A few snaps ...

... from my evening walk.

I love how Day lilies turn to the sun, don't you?

Pork Chop has been in the mud; pigs do this to stay cool and to keep from sunburn.

Queen Anne's Lace lines our road

Moose gets a cool dip.

The bottom pasture is full of these lovelies... The Soil and Water folks planted them... Aren't they charming?

They just make me smile....

Where Scaredy Cats, er, Dogs, Go...

Moose and Anabell are terrified of thunder and lightening. Personally, I think it is just a ploy to get to come in the house, but whatever the truth is, they do end up in the house at the first roll of thunder. We learned to just give in when Anabell took out the front door during a particularly rough storm. So, last night, when the storms started,  we could hear the prancing at the door and knew we had to give in.

You can see who is taking the storm with the best attitude... Moosie is just happy to be inside. Anabell passes out, I think to block the storm. If ever a dog could smile, it is our Moose.

I have promised for quite a while to show the mural over the stove.

An artist in Florida, who once was a neighbor interestingly enough, painted this for us. Don't you love the little chickens?

We also had tiles done with these little guys in various patterns of flight done:



They are randomly around the backsplash long with a variety of fruit sprinkled about. After all, we do have to keep the bees happy.

I am making relish and watching the rain fall. What are you doing today??

Make Mine Boysenberry, Please

I am redoing our front storm door. The original storm door is 15, no, 20 years old and last spring, Anabelle (the dog) plunged through it during a storm. She is deathly afraid of any loud noise and this particular storm had her coming undone. Before I could open it to let her in, rrrrriiiipppp, she tore right through it.

So, I spent a little time looking for Just The Right Storm Door and found it; but, it was a custom order and I had to wait for it to be manufactured and shipped. It took, sigh. six weeks.

But, here it is:

Did you notice that it has a SOLID bottom panel?? 

So much for puppies coming in No Matter What!

Sanding done; the primer is done as well. And, now, well, I am painting it this lovely colour:

Boysenberry Jam.

Isn't it lovely?

Can you see my fine helper?

He watches the underside for runs and spills.

Yeah.

He is a great painter...

I just hope the Mister doesn't mind

that the Mooser is sporting a little bit of Jam when he comes home...

Animal Cruelty

A speeding white pick-up truck hit Moose deliberately yesterday and then left him to die. He didn't. He will be an indoor dog for a quite a while, but he will live. Given the tough life our little guy had before coming here, this is God's blessing -- that he will be okay.

However, the people who hit him won't.

Although they didn't stop or take responsibility for targeting him, they will have consequences beyond a damaged truck fender. Her mother called me last night and told me the story and urged me to make the adult child take responsibility for her actions. The young woman has done prison time and, apparently, continues to make poor choices. The young man has done the same.

When I tried to talk with the pair, they were verbally abusive and made more threats to me and the dog. According to the police, though, the threats aren't enough to warrant charges. So, now, we will have to wait and see if these people are going to follow through on their threats.

The consequences? I am a firm believer in karma. I believe that what one does brings certain results. While these results might take a while to come, they do. In short, I believe that God does "care for the bird of the air" and all other creatures. And, I believe that there is special punishment for those who abuse or hurt an animal.

In North Carolina, there is a movement to pass Susie's Law which will take animal abuse laws penalties to a new level. It is a fine law and deserves full support from every North Carolinian. Indeed, every state should have a similar law on their books.

Our first parents were charged with carrying for the Garden He made and placed them in. They were given "dominion" over all creation, making them partners with their Creator in caring for his creatures. We still have this responsibility. All creatures are entitled to kindness and care. It is the manifestation of our humanity. If we stop this, what will be next? Our aging parents? Or children? The chronically ill?

I know full well that accidents happen. I have hit rabbits on the road. It makes me cry, but sometimes it can't be helped. However, to target an animal and make it a point to injury or kill it -- that is inhumane and despicable.

Socks? What Socks??

While I plan to post pictures of the nearly finished kitchen, I haven't gotten everything put away and I WILL NOT shame myself by showing the utter mess plaguing my kitchen. So, let us divert ourselves with a rather odd tale of a dog and a sock.



This is Moose. He is part St. Bernard and part Golden Retriever. We took him as a rescue and, while he looks terrible here (we live on a farm, it is fall and raining -- a lot; what can we expect??), he is normally a very clean and pleasant pup. When we first rescued him, the poor chap was 50 pounds underweight and very afraid of everything. No car rides from him! He was terrified we would abandon him. No loud noises! He knew he was going to be struck. Sweeping? He'd fly from the broom faster than dust bunnies in a nesting mother's home. In short, he was nervous, scared, and very humble. So, we took every chance to keep him with us and give him lots and lots of love.

During one of the first weeks he was here, I was knitting on a pair of socks for my Sissie for Christmas. I had one sock done and was on the home run on the second sock. Moosie was snuggled at my feet. The phone rang and I got up to answer it. When I returned, my sock and needles were no longer on the sofa. I looked on the floor. Nothing. I checked to see if I had carried them to the kitchen. Nopers. All this time, Moose has stayed Very Quiet On The Floor. Innocent.

Then, he turned around. Sticking out of his mouth in all manner of pokiness, were four sock needles and what was left of my sock.

"Moose! You, you, you have my socks!" I cried.

He looked up at me as if to say, "Socks? What socks??"

Then I nearly fell out laughing. He wagged his tail and seemed to smile; the needles and sock remnants dropped to the floor with a sorrowful plunk. One needle was left, but who cared? Moose loped over to me, gently putting his head on my knee as if to apologize.

I petted his head, picked up my needle and the soggy mess of what had been a nearly finished sock. He lay back down and I knew we had passed a milestone. And, I learned, too, never leave a sock alone with a Moose!

My Sissie's Christmas present? One sock and a great story of a dog learning to knit!