Ben – Page 3 – This Old House 2

All he wanted for Christmas….

..were flannel sheets.

So I obliged a little early.

It’s the little things, don’t ya know.

Peace on earth…

…requires dogs and beaches, I’m convinced.

“Dogs are our link to paradise. They don’t know evil or jealousy or discontent.

To sit with a dog on a (beach)on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden,

where doing nothing was not boring–it was peace.”

― Milan Kundera

“You think those dogs will not be in heaven!

I tell you they will be there long before any of us.”

― Robert Louis Stevenson

“No matter how close we are to another person, few human relationships are as free from strife, disagreement, and frustration as is the relationship you have with a good dog. Few human beings give of themselves to another as a dog gives of itself. I also suspect that we cherish dogs because their unblemished souls make us wish – consciously or unconsciously – that we were as innocent as they are, and make us yearn for a place where innocence is universal and where the meanness, the betrayals, and the cruelties of this world are unknown.”

― Dean Koontz,

“I have found that when you are deeply troubled,

there are things you get from the silent devoted companionship of a dog

that you can get from no other source.”

― Doris Day

“Spiritual fulfillment doesn’t have to mean belief in a religion or disbelief in science.

… Whether one believes in an unseen, all-knowing force,

or the wonder of science and the universe,

or simply the beauty of the human spirit,

nearly every one of feels an inner longing

to feel part of something bigger than ourselves.”

― Cesar Millan – The Dog Whisperer.

Good morning!

..and it is a glorious one here in New England.

I plan to enjoy it to the fullest…

a walk with one of the dogs in the State forest

to kick start my fitness project (that would be myself)

and later some pumpkin muffin baking with

Cheyenne’s recipe, posted today, click below
http://littleprairiebaby.blogspot.com/2012/10/pumpkin-muffins-toews-family-cookbook.html

The light was so beautiful as the mist burned off this morning

that once horses and chickens were fed I ran inside to grab my camera

to capture some of the awesome glow.

The horses are still munching on crab apples off the old apple tree in their pasture…

and I take the extras out daily, fighting off the bees…

as we don’t want them to have too many.

New chicks and old are getting along fine…

Notice my year-olds look like a hot mess, being smack in the middle of their first “molt”.

This is Dorothy, currently outside the coop as punishment

this morning for mercilessly picking on the newbies.

I’d had enough of that crap and threw her featherless butt out for the morning.

She’s not quite sure what happened… I’m hoping it stirs up the pecking order some.

This look means:

Mom.. I ripped my new sheet already..and it’s been over a week.

Please get me a new one, my nails keep getting caught in the rip.

Love you lots though, really, BEN.

Have a great weekend, all – we’ve made a pact here at This Old House.

WE… aren’t going to talk politics.

Ever again.

ever.

Randomocity

Did I just make that word up?

Did you watch that ABANDONED program about the vacant Johnsonville

that I heralded last night?

It wasn’t all the great. They didn’t highlight half of the village’s appeal,

nor did they discuss much of the history of that oddly wonderful vacant village.

If you did see it, the fellow that was haggling over the prices of “stuff”

with the shows host… was the guy who I bumped into when I went

trespassing on the property to take pictures.

He was reluctant,but then allowed a few shots…keeping an eye on my whereabouts.

That school house that was purchased on the show still stands..

so if they really bought it for the reported $5,000., they haven’t taken it yet.

The show was mostly about junk hunting, which disappointed me.

Frasier wasn’t impressed either.

This is a bouquet I picked from the backyard gardens before the storms the other night.

Even though these flowers are all out there for everyone to see…

ALL SUMMER LONG…

the husband and child thought they were store bought,

shocked that they came from our own yard.

For a minute I think they didn’t believe it.

Now why would that be shocking?

Every morning I’m up at 5:30 am… the dogs go out,

then the dogs come in to be fed.

The manchild is awoken, much to his chagrin,

and then I head up to the barn and coop to feed..

while she takes him for a walk..

…in rainboots.

Keeps the ticks off in the tall grass, didn’t ya know.

***

Warning: If you’re easily offended, look away now.

Finally, a few words about politics and living in a house divided.

It ain’t easy.

Enough said.

My Buddy

Lord, please let me be half the (wo)man my dog thinks I am.

– Russell Friedman.

Bad Bedding

ost of us know by now that bedding … in particular GOOD bedding….is very important. When we moved into This Old House almost two years ago (time flies!!!) we bought new beds and mattresses for everyone. Mike and I splurged on a really good mattress for ourselves because we both have neck arthritis and whine about it ~~alot~~ sometimes. We’re very happy with that mattress. The kids got cheaper versions… from B*b’s Discount place… you know the one if you’re from around here. That was just stupid. …..the manchild’s mattress didn’t last two years without having a crater on the side where he always sleeps. And I mean a crater. The picture below is when he’s NOT sleeping in it. He sinks much further when he’s IN it and it’s already bothering his back.

SO… we bought him a new one of better quality and it came today.

He’ll sleep much better tonight.

What to do with the old mattress?

Ben doesn’t mind the crater at all…

but my little office is now standing room only….

unless you don’t mind lying down with the dogs.

Every now and then…

…..I talk him into taking a half hour away from work…

(in the middle of the DAY??? … )

turning off the cell phone..

(…not turning it off! but not answering either. )

good enough…

and taking some time to just breathe it all in.

What are we here for…

why are we working so hard….

if we can’t give ourselves permission for that.

68 degrees today, sunny all day long…

I’ll take it 🙂

Only in winter…

…can we dog people bring our canine companions down to walk the beaches.

The winter has been so mild, I’m taking advantage of every good walking day…

“It is an interesting biological fact that all of us have in our veins the exact same percentage of salt in our blood that exists in the ocean, and therefore, we have salt in our blood, in our sweat, in our tears.

We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea–whether it is to sail or to watch it–we are going back from whence we came.”

– John F. Kennedy

Love is…

Unconditional

OXOXO

This picture has so much meaning to me and truly represents LOVE! The “I ♥ U” is how my husband and I have always signed our notes to each other and we even had it engraved in our wedding bands. The heart in the middle is actually my 6 year old’s handprints made into a heart shape. She IS my heart and every time I look at my mantle, it just warms my soul. ~ Kathryn

OXOXO

Carolina

OXOXO

This picture is not a great picture, my niece posted it on facebook
for me to see. But to me this is love. My brother is a Vietnam Vet,
one of those guys that went off as a young man and came back as a
troubled soul who never really came back at all. He is holding his
first grandchild, a baby boy named Ethan. This little guy gave my
brother something to hang on to, when he was ready to let go.
This picture speaks to me of hope.
~ Joyce Ann
OXOXO