{Sunny Prairie Camassia X Herron Hill Edward Scissorlegs}
Cami had 3 adorable blue eyed triplets, 2 doelings and one buckling, on day 146 around 3:00. So far all my goats the last 3 years have kidded during the day, which is nice! Cami is a first freshener and she did really well, being triplets helped I’m sure because the kids were smaller. Everyone is healthy and off to a great start.
You may remember earlier this month our doe Bluebell had a single doeling, which caused a naming competition between my three kids (the human ones). So we’ve got it easy this time. So far the names they’ve chosen are Spirit, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, and either Januberry or Bluey. My kids are 3 years old (twins) and 5 years old, hence the interesting name picks. Hopefully we can get away with calling Twinkle Twinkle Little Star just Star, for short.😉
Dear Friend,
Stand Tall and Proud
Sink your roots deeply into the Earth
Reflect the light of a greater source
Think long term
Go out on a limb
Remember your place among all living beings
Embrace with joy the changing seasons
For each yields its own abundance
The Energy and Birth of Spring
The Growth and Contentment of Summer
The Wisdom to let go of leaves in the Fall
The Rest and Quiet Renewal of Winter
Feel the wind and the sun
And delight in their presence
Look up at the moon that shines down upon you
And the mystery of the stars at night.
Seek nourishment from the good things in life
Simple pleasures
Earth, fresh air, light
Be content with your natural beauty
Drink plenty of water
Let your limbs sway and dance in the breezes
Be flexible
Remember your roots
Enjoy the view!
Let me start by saying I’m not at all into astrology, I don’t know what 2014 was the year of, let me go Google it…OK, it was the year of the horse. The extent of my knowledge of the zodiac 12 year cycle of animals is from when I’ve had Chinese food at Emperors Palace here in town, they have those paper place mats you read while your waiting for your food. So I know your zodiac animal is based on your year of birth (mine is dog). We’d all laugh that my mom and dad were supposed to avoid each other, and see if the descriptions were accurate for anyone, just for fun. But this is the year of the goat so I have to be a little excited, because goats are great!
Happy New Year to everyone! I hope 2015 is a fantastic year for all you “goats” out there since it’s the YEAR OF THE GOAT, and hopefully it’s a good year for all of the real goats too.
Our Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Hazel, was pretty special (she was the best dog EVER). She would happily lounge in her favorite chair but was ready for a walk in the forest anytime, she was a friend to everyone she met, people, cats, horses, goats…EVERYONE. She was gentle, quiet (except for her snoring), intelligent, patient and loving. The first time I saw her she was just over 8 years ago when she was 8 weeks old, she crawled in my lap and I was sold, she came home with us that day, she was pretty much like our first baby.
We suddenly and very unexpectedly lost our dear Hazel this morning. Just yesterday my mom and I took a walk with her in the forest, she ended the day snuggled by the fire next to my husband, then she went to sleep…and she never woke up. We’ve known for years she had a heart murmur and we were aware her life would probably be shorter but we never expected to lose her this soon. She will be dearly missed.
The Rainbow Bridge
inspired by a Norse legend
By the edge of a woods, at the foot of a hill,
Is a lush, green meadow where time stands still.
Where the friends of man and woman do run,
When their time on earth is over and done.
For here, between this world and the next,
Is a place where each beloved creature finds rest.
On this golden land, they wait and they play,
Till the Rainbow Bridge they cross over one day.
No more do they suffer, in pain or in sadness,
For here they are whole, their lives filled with gladness.
Their limbs are restored, their health renewed,
Their bodies have healed, with strength imbued.
They romp through the grass, without even a care,
Until one day they start, and sniff at the air.
All ears prick forward, eyes dart front and back,
Then all of a sudden, one breaks from the pack.
For just at that instant, their eyes have met;
Together again, both person and pet.
So they run to each other, these friends from long past,
The time of their parting is over at last.
That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” (Luke 2:8-14 NLT)
I usually use Shutterfly to make Christmas cards each year, they have all kinds of different designs to choose from and you just add your photos and text. I’ve been happy with them, but this year I didn’t get around to it and I didn’t feel like spending the money…they can be a little expensive.
When Christmas cards started showing up in the mail I felt bad I didn’t have any to send back! I decided to try and design my own card using my iPhone and a few photos I took when we got our Christmas tree. I used a couple different apps to design them (OVER and Phonto) and then had them printed at Costco. It was fun to create my own design using art, fonts, and layout.
One of my favorite holiday childhood memories was when our family made the drive from Olympia to Arlington, for the Normanna Kids Christmas Party at Lake Riley. My dad’s family has been members of the Sons of Norway for many years. I remember playing with my cousins, eating Lefse, decorate ornaments, riding the trolley, and getting a gift from Santa. Continue reading “It’s the most wonderful time of the year…”→
“Come, little leaves,”
Said the wind one day,
“Come over the meadows
With me, and play;
Put on your dresses
Of red and gold;
Summer is gone,
And the days grow cold.”
Soon as the leaves
Heard the wind’s loud call,
Down they came fluttering,
One and all;
Over the meadows
They danced and flew,
Singing the soft
Little songs they knew.
“Come Little Leaves” was written by the American poet George Cooper
“Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn.” -John Muir
I can’t believe it’s already 10 days into Novemeber! We’ve been making sure to take advantage of the beautiful, sunny, crisp autumn days when we have them. I’m thankful to live near the Mima Mounds Natural Area Preserve, it’s nice to have close by now that the days are so much shorter. It has a short paved loop trail that is fun for the kids, you can also take a longer walk out in the prairie. We love visiting, seeing how the prairie changes throughout the seasons, this time of year it looks golden after the dry summer.
{Sunny Prairie Camassia X Herron Hill Edward Scissorlegs}
FOUR CEDARS 