Magnolia Hill Farm

Our internet has been down for so long, we are finally up and running again. We have been so busy here at the farm! Thanks to a lovely lady by the name of Anne at Stargazer Farm our animals are cool and comfortable. Anne did a wonderful job shearing and was so patient and kind to our animals! The llamas loved her! There were a few that were a little rowdy but no where near like they have been in the past. Jim and I think it was because she treated them so well and talked to them so gently. Check out Anne’s farm at http://www.stargazingfarm.org/about/ Shw was a lovely person and truly has a great love for animals. Our kind of person!

Get together with a beautiful bride to be and her lovely bridesmaids!

Well, I’m up at the old house today. I stayed at Tracy & John’s yesterday waiting for furniture to be delivered with Sara. Their furniture is beautiful! They were soooooo happy. Sara and I left them to enjoy the moment and we went for some mother & daughter time. This morning we are headed back to their house for a bridesmaids fitting brunch. Tracy does have a group of beautiful girls as bridesmaids! Looking forward to seeing all the girls again! Don’t miss me too much Jim & Matt!

Ok, I just came from my evening chores, putting everyone away for the night. As I rounded the corner of the barn there was this enormous 12 foot SNAKE ( OK MAYBE IT WAS 4 FEET BUT IT WAS REALLY FAT!) It arched and hissed at me! I have been at the farm taking care of things by myself ( over 40 animals) for awhile now. It didn’t take this girl long to spring into action. I  got my axe and gave him a few lickins. Thinking the whole time about my baby goats and rabbits. (I once saw a snake try to swallow a rabbit at Mallet HIll!) Pretty soon he wasn’t looking too good and I put him in a bucket and took him up to Jim at the house. Jim said right away ” Dar, it’s a black snake, it’s a good snake. Farmers like black snakes, they never kill a black snake.” Sooooo my thoughts on that, there are NO GOOD SNAKES, I may never make a good farmer but my rabbits will be safe! Why do I feel like Zza Zza Gabor on GREEN ACRES?  It has been a long road adjusting to this country living! Good night Jim Bob, Good Night Sue Ellen!

I sit at the same place everyday when I write in my blog. It has a beautiful view of the pature( where the grass is not growing) and animals. Yesterday, I said how I have been going outside and looking for all of the things I love around here to cheer me up. Last night we lost a baby lamb so today I decided I need a project to cheer me up, sooooooo I decided to take some picture of those things I enjoy so much. The funny thing is I went around for almost an hour taking pictures and my camera wasn’t working so I got to enjoy everything twice because I had to take the pictures a second time.  So I will try and share them with you lets hope this works. I am not the most techno talented person but I’m gonna give it a try!

Does anyone remember that movie? I do! Also the movie The Deep End Of The Ocean? These have been two movies that I have seen and remembered really well because I could really relate to them at different times in my life. This week has been especially challenging and I have reflected a lot on what if this is as good as it gets? I know God is only suppose to give you what you can handle but sometimes I wonder. I have felt like I am in the deepest end of the ocean, being pretty overwhelmed but things going on here. ( And by the way I am not a good swimmer) I remember that movie because it was very difficult to watch the first time since it dealt with a missing child and I saw it after my sister, Bernadette disappeared. This week doesn’t compare to the loss of Bernadette but I still have those feelings of not being able to do anything and things being out of control. I pray, I pray a lot these days. I pray that my son is safe, taking his meds and remembering that his Dad and I love him. I pray that the values and morals that we raised him with keep him on the right track. I try to find joy in the chores I do around the farm each day. I appreciate the little things like how quiet the barn becomes when everyone is munching on their hay. How the little cria stays by its Mom’s side but ventures off on its on every now and then. I watch the barn cats as they sit and watch me put my garden in. I enjoy the beauty of each and every rose on my rose bush as they start to bloom.  I am grateful for those who offer words of encouragement and comfort. And for those who just listen. I am taking it one day at a time here. So till tomorrow, another day, I am counting all my blessings to help get me through.

The new look to my blog was compliments of Tracy ( A Mother’s Day present) and NW Designs! I can’t wait to add pictures of my more handsome animals to my banner. Thanks for a great surprize!

Well, I am a little behind on blogging here just too many jobs here on the farm! I hope all my friends had a great Mother’s Day! I enjoyed spending time with my Mom and family. It took me over 3 1/2 hours to get home because of the bad weather. The high winds and rain were awful. When I got to our road it was closed because of trees down and I had to wait till it was cleared. This morning our yard looks a mess. My farmer husband left late after moving a tree that knocked down some of the pasture fencing. All of the animals must have gotten pretty scared because no one wanted to come out of their barns this morning! Well I’m going to be busy today so if your looking for me I’ll be working in the yard cleaning up after the rain stops.

Just kidding about the rain going away, we need it really bad besides the fact that I spent hours each day watering here, both animals and plants and grass. Slowly we are getting a green yard and some parture grass. Little Starr could not wait to get out of the barn, she has two speeds fast and faster. She loves to run and never wants to come in from the pasture. She is the most independent cria we have ever had. For a couple of day I have watched her watch her mother eat hay, she looks from the hay to her mothers face as she chews the hay, as if to say am I supose to eat that? Well today she did!! I think she still prefers Mom’s milk but she wasn’t shy trying the hay. She played out in the pasture with the little goats yesterday and seem to be having a good time getting to know everyone here at the farm. A new shearer is coming soon and the llamas and sheep will be happy to give up their winter coats. Tracy made it safely to Georgia for Mandy’s Graduation and I hope she relaxes and enjoys herself.

As I sit here at the front window overlooking the farm, I realize you all must think I’m crazy. It seems like I haven’t left the farm forever with waiting for babies to be born. Someone has to be here all the time and it always seems to be me. I miss not seeing everyone. Not a day goes by that I don’t think of the TV show Green Acres, remember that one? Where the city folks tried to be farmers, LOL.Somedays that’s what it seems like. Other days I feel like I’m getting the hang of it, being country as Matt calls it.

 Everyday there is something new at the farm, something blooms or something changes. Everything is set so there is always something blooming. It makes each day a pleasure with something new to look forward to. My desk here overlooks the front pastures and the llamas are laying under the lean to to get out of the rain. Honor ( our beautiful black llama) is in the barn and is due any day and her temperament shows it, as anyone who is pregnant almost a year would be! We are very excited about her cria coming as this will be a Star Cruiser grand-baby. Our baby goats are growing by leaps and bounds, frolicking and following  you everywhere. We are keeping the cream and black pair of brothers and have named them Bert & Ernie! Ernie is a sweet guy, he thinks he a dog and loves to be held and cuddled! With all the animals, flowers and birds, it seems like a beautiful green wonderland. All said, I miss everyone especially Mom and my girls, Tracy & Sara. I can’t wait to spend time with them soon. As I sit here our little male goat, Dad to the babies walks back and forth between the two barns. You just can’t keep him behind the fence, Matt named him Houdini! He sits and waits as the gate each night to be put away, when you go up to him his tail beats ninety miles a minute, LOL. It takes so little to make some people/ animals so happy! Well that’s all for now folks. Watching the rain and knowing tomorrow things will be even greener!