Cherokee, our Narragansett tukey, Clogging!

Look at this guy go!

Our Narragansett Turkey, Cherokee (aka Pop Tart) going to town clogging to Cotton Eye Joe!

So much to see and enjoy

Springtime on the farm is a true time of beauty!

A snowy, snowy day on the farm!

It is a snowy day here in Northern Virginia.  We don't get much snow so people get excited when we get an inch.  Everything shuts down.  Today, we have about three inches on the farm and it seems only the new batch of ducks is noticing.  They hatched this summer and this is their first snow experience.  They weren't real excited to step outside!

*** I know you'll ask about Gandolf, the Great Pyrenees.  We love this guy and he isn't always locked up.  However, he is an escape artist and a wandering Nelly so until we have fencing that he can't breech, he is locked up unless supervised.  Even then we have to be inside a fenced area of the farm- which is most anywhere- because he doesn't listen to commands.  In addition, he still thinks the chickens are play things.  Not a mean bone in his body but I don't think the birds like being tossed in the air like balls.  Love the guy, but he's an independent spirit.  Sometimes I feel bad for him but I would feel worse if we lost him or if he were run over by a car.  So know he is loved and that he has plenty of freedom.

Duke and Daisy, our draft horses

Have I introduced you to Duke and Daisy, our Haflingers that we use as draft horses?

Duke and Daisy are a team and they are trained to pull a wagon or things like plows to help us do farm work.  Here is Duke pulling Frank in a cart.

Daisy is the mother of baby Buttercup.  We didn't know Daisy was pregnant when we bought her and brought her home about seven months before Buttercup gave a surprise appearance.  This is a picture of Buttercup on her birthday, May 5th, 2013.  Could she be any cuter?  What a wonderful surprise!

Just a week later, Buttercup finally got her name.  As we weren't expecting her, we didn't have any names picked out for our new little lady.  On May 10th, I walked out into the field to see how she was doing and there she was with her mom in a field filled with Buttercups.  Our little Buttercup!  What a nice addition she's been to our world!  (I had to give momma Daisy a dish of grain to get her to stand still.)

Sundays are for Gratitude: What do you love love love about Autumn?

Good Morning! It is brisk out there this morning...had to find my hat! Continuing the Sundays are for gratitude trend, what do you love love love about this time of year?

What do you love about Autumn?

I love this time of year when the days are still a bit on the warm side but the nights are cool and crisp.  I love to see the dark sky filled with stars at night.
Welcome Autumn.  Some reasons why I love you:

Warm sweaters
Warm comforters
Fall colors
Falling leaves
Cool days
Cold nights
Squash
Apples
Pumpkin Pie
Winter coats on the horses, and on Gandolf (our Great Pyrenees)
Apple spice scent
Hot drinks
Mittens
Football
The World Series (Go Kansas City Royals!)
Fires in the fireplace
Crockpots
The Sunday smell of a roast throughout the house
The Roosters crowing later in the morning!

What do you love about Autumn?
Have a Happy Sunday everyone!  Enjoy this beautiful day!

Sundays are for Gratitude

What a lovely Sunday morning and how lucky we are to be alive.

Go make today what you want it to be. 

Love your family, yourself, your dog, cat, horses, chickens, turkeys, woodchucks,  and your god.  

Appreciate this big beautiful world and all the creatures that wander through it. 

Sundays are for Gratitude.

Sing a song while you lay an Egg!

I don't think it looks very comfortable to lay an egg.  What do you think?  This lady looks like she is in a miserable position.  Hens often sing a little hen clucking song while the lay.  Maybe the tune takes their mind off of the task at hand.

I LOVE AUTUMN!!

37 degrees this morning. I love autumn! Cold nights, starry skies, quiet cold mornings and perfect sunny weather with trees changing colors during the day. Hot Tubs! Warm comforters! Hot drinks! Fires! Pumpkins! Turkeys! Football! Sloppy Joes!  Roasted beets!  Hats and mittens! Hikes, horseback rides! Have a happy, cool sunny Sunday!

PS:  It took a long time and many shots to get this guy (Narragansett Tom Turkey named Cherokee) to pose next to the pumpkins!

It's someone's Birthday!

Welcome to the world little chick!