I got my tree today. It's big and fat and round and it has already kicked my ass several times, not to mention scratched up both of my inner arms. I don't have the lights on it yet either. This whole kicking my ass and scratching me was just from getting it into the stand.

I thought I was doing really well...I put it in the stand while it was still baled and got it nice and straight. Whoo hoo! Brought it into the room and decided to water it while I could still see the resevoir in the stand. So far so good. Now for the unbaling. I started cutting the twine off from the bottom and was doing pretty well. I got all the twine off, took a step back and realized...nah, it was crooked. Now I have to hold the tree with one hand and then crawl under it to fix the screws on the stand. This tree is a good 4 feet around so I'm enmeshed in the branches getting picked and pitched. Plus there's still snow on the branches so I'm getting wet too.

I step back once again...nope, still crooked...more manipulations. I finally step back...think, not bad...and there it goes...

It tilts, then keeps tilting and poof, now it's down. There's water all over the floor...a good gallon. One of the screws has snapped the base. There's a good mess. So I find a coping saw and cut off some of the lower branches so it fits in the base better. Still isn't working right. I'm looking for things to prop it with...a brick..nah...a piece of brick..maybe...some wood chunks..etc.., Nothing is working right. Finally I realize that I'm just going to have to wait for my son to get home so he can hold it steady while I fight with it.

He gets home and we start this process all over again. Regardless of what we do we can't get it right. It took another spill and took out half of my christmas cactus in the process. We finally got it so we can live with it. I'm hoping it remains friendly while I string the lights. My intent was to do that tonight but after the day of the tree battle I decided to let it have its moment of glory before I tackled it again.

pine pitched and scratched up kitty

xx

Last night I was pimping Barefootbabe's bags in the chat room. Well, I got to thinking...BB has pics of her bags in her blog. They're lovely and what a wonderful way for her to show them off...
Then I was thinking..hey, I sell soaps. And several people here have bought some and really like them.
I was finishing up an order for Lunna today so I grabbed some and took a pic.

This is just an example of the soaps I make..


pimping my soaps...lol

pimp kitty xxx

I bopped into chat a bit ago to check on myself. I was ghosting last night after trivia. Apparently I've given up the ghost because I was no longer there. That's a relief...wouldn't want to be like highball...the permanent ghost.

My house is a cacaphony of aromas. My nose is assaulted and rebelling. But it's great. I've been working on soaps all day today. I had a couple of orders to fill and I was trying to get all of them done today. Actually I only have one more batch to make so I'll probably bang that out after I update my blog.

I made a rosemary soap today, which is a new variety for me. Someone requested it and I had all the ingredients so I figured I could get it done. Forgot I didn't have crushed rosemary though so I spent a good amount of time with a mortar and pestle crushing rosemary twigs. My son said I was doing my voodoo again.

Now, rosemary is an aphrodisiac. Like I needed that. It's also supposed to help headaches, mental fatigue, nervous exhaustion and stress related disorders. It clears the conscious mind and promotes mental clarity. Now that I could use. Among it's other benefits it's also supposed to be an insect repellent. Can't wait to see how accurate that is when the mosquitos come out next year.

The soap itself came out great and I think the person who ordered it will be quite pleased. I personally can't wait to use some.

Top off the rosemary scent with spearmint and a blend called victorian christmas...yikes...don't forget to add in the keilbasa and onions cooking...I'm really surprised my son and I haven't gone giddy with all the scents.

As for themes, I've polled a few people with some suggestions and I'm just waiting to hear from a couple of them. I should have a theme up by tomorrow for those of you who like to post for them.

Well I have another batch of soap to make so I'm off for a bit...

aroma saturated kitten...xxx

Last night I was reminded about the real meaning of Christmas. It's not about the lights, the commercialism, the buying of gifts greater than the other....it's about real giving...the giving of one's self, the true spirit of Christmas. The birth of Jesus, a messiah...a prophet...however you want to look at him...
According to historical scripture, the bible if you wish, he gave himself for us. Whether you believe this or not, for me, this is what Christmas is all about. I don't wish to force my views on others but if you wish to know me then you need to know how I view this aspect of my life.
At any rate, someone offered me something...actually not me..but my son. I can't believe how this affected me. I had my pride that told me that I couldn't accept but then I "prayed" and I realized that this had nothing to do with pride...this was a true willing spirit that wanted nothing but to make a child's Christmas better. I accepted their generosity and love and realized in the process that this indeed was what Christmas was all about. You give of yourself...regardless of how ... you do what you can to make others' lives better, more special, more meaningful....

I wish you all the gifts I have...the special gift of friends who care about you regardless of what's going on in your life, your family's support regardless of where you are in life, the love of a special person and your children...the peace of knowing that you're doing whatever you can with what you have...the luxury of a roof over your head, food on your table and health in your body....
the grace of the God you worship...
and always the peace within yourself...

a safe...a happy and a fulfilling holiday season for all

humbled kitten

Yes it is .. damn wet. It's been raining since last night and is just starting to clear now. We had some wicked rain too, real fierce.

At any rate, wasband came to pick up our son tonight so I moved my work around to ensure that I would be home for pick up and drop off but he wasn't coming til 4:45pm. I delayed feedings until after he left. Needless to say, this time of year, it's dark by 5pm.

I started with the chicks as usual ... removed the casualties, watered and fed. Then I took care of the girls in the moveable pen. Last but not least, I went out to the pigs. On the way I noticed the fence was running yellow (means something is interfering with the flow). I checked the plug ...it was in all the way.

Now it's dark...country dark. For all of you who live in a city, there ain't nothing like country dark. Try to remember the last blackout you went through, how dark it was...no lights anywhere. Now consider that there's no moon, no stars...overcast sky. We're talking black. So I figure...well, I'll see the sparks where it's hitting something.

Off I go, into the dark to find the problem. This is a really sound idea except...it's wet, real wet. And, my boots that I had on are a couple of years old and full of holes. Now to top it off, pigs really tear up the ground and there's nothing but mud out there now. Plus their pen abuts my wetlands...geuss what...they're real wet now. The top of the pen was fine...of course. But, while I'm standing in a dry spot looking out across it I see a spark...clear across the pen. Right against the wetlands. Of course.

So, off I go, trudging through the tall grass, the mud and and the water. I find the spark and seeing I'm already soaked I just keep going. I found another problem but this one is beyond my scope in the dark with the power to the fence on. Man that fence jolts ... what a rush (guess what I did - hey I did have gloves on). I'll have to go back and work on that one during the day with the power off. I need some insulators against the wood post that the line is resting on. How the line got there I've no idea but I have to fix it now.

Fun on the farm as usual

the wet and wired kitten

It's a gray day here but it's warm. I kind of like gray days. They give you an excuse to rest without feeling too guilty. Now mind you I haven't done that yet but I will...
just as soon as I get to the post office and mail Raj's order.

My resumes are out and about and I'm waiting to hear back on several jobs but in the meantime I need to get through this upcoming month. My timing is impeccable huh? Christmas right around the corner and I've not even enough money to meet my obligations let alone Christmas. I'll muddle through though. I usually do. And, I don't want anyone to think I'm whining because I'm not. I will manage to survive. Looks like I'll be renting out a room though. Can't imagine how I'll meet what needs to be done without some extra money.

I'm a big believer in the flow of things, so right now I figure I just need to ride out my gray days and things will right themselves soon enough. And, gray can be a good thing...it really makes you appreciate the other colors. The rainbow is more brilliant against a gray sky. The sun is made brighter as it peaks through. How can you argue with that?

kitten kisses..

Charlie is taking over...it insists on following me around now and won't stay in its box. As I type it's sleeping on my lap in the folds of my sweatshirt. If I move or disturb it ... it lets me know in most uncertain terms that it does not appreciate being moved around while trying to sleep.

On it's first foray out of the box it decided that it would try cuddling up to my dog. Good thing Nero is an old pro at chicks. He just tolerated being pecked and prodded until Charlie found a spot it liked. Good thing my other dog was outside...she probably would've tried to eat Charlie

Here they are....making friends...


postscript: I was told to refresh people's memories and let them know that Sam was my pet chicken...she lived in the house and slept in bed with me. She was very spoiled.

Charlie is doing very well. Yes, that's the name we hit on...it'll work for both males and females so as soon as I can tell what I have I could have a Charlene or a Charles.

Anyway, Charlie is quite chipper. In fact, it never shuts up unless it's sleeping. It still needs some feather cleaning but I'll give it a few days before I wet it again and then blow dry it. Eating and drinking aren't a problem so I think it'll be fine.

Once Charlie gets a bath I'll take a couple of pics for the blog. Maybe I'll take them while it's sleeping on my chest yeah...I'm not going to be attached at all...lol

I am. I'll admit it. I can be quite hard when I need to be but in general I'm a softie.

I went out to take care of the chicks today and found I had lost about 9 or 10 of them. It got VERY cold here last night and I think the configuration I had set up for them just didn't give them enough heat. I thought they were feathered enough to have a reduced heat but I hadn't thought about how cold it would get in there last night.

Anyway, of the chicks that were marginal there was one of the babies...they had hatched about two weeks ago. It had gotten wet and was obviously suffering the effects of that combined with the chill in the air. I took it out of the cage and put it directly under the heat lamp. By the time I was done feeding the other animals it had revived enough to be ravenous. This is of course always a good sign.

I kept looking at it...thinking if I put it back in it would be picked on and I would probably be minus a chick by morning. I made an executive decision and decided to bring it in. Besides, I reasoned, I had raised Sam in the house and she was such a joy to me while I had her. So in I came, chick in hand and a container of feed. My son laughed and held it in his lap while I found a box, a lamp and a dish for water.

The poor little bugger is still all matted from getting wet and trampled on but it's eaten well and is resting right behind my chair in its box with the lamp on it. It clucks at me when I pet it. Hopefully by tomorrow it will be attempting to clean off its feathers and will be a little more active. Here's hoping...and maybe it'll be just a joy like Sam was.

softie kitten
xxx

First off I want to say that just seeing all the responses to my previous blog makes me even more thankful. What great people here on NN..the majority of us. Yeah, there's always a few asses but hey, that's like that anywhere.

Now...she's back...

I sent my son out to the barn to count goats because I have some agricultural survey to fill out and I couldn't for the life of me remember how many were back there. After a while he came back in saying he couldn't count in the dark but there was a coyote in the barn. HUH?

Yeah...he says...it wasn't a goat or a horse or pig and it wasn't a dog. It left the barn and ran off towards the woods but I didn't follow it because it was dark.

Probably a good idea huh? Anyway I was a bit surprised that it would be so bold as to come up to the barn but nothing is out of the question right? So, kitten grabs her shotgun again and decides to camp out near the barn. I stayed out there for about an hour but got so frozen I had to come in. During that time I heard a few tiny yips in the woods but that was it. My guess is that it's a female that's lurking and she's trying to feed her pups.

As much as I empathize she's not allowed to get her meals here. I'm told that any Texan worth his salt can nail a coyote and let's hope that's true. A few more weeks and I should have a good farm hand up here to take care of things like this along with the repairs that need to get done. God bless him for offering to help, of course he'll be getting a nice comfy room and the benefits of my cooking. I think that's a fair trade.

Well, I geuss I'll just be keeping an eye out for our furry felon and if I get close enough to nail her I will.

For those who have asked, I'm only using a light target load, 8 shot, which is really only meant for skeet shooting. Yes, I have a slug barrel but I don't have slugs so I'll make do with what I have for now. At the very least it scares her off for a day or two and I only mean this to be temporary until I have better means to rid myself of her.

On the upside, I really enjoyed the star show. You have no idea what the stars are like until you view them from the country. We have no light pollution to block them from view so it's absolutely amazing.