" May Flowers "

As you know ~~~ April showers bring May flowers! We had lots of rain in April and the flowers are wonderful ......
This Rose is bowing from all it's blooms ~~~~~




This bed just takes my breath away!

I'm always amazed by the different colored roses a Joseph's Coat turns out !!

The Pond House Amaryllis are just beautiful ~~~~~

WOW !!

I forgot to show this in the last post, we had also planted a Pomegranate Tree

I think that may be fruit bursting out of this bloom ~~~~~~~~~~~

Max is on guard watching the girls free range ...................

Yesterday, my dear friend author Carolyn Haines, picked up her "Harper Lee Award" at a luncheon during "The Harper Lee Festival " in Monroeville, Alabama! This award recognizes Alabama's Distinguished Writer of the Year ~~~~~~~~~

She also was presented a signed copy of " To Kill A Mockingbird " !!

OMG !! I would just be stepping high over that !!!!!!

That's OK Carolyn ~~~ You can live MY dream!

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND EVERYONE !!!!!!!!!!!!!

" Battles At Swiftwater "

This is Madame Willow.............who has decided that she wants to raise some little Willows. She is one tuff chick! She won this battle! However I win the afternoon battle to gather eggs! All be it I have to have a pair of long arm leather gloves!! She hisses and growls like a rabid varmint but I manage to get my 7 eggs a day!!









She gets to keep these 4 marked eggs to set on......................

We have really been enjoying the free range antics of Oscar and his girls.........

Max however has won the battle of "who's " the farm boss! Head em up, move em out Max....

He watches them all day. He won't allow them to wander off in the woods or go into the front.

He keeps them out around the back and herds em up at roost time! The only thing he can't do it shut the door and lock it!

Spring has won the battle against Winter it seems............

Both the Forsythia and Bradford Pear are a mix of leaves and blooms......

The Amaryllis are popping up.............

I have one lone cluster of Daffodils..........I need to plant some more of these!

The Wisteria is popping out clusters to admire...........

They just don't last long enough to suit me............

The Tulip Tree has been a beauty this year............

Peach Tree blooms.............

The Empress Tree is just loaded with lavender bells...............

One Iris has bloomed so far...............

The Weigela is gorgeous................

I'm willing to bet the Joseph's Coat is gonna show out big time before I know it.........

We may even get May haw's this year from the looks of these blooms..........

I put the new Hummingbird feeder up Thursday evening and look who showed up Friday morning!

Everything thing around here is battling to win. I have been in the fight of my life against this wicked Respiratory Virus. It's been 12 days and I'm still fighting for breath and my head and chest are full of gunk! After 10 days of strong antibiotics with no real relief, I took matters into my own hands yesterday and reverted to a thousand year old proven method. A Neti Pot for Sinus cleansing! I don't know why I didn't go this route to start with as it used to be all I ever did for cold and sinus problems years ago. I got major relief last night and will continue it daily from here on out. I'm gonna win this battle !!!!!!!!!!!!

I also read an article in my MJ Farm magazine yesterday about taking 1 teaspoon of honey and 1/4 teaspoon of Cinnamon mixed to relieve any sinus or chest congestion problems so I am doing this too !!

At present I'm almost finished reading the 2nd book in Nancy Turner's Sarah Prine series, "Sarah's Quilt". It is a real good read though not as good as " These Is My Words " and written quite different. I'm hoping the 3rd one, "The Star Garden" is more like the first...........

Lately I'm also having the most vivid crazy dreams! I normally don't remember the details of my dreams but the last few nights I can remember every detail. A few nights ago I dreamed a friend had a baby boy. It was so real I can still see the little fellow plain as day! Since she is long past having babies, there is no way this would come true unless it's a grandson! HA!

Last night I helped save antiques from another friends Victorian home which was on fire!

Any of you know what dreams mean??????????

It's Sunny today and should get to 75 so I'm hoping to get out later and get some dirt under my nails working at cleaning out some beds................

Tomorrow I plan to spend the day visiting you guys whom I've neglected horribly!!

Have A Great Weekend Everyone !!!!!!!!!!!!!

" Meet Max "

Yesterday I wrote about Roxie getting a new home that was a perfect fit for her. I really hated having to give up Roxie as we have been wanting a Border Collie for so long but she is so much happier with the kids. On Christmas Eve, Hubby's cousin whom we got our chickens from called and asked if we would take Max, his 2 year old, fully trained Border Collie? Would we ??? We were ecstatic!




Max is trained to herd chickens but he decided he would herd cattle also.

Trouble is, Cousin doesn't have cattle. He was herding some neighbor cattle and the owners were not happy about it!

Cuz was afraid Max was going to end up shot so he asked us to take him.........

We went and picked him up last Saturday. He is AMAZING !! SUPER SMART !

He and Hubby are best Buds now. Max makes every step Hubby does. He loves herding the cattle while Hubby puts out feed.

He's already taken over my seat in the truck, riding with Hubby.. :)

He lays at the carport door waiting for Hubby to come back out and work with him!

It's funny how life brings you exactly what you need when you need it. We love Max and look forward to having him here for a long time. When the weather gets a little drier, I'm going to start letting the chickens out for a while and he will get them back in to roost.

I'm feeling a tad better today, maybe I can start getting the decorations packed up!! :)