Passing of the Desert Era

Rest in peace, sweet girl. Tag and Hooper are waiting for you on the other side. We'll love you forever.

September 2006

2-10-2020

A January Day

Dramatic sunrise between the storms. I think we've had the wettest January on record and the month isn't quite over.

We spent the morning transplanting red flowering currants to the rental and trimming back the monster laurel bush taking over the corner of the lot. Everything at home is as usual. Hattie with her ball.

Tux finds her way to a dry spot under the trees.

I love my girls but I think they've been pulling the wool over my eyes. They've been on winter egg laying hiatus but I just learned a neighbor's ducks have been laying all winter!

Clay work:
A fourth fish. And I might make one more to fit into the kiln for the next firing.

Bigger orchid pots to replace the porcelain ones that shrank so much in the last firing. Matching dishes not pictured.

2020 Snowmageddon

There was lots of work to do this morning moving the wet heavy snow that fell last night. Forecast is for more to fall today. Tonight it should warm up and melt all this (hoping!).

Ducks are the first to be dug out. The various small birds are waiting for the ducks to be fed, too. I think they eat more of the food I put out than the ducks do.

The sheep are waiting at the barn for someone to bring some food. This is not their idea of fun.

Stomper looks asleep on his feet. The boys must have had a rough night.

Tim, showing how he can wear his breakfast.

Sheep don't have very expressive faces but Gimpy always looks so sweet and lamb-like to me.

As does Mocha. They really are a couple of love sponges.

Hattie hasn't been in with the sheep since Boots got injured. She's taking it pretty well but is ready to get back to work. Even the boys miss going on the walk-about. All of us are hoping Boots is better soon.

Winter White

A cold air mass from the Fraser River valley in BC blew in last night. It brought a fluffy light snow to us. Puget Sound got the worst of it. Temperatures are expected to stay cold enough that this could last a few more days. The ducks complained a bit when I let them out and the sheep weren't delighted but are taking it in stride. Boots injured his leg and has been badly limping for a few days so all the boys have to stay home to let him rest. They are a tight group and cannot be separated. This year we're prepared for a cold snap. A heated water bucket for the sheep barn and a heated dog bowl for the duck water means no more chopping ice. Pretty as the snow is, I am ready for it to be gone. I spent the morning shoveling paths and knocking snow off the shrubs that were damaged by heavy snow last year in case more falls before it melts.

Tux. I think she's 14/15 this year. Blind and deaf, yet goes outside by herself, navigates by scent, and still likes her daily walks.

Hattie, very deaf now but not blind, loves me, but posing for the camera is asking a bit too much.

Hattie's World

 

All things begin with a ball.

 It can never be too wet for the ducks.

 

 

The boys wait for something interesting to happen.

 People are always an interesting distraction from the boredom of eating.

 

 

However, some people are more interesting than others.

 

And if it's time to go home, some sheep are more ready than others.

 

But when Tux is along the sheep can't come. 

 

All things also end with a ball.

Hattie's Day

Yesterday was special for my girl. It was her seventh birthday but she wasn't quite convinced this big dog cookie was for her.

 

What is this? Some kind of trick?

 

I'm not sure about this.

But if you insist....

Tux had a treat too but she devoured it before I could get a picture.

Rainy day creature visits us: underside of tiny snail seen through window (left), top of snail (right).

 

I Need Another Title!

 Another sunny day and this little goat is still on his stump!

Morning temperatures are down to freezing and the duck girls spend the afternoon soaking in the sun's warmth. I do, too.

 

 

Red ball at ready, Hattie waits for play time after the walk while Tux settles down to sleep some more.

 This salmon survived the last firing (there were the usual disasters, too) and I'm pleased with the glaze. It was a job spraying it with the little Badger sprayer as I applied six different glazes in multiple layers. Shrinkage was surprising. It lost 2 1/4 inches in length and is now a bit over 16 inches. I'd like to make them bigger but the unfired size is limited by the width of my kiln. Anyway, three more follow and maybe one or two more that will fit on the shelves, then I'll have to fill in the rest of the space with bowls or small things. The plan is to hang them at the rental house but I'm not sure where yet.

A Title

 We moved the boys to a neighbor's pasture this morning but they weren't too keen on staying by themselves. They watched in horror as we closed the gate and walked away. Hattie was not believing this wasn't some exercise where I would send her back to retrieve them. But the grass is low at our place and they'll only be away a few hours every day to eat their fill.

What is it about goats and climbing? The tallest stump is a major attraction for this guy.

 

I've been busy putting the gardens to bed for the winter. Everything ends up in the compost bins. I feel some sadness seeing the bare beds but am looking forward to having time for things other than yard work. And my back is killing me!

 

Time to walk the dogs and check on the boys now.