A Beautiful Fall

Cool nights hot days but I hear it is changing. We are still working like crazy on the farm. Plowing fields, for the new lavender garden. My dad is awesome. It has been incredible hard work but man oh man is he winning. Oh The Dreams.. i have

 

Salem is a wonderful kitten so full of life and fun. He is really a happy cat with quite the personality. When you cuddle him he smells of lavender. I think he is in a state of mellowness as he lives in the Lavender drying house.

Peace is what this picture shows

Except the pump quits working every time the power goes out and it will not restart. Sigh .. I just get it going again and off it shuts down.

Today the kids go back to school.

 I do hope some enthusiasm hit them by eight am!!

 Only two kids left in high school now, pretty crazy.

 We have two in college one in her second year of Business and one in her first year of ECG.

It was a nice summer but extremely fast and that would be because of the huge work load I gave myself. I think with the bulk of the projects I wanted done I am hoping the now it will be just the usual keep up and the never ending of cleaning I never seem to win with.
We are in the process of plowing up a chunk of field for the Lavender( when I say we I mean Dad, I Cheer and encourage him on).
 I also had a nice visit with my sister this summer she had come down for a week in August.
Over the next couple of weeks I need to do some good house cleaning I have been outside all summer and the house looks like it. I need to do some book work and all that not so fun stuff.

Yesterday while my middle daughter and I were watching our Grandson we see the sheep out and about in the yard. They had snuck out the gate where we were plowing. It is time to get the sheep in deworm and check them all over.
Well enjoy the start to your September.

Summer is flying by it has been busy but oh so good. So many projects started and finished, a little drama with the cougar, raccoon and such. The animals are all okay now a lot of grass for them. The new sheep are fitting in.

The kids are all well, a positive summer that is for sure.

School in less than a week and only two kids attending but two kids attending college!!

The gardens have done well in spite of the cool start. However in my herb garden sunflowers sure took over I think I will have to learn to pull some of those out next year. With so much building this summer my gardens did not get 100% attention.

Oh the lavender did though.

The Lavender business is going really good. People are starting to find us, the plants grew wonderfully.

Only 3 degrees here this morning that is way too close to freezing.

That is our typical crazy Canadian weather. It could just down right depress me thinking of snow, shoveling snow, cold, driving on ice, arenas... I had better get outside and enjoy the last few weeks.

I hope you all have a wonderful, amazing day today.

 What will you do?

 Squeeze something awesome into your day.

 Take Care

Good day there is fall in the air.

A sweater was needed last night and this morning.

 I do love fall but I am so not ready to give up my summer. I realize I write a lot about the jobs and the work that is being done and needs to be done. On a farm, yes there is a great deal of work, never ending, same over and over.

And, yet it is so satisfying.

 Nothing better than being out in Nature every day, hands dirty good ole hard work to keep you grounded

. As it is work ~ it is relaxing, it is pretty and it is home.

This cold air has made me think decorating with Pumpkins :)

Oh the Inspiration is everywhere

Good Morning.

Another hot sunny day ahh love summer.

Today I am off to support "A chance at change in 1 day" soccer game at CMS.

There will be hot dogs/water for a $1.00 all going to Ethiopia. Wonderful cause some very special children won over my daughter. If you’re local come on by.

 It will be fun and a very hot day!

The day turned out wonderful they raised over $500.00.

It was hot, extremely hot.

 The soccer players seemed to have fun.

An amazing Good Morning!

 I am off again this morning this time to the fire base to pick up my truck. I have been most of the summer truckles...I think she will need a wash and polish to make her sparkle!

 We sure can feel fall in the air here ugg how does it happen so fast you know fall means school and hockey. Two worst things ever, however on that note I hope your day today is full of love, magic, Inspiration and Lavender.

Yesterday the kids and I took my Mom to the airport.

 Ahh I had to drive from the airport through Kelowna-to the mall- through Kelowna some more-to a fast food restaurant-over the Coqu.

For some you would say so what for me my husband has drove for the last 25 years.

I have so lost my confidence it makes me want to throw up.

 No I won't try it in the winter but I did it and I know where the mall is now :)

Warm, sunny days here. The sheep seem content in this photo, they have settled down a bit now. The cougar was caught a few days ago. The goats are still spooked. They were getting better then yesterday there was a bad dog fight over at our neighbors and now they are scared again.
It has seen a change in the weather even though it is still very hot in the day it drops quite cool at night and early morning. I am not ready to let summer go yet. Enjoy the last few weeks of school holidays

We have been having some wild thunder storms here. Crazy!
I hope your summer is going well mine is going way to fast. Quite sad really darn school is really, really really close. My fire fighter has been kept quite busy which is great for him the fires have not been too big, so not too much damage. (I don't think anyways).
We are having trouble with a Cougar it has killed one lamb two goats and way too close for comfort. It was right next to our front yard, right up above our house and right in the barn yard. I heard it was stalking one of our neighbors last night. Sigh...so stressful
Well on the that note have a wonderful day

There is not one flower I do not like they are all beautiful.

 I have favorites.

 I would like one of each please.

 But, do you know I really think hens and chicks are quite amazing~they are very forgiving, they don't care if they get stepped on, they don't care if they do not get watered, they land feet down and start new roots no protesting, they will grow in a tiny flower pot, they will grow in a ring around a tree. They will produce offspring without any hassle.

As simple as they are and quite over-looked I really like them.

Perfect for a nice display but short on water.

Good Morning it is hard to believe it is August 1st.

Wow July flew by that would be because of my amazing projects. Now for August I hope to slow it down, enjoy more quiet time.

 I am not very good at all at doing nothing! So it may be a challenge. I will let you know how that works out.

 We must finish up with this last garden so that is on the agenda today.

 I hope you have an amazing day take a moment to check out the Olympics those athletes are unreal. The dedication is amazing

This is our Olympics

Happy Summer

Another busy weekend, we went on a day trip to Armstrong to pick up five more Ewes for our herd.
 Quite nice girls and a good size.
 It really is a lovely drive so pretty.
The little town we went to had a storm come through Friday there were trees down, tree branches about. The sad part was seeing some of the cut hay fields under several inches of water. Wow what a waste. The other hay was being turned and it was yellow.
Our herd is at nineteen now so not too bad of a count, a good number for us. I would like to raise a breeding stock so I am going to research the breed on improvements. I may invest in another ram next year.

This is last summers picture. We do not have any wool sheep on the farm now. I miss them but our shearing time was tough our Springs so hard for the animals. This new breed of sheep so far have been quite good.

Today was a serious GOOD day! I accomplished an amazing amount of work, so excited. It was one of those day where it all fell into place it was a good moment. Don't let it fool you, my days are not for the light hearted we work from sun up and sun down but Oh Man am I winning! I even get to smell the lavender while I work. And, my hands are back to normal!!

I do not have the most lady like hands on a good day. I work hard every single day. My hands are in dirt, moving hay, pulling weeds. My hands use a hammer, my hands paint. My hands are washed many, many, many times in a course of a day. However this is one to go on record. Horrible spray foam all over them, now dried and nasty.
Not the most lady like look I will tell you.
It will not stop me onto my next project.
I hope you have a wonderful glue free day!!

Today another valuable lesson was found. Do not use foam insulation without gloves. Do not try to pick it up and replace it. I have tried paint thinner, soap and hot water, nail polish remover, some orange hand cleaner. I wonder how I am going to sleep. In case you are wondering how am I typing...I have plastic wrap on my hands.:)

Only 10 degrees this morning.
 Wow that is a dramatic change. I sure hope our summer is not over.
We have had a lot of thunder storms the ski yesterday just grumbled all afternoon.
 It has been different around here everyone coming go mostly going and mainly me home. The kids growing up sure did happen fast. I am okay with it because they are all happy. The hard part is my husband gone so so much that is new and I am not sure if I like it. yes, we need him to work but...
My projects are going well, slow. The lavender harvest is half way it would be way better if I could quit cutting my fingers. The scissors get me so fast and there is nothing good with trying to work with band aids on all your fingers :)
I hope your weekend is going well. Take time to do something fun!

I hope you are enjoying yourself

Take

Time

to

relax and smell the flowers

We are enjoying summer.

The hot beautiful weather. We have been having a lot of thunder and lightening which we do not usually get.

Projects, dreams and work all happening on the farm.

The animals seem to be well. Enjoying the abundance of green grass, the warm days. The goats fly a hundred miles an hour at the first rain drop.

I hope your summer is going well.

 Take the time do something you enjoy

Summer is upon on the gardens are full we just need the sunshine to stay more than a second.

We are busy building.

My family is a bit sick of me with my projects so I had better not pick such hard ones for the next while.

Sheep are molting which looks very funny. We do not shear this breed.They all seem quite content.

My ram is proving to be a jerk. Amazing how lovable he is one minute and tries to get me the next.

My goats look amazing. So bright and shiny even brown goat is doing well. She looks old but she sure is loving the summer. I must make sure she does not get bred this winter. I think that will be best for her. No easy task though.

The goats are so bad though. They climb on everything working the fences constantly.

One thing when we had the Angora Goats they were rough on each other but actually really well behaved.

Well off to run the farm.

Have a wonderful day.

Today

is

my oldest brothers

BIRTHDAY.

Happy Birthday Glen.

Hope your day was fun and full of Celebration!

We worked on my new project. I am very grateful for my sons and husband who helped me.

I sure do wish I could do it myself though. Ahh get me up on a ladder and I get all wobbly. I hate it, I have so much I want to do and can't.

Well I am off to bed tomorrow our oldest daughter celebrates her birthday.

So

More

Cake for us!!

 A busy Grad weekend! Our middle son graduated so proud of him. It was a whirl wind of a weekend with trips to Kamloops, visiting, usual chores, school exams plus the usual grad stuff.

All our children were home it was lovely.

We have four kids graduated now. How cool is that only two to go. Not Bad!!

Hmmm I hope the next two go smoothly. ...

We have had horrible weather lately.

Great storms terrible thunder and lightening.

How are you going to celebrate the next two days.

First Day of Summer

Take time to be out in Nature

Find Peace

Relax

Center yourself

with

calmness

Laugh

enjoy

life

enjoy

your

MOMENT.

Yeah for a beautiful, sunny and not soo windy day.

Finally it has been so miserable here. We had a nice weekend but went by so fast. My husband was home which was nice, he is on the road a lot lately. The only sad moment we had was we did attend a funeral of a good family friend.

We did power shopping of grad shoes, handkerchief and suspenders and a grad gift. We put up the beams for my next project.

Today I was hand watering over three hundred lavender plants.

I was wondering if I could put a harness or collar on a goose to let her roam in my garden? I wonder how that would go over?

I painted our back door step this is the before and after

We have been making bread and cinnamon buns here on the farm.

Our weather has not been very nice so on a few days we needed to be in for a couple of hours bread, is the perfect past time.

In spite of the dreary, gray , cold , freezing weather the gardens our green and budding up.

The sheep are out and about. They are growing so fast.

The goats however may be counting their last days here.

THEY ARE SO BAD!!!

I am so sick of them.

We have Chucker eggs in the incubator.

They should hatch next week if all goes well.

Man I hate the smell of incubators.

Today we have had Eagles flying about male and females.

The are truly amazing. I am pretty sure my lambs and too fat for them.

Well must run I hope your day is going well.

We have had a wonderful collection of birds lately. We moved our feeder out and it has attracted so many. We do not usually feed them in the warmer months but we have so many nesting it really is amazing. And, man do those parents work they are constantly taking worms to their babies.
Our weeks are turning around so fast. We have accomplished lots! Sad thing is by fall I will have to do it all again and ugg next Spring all those pine needles can nearly make my cry thinking of them.
It is June and so cold. Yesterday our house was just plain ol nasty so we pulled out our polar necks, warm pants and lit the fire all day.
The only good thing was we did need the rain and that also means we can turn off the irrigation for a few days.
I will be putting up some great pictures my daughter took out in our yard this last weekend she really did an amazing job.

We had a nice rain. It is amazing how dry the ground is already. We have been so busy here at the farm. It sure is nice to see things done. The gardens are filling in. The weather has not been overly nice but the garden has done it's thing without even being noticed.
Lilacs are starting to bloom. The lavender is starting to bud up now. The roses are in bud. There are cherries, apples, plums and pears all starting.
The most noticeable thing is all the birds. Robins building nests, stealing worms from the garden. I have little birds in a bird house right when you walk in our front gate. It really is amazing.

On top of all the wonderful nature I have found it quite stressful my middle daughter is now in Ethiopia for two weeks. So we have worried about her so much. She has sent a message she is fine!!

Busy times here  on the farm we cut down some old fruit trees that had died. I will pretend it was nature...but really my Alpacas and Goats are to blame. I would like to put a few more trees in but Spring planting can get expensive so I will have to wait a bit.
I was so surprised how heavy the trees were. My load was so big and heavy it took two trips.
This weekend we planted some vegetables so I do hope the weather is going to decide to be nice now. We are still freezing it like sit near zero just to make us worry.
We have been washing our deck, bleaching the siding and the front door. We had a tom cat that would come and mark his territory and the smell was so awful after the rain the other day. We now have painted the floor of the deck a lovely purple mauve. Next is the outside door and screen. Can you guess what colour?

We have been very busy plus no Internet, so no post writing on the blog.

We enjoyed our long weekend. Our weather was not overly nice but the upside was it did not snow:)

We celebrated our youngest son's birthday all .... weekend. He had great fun his friend visited twice, he golfed, he ate lots of cake, he drank lots and lots of pop. He opened presents and he shopped.

Over the last three weeks we have done some great projects. An arbour, a new dove home, and a new sitting area garden.
  Our doves love their new home but it is attracting Hawks and the hawks are trying to reach the doves through the wire. We have since added two pieces of plywood to the roof.
All our outbuildings have been getting painted. The look so fresh and clean. So far the last two Springs we have had the most work done to our farm in  a long time. Fencing so much fencing. Cleaning which is honestly never ending. I hope all our hard work will be done when the hot weather arrives and we can relax a bit over the summer.

Happy Mothers Day

A

Wonderful

Day.

We are so lucky to have a Mom.

They are the most

number one important person to us.

Thank you Mom for always being there for me.

Always standing by me. For always being my number one fan.

 Love you so much

Yesterday was

 Miss Hyacinth's 16th birthday.

 A wonderful day!

A special day!

We ate fruit, chicken wings, hamburgers, cheese melts, chips, pop, candy, Blizzard cakes,

 soup

We presents, balloons, candles

A very special little boy visited.

We took the day off school.

You can not beat a

BIRTHDAY.

How would love to have a CRAZY BUNCH like this!!

New Friends little Cull or Call Ducks not too sure on actually what their name is. We picked up five of them. Very, very cute.

My son and his girlfriend were home for a week after their trip to Mexico. He my son had four wisdom teeth pulled. During this week I did four trips to Kamloops there was a total of five our family had to do.

We are in Birthday Mode. Four birthdays within a few weeks. Four Taurus's rule this house.....

My birthday was perfect all my children and partners were here. Our Grandson, my parents and I talked with all my brothers and sisters.

Talk soon have a wonderful time

Oh after a full two months we are finally finished lambing and kidding. A very long season.

I hope your Spring is going well. It has warmed up the last few days. It has been really nice. However the warm weather also has triggered off fires, forest fires and grass fires. It is way too early in the season for that.
We are still waiting on our last sheep to lamb, she is so slow it is actually amazing.
Today we took the day off and went into Kamloops to buy a Grad suit, that is one good job to have done. Our middle son is graduating this June.
Across the highway and river there has been a forest fire on the mountain. My middle son is training to be a fire fighter and he went out on his first two fires, the one across the highway was one of them. We had our binoculars out looking for him.

Good Morning
It is a wonderful morning here. Sunny and it did not freeze last night.
This weekend is our last auction trip, third one in a row. It will be nice to have it behind us.
We have a bottle baby now our little goat is a bit of a nuisance, I have to trick her to stop her from following me home. She is way smarter than me...

Have a wonderful Friday

I

can not

believe how

FAST

the weeks are

going

by

Hello again we are still very busy. This is our bunnies hide away that my boys made for them. The rabbits loves this little house.

We brought down fences. We raked pine needles. We burned piles. We hauled rubbish away and slowly we won.
I have planted lavender in our new garden we are at two hundred and twenty plants. I am not sure if all of the plants will take. I also have made cuttings from other plants. So we shall see.
I am off to count other gardens tonight to see what count I come up with.

Wow it has been quite a few days but that just goes to show you that I have been extremely BUSY. It has been never ending days.
All week we have been dealing with Brown Goat she became extremely sick, so all week we have been watching her. Many trips out to the barn all night long. Finally on Friday she had a baby girl plus she had a little boy he was breach and never took a breath. Poor little guy. Actually there was nothing little about them. Big babies, which was a surprise as she has not been well for the whole pregnancy.
We have been bottle feeding the little baby. The poor ole mom is in rough shape so I have to figure out how to get her better and to gain weight. She sure does love her little girl though.
So we have one sheep left to lamb thank goodness! I am exhausted.
The last two weekends we have done auction trips and now that leaves us one trip done. Hopefully next week.
We are going to only keep the hair sheep and a few goats.
It is hard to do, hard to send them away this is the part I hate.

Happy Easter

from Brown Goat

Easter egg dying

Painting bird houses

Babies first Easter

I hope you have a wonderful Sunday

Happy Easter from Sunflower Farm

We were greeted with the arrival of a big ram lamb.

Now I am off to feed our rabbits so they don't go hopping off with the Easter Bunny

I just updated my blog to a new way. So this is my first post...I really hate writing a great Post only to not be able to publish it.
This last month has been crazy, unreal busy. We are down to our last two sheep to lamb and one goat. Not a great season. The goats were poor and a lot of single babies.
Our weather has been typical Spring cold, damp, freezing nights and a few warm hours.
I have been spending a lot of my time cleaning and I think I am winning. It truly is amazing how much mess comes from Winter. Why? every year the same.
I am selling some sheep and a few goats this spring. I need to order gov. sheep tags. and get onto that this week.

Our little grandson was visiting he is so cute. I will leave you with a picture of him.

I am pretty sure this is not normal. My middle son's laundry!!

Cold nights and warm days.
 Our nights are dropping down to -6, -5 but getting up into the warmer temperatures during the day. It is so nice to be outside when the wind is not blowing the cold snow air from the mountains on me.
Our lambing is absolutely SLOW ahh driving me crazy and making me tired. Two more lambs were born yesterday. The older lambs we move out into the field by my Mom and Dad's house.
 It was so cute to watch the little lambs run across the field playing.
I am slowly winning at yard work it really is an overwhelming amount of work after winter and I am really not sure why.
PINE NEEDLES I swear are going to be the death of me!!

I hope you enjoy some time outside today.

Visit

the gardens

see

old Friends.

Signs of Spring

The birds are singing!

In the sunshine, in the wind and in the never ending little snow storms.

The barn is starting to bounce!

Baby lambs, baby goats and worried Mom's who have misplaced their babies.

Things are waking up, yawning and stretching trying to find the sun.

Pussy willows high in the trees

All the signs of Spring