Floating Pigg River

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When asked what I wanted to do on my birthday, I said,'kayak the Pigg!'
So we did!
The day started with breakfast at the Whistle Stop in our little town, where a blueberry muffin topped with a candle was brought out by the staff singing Happy Birthday to me!
Then we went home and loaded up the pick-up with my ocean kayak we got in the Keys and the old canoe I have had for a good 25 years, for Bob. The Newcombs (our neighbors) joined us with their aluminum john-boat on their trailer and we set off for "Sylvia's bottom" to drop the floatilla in. We had placed one truck down under the bridge on 890, which is where we would take out.
Bob hasn't canoed since he was a kid, but got right back into it!

The river was a tad muddy from the rains of late, but there was good water, with few areas where we scraped the bottom, and nowhere did we have to walk.

We did jump one deer along the way, and we ran into some other locals enjoying the day running the edges with their 4-wheeler, but as Sam said, "If Momma and Daddy weren't so loud, we'd see some wildlife!"

That was after she switched and rode the back of my kayak with me, out of paddle splashing distance from her Daddy!

I made a jug of melon drinks for me, and the neighbors were having 'red-eyes'...Bob stuck with water and we had lots of snacks and took lots of breaks, stretching out and chatting.

It was a great day, we came home and changed out of wet things, and went to 'Carl's', another local eatery for a bit of dinner, and then headed home, unloaded the boats and Melissa and Sam brought forth a cake topped with a beach chair, Palm trees and dolphins with Happy Birthday on it! Sam lit up two candles and they sang to me again! Gee its nice being old!!

Couldn't have asked for a better day!

Next trip we plan on bringing the fishing rods!

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A few of my favorite things!

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Raindrops on roses....
Honeysuckle so sweet ...
Wet weather so aggrevating!!


Mountain laurel loves the moisture and heat...

Its been so rainy that I really have been running the dogs between storms!!

I will get busy inside, and look out to see sunshine, so I hurry and get ready and run the dogs, slip sliding over the well worn paths, and dodging turtles!!

Today I only saw one, but yesterday was a two turtle afternoon and the day before was a three turtle morning! When I lived in the Florida Keys I would count the dolphins that leaped from the ocean into my view from the seven mile bridge, which I crossed daily on my way to work, and I would judge the day by what I saw..dolphins ,fish(tarpon) or sting rays and occasionally a surfacing sea turtle.

Next run with the dogs , when the weather is better, I will bring cutters to get the branches that have grown into the path of my head! I have gotten good at dodging and weaving, but it is getting ridiculous!

The hummingbirds are back draining the feeders, and the seed is dissappearing rapidly in the big feeder. Several mornings we have awoken to the hanging feeders on the ground, and the hummingbird feeders drained that are hung on the large feeder Bob made.

I set up my wildlife camera last night to see what was going on...

Here's what was happening! Climbing to new heights...

Date and time are posted on the bottom of the pictures, and they aren't in sequence. We also didn't get him knocking down the feeder that hung to the left side...

Tonight we will take in the smaller feeder and see what happens then!

I think I'll set the camera again, just to see !

Country life...

Raccoons and possum's and bears! Oh my!

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Granma and grandpa's joy

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A Sunday visit from Caine..
Grandma gave him his first haircut! Out on the deck...Mom held him, but we didn't get pictures of the deed, because it was a snatch and grab ..sieze the moment thing..I had just cut Dads hair and we took a shot, and won...
He is doing the scary..RRRRAAAHHHH..thing with Grandma, I run and hide around a corner, he chases and scares me...
He is so tired and dirty here!

Mom and Dad( with his new hairdo) on the cutting bench..

Caine decided to taste my clog..lots of nasty stuff on that shoe...YECH!

Here he tried the cat food...then he played in it until he got scolded..

Caine had his first 4-wheel ride around the lawn. He laughed out loud!

Grammy and Caine swung on the wicker swing and in the hammock while singing with the birdies! He played in the rocks in the pathways with Grampy..

Grandpa made his famous Baltimore style steamed shrimp, I made Yankee potatoe salad..

Caine liked the banana/apple/pear Gerber food I got for him, and of course, juice..apple, always loves apple...he tried shrimp, nope. No to the potatoe salad as well.

Loved the cat food, however!

Theres no accounting for taste!

Actually, I never tried the meow mix...Maybe it is tasty!

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The 'cutting' edge

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For the past few days the haying process has been going on here at our place.
It was cut, then came the tedding, then the raking into wind rows, and then the baling. That was all done by our neighbor.
While this was going on,Becky and John came over and John tilled our garden. I planted all the tires and buckets I had with veggies, and planted beans and gourds and cukes and melons in and around the ground garden, as well as broccoli and peppers.
The haying finished this afternoon.
Then it was up to Bob and I to get it in from the field! We already have about 160 bales left over of the 1st and 2nd cuts from last year, and that had to be moved in the barn to make room for the new 123 bales!
Did I mention I am allergic to hay?



I drove the pickup with the dogs panting happily in the back seat..Bob stacked in the truck..and then we both unloaded and loaded into the barn...
Where is the company when you need them??


We had done about 3 pickup loads when...
surprise!!!
Our neighbors and their family of young strong kids came and helped finish!


Its all in now, and so am I !

And speaking of cutting...

The solid color mini-horse in front is my stallion. He's 4 years old now, and really acting 'stud like'. He rears alot, and I am getting too old to deal with the problems of having a stallion and 2 mares. So I decided to have him 'cut', that is have him 'gelded'.

The vet came this morning, and gave him a shot to sedate him. It did.

Then he gave him another shot to 'drop' him.

It didn't.

He gave him another shot. Nothing, in fact he seemed to be perking up!

The vet administered enough doses to drop a 600 pound horse, and Red is 225 pounds.

All meds were in date, the vet checked and re-checked.

We abandoned the effort until my vet can research and come up with another drug to do the deed..

Red was only sedate acting for about 1/2 an hour, and then it was back to his field, screaming for the mares and jumping on the gelding, Endeavor, since he can't get to the mares.

He looked like he had smoked a joint, said, 'Thank you very much', I enjoyed the rest.

'See ya!'

Tomorrow is writers group.

I need the rest!

What a week!!

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controling the growth

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Heres some pictures from around my yard...it is ever changing with all this rain we have had with periods of sun, cool nights and warm days.


This is the wisteria that I cut last Spring.It was down to the 'bare bones'.
Becky took some slips to plant around her gazebo..
Are you sure Becky???



Got Peaches? YUP!Apples, too! Tomatoe buckets are ready..

Wigelia was cut back to stubs 1 year ago..looks like another 'trimming' will be necessary this Spring!

Deodar Cedar ...we could put lights on this the first Christmas, from the ground!

Old railings from the back deck make great feeder hangers for the birds!

This hummingbird vine is going to take over the porch if I'm not careful!

The peonies are showy every year.Sone of these are the 'singles'.

Flag iris is encroaching on the driveway area..

Out back there are yellow flags, and yucca is blooming...the butterfly bushes are gearing up!

The white jasmine has completely covered its tower, and it is hiding the japanese maple that is still reddish colored..The lilacs are past and needed to be trimmed after they bloomed, but I missed it!

Its hard to find the stairs to the small back deck..Harry Lauders walking stick, and these yellow flags have taken it over..the day lillies will follow..

Can you smell this lemon peony?

Thanks for taking the tour...

Come by and sit on the porch and watch the hummingbirds!!!

By the way, update on my brother...he's home and recuperation has begun..

Maybe thats why I am happy and gardening again!

Thanks to Becky for sharing her plants, too.

Earthy friends are best!

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Joy and sadness

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My brothers visit was too short. We played alot of cards and ran the dogs alot, and watched the birds and talked....its never long enough...Jan spent time in her house, and when I had Caine, we went up and enjoyed the porch they added to their place, and sighed at the beautiful view they have of the mountains...
Penny loved Jiggs more than Belle, and here she is trying to steal another of his toys...

Adams visit was pre- Jan and Clay...he rode his 4-wheeler alot and Uncle Bob let him run his John Deere!!!! His face says it all!

Here's 'Evil Kneivel Adam' hitting the creek at a good pace...

Mom Keri and Dad John enjoyed 4-wheeling as well..They fit nicely together on Bob's Grizzly..(Think we have sold John on the Grizzly!)

Adam loved this hill and ran it full tilt...His Mom and Dad were watching in awe at how he mastered the trails so quickly!

Adams machine was so muddy! He refused to let his Dad clean the mud off before loading to head home...he wanted to show all his buddies the Virginia mud!

Great memories...

Can't wait til next time!

My brother Clay left last Tuesday to head home..a long trip back to Massachusetts..

Wednesday he was taken by ambulience to the hospital with the second TIA, the first being a couple of months before he came down for vacation here with us.

He's holding his own, but can't seem to get all his fine motor movement back this time.

I ran the dogs with his spirit this morning..it had rained last night and it was cool and damp down by the creek...the fragrance of the woods and its flowering trees was so sweet..I sniffed double, once for him.The sun was dripping through the dense canopy, and I let it warm my face and hoped that somehow he would feel it back there in the hospital. I watched for turtles, as he would do, and looked for a glimpse of a deer fleeing the running dogs. As Penny stood soaking in the swollen creek, I closed my eyes and said a prayer to the spirits that lead us, and prayed to the highest that my brother will get through this one and come back here to enjoy life. He has worked so hard and taken care of everyone else..he is the patriarch of our family...He means more to me than I could ever tell him..

Anyone who reads this blog, please say a prayer for my brother Clay.

I love you all, Claudia

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losing my ducks and happy places

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I'm losing my ducks!!They are not in a row!!

Sorry for my absence, but I have been enjoying company. I'm one of those strange people who love to have my family and loved ones near me. I worry when those I love travel the roads, and always pray they will have a safe and fun filled journey from destination to destination.

My nephew and his wife and son were here a while back, thats the Raptor I blogged about last. We had a 4-wheel great time!!...a later blog for sure...

Adam, my grand nephew, loves to come here. He calls this his 'happy place'.When he has to go for shots for his allergies, or when he had to have his tonsils out, his Mom would tell him to close his eyes and think of his 'happy place'...

I know about happy places, I have them too. When stress is too much, when everything is awful, I go to my happy place and smile. I close my eyes and things seem to settle down, inside me first and then it will spread.

My oldest brother Clay and his wife Jan are here now. They are Adam's Grandparents. Family. In the end all we have are our friends and our family. Those we love. Thats what is important in this world. I hold them very dear.

Jigs is my brothers Austrailian shepherd, and he is here too. Three Aussies. Mega energy!

Today Belle caught another squirrel. That is one fast dog. They all get along well, aside from the ocasional disagreements about food, or who should run ahead of the pack. They are a constant source of fun and aggrevation, almost simultaneously.

My company leaves next Tuesday, and life will resume its old pace. The dogs will be lost at first as I will when someone leaves, but I still will have my 'Happy Place.'

and I will blog more!

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