Oh It Is Good To Be Home

How much did I miss home? Well let me just say that I have never been so happy to smell the, um, fragrance from the local dairy. After 19 days away (that's the longest I've ever been away from the farm) all that cow poo was the sweetest smell. I don't know if I would have felt the same if it had been 90 degrees out!

Of all the animals I missed Hoover the most. Here's how he greeted me. He is always mellow! I just about burst into tears when I saw him.



I missed the chickens almost as much as I missed Hoover. Everyday I asked "How many eggs did you get today?" Collecting the eggs is my favorite part of the day.

I was so excited to find that I got home just in time to find the first eggs that my Wellsummers laid. There's nothing like finding these small eggs that have such amazing rich color! I think it is so incredible that the chicks that I hatched in the Spring are now all grown up and laying.

The pictures don't do the color justice! The smaller eggs are a rich deep brown color. There's a touch of red to it. A bit of terra cotta. Like rich hot chocolate with a hint of terra cotta. I could look at these eggs for hours. These aren't the first Wellsummers I've had but it doesn't get old. (I know, but, sorry, I'm weird like that.)


Now this picture is a bit better but it still doesn't capture the true color.


Oh, I am so happy to be home. Even the thought of having to muck out the barn is a happy thought!

First Hand Experience That Growing Old Is Not for Wimps

Oh Dear Bloggers! I have spent the last 2 weeks helping my mother who is recovering from knee replacement surgery. Now I cannot tell you how old my mother is (because she would sense I had done so and flatten me with her walker) but I can tell you that my father is 84 and my mother is somewhat younger. (But she is in the same decade of life and that's all I'm saying.)

I see my parents several times a year. I drive them from Ohio to Florida (and back) every winter. So, I have seen them slowly aging. But it seems that suddenly they have gotten old.

My mother, prior to the problems with her knee, walked 5 miles every day. This was something she really enjoyed so when she had to stop it was frustrating for her. She first thought about having the knee surgery 7 years ago so this was not something she did overnight. There was much thought and consideration (and hand wringing) that went into this decision. I must say that if you were to meet my mother you wouldn't believe she was, um, the age she is. Now if you were to meet my father you might think he was much older than he is.



I think I can handle the mental side of aging. I can't tell you how many times in the two weeks I've been here that we search for, glasses, wallets, cell phones, car keys, remotes, and other things I can't remember.

The physical side of aging looks much harder. Not being able to lift a half gallon of milk, struggling to get out of chairs and cars, walking very slowly, losing your hearing. Having your joints hurt and cease to work. These are the things I think are going to be more difficult to deal with. Especially since I already misplace things and am getting quite used to it. (Heck, I just told you my parents are in their eighties so clearly I'm no Spring chicken -oh how I miss my chickens!)

Oh, and the shrinking. I really don't think I can handle shrinking. I mean I'm not a tall person. I cannot afford to lose an inch. I think I might fear shrinkage the most.

So most of my recent posts have been me playing catch up with things I had been to busy to blog about.

Walking In The Woods

This year I remembered to take my camera out more often to try to capture what I love about fall. So a walk in the woods with Hoover was a perfect chance.


We found this fallen tree.


I a always fascinated by lichen. I've found some beautiful colors. This reminds me of aged copper.


Notice Hoover there on the right? He is a whirling dervish in the woods so it is hard to get a good picture.


I was tempted to try out this fallen branch as a balance beam. I'm trying to remind myself that I'm getting too old for broken bones so I didn't do it. I still wish I had. *sigh*


A classic shot where Hoover has turned before I can snap the picture.


All the pictures seem so calm. Here is a video of how windy it was that day. I love the leaves blowing in the wind.