Wrangling Free Range Dust Bunnies and Other Life Challenge’s

Ever have the feeling you are stuck in a tight spot?  Not a bad spot just a weird one. A lot is going on since the move .  Was a time when I would be posting crazy since I had so much material to work with. Well . . . I have a ton of material, more than ever but it is as I said to Susan " it is as if your house is such a mess you just don't know where to start." The harder I tried the tighter it got. So now I will try again and maybe with a change of the blog dress so to speak I will find my way through still unpacked boxes and the abundance of blogging material and procrastination will take a back seat.

We as a family had a rough spot or two or three over the Christmas holiday. The top of the list was the totally unexpected death of my brother in laws father. The second contender was Emily granddaughter number two in a accident (not her fault) resulting in her truck being totaled and her bits and pieces extremely sore and bruised. But not broken. The time involved especially with the former as he passed on Christmas Day and add life in general made for a weird few weeks.Number three (so maybe we are done for awhile?) is Chloe. My 18 year old calico who we found on the downside of renal failure. So subcutaneous fluids have been started every other day. Not a cure but she still enjoys like and if that helps for a bit we are game.  But we are  mending and it was great to have family support through both.

Fences make good neighbors and places for crazy house dogs to roam.  Also two Great Pyrenees and their goats! Disclaimer is the video I downloaded from my phone if it doesn't play I owe y'all.

Yes folks the fencing is now finished. Next up on the list is the front gate. Not the gate itself at this point but the gate controls. I have spent many a year opening and closing a gate in the weather. It is wet, hot, cold or "it has been a long day and I am tired of climbing in and out of my truck." So in the last 7 years being blessed with an automatic driveway gate I am spoiled. We all have our creature comforts. The old controls bit the dust. So on the first Saturday of February I will be the proud owner of once again an automatic gate which will also afford my family and friends the ability to have their own passwords , a handy dandy gate keypad accessible from the drivers window, It will also be timed to close after vehicle entry (something the other gates weren't programmed to do) and upon leaving a universal button mounted on a pole accessible again for the driver that will open for exit and self close.  Almost better than first cutting alfalfa! Gate is below . And the structure to the right above it is the shop not the cabin. The cabin is another 50 feet up to the right.

Remember the old oven which was the age of the house? That would be 38 years. It died and no "new" replacement part was to be found. Imagine that! So the whole house insurance the seller paid for came through. And a local contractor removed the old, inserted the new and created more cabinet space which is at a premium in my country kitchen.  

Yes it now has knobs same style and color as the original to the kitchen and I am baking my little heart out even if it is electric. I do have to say it is a sweet little oven . Things have changed in 38 years lol.

The time has come for home decor. I fell head over heals in love with the signage above. It nailed what my heart feels every single time I walk through the front door.

This beauty was gifted me by my son and his family. Again couldn't be better. I am having such fun finding pieces here and there . A few more are scattered up and downstairs I will add them as I can. This little gem below was featured in an earlier post but earns another spot in this one. It applies to all of us (he and she) in many situations you think?

Claire number 3 grand girl who is turning 18 and graduating high school this year. Please don't ask me how that could possibly be as I don't know. We did some wood splitting for old times sake and had home made hot cocoa with whipped cream after dinner as a reward.

Photo number one was taken about 10 days ago when the meteorologist missed the mark with the snowfall level by a bit over 2000 ft . So we got this and my drive home from a neighboring town took 1.5 hours when it it is usually 30 at the most. It caught a lot of folks with "their pants down" including our snow plows who hit the road just about the time I did. It was icy, heavy snow and actually fun. Yes it has been almost a year since I have driven in a heavy snow event.

This little guy and its friends lived through the storm and I am looking forward to more on the way since it has dried up a bit and we see the great orb in the sky more often.

I will try to communicate more often. I think I may have my motivation back and now with Spring around the corner   mountain more of these and other projects are on to beginning and / or completion.