Backyard Woes!

Our backyard is totally decimated! I've found its really hard keeping a dog and 2 chickens in a tiny backyard while trying to grow a garden. The drought at the end of the summer combined with the snow and muck this winter = total disaster.

I'm saving up now to get our fence fixed. The fence is really in bad shape and was created cheaply and too fast. That's never a good combination. We have a parking pad outside the back of the fence, I'd like to get that all fenced in to extend the yard and create a new fenced in area for the chickens. Right now they are totally free range and loving it! We could make them a smaller enclosure and let them out periodically but not all day, every day.

Willie is a little easier to handle. She has learned to stay away from the raised garden beds but she will dig if she finds a pile of dirt. Then the chickens come along and scratch their way into a hole searching for worms. Then Redwood twists his ankle walking around the yard! It's not a good cycle.

I'll continue saving and hopefully this backyard will be looking better come Spring!

I'd love to be one of those people who need only 6 hours of sleep and wake up early enough to get in their workout, shower, healthy breakfast, home errands and work on a home project or 2 before the workday starts. Maybe I'll be there one day but for now I'm lucky to get my shower and be out the door by 8:20am!

Last week I got a promotion, new job title, new responsibilities and I'm grateful for the opportunity. I do much better when I have a lot on my plate. One measure of success motivates me for another.

Waking up this morning at 4am is probably a fluke brought on by an ever racing mind, but wow! It makes me wish I really needed such little sleep; I could singlehandedly change the world!

I love the smell of hay in the back of my car!

This weekend has started off wonderfully! Friday I learned I was getting a promotion at work along with new responsibilities; all very exciting! Today I was in my friends funky tie-dye themed wedding which was full of fun and laughter. Tonight we're off to meet friends for dinner and continue celebrating! Tomorrow I'm off work and I plan to go to a yoga class and do homework.

Plus, I found these great old photos of baby Smith! He was probably 5 months old here:

Sweet Smithy!

When we first moved into our home I had a major animal craving. I bought a hamster on a whim and named her Shaquella, after my friend Liz's caretaker. Shaquella was of great interest to Smith naturally and the two didn't always get along. We gave Shaq to my cousin who took excellent care of her until she died. That's Shaquella's cage behind Smith. He was minding his manners for this photo!

His dead eye doesn't shine but he's still handsome!

Now for a nice Saturday afternoon nap!

Being Organized

I now work 4 10hr days at my main job. This gives me one weekday each week for doctoral work. This new schedule started just this month and so far its been great! The work days are longer, but the work isn't hard. It's busy for sure, but nothing I can't handle. Priority has to be on school right now.

I've found that I'm much happier when my home is clean and organized. Of course, who wouldn't be! Simply having a clean home to enter makes me motivated to work on other things. Right now I'm working on a scrapbook for my Granny. She died in 2008 and I inherited all of her photos and mementos. Putting them together artistically is a way to honor her and her memories. Seeing all that stuff in a box in the closet is sad to me. Last year I made an album for my Nanny and I love flipping through it. These albums become heirloom items and are very special to me. I'll work on my Dad's next.

Clutter makes me crazy! That show, 'Hoarders', is amazing. Every time I watch it I get another bag ready to take to the Goodwill! I find myself thinking, "stuff is the enemy!" It's amazing how things collect, hidden away in a drawer or closet.

Since housework is never ending it's best to embrace it. I think I'm getting the hang of it.

Smith telling me to do the laundry!

Saturday!

It's Saturday & I don't have to work! (Well, at a facility ~ I am always working on school stuff!) To celebrate this rare event I'm cooking! Right now I've got beans on the stove, tea in the pitcher and cornbread on the way. The small things, like a simple home cooked meal, make a big difference in my wellbeing.

Last night we got to celebrate and catch up with an old trail friend. His parents live here in town and he and his wife flew in for a visit. He hosted his old high school friends, family, family friends, and us for an antelope BBQ. It was an antelope he shot at his home in Montana and carted on the airline in a cooler. The meat was soft, tender and delicious. It was my first taste of antelope and I found it sweeter than venison. I went for seconds.

We weren't celebrating anything in particular but we certainly laughed a lot.

Morning

A slow morning walk in the snow and ice with Willie, a hot shower and a morning of iTunes. This day is off to a great start!