this and that time of year again...

Doesn't that look good?  JP made it.  Potatoes, onions and jalapenos on the bottom and his home-made Smoked Hunter's sausage on top.  I just had to take a picture because it looked so good.  He's become quite the sausage maker lately.  

This post was to document our annual trip to the vets office.  It takes a week to get all six dogs there and this year the prices have gone up so it's taking a bigger chunk out of the budget but they are worth it and are our responsibility.  Violet doesn't mind it so much and visits with everyone.  She was the morning trip.

Oh, here are some of our neighbors.  These goats refuse to stay in their fence and most everyone slows down to make sure they are safe.  Those baby goats are soooo cute!

Then the afternoon appointment came and it was Corrie's turn.  She shakes and trembles when I cut her nails at home so you know she's a bundle of nerves here.  But, they've had their check-ups, shots and it's all in the past.

 Tomorrow Scrappy and Daisy will have their turn and then Friday will be Speedbump and Charlie.  We will be done for another year!  The last four love to visit to the vet.  They get so much attention and act like we never pet them at home.

I know that each year I take a picture of these buttercups by the creek but I love them.  They are our first sign of spring here in the holler and even though there is more winter yet to come it's just so good to see the color they bring.

Blessings to you all from the holler...

It's not much but we're trying!...

As you can tell from the calendar these pictures were taken in January and with good intent to come straight in here to the computer and put them on the blog.  Alas, life just got right in the way plus I am such a procrastinator.  Anyway, this is a picture of a potholder I made and the flowers are from our 28th anniversary.  But back to the potholder.  I was inspired by my aunt who lives in Florida.  She is the one who taught me to quilt long ago and this year for Christmas she sent my mother a lovely potholder like this one.  Hers was done in beautiful reds and greens and is a true work of art.  It captured my crafters heart and I called her a couple of times to make sure I was on the right path.  I must say that her star points were going in all the right directions,,,not like mine which seem to wander, but this was done without a pattern so I am giving myself some slack and going to enjoy it.

Another thing that I've done which has brought me hours and hours of delight is made this porch bird feeder. I took an old window box feeder that I had and drilled some holes in the bottom for drainage because it still gets rain there. Then I cut some evergreen boughs to pad the bottom and make it "bird friendly," added rocks for my two little trays to sit on and then drilled holes in the trays so they would drain as well.  The birds just love it.  The wooden barrels give them a place to perch and munch.  We've attracted mostly small birds like Chickadees, Wrens, Tufted Titmouse, Finches, and a dove or two when it's really really cold. But I saw this idea in a Birding magazine I get and it's been a winner and so easy to do.

Other than upper respiratory infections, which we both have, JP and I are doing great.  We are blessed beyond measure and more than we deserve by our Lord Jesus Christ.  So, blessings to you all from the holler...