She might be a little difficult to see at first, but right there in the center of the picture – right on that branch – is Oreo, one of our female Muscovy ducks from Chris and Elizabeth Coats. Muscovy’s are often called “tree ducks,” because, well, they will roost in trees. They don’t build nests in trees, but they will perch and sleep up in the trees.
This is Rocky, our Melissa’s truck. He’s named Rocky because, well the kids have named every vehicle we’ve had, and they decided on Rocky. Over the years, we’ve had
When we moved out to the country, we knew we were going to need a truck. We found this 2004 F350 Lariat Diesel on Craigslist – pristine condition, and only 91,000 miles on it 12 years later. So when our house finally sold, we bought the truck, and it’s been a tremendous blessing to our family.
Picture doesn’t do it justice, but there’s a beautiful orange sunset perfectly framed in the equally beautifully orange tractor’s ROPS.
The other morning, as I walked to open the gate for the day, I saw some amazing spider webs dotting the front pasture. The morning dew bathed them, and when the first rays of sunshine crept across the horizon, the pasture lit up with these beautiful creations.
In addition to being prolific with their webs, I’ve noticed country spiders spin webs with a much higher tensile strength than their city counterparts. Accidentally walking into one of these instantly reminds me of that scene in Lord of the Rings where Frodo gets stuck in Shelob’s lair…very…difficult…to…get…it…all…off…of…me.
This is Opal, our male cat. Opal was part of a stray litter at my parent’s house, and he was the only one hungry enough to get stuck in the trap. He was just a little kitten then, but has become an excellent mouser, and is probably the most affectionate of all our cats and dogs. He loves to jump up into your lap for a good scratching and caressing. And despite being deadly to rodents with his claws, he never uses them on his humans.
This is Buddy, our Spaniel-Something-Or-Other. Buddy grew up with Ethan, my nephew. But once they both turned 18 and Buddy successfully got Ethan off to college, it was time to retire to the easy life on the farm. Buddy enjoys relaxing days on the front porch, and doesn’t mind when his naps are interrupted for a good scratch.
This is Sapphire, our teeny-tiny Siamese cat. She was the runt of a litter from our friends the Laprise’s cat. She has the most beautiful sapphire blue eyes, which you can see in the picture below. Sapphire has survived being a chew toy for Max and Bryan, as well as a hawk attack that left her near death’s door. But much love, cuddles, and lots of heavy whipping cream helped nurse her back to health. She’s very friendly and affectionate, but hasn’t quite figured out that claws aren’t always necessary.
This is Jayden, our Calico Cat. Like Charlie, Jayden came with us from the city, and has adjusted well to country life. Jayden tolerates people, but cannot stand other cats, and certainly not any dog…except her best friend, Charlie. She loves lying around during the day, and faithfully executing rodent patrol at night.
Ms. Dorothy (Dorothy Guerra) gave us a bunch of pinto beans, and Melissa and the kids planted them along the fence. Amazing to me that they’ve grown up so fast – from single bean to finished plant in about 4-6 weeks. They taste great fresh, and we’re planning on drying some for soups as well as planting for next year.
Got a favorite pinto bean recipe? We’d love to try it. Share it in the comments below.
