What takes the edge off turning 50?...

Well, there really never was an edge. I don't mind turning another year older. I am another year blessed! But,it's been fun - we had a family birthday party yesterday and here I am enjoying being the center of attention.



Then, today, I took four of the dogs for a walk and checked the mailbox and there was a box in there with my name on it! Deborah from What Matters Most is Kindness sent me two bottles of lotion and a new ink pen. Thank you Deborah!



JP sent me shopping and I scored some really cool boots and two new dresses. So, now I've milked this birthday for all it's worth and can sigh and say I am so blessed. I have a wonderful husband, a family who loves me, good friends and most importantly I have Jesus Christ blessing me daily.

Blessings to you all from the holler

We haven't left the holler...

We've just been so busy I haven't had time to create a post here. I've enjoyed visiting your blogs and keeping up with you all though. But, this morning I found the time to take a picture or two. Warning, the next paragraph contains gross dog stuff.



Scrappy, was obsessed with the fence line. She didn't even want to come in for breakfast! When I yell out the back door, "Are you hungry?" That usually starts a stampede of doggies inside. So, I knew this was an intense obsession and went out to break it up. Finally she came trotting down the hill looking like the cat that ate the canary. She was the Scrappy that ate the mouse! I saw it's tail hanging out of her mouth, then crunch, crunch, gulp....it's gone. YUK! EEEWWWWWWW!!! No puppy kisses from her!



On a lighter note, Daisy has claimed her own stick for the ongoing stick game. Now she likes to throw it down in front of Charlie to see if she can entice him into playing with her stick. I'm so glad I could end this post on a lighter note.

Have a good weekend and blessings from the holler...

Wordless Wednesday? No Way!....

Today was the perfect day for working outside. I have been needing to go out and pull up the garden that was pretty much a bust. I pulled up the tomato plants and weeded around some and realized that there is hope for the brussel sprouts (JP has been saying this all along.) So, encouraged in that fact, I kept clearing what I could. It just looks so much better.



The marigolds are blooming and remind me that fall is here.



I kept clearing around the sprout plants and was glad that I'd put newspaper and paper bags around them to keep the weeds down. I noticed one clump that looked like it was rotting so I pulled it back and.....squint to refocus,,,,gulp,,,gasp!!! SHUT THE FRONT DOOR (my newest exclamation from an oreo commercial) there are little baby bunnies laying in that hole.



I quickly replace the stuff on top of them horrified that I just mowed right beside them. To make amends I went and got an old bale of straw from the dog yard and covered them up. awwwwwwwwww I hope that they are okay and the momma bunny doesn't mind that I disturbed her,,hole?...nest? Whatever the term I hope their heart beats are getting back to normal...mine finally is.

Blessings from the holler...

Rainy day exercise...

It started raining Sunday evening. We are so thankful for it because everything was so dry. Also, the rain has brought cooler temperatures which I love.

The downside is that the dogs are inside all day and have no way to rid themselves of their energy...well, no way that we allow!  So this morning we had treadmill time. They love it, and I love it because they come away tired and relaxed.

The treadmill gives them physical exercise, but the most important thing is the mental challenge. I am a big fan of Caesar Milan, his dogs respect him but they don't fear him.  Dogs need exercise to be happy, period.

We have three treadmill junkies: Charlie, Scrappy and Speedbump. They jump on it and look at me like,,,turn it on,,,let's go!







Violet likes the treadmill but she's been spoiled and wants me to walk with her. Oh well, I need the exercise too.



I'm still working with Corrie. They have to be comfortable jumping on the treadmill and she's just not ready, she doesn't like anything where all of the attention is on her. She'll get there though.

Daisy, our eldest dog, has hip trouble, so I don't let her do this exercise. She is calm enough and she gets her mental exercise constantly because she is focused on home security, and she gets her physical exercise when she and Charlie play stick, etc.

Well, I'm off to clean the house and maybe work on a quilt I have going. Blessings to you all from the holler...

Our little nursery in the holler...

I just have to post these pictures of our new guests we've had in the holler the last few days. One day this week I told JP that there was a momma deer with twins and I saw them grazing up the hill in the area behind the dog yard. For the last couple of days we've noticed just the babies were hanging out in the front yard with the turkey clan. I hadn't seen the momma and thought either they might be orphaned or just maybe she was doing like I've seen cattle do with their little ones, park them in the shade during the heat of the day while she grazes.



They were in our front yard all day today and they kept moving closer to the house. At first they were down by the creek, then they moved to the shade of one of the trees lining our driveway. Well, happy ending, the mom came and picked them up and we watched them go off into the field. I guess we've been given the honor of watching the babies while she goes off on her errands for the day. It's a tough life in the holler--blessings to you all...