morning and evening and sleep all day.

Vacation

It's finally vacation time! I've already been and done the vacating part of it and am now back home, settled in to work the rest of the week away. I have high hopes to get things at least winterized around here before the week is done. The weather is wonderful. A little rain, but we need more of it--and there are always indoor projects if necessary.

For the vacation part, I was able to go to the Lake for two nights. This is less than an hour away so if something goes awry on the little farm I can be home fairly quickly. My Mom, armed with 'lists' did the chores for me. Everyone behaved and by eliminating the sheep grain-ing, it simplified their care into turning them in and out on pasture (and they have plenty of it). Even the kitties behaved. Boone and Ashley managed to bust the gate out of the breezeway on the second night, but since the yard is fenced they didn't go anywhere. I'm guessing it was a varmint of some sort. Probably a very scared varmint by the time they came out of that gate!

On Friday when I got off work at noon I left from there and drove down to the Lake. I planned to do some shopping on the way. I did find a nifty little used book shop in Camdenton. After that I headed off for Lake Ozark. The first part of the trip was smooth and relaxing as I tried to get into vacation mode and listened to a book on CD. Then somewhere along the way I lost the entire town of Osage Beach/Lake Ozark. It was just....gone. It's a big town, and you don't just lose a town. Suddenly I was on unfamiliar roads--I didn't recognize anything. This took a few miles to sink in. Almost to Eldon, I realized Something Wasn't Right. Somehow I was on the other side of OB/LO without ever seeing the town!

So, I turned around, and hit more construction. (Oh I didn't mention all the construction??) I had to make two loop-de-loos before I figured that one out. I really don't care if the construction workers were staring. Really.

Finally there was the town, and I started to relax a little. But wait--more construction? This was an awful little piece that turned into three lanes, and after making abortive attempts to stay in the left and/or right lanes (which kept exiting off to ??) I got in the middle lane and hung on grimly. At this point the book on CD had been rattling on for 10 or 11 tracts and I have no idea what was said. Then, that suddenly, there was the outlet mall and the town was there, spread out in front of me--like nothing ever happened. I'm still not over this. (Amusingly enough my sister and niece also passed through the town over the weekend and had almost the same experience.....I think we are going to have to start a support group.)

Ahem. Back to the vacation. I had a nice little cabin on the lake again. I unloaded seventy two tons of stuff from the truck (books, projects, food) and settled in. This is the only time of the year that....I do not have any chores. None. It really takes some getting used to. I find myself doing unnecessary cleaning and things like that in the cabin, just because I can't stop. And the livestock. Squirrels and ducks were the best I could come up with, but I managed to feed them. Although that squirrel was a little scary. I think it was the jumping over my head to the roof of the cabin that was unsettling...that and the way it just watched me. I also accidentally watched part of a movie (on cable) about rats in a woolen mill (which is why I kept watching it to start with, because of the wool and the wool processing...)--there seemed to be a giant mutant rat there somewhere too--this might have made me biased towards the squirrel. I also accidentally watched part of Cujo. It wasn't very scary though. I just felt sorry for the dog.....and was admiring what a good actor he (the dog) was.

Here are the ducks. They were pretty nice and entertaining.

Look! A dog on a boat! I missed my dogs. That dog on the boat sure was interested in the ducks.

But he was a good dog and stayed put. You could tell he thought he was pretty important though.

So, between accidentally watching scary movies (it was a Stephen King marathon, and most of the cable channels weren't working, so I couldn't watch Animal Planet, which is my favorite I swear), I did other things. I read allot, I had quiet time, I ate and I started a new project! Here it is below--it doesn't look like much in this photo, but what it will be (eventually) is a crocheted rug. The catch is, it is crocheted with....roving instead of yarn! As you can imagine the crochet hook is very large. It's done with a simple single stitch and is very easy. I really made it too big, but I hadn't really a clue what I was doing at first. In the end it will be washed/felted. It's pretty neat, and I can use up some of my bits and pieces of roving.

Unfortunately going to the Lake for 'quiet and reflection' is a joke. The boats are awful--it's like living next to a motor freeway. Constant and very loud. The only peaceful and beautiful moments were before 6:30 a.m.---but that didn't last long as the fishermen desperately roared out to find a spot to fish before the big boats started. The big boat traffic picked up around 8:30 and went on steadily all day and way into the night. Those few hours early in the morning though were so lovely. The big boats also cause so much wave action through out the day that the water actually white caps when it hits the shoreline. I enjoyed watching the fishermen though as they were quiet and intense. Here is a photo showing the size difference in the boats.

I had to throw in the picture showing all the condos across the lake. At first glance those look like cliffs, don't they, but nope--it's wall to wall condos!

Here is a sampling of the 'boat traffic'--all those little white caps are boats, and this is just a small section of the lake.

Don't get me wrong--I really enjoyed myself! When the noise level got too loud, I simply shut the door/windows, turned on the air so it was really cool and then--turned on the electric fireplace! :-) I could still see the lovely lake, but didn't have to hear the noise. I think if I do this again, I will find a quieter section of the lake or perhaps a different lake. I feel blessed to live on my (mostly) quiet little farm and can truly enjoy peace and quiet. I feel a bit sorry for those coming out of the cities to 'get away from it all' only to be wall to wall with everyone else doing the same.

Me, I just 'get away' so I don't have to do chores! By Sunday I was ready to head back. I was missing my critters and my messy little house. (Which does not have cable (working or not), electric fireplaces or central air). Or a leather couch. I really do want a leather couch. And maybe one of those electric fireplaces--without the bill.

When I got home, I had some 'splaining to do and some sad faces to wade through! Of course I planned ahead and brought treats and bribes for everyone and was (eventually) forgiven. I think.

What do you think after seeing this face? Looks heartbroken to me. (Although there was no refusal of a plain hamburger and fries and later a rawhide bone....)

And now it's back to 'the list' and getting things done around here! More to follow.

Chaco & The Big White Rat

Here's What Happened....(as told and recreated by Chaco)

There I was, just hangin' out doing important cat stuff, when this huge White Rat came out of nowheres and 'tacked me!

Naturally since I'm a cat I have really good reflexes so, wham,  I caughts it with two paws. See?

I wrestled it here and I wrestled it there and it almost got the best of me and I was skeered for my life.

I was gettin' winded, but finally I gots it all controlled.

But you knew I would didn't you, since I am a cat?  The End.