We have Lambies!

 LAMBIES on St. Patrick's Day! Way, way better than a dang chocolate bunny! I need names, two rams and a ewe (aw..she crying) It's Spring!


Guess what? And they're not chicken butts. Well, we have two  rams and that's close in size. Our little ewe, last out of the chute is pretty weak...

Molly Malone

These pictures were from this morning. The lambs still haven't unfolded yet. The little one was too weak to stand, but she's loving my bottles now and her mama doesn't like me to hold her one bit. I'm thinking she'll be nursing by the early morning. Still going to check on her more tonight. Her legs look weird in the picture but they're just crooked because she flopped-down. She's not hopping like the other two, but walking around and snuggling with her brothers. I've been out by the pen all day. Thankful too, that the momma ewe isn't just fluffy, she's fat. It's all there to make sure she's got enough strength to feed three little lambs and now I hope the third little runt will live threw the night. 

Blarney

Clover

The white ones are really, really white and really, really dirty. I don't think we've ever had an even mask on like this one and he's got a spot on his ear and one on his foot. They're covered in lanolin and they smell so good and so different than another other animal. Just a thought ... I'm sure they think that way about me, too! Hey, and it's probably not good.

 St. Patty's day has brought a lot of surprises over the years. I ditched church : /

I've been watching and found the other placenta. Freaking-me-out...two rams are different colors and the other white ewe lamb couldn't be a twin. I went out to the pen and found the other placenta. "Handsome," our daddy-ram was guarding it. This is the weirdest-part....He's my favorite of all the sheep! I pet, scratch, and love on him all the time--he follows me everywhere. I reached for what I needed to trash the placenta and he rammed me. Not hard, but constantly--it wasn't a baby! But, I did take his ewe and the lambs to the barn. I think he's ticked. Weak little ewe had about another 4 or 5 Tablespoons of colostrum. Hey, my "stash of gold" is in a pop bottle with a "Pritchard teat" on the top. Leprechauns knew what I needed!

We have the sheep for wool and they're the real fluffy ones not for meat and the breed is Finnsheep. They are prolific, friendly, not huge, and the best of all, lots and lots of wool every year. We don't like to eat lamb or mutton, but I guess if I was hungry enough as in an emergency, I would eat the big white ewe. Never-mind she's too old. Fine Irish person I turned-out to be, I hate to eat sheep.

I have one more to lamb and her udder isn't quite full yet. I don't think the younger ewe bred with Handsome. Then, I have a young lady coming to shear them all (all but the bitty ones) I'm so excited because I need the wool. I think I'm going to do some felting. Very fun and I've got the stuff. This new girl is taking Mr. Bunch's place, shearing. Yay! Now, I'm not in a rush to find the shear and waste a whole day on shearing one sheep at a time. Oh, my gosh it takes me forever, but I'm really afraid of cutting their very soft, thin, skin.  I'm not fast at shearing anything, including goats, pigs, of course-sheep, equine, and bovine. hahaha I mixed-it up. Okay, Capri!

 My Marnie and her whole family just left day-before-yesterday on an eight week vacation. She HATES doing all the delivering. It seems she's always here when it happens and I'm gone. Honest, she calls the our missionaries to come help her and they do! They come in their suit and ties and love every minute of service helping her steady the mom and make sure she doesn't tromp a baby while in labor. Our sheep squat, not like any other I've ever seen. I guess it's because they're so fat with babies if they lay-down they can "turtle-up." This is a part of evolution I understand.  Marnie raised a veal calf for 4-H and she didn't mind one bit selling him off. He received the sweetest loves and open space, but Marnie didn't want to keep him at all. The bulls get so mean and scary.  She's the daughter that would love to not have pets but the strangest thing has happened, she's helped with almost all the lambs and lots and lots of goat birthing. She grumbles loudly, especially since they aren't her responsibility and very messy. Her children love all pets, especially horses and dogs. It's Karma that her son loves snakes, tarantulas, and turtles.

Monday Morning March 18th:

Everyone took turns and gave me bunches of Irish names. Kiely's favorite was Molly Malone because she sang it all the way through Dublin in her loudest voice with all her friends and people, complete strangers-- along the way, while they were riding in a horse-drawn carriage.  Mollie Malone, the little runt girl acted lethargic and just let the milk run-out of her mouth. Ma just ate away at her alfalfa and ignored me. I put her down on her legs and she "hopped" over to Ma and miraculously (ha!) woke right-up and nursed away. Guess she was tired of chasing her mother all night. Sometimes hunger makes 'em a whole bunch smarter. So happy.

The lambs all have names now. 

Yeah... I tallied them up and threw-out "corn beef and cabbage." as names. My grown children are not funny. And so, Clover is the black one, Blarney is his white bro and of course, "Sweet Molly Malone" the little half pint named after Kiely's favorite song of Dublin Town. Fits the lamb, "Alive, Oh Alive! Our ewe lamb survived.

 Loving this Sheep Lesson for families.This is on Facebook and is called The Friend Magazine and it's from Church. A sweet story that involves more than just sheep. The story is Megan's Lambs and the Link is found on a Children's Church site, called The Friend Magazine. Great links and activities on Facebook and a link to get this picture to printed-out really huge in PDF format.

Megan's Lambs

This link works to download the PDF file and

 I don't know how I got it to stick. Great story 

and only two pages and this link works. I downloaded it!

So New They Haven't Unfolded Yet

Steve's putting a little mesh, with tiny, square wires across the babies and Ma's pen with our magic ratchet. (Thank you Mr. Young the former FFA advisor for that great tip on the BEST farm tool ever!)  It's featured in the catalog, Gempler's. We're trying to keep Laney pup from nipping baby lamb's feet.

 All day today Darby laid right by the stall and wouldn't leave. I took the lambs out (mother was flipping-out) The wolf was with them. She licked them, herding them all around the yard and got in a huge "I'm going to freaking kill you" fight with Duelly our wiggly male, Queensland. He didn't hurt them, but the lambs were hers. I can't figure that huge fight-out because he's Darby's lovey-doggy and his mind wasn't on the sheep or lambs because she's coming into heat. I know she thought he was trying to get the babies. I was holding them and she was walking with me and Duelly jumped-up to see me (he always does that) but today wasn't the right time. The "mother-bear" side of Darby came-out like I've never seen except with our "Little" Kiely's older dog.  Darby used to lay-down with "Little" our former protector of the flock and watched and learned from Little and it really did all rub-off on her. I just let Darby take Duelly-out and it didn't take very long before Duelly was on his back saying, "Uncle."  There wasn't blood, but I saw a "mean" that only comes from a mother protecting her babies. Kiely, your Darby is amazing! 
 
I did all the chores. Steve really dislikes sheep (he says) but won't quit asking me about them, helped configure the water, even came home from church between classes to check on all of us. For FHE he's going to hold "the black sheep" tonight. I came in the door from taking pictures and he asked me why I didn't tell him I was going-out to use my big camera. He wanted to come along.

This is such a change for me from having so many children at home and then suddenly I'm just taking pictures of animals without children. My herd is teenie compared to the almost fifty sheep, with new lambs, four horses, donkeys, twenty-five chickens, and twenty-five full-sized goats and a buck, four pigs, two heifers, bulls, and numerous steers. It's semi-retirement and we're getting ready to plant in the pastures. The four goats are going in the Oak Grove with the sheep and horses. Okay, I haven't started the garden and my only excuse is I need my husband's back feeling better after his fall when he was on his brush fire incident. Now, he can give direction to a younger hired hand. My farm is smaller, but enjoyed by more. Eighteen grandchildren is about the best reason in the world to keep it going. I think I need more than five chickens.

Water Aerobics, Knees, and Insurance. Hitting The Water!

Sheesh! I had all kinds of stuff planned for today. It wasn't 80 degrees today, but it was really warm outside and not a cloud in the sky. I was exhausted. I started my Water Aerobics class again today after a break since mid-October. I know they thought that I wasn't coming back. My doctor wanted me to have the insurance pay since my need for the pool was therapy for my knees. The insurance did approve it and even the therapist called for a starting appointment. We were going to work on my knees and then I could do the Ai Chi (thermal water Tai Chi) and then do the  aerobics without hitting the bottom of the pool.

 

Card by Renie 2003 I'm the One In the Polka Dots

It took exactly two days from when the therapist called that Blue Shield cancelled my Easter Seals visits. My doctor is sending a letter of appeal and will stand against the insurance to pay for my claim. Swimming really does make my legs stable and I will fall eventually if I don't continue exercising.

I received a forwarded article in Woman's Day Magazine about how to fight an insurance denial.  Here's the link: Woman's Day Magazine

This information probably has helped many people who just thought of giving-up when the denial letter comes in the mail. I know I almost did. My doctor's already working on it and I've got a letter ready to send-off and I plan to follow the outline that Woman's Day provides. There's even patient advocates and the link is online in the article. To say I'm excited is an understatement. I don't want new knees I want the ones I have, to work right. My surgeries haven't been successful and made my right knee so much worse than before my surgery. I also have a genetic heart defect and the my cardiologist doesn't want me to have any surgeries in the near future. I think he plans on a new medication and until I'm stabilized, I'm not sure I can have anything done except emergencies.

This may not be my post that is funny or good for my friends and family to read about in my blog. But I'm so happy to have hope that I can continue swimming, I just can't get the therapy that I need right now. It's so great to me that I have an option to fight the "all powerful" insurance. I'm not in a rant just very hopeful and positive.

The very best part of swimming is my dear, dear friends that I have there. I've been doing this for over five years and even though five years seems like a like a long time, I'm a "newbie." Some of the ladies that go and swim are in their 90's and have been exercising there for almost 30 years.

The "pool-hall girls" go to movies together, we have parties, we attend weddings, and everyone  let's go with not only the hard times, but we celebrate great events in our lives.. like my friend Dallas, her grand daughter is getting married and we're so excited for her. It turns-out I'm friends with the groom's aunt and his grandparents. It's amazing because she live three towns away from me! The ladies there at the pool share our best doctors, great movies to see, go to lunches and dinners, celebrate birthdays together, some even gather and go to the casinos together. I bring our chicken's eggs to share and some bring books, and vegetables and fruit from their gardens.

I'm not "up-to-speed" yet on my getting back into shape. I spent 45 minutes on the stair-stepper between classes and it took the energy right-out of me today. This afternoon I did accomplished a lot helping my Steve with information that I had stored on the big computer and he needed pictures and plans for work.  I did the livestock chores tonight, pretty easy.

My priorities tomorrow are starting to reorganize the "Cowboy Room" for company.  I'm moving everything around in there. And, I really want to dig-up a part of my planting area for my Vinca Major or common name for Periwinkle. I think it's called Periwinkle, maybe it's just me lol. It does super-well under the Oak Trees. I think the only acid soil is under the Oaks. Then, I'm mowing the front lawn. Easy do, it's already edged.

Tonight I'm going to bed early and listen to Tim(my) Conroy Jr. on KFI Los Angeles. It makes for lots of giggles and usually I'm asleep before he finishes his time-slot.

 I got at Easter Seals this morning and the water was 94 degrees. I was never more happy than to smell chlorine in my life and walk down into the warm water. It reminds me of great times. It's just really fun.

Forced Into Yardwork. I'm Loving It!

This past month lots has been happening around here. There's baseball games in three different towns, and the ending of basketball season, and I love basketball. And now there's yard work!

Our circular driveway that  a person could actually drive around except there are two cars propped-up waiting to be restored, Dustin's old Land Crusier and our old Convertible Valiant. Our horse trailer full of Alfalfa, a Ford tractor with a sideloader attached. Scattered tons of metal lawn furniture. We had a recycling center so I got all the lawn and outside party chairs and tables at scrap value and begging my husband it all could be beautiful. And of course our truck and FJ, our Minit trailer we want to restore. Our Sister produce trailer that my Steve uses for CERT training and in the prime location sits my new tractor! Oh, ye-ah! It's a trashed-up driveway, if everything was brand new,  it still would be a mess.

So I found beauty all over the little cracks in the asphalt. Camomile. It's an herb that grows usually in Germany and the Mediterranean. Our Camomile is wild and grows everywhere and it's native to Southern California. It doesn't have the pedals, but all the wonderful qualities of the others are present in our herbal weeds. I walk and smell it's aroma and how great is fresh Camomile tea?

I learned all-over again how much fun it is to fix-up the yard. Today would be perfect to do it all over again, but my work was just day before yesterday, and the rain (surprise) made the soil too muddy to work.  Monday's forecast at 80 degrees and I'm getting some gloves ready.  I may even have some flowers to plant by then. My lawns are the best they've been in a long time I have to consider we have burn patches from our recent and rare freezes this past month. I'm doing this not because I wanted to do it, but because Steve's still hurt from the firefighting mishap and falling off that bluff. I may get him to watch "Breaking Dawn II" today. Nah. But I found joy in playing in the yard and something I forgot I loved.

Just Cram It Into One Post and Move On

I have a favorite App. and I carry it with me everywhere. It's called Instagram and the best part is each picture has a space for posting and comments. A "Heart" check box, to love the pictures and lots of room for the hashtags. Yes, I know what they're purpose is connecting with others that have the same hashtag. My love of Instagram is the random stuff my grandchildren post online. I could have posted all of the pictures and it would be filled with football, baseball, and basketball players. And cars, and lots of animals, and young adults that hack your phone and take pictures of themselves on all the kid's phones. Okay, on the animals... I only gave my blog one this time, he was too cute to pass-up.

 By the way...there's an App that takes a picture of the person that really steals your phone for reals. I'm getting it, because so much of my life is on my phone. Notes, Appointments, reminders for appointments. I know if you're reading this, I'm redundant.

Singing, "I Love Technology" I'm Not Related To Him

How is it that we can learn about our children through new Technology? Some of my family Tweets (140 characters) I can catch a glimpse of a thought or feeling of my family. Some have blogs, but not like in the past because of Facebook and Instagram. I feel in someways it's not to great to go that route because so much of  Facebook can't be copied-out and saved or Instagram. Actually, I would hate to have everything I've ever posted be in someone's possession, as in a identity theft.

The pictures I love last for a little while on Instagram and "Poof" they are gone. But since I can't copy the picture and they're so tired of me asking them to send me a copy from their own phone library. Sooooo,  I take a picture of the picture. Oh how wonderful is the I Phone? Adree received her first I Phone today and she was so happy. She was using an old phone and just allowed on Instagram. Now her parents can track her and she can call if no one's there to pick her up at school.

I never, ever would have thought that my grandchildren or children were so obsessed with taking pictures. Well, me too. I saw a pack of Chihuahuas running down the street and I wanted to take a movie of it. I still might see them and I'm stopping next time. There were at least ten struting down the sidewalk with their swag-on. They were following the toughest one and he kept looking back to make sure all the others were still going with him. Total Chihuahua behavior.

"Sandlot" Icon From The Movie, I Don't Know Him Either.

So here's the Instagram pictures mostly my grandchildren take and a couple from my children. I suppose this is quite the boring blog because just about everyone does this, but something will be new and better and I want to save these--I wish I had saved them all. Maybe I'll have them FOR--EV-ER.

#Waiting #tired #hungry #wheresmyride?

I think the looks on their faces or what they're thinking about, what's beautiful to them, I love their funny jokes and silly faces, their likes and dislikes, and their ducky lips! That face is supposed to look like kisses...Ha! Someday they'll be telling their grandchildren that their lips didn't really look like that. For me this is capturing moments that we would never, ever have. We wouldn't or couldn't have our camera ready in time, or even think to waste film (lots of money) on say, "An Ice Cream Cone." Or even the backs of our kids.

#yummy #icecream #likeclosetomybirthday #lovingicecreamintherain

Okay, Where's The One. My Grandson is "4"

Passing-down The Phone and Charlie's Only 5

She has blond Really Curly Hair-Whata' Change

Cousins and Forever Friends

#Teenagers No Need For More Hashtags

He's Really Saying, "Hi DAD!" While My Son Was On Fire Duty

Dustin Has More Fun Than Most On His Shift! There's More To This-A Movie lol

Making music on the guitar the old fashioned way and new music on a computer.

High School Assignment in Spanish Class? Who Does This? Hannah

 Baby Pictures and I can't get enough of my little red-headed Okie grandchild!

Up At Night

Hashtags All Over, But I Cut Most of Them Out

Red Dirt of Okalahoma on My Red-Headed Baby Susan


Programs and Awards

School Project And Our Ancestors

Dr. Suess Day!

My Grandchildren and Son-in-Law Show Off Their Wins at Pinewood Derby

I love the pictures of Little kids being happy and finding joy in just small things.

I'm so blessed! Sweet Little Pictures. I have so many!

 New Sister

Finlee Dressed Herself For The Snow of Wyoming

Guess? Kenna Loves Stickers

I recieve a lot of pictures of what my grandchildren love to do and the silly things they do!

Dallin's New Baseball Team

Hannah's Love of the Ocean

Jake Loves Those Airsoft Guns

Jake's Favorite Team

We All Love Pigs! Probably Hannah Posted This Little Wilbur

Tanner and Corbin's Scout Hike Up Matilija and Those Are Matilija Poppies

 Watching The Oz with Hashtags everywhere ###

Pictures in The Girl's Bathroom At School? Of Themselves, of Course

Tanner's shirt above is hilarious and I kept looking
 at it and looking at it, Adree had to explain. I was distracted.

Watching The Oz

Tatum's Full-on Ducky-lips, Kisses

I Saw The Hashtags on These And What A Fun Picture!

Then there's my own children and me catching the moment!
 We caught a moment of our daughter, Tres...
 catching a moment of her daughter in very stormy weather

Tres and Hannah

Dustin's Nightly Sunsets Near His Home. This Is At School House Beach

My Marnie's Long-time Goal Early in The Morning.

   Hiking To Two Trees. Perfect Picture

 of Our Channel Islands In The Distance.