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The other day I was wathcing Dan move snow (again) and as often happens, something just popped into my head. Something I remembered from high school. So off I was to search the web and I found it......

This was take from "The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus"
The gods had condemned Sisyphus to ceaselessly rolling a rock to the top of a mountain, whence the stone would fall back of its own weight. They had thought with some reason that there is no more dreadful punishment than futile and hopeless labor.

and there's Dan in his own purgatory of futile and hopeless labor, moving the snow only to have it blow back in tomorrow...and tomorrow....and tomorrow.....

Diversify

I am a recovering TV junkie....But like many other addicts I am finding that I am simply replacing one vice with another. Intead of a continual scroll through the channels, its now web surfing, blog pages, and now facebook? So on my mission to become a more well rounding individual I have began a new challange....quilting.

and to add to the challange, rumor has it that this is turning into a quilting throwdown between Ray and I against a golden girls version of Thelma and Louise. I don't know...Thelma is bringing experience to the table...although I'm not sure she has actually finished a quilt. Ray will be carrying the experience on our team since I'm just beginning. This should be good!

Update....

I told BettyG I would get an updated picture of the stop sign at our corner once I was able to get out of the driveway..........

Is the snowplow man required to get out of the truck and scoop the snow away from the sign if it gets deep enough to cover it completely?? hmmmmm....

I hope I don't have to find that one out.

Winter Casualty.....

I'm not sure you could call it that but none the less, today I am sad. I truly do not wish death on any of Gods creatures but does it make me a bad person when I question to myself, out of all 5 of the birds here, why Big Ed? The one that looked different, the one that greeted me every morning, strutted his stuff for me. and gobbled back at me when I talked to him? Sigh...............
Big Ed
????-2009

realization

This week has been a challange. I am feeling like quite the slacker. I am into only my second week at my new job (which I must say, I am loving so far) and I've already missed half of one day (for an appt I had scheduled prior to having a 2009 calendar) and all of yesterday due to the weather. Winter has worn its welcome completely out at my house.
Yesterday was another snow day for us. It doesn't matter how much snow falls, it's how much wind we have and yesterday we had plenty. Our lovely "summer breeze" has been wreaking havoc since the end of October.
Everyone is getting very tired of being pent up inside.......

Or is everyone just getting tired?!.........

Today was supposed to be the ultimate low but the wind died down so it was back to work and there is no where else to go but up starting tomorrow! I believe I heard or read that we will be back above zero temps by weeks end, getting all the way up to the 30's by midweek next week!! I CAN'T WAIT!!!
You probably won't hear from me as I will be back outside! I've got a ton of work to do to wear these dogs out! Anyway, I digress....back to the job.....
...I don't know why I didn't make a move like this years ago! Yes I do. There is a very fine line between excitement and fear. The unknown can be exciting but it can also be quite frightening.
Perhaps the fear of the unknown combined with the comfort of familiarity out weighed the excitement of something new. Whatever the reason, I am so glad that I over came and made the leap. I am really enjoying the interaction and the feeling of having a job that is not just going through the motions.
I still have a while before I will be comfotable again but who says that's not a good thing?
I stopped in my old area today to visit for a minute (I don't want them to feel out of my sight out of my mind) and I as I was talking to my pal Ray about an e-mail that was sent out.....

I realized I had made the right decision. I also realize that I need to work on my fear of the unknown, not being such a procrastinator and taking more leaps of faith. What's the worst that can happen?

To add to a good day, I was happy to get the mail. I received 2 more movies! (I recently joined netflix) I am going to really enjoy that as well I think. All we currently have is a TV and a dvd player. No cable, no dish, no antena, all we can do right now is watch movies, seriously, no joke. I really don't miss it though....much.

And I received my new Murray McMurray Hatchery catalog (Thanks Thelma!) If you have seen my previous pics you have seen the Turkeys. They came with the place in addition to a couple of Guineas that we no longer have thanks to the native wildlife.
I have been playing with the idea of building a chicken coop/yard (to keep them safe at night) getting some chickens and maybe replacing the Guineas. I never knew there was such a variety. I am leaning towards Cochins chickens. They are rated low as layers but they are a large chicken with feathered legs, come in several pretty colors and appear almost "fluffy". Since my only interest is eggs for myself, a few friends and family, they don't really need to be prolific egg layers. I am not sure about the guineas. They state they are wonderful for eating bugs especially tics but you have to buy a minimum of 30. That's alot of Guineas! I may have to find someone to split the order with. They were comical to watch. It may not happen this year since it's our first year living here and we are finding things that are a little higher on the priority list but I'm having tons of fun looking! I am very much a planner so I am enjoying deciding the future site and design of Shortyjohnson Farm's Poultry Palace.

Photo~op

For not starting out well, today ended up to be a wonderful day! I woke up early, headed down stairs (I live in an older 2 story farm house) only to slide off the second step from the top and continue on my ass all the way to the bottom. Somewhere along the line I managed to scrape my knee on the wall but can't imaging how?! After about 30 minutes and 2 cups of coffee I had forgotten all about it until a couple of hours ago when I bent over. My prediction is tomorrow won't be good. :) I promised by youngest son I would help him with his 1,000 word report on Zachary Taylor (12th president).
About half way through I decided to stop and take advantage of the daylight with some pictures.

Emma still has her bouts with the cats but overall, everyone is adjusting fairly well living under one roof. I still can't wait until spring and I do think I noticed that it was light a little later today~that brought a smile to my face! The countdown is on! I believe it's March 20?

BRING IT ON!





Emma, (pictured above) is my a.d.d. child. One minutes I am pulling my hair out and the next I am rolling with laughter. Actually, I often find myself trying to styfle a laugh while scolding her. I love her to pieces. If you read the GWP breed description you will see the reference to "clown" at least once if not twice. The only time this dog is still is when she is laying in your lap because she is truly the most affectionate dog or staring at the cats (or whatever else she is "hunting")It is all she can do to sit still long enough for you to snap off one picture then she's off. Usually she is dragging others in with her to play.

Below is the gag reel to todays photo~op.

He's built more for power than grace and speed!

We had a great time playing today and we got our report done. 1300 words! I even learned a few things! All told, it really was a great day!

Here kitty, kitty, kitty!

Waiting for the cats to come downstairs and play.



and waiting......


I actually have her attention for a brief second...


Then it's off to find someone to play with...


Mr. Mellow....

Etc......

This post is dedicated to my good friend BettyG. who is moping right now because she is vacationing down south and missing some of the best winter weather we have had in a decade or more!

Now, even though her words said how much she was enjoying the fun and sun you could tell it was forced. It was obvious that what she wanted to say was that she would rather be here, with us, plowing the driveway instead of walking the beaches, shoveling the walks instead of basking by the pools, skidding around on the icy sidestreets instead of cruising with the top down up the coastal highways and wearing 5 layers of clothing before daring to step outside or risk frostbite instead of shorts and tank tops that expose your already bronze skin to the harmful rays of the sun!

So for you BettyG, I am posting one more seasonal picture, to keep you from becoming so homesick that you cast your remaining vacation plans aside and race back home!!
Enjoy the rest of your vacation!!