OKAY...SO TIME HAS SLIPPED BY AGAIN!

I know, I know...I promised.  But I have a good excuse this time...I'm working madly to finish up the third book in my     YA/Tween Fantasy/Adventure Series, Benjamin McTish.  As you know, last year got all discombobulated with my father in law moving in and needing so much care (it's been a year by the way since his passing..how freaking quick did that go by!? I actually got teary about it last night..such is life and death)...and then my dear husband with his health issues, so the promised tome did not materialize as planned, however, I'v been writing and it's nearly there! (ps. having issues with format here on the ever problematic blogger posting..this should all be left align..sorry."

Here's the cover

                            

So, time allowing and no sudden moves, it should be in my hot little hand by the end of the month..yay!

In the meantime, life moves on.  The storms have been dreadful...my poor little chix stand in their coop watching the flood go by their door..it's really quite cute actually.  And don't get me wrong, I love the rain and grey days...love it...but even this is getting to me a bit now too...so I decided not to add any new ladies this month...eleven is a good number at present.  And until I can find the truly special ones I've been hunting for, it will remain as such.  Although I did rescue a little Buff Crested Duck..Penelope I call her..so she's fitting in well at the present, getting her "big girl" voice and all...super cute.

Miss Monroe...of course!

Here we have, beginning on the right,..
Princess Buttercup, Ms. Monroe, Bette
(or Ms. M, or even Divine at times),
and I believe that might be Esther, then
of course Mr. Big..who started out as Gilda..!!

My favorite, but don't tell the others, Lydia...
she is ginormous..the fluffiest and softest chicken
you have ever held..unbelievable!!
this pic doesn't do her justice..the one 
I wanted wouldn't up load properly..next time.

Petunia..who is gigantic as well..Blue Cochin..love!

Sophie..or as we call her..Soff

Hermione...yes, Potter fan!!

The new baby..Penelope!

The old gals..Ruby and Vida..
Rubs came back after her first molt
with white feathers around her collar..??
Strange look, on her super black body
with shiny green feathers in her wings...
and now white!

And this is Mr. Big...we found a new home
for him..wait till you see this...
ps. he's only five months old here!
By the time he was six months
he came up above my knees..he was aptly
named..and yes, Sex in the City fan!

So we found a new home for our Mr. Big...he's on a local farm..little home farm..with forty hens!!  Talk about Cock of the Walk...anyway, this place is AH-Maze-ing!!  I felt like I was in England...big sprawling fields, geese wondering around and sheep...oh man, I've been wanting sheep for a while now...we'll see..this is just a random little guest cottage on the property..they had several...cute cute cute!

I want one of these...just this long path for
the sheep to come up from their pasture and is
capped off with an amazing gate...so magical!
the photo of the gate won't load..argh!!

Loads of other things going on for the Schneider clan...this is a house we went to visit with our friends, Kim and Tom.  Their friend Ron has been building this by hand for six years...I took loads of photos, and don't want to inundate you today..so will save for future post..because it's worth it..but here are a few...it's made entirely of iron and steel...he likes rusted old scrapes and it was breathtaking..up in the hillsides, close to the coast...just spectacular! 

that's rusted iron framing the other metal..!

work room

A couple weeks ago we went off to the Roller Derby with our good friends, Bill and Paula...the girls come out in the beginning all bent over low and stamp their skates in time to David Bowie..Under Pressure (I think that's what is was.geez..it was Bowie either way and super dramatic), They wear scarves like bandits and it was super cool..unfortunately for them, our home team the Steamer Janes won! What a blast!

And last, but certainly not least...my precious and perfect cat Frankie left us.  It's been since our big Xmas/Birthday bash that we've seen him around...and unfortunately living in the foothills of the forest is not the safest of homes for an outdoor cat.  I'd like to believe he simply got twisted around in the huge storm and found a new home...or that he went after something, or maybe something chased him, and again, got lost in all the inclimate weather and found some other lovely people to take care of him...He was most loved.  I've never had a relationship with an animal as I did with this fat tuxedo cat.  He would lie on my chest and literally put his arms around my neck and stare at me....it brings tears to my eyes right now, just thinking of him. His perfect purring motor and his curling up on my lap...I simply loved him with all my heart. We shared a terrific eight years together and he could never be replaced.  The last fun memory we have of him is at the holidays when the kids were staying in the den and Frankie was literally walking around on my son Cal's chest and face...we were cracking up.  Cal kept attempting to speak with out getting cat in his mouth.."what is he doing?"  We just laughed and laughed..he was loved deeply by our family.  I wish I had some of his younger pics..or even better ones, however, most were from the old real camera days, and the others are..who knows?  Why they aren't in my Frankie folder I don't know..but I did have these to share...

So back to the grind...and the incessant rain!  I know, I know..we need it...but it's time to do some major gardening and right now it's a pile of mud!!  (my new obsession, bearded iris's..we'll talk) There are a couple other things to share, but I'll wait until next week...need to move on with my day and give you guys a break from reading about my life...stay happy, dry and safe...much love to my besties..and much joy to everyone else! xo juner

Ho Downs, A Birthday, The Beach and Sauerkraut

Oh man, I  always have such good intentions. I take pictures at all kinds of events around here.  New chickens, new planter box in the garden.  A new preserving class, a Ho Down….and then life just keeps going and more exciting things keep happening and then it's a month or two later and I'm playing catch up with you all.

So here we go.

A couple quick picks of the new baby girls…who are a month and  a half older than these photos already..you should see them now, so utterly colorful and feathery…I'll get you caught up with them next week and introduce each beauty…oh and there's a new black duck..Ruby.

Then we move on the the Ho Down.
Dad's home shared a BBQ and some wholesome family music with the family from Las Vegas who tours, Mama's Wranglers and clogging..yes, clogging.  In the meantime here they are.

Then we are sharing some quick photos from our oldest sons little birthday celebration, and yes, we are standing on the chairs yet again!

Now onto a lovely walk with the dogs on the beach last week…need I say more.

This is the wall of memories at the end of the trail…
I always hi-five before turning around

Yes, I DID wear this hat to the Ho Down!

And last but not least, the sauerkraut that I learned to make myself at the last preserve class…and some home grown chicken and duck eggs….loving this country living!!

Hope life is treating you kindly….and to all my besties..mucho hugs and love!!  Enjoy! xoxjuner