You Don't Know Love....

First grandchild!

When I was expecting my child, a little lady at the nursing home where I was working said to me, "You THINK you know love now, but you will realize how wrong you are when  you have your child."

She was right.

I probably made my child a sort of religion. I saw everything through those new eyes and enjoyed every minute of showing this amazing person the world.

Guess what?

I learned about love again this week. This special person magically came into my life and I am so smitten that I border on stupid. Complete strangers have to admire the pictures of this little one as I declare this is the most perfect child ever created.

I have it bad.

Happy Valentine's Day! May someone love you as completely as I do this special star....

Creating

Lots of wee ones coming these past few weeks and I have been busy with needles of all kinds getting ready for their arrival! I love making baby snugglies for lots of reasons, but the main ones are that it is a terrific way to surround them with lots of love and, frankly, because they are so much faster than a baby to make!

Here are just a few of the things I have created this month...

A jelly roll quilt..

Redwork pillows

Cabled knit baby blanket

Baby surprise jacket

Easy peasy baby hat

Crochet baby blanket

Two more baby sweaters and a baby blanket were finished, as well, but I neglected to take a picture before they went to their respective owners.... so frustrating to forget that, isn't it??

We had quite a bit of snow last week which gave me a few days of making. It was quite delicious to snuggle up with fiber, cats, and tea and just watch the snow as I puttered away. I do think retirement will be easy for me -- when that time comes!

Are you creating a lot these days? How are you spending these icy cold days?

Beautiful....

  One baby blankie... 

 Two baby blankie... 

Three baby blankie... 

Nothing brings me more joy than knitting something warm and snuggely for a new life coming into this sometimes cold and unkind world. I knit love and good wishes into each stitch, thinking of the new life and the potential that is there. And, it seems, these days, I am surrounded by a lot of new life, great potential, coming into this world. I hope they are able to make of this world what my generation seems to have failed at --- kinder, more loving, and gentler... 

And stars to dream by... 

What is beautiful in your world? 

Let me sum it up....

Yeah. It's kind of been like that...

The Airman is home and settled at his new duty station with Mrs. Airman.

Worked the blueberries all summer for my parents. Sold more than 500 gallons and still had berries in the field.

Been doing this:

Teaching English to students who want to write papers in text message. *Insert sigh and prayer here.*

Adopted Duchess and Annie. Duchess is a 10-year-old white deaf cat who was surrendered by her owner. She is a hoot.

Annie was born at Clover Cat Rescue and has been a joy to me. I believe Wookie picked her out for me. She spends most of her time doing this:

Yeah. Sugar Plum Eeyore and Annie are good buds. She carries him from the food bowl to the water dish to the litter box and to bed. She never had babies, so this is even more funny. When it is bedtime, she brings him and drops him at my feet and "mew!" in the most insistent tone.

In the fall, Lazy Bee Farm started getting a face lift -- bathrooms redone, painting, and furniture recovered:

Purple. That says it all.

Went to Seattle for the Airman family wedding vow renewals. Got to meet Clarice from Storybooks Woods and had a most marvelous time with Melinda and Freeman who drove up for the week. Love. Seattle. (And, no pics! Ack!)

Now, we have this going on...

Babies... babies... babies. This is Lotus with first-time Mum Lilac. Lotus and her brother, who is solid white and named Lyle, are about the size of cats... and so cute! They like having their faces and noses kissed.

I have missed blogging and sharing our farm! Let's not be strangers, eh?

Safe -- And Spring! All in One Day!

Happy, Happy Spring!

Pansies are Nature's Most Perfect Flowers, aren't they, with their pretty faces smiling at one?

Joyful news! The Airman is out of danger and back to a somewhat saner world (Thank you, Lord!). I don't think it will ever be completely sane, given what he does for a living, but that is okay. At least people aren't shooting at him anymore. Trust me; the irony of this being the first day of Spring and feeling like I can live again is not wasted on me!

So, on the agenda, my dears, for this coming week of Spring Break (Thank you, Lord!) is a lot of soap making -- I have some new molds that I can't wait to use -- journal making, dream pillow making, and some good clean reading that I don't have to do! Sprinkle into that mix a little heavy duty cleaning and a good snow storm in the forecast and you have, my friends, the making of a super Spring Break. I don't have to go anywhere or do anything except breathe! I like it! Yes, yes, I do!

Since last we spoke, Miss Clarice surprised us with triplets --- but, sadly, one died at birth. The other two, Chloe and Coty are darling little guys. Miss Chloe will most likely stay with us as she is a full Alpine. And, gorgeous beyond all words! And, Miss Cissie, the hussie, presented us with Ceafus. He is a cutie pie who springs around and has this charming habit of waiting to be petted and hugged... and carried! Lazy to the bone, that boy is. I'll try for pictures this week to share... just like a bragging M'Dear (I refuse to ever be called "Grandma"!)

Mr. Louie, the buck, has turned to some nasty behavior as of late. He has taken to head butting us to the point that we have to carry a small stick or switch to keep him from doing it. I suspect it is because he is in rut and the does are not having any part of it. And, Moe and March have managed to master Houdini's escape tricks and will NOT stay in their fence. So, he has no one to impress with his masculinity. Oh, add that to the Spring Break list. Rats. Fix fence. Done.

Life is very busy these days with teaching and farm. Teaching, mostly, truth be told. I foolishly accepted one more class than I should have. This has resulted in seven classes (two extra) and 181 students. It feels as though all I do is read email and put out fires... but we are only four, count 'em, four weeks from end of semester (after break). And, given so many folks are out of work these days, I am grateful for my job. (*Repeat until you believe it!).

The goats are calling and the chickens are, too! Off to the salt mines, er, feeding!

Have a glorious week!

Bad vs. Good

Mean Girl Hen hatched two diddles yesterday -- one yellow and one black and yellow. From their little combs, I think they are both hens. Anyhow, MGH, who is one mean gal on the nest, is a terrible Mum. She didn't worry with the little ones, taking them out into the bad weather (wind and sprinkles) and then digging holes and kicking the diddles in and then out of them! The poor little guys would go flying this way and that, head over tea cups, crying and fussing all the way.

The Mister and I watched for a few minutes and then made the decision: they were coming inside. I was their Mum now. We scooped them up; the yellow one was nearly gone from the cold and abuse. I tucked them into my shirt next to my body while I finished feeding the goats while the Mister rounded up the feeder, water, and light and carried them to the kitchen.

I located a small box and in they went. The little black one ran around, tested the water, pecked at the feed, while peeping Quite Loudly all the way. The little yellow one stood and rocked. I picked her up, blew warm air from my mouth on her until she quit shaking and then put her back the box. She rocked some more. I think now that she was consoling herself.

Soon, she jumped on the edge of the watering dish and had a little sip. And another. And another. The black one joined her, chortling all the time, as if she were encouraging her sister to drink up and live. As I had no chick feed, I crumbled up whole wheat biscuits and cornmeal for them. They ate Every Bite and asked for more. At 5:30 this morning, they were both scurrying around the box, gathering bits of food, and singing, as only chicks do, at the top of their lungs.

Lesson? One doesn't have to give birth to be a good mum or, I could argue, I am one Darn Good Hen...