A New Year's Wish

Never cling to the past
Enjoy every day as if it were your last
When in doubt...trust God

You can do anything you make your mind up to do

Expect good things to happen

Always do your best and be your best

Really enjoy the simple things in life

Well,, the end of this busy year is almost here. I have so enjoyed this new journey of blogging and all of the paths that led me to you and your wonderful blogs. May you all start this new year out with HOPE and FAITH. And may all good things find themselves at your door! Blessings for the new year! Kathleen

Back From My Break!

Hi everyone! I am back from my Christmas break and hope this finds that all of you had a wonderful holiday. For all of you still under snow and freezing weather, I hope you soon "thaw out"! We were blessed to not have ice or snow this Christmas.

The days leading up to Christmas were pleasant. So much in fact, that the chickens were able to get out and roam the grounds. The fish pond was not frozen over and the fish came up eager to get something to eat.

Jerimiah, was half asleep, but enjoying the warmer weather.

Abby, as well as the other cats ,enjoyed rolling in the dry warm dirt and grass.

Hercules was able to sit in his outside pen instead of being closed up in the shed.

Although the weather has been pleasant, we need moisture in any form.We have not gotten any rain since early summer. Everything that grew so well last year, will not come up in spring if we do not get a snow or rain. That is the biggest problem about living in Texas. Today for example, the wind is roaring outside, blowing all of the dirt from the dry barren fields.

But along the grounds I can find signs of hope and whispers that spring will not be too far away. The Italian Jasmine is putting on it's green leaves and will have bright yellow blossoms by January.

The stock flower, which is one of the toughest flowers to survive all year through the worst west Texas climate, is crisp and green. By February, it will be covered in purple fragrant blossoms. As the dry earth crunches beneath my feet, it's these little promises from nature that make me keep hope. Do any of you have any kind of flowers or plants that hang on through the winter? I would love to hear!

A Christmas Break

The weather has turned off cold and damp,

causing me to want to stay indoors and do embroidery instead of working on the grounds.The animals are all snug and warm in their hay,

and Christmas is just about here.
So my blogging friends, I am taking a break from posting this week. I will return to see what Santa and the new year has brought to you. A very Merry Christmas to all of you with the best of blessings! Kathleen

A Little Christmas Tune from our barnyard, to yours

Sophie

Hi everyone.... Christmas is coming to the farm and Kathleen wanted to tell you all Merry Christmas.....so we want to help her....by singing a little song.... so here goes.......mee,mee,meee,meeeee..

Abby

We wish you a meowy Christmas....
Max

We wish you a meowy Christmas....

Salem

We wish you a meowy Christmas....

Hercules
And a hoppy new year!!!

Gideon

Merry Christmas from the me and the gals in the hen house. Hope your Christmas is something to crow about!

Sam

Merry Christmas from us ducks also!! Blessings to you all!!

My Husband's Hands

I have never known my husband's hands to feel soft, even from the first time I met him and held his hand. His hands told the story of long hours of work. Through the 25 years of holding his hand through the twisted roads of life, I know the feel of his hands even with my eyes closed and the many roles his hands have played in our life together.

His hands brought me bouquets of wildflowers that he had stopped to pick on the way before we went out on a date. On our wedding day, his best man knocked on the door at church where I was getting ready to walk down the isle. My maid of honor answered the door and brought me a bouquet of wild flowers that my fiance had picked on the way to the wedding.

His hands have touched each of our children's new tiny hands at the time of their birth and has comforted and supported them through the years with fatherly love, always patient, always kind and gentle.

I have seen his hands in prayer,
I have seen his hands open to anyone in need.

When his work is done in the "working world" his hands are still busy working, providing,

our every need.

His hands are skilled and creative

always working

on the next project.

These are the hands of a hard working man, my husband, my sweetie.

And as the years roll by and age takes it's toll,

when his hands slow down, and stop the day's work,

It is enough for me to hold the hands of the one I love. There's just something about those hands.

Good Morning! The day begins

Every day in my corner of the world, my day begins between 5:30 to 6:00 a.m. My youngest son gets ready for school, I see him off as the bus rolls up to take him away.

By this time, the morning sun is just starting to streak through the window. Salem is as anxious as I to go out and see what the new day brings.

The mornings are now quite chilly and the cats find the best spots of sun to warm themselves in.
Tuff likes the cement and the bush by the shed.

Sophie is ready to start the day. As soon as everyone is checked on, she knows we go on our daily walks.

Boo has found the perfect sunny spot on the old church pew by the back door. Wait, I am missing someone.....where is Max?

Max is not as eager to leave the warm bed and ignores my pestering him to come outside.

The barnyard gang is always happy to greet me.

The ducks have already been splashing in the cold water of their pool and are quite noisy today.

Gideon is checking out the grain I have tossed to everyone.

Eleanor wants more than grain, she wants me to pull some of the remaining green grass to hand to her.

Now that they have been checked upon, we have a quick walk to the pond. Jeremiah is still living in our pond, even though it has been freezing over in the cold mornings.

The fish have slowed down a little due to the colder water, but still have a good appetite.

Yesterday, the cotton fields were white with the cotton balls hanging on the plants. Do any of you have cotton fields around your place as well?

Today, the field is bare with only a little hint that cotton once grew here. The farmers harvested it yesterday and took it to the gin.

Along our roads, soft fluffy cotton lies where it has blown from the hauling trucks.

Sophie loves to explore in the tall prairie grass. The grounds are now going to sleep for the long winter ahead.

Every thing is drying up and turning brown.

Except for the cactus that grows abundantly here. I just love cactus that grows along an old barbed wire fence.

Our property is full of old twisted mesquite trees. They don't offer much shade in the summer, but they are full of character.

Looking across our property, the "Caprock"mountains, not really much of a mountain, can be seen in the far off distance. It is mostly clay, and even though it's not too tall, it is still pretty around the flat lands that we live.

My favorite view..... A view walking back to our home. A full morning of outside almost gone. Now I will go inside to write or work up a new project, talked about in my embroidery bloghttp://yesteryearembroideries.blogspot.com/ and then to the kitchen to cook up the day's meals, talked about in my cooking blog, http://countrykitchenkat.blogspot.com/ If you are curious as to what the big white plastic barrel is by the house....it is a rain barrel to catch the run off rain. I use it a lot in the summer for my plants. Have a good week everyone!!

Hey!!!! it's me Hercules!!... You left me out Kathleen, I am the first one you check on every morning! I get special treats and special treatment because I am the only little bunny on the farm!!

Yes, that's right, he's quiet and sweet and has my utmost attention!