My Favorite Things 2009

Whew, another Christmas has come and gone. A whirlwind of family, friends, and fun with a week long visit from the prodigal son. His last Christmas as a single man and his last pair of Christmas pajamas, which have over the years turned into Old Navy sleep pants. Everyone decided it would be weird for his mama to buy him a pair of Christmas pajamas after he's married.
Speaking of the son, he got me one of my favorite things....a mono pod. I love it. It really helps steady this shaky old hand. He also included rechargeable batteries and a recharger. I love this boy.


He has the good sense to marry the wonderful Goldilocks, who gave me this.....




They waited in line in Denver until very late to get this for me....and one for her too I hope.



We share a Pioneer Woman admiration. I mean really what's not to love? Food, ranch life and great photos.


This book was better than I expected. It is a cookbook but so much more. Beautiful photos and stories. A lovely tribute to her family.

One unexpected favorite is my headlamp. I asked for one because I do a lot of my chores in the dark and there will be kids this spring that may need a little more light on them. That headlamp has opened up a whole new world for me. A person can do anything at night with a headlamp. It is such a favorite that I knew right away I would need to get one for Hubby....and the son. I'm sure people have known the wonders of a headlamp for years but its been a new discovery for me. No more fumbling with a Mag light. The goats are a little scared of the one-eyed monster that feeds them at night but I expect them to get use to her real soon.

Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas

Cora Belle For "Goat Of The Year"

A picture's worth a thousand words.







Vote here

Vote For Cora Belle

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Cora Belle has been nominated for Goat Of The Year.
Vote please.
She is really not the type that is happy just to be nominated. She wants to win.

Boots Are In This Year

Christmas Boots

Thanks Beth K.

A Christmas Photo

From the first moment I saw Reese, the little white goat, I pictured her with a big red bow around her neck for Christmas. I would take her picture and make it into a Christmas card. The trouble is that any good picture I might happen to take is purely by chance. It is a miracle if I get it off my camera and on my computer and it still looks good.
I was determined to make a Christmas card with Reese on the front.
Now Reese is nearly as wild as Notty so after cornering her and putting a big red bow around her neck with Alice and Buttons helping with the positioning, I decided to tuck the blue plastic chain she had on under the bow. You will see how well that worked.

I snapped away as she frolicked around the pen and didn't get anything I am really crazy about and apparently I s_ _ _ at Photoshop. I do hate that word but there are times that it is the only one that fits.
Here are some of the outtakes.



After all that, I have nothing. I'm hoping the fog and clouds will part this weekend so I can torture myself one more time.
Or if you are really good at Photoshop, even marginally good, please feel free to play with any of these for me. I want to cut the goat out and put her in a more Christmassy background and get rid of the blue collar.
Anyone? Please?

Koo

Whenever a new animal arrives, Koo must come over to investigate.


Are you friend or foe?

Buttons and Reese....and Alice

Buttons and Reese are starting to settle in. Buttons misses her family and since she can't have them she thinks I'll do. She follows me everywhere. I had a hard time getting a picture of her because she was always in my back pocket. If you look behind her in this picture you will see why she was still long enough for me to get away and get a picture. Everywhere Buttons goes Reese goes. If I get out of Buttons sight she cries and cries for me.
In preparation for the arrival of Buttons, I put Alice in with the big goats. It's about time she was a big goat. But they are very rude to her when the food comes out and since she doesn't have a pushy bone in her body she gets left out. It is very sad.

It brings out deep childhood memories. I can't stand it.

Tonight when I went to feed there was Alice all by herself. Even Semi-Sweet had abandoned her. Hubby said he thought I should put her back in her old pen with the new goats. I let Alice out of the big goat pen and she pulled me as fast as she could and jumped on the gate. She didn't give the new goats even a first look let alone a second, dove into her stall, and started eating. She was home.