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What should I name my new wildlife rehab clinic? I need your input. Keep in mind that I will handle mostly baby squirrels, but am licensed to take in all mammals. Not that I would take in ALL mammals, I'm just sayin'.

Nutkin's Nursery
The Squirrel's Nest
Honeysuckle Cave Rehabilitation Clinic

any other ideas?

It's Official

The KY Dept. of Fish and Wildlife has informed me that I am fully authorized to rehabilitate squirrels (and other mammals). So bring me your orphaned babies... squirrel babies, that is.

More on the Fire...

I no longer believe that this was a "controlled burn". I think the Army is just doing a cya on this one. Anyway, yesterday and today it has been RAINING. Thank you, Lord!

From the KY New Era:

A fire that apparently grew from Fort Campbell to an area of rural Trigg County this afternoon threatened to burn some homes in Roaring Spring.

Firefighters were working to prevent the fire from spreading from woods to houses along Compton Road, which is off Military Road at Roaring Spring,

At least five rural fire departments, including Roaring Spring and Herndon, along with Fort Campbell firefighters and the Kentucky Division of Forestry responded to the blaze.

Andrew Watts, a member of the Herndon Volunteer Fire Department, said he was working in an area along Kentucky 164 near Roaring Spring. He estimated the fire involved about 200 acres but added it was difficult to provided an exact size of the area burning.

"They will not be able to extinguish the fire, but they are trying to contain it so it will burn itself out," Watts told the New Era.

He said the fire involved mostly woods. South Road, Linton and Square Deal firefighters also were assisting in the effort.

Fire

Fort Campbell military base is only a few miles from our place. This fire is too close for comfort. We have been seeing and smelling it for 3 days now. My question to FC: Why on earth were you doing a controlled burn when this area is under "no burn" drought conditions?! http://www.wkdzradio.com/ROARING-SPRING-FIELD-FIRE-THREATENS-HOUSES/8417843

Lazy Dog Video

This is our 6 month-old Great Pyrenees puppy, Jack. I think he's figured out how things work around here. (I apologize for the blurry part in the middle of this video. It was technologically necessary.)

Bagel Tat

I contacted the company, and I must say that they were very apologetic, and came to MY HOUSE to give us free bagels and take this one away.

Chick Surprise

Our broody hen, whom Cami named "Grace" (because she's nice and will let you pet her), has hatched herself a brood of 10 chicks! We thought we lost her, as we couldn't find her or her nest. Sometimes when you think harm has befallen you, it is really God making an improvement in your life. That's the lesson I learned from the chick surprise.

Western Kentucky State Fair

Honeysuckle Cave Farm grew first- place pears this year at the fair. And we took second place for the largest pepper. For those of you who appreciate my homemade doll clothes, you will be pleased to know they took first also. Our peaches did not place at all this year, and we didn't even try at flowers.

Puppy, Seal, or Polar Bear?

Our new puppy, Jack, is soooo cute. He looks like a cross between a baby harp seal and a polar bear cub. Which of the following pics is Jack?



OK, I guess the carpeting gives it away...

Redneck Air Conditioning

I miss Madonna

OK, I know I'm behind the crowd here since I JUST NOW watched the Lady Gaga Alejandro video on youtube. (Since she is so popular and since I am the mother of teenagers, I felt it necessary to check it out.) Apparently she has picked up where Madonna left off. She sings, dances, and smuts just like Madonna with a homo/orgy twist. She oozes Madonna right down to the Catholic overtones. I mean, really, BOOB GUNS? I remember the good old days of the 1980's when Madonna shocked America with her metal pointy Viking bra. Lady Gaga makes Madonna look like a virgin. In short, Lady Gaga makes me gag.

What is this??

We discovered this odd plant growing behind our shed. We can't figure out what it is. We've searched the web to no avail. If you have an idea, please share it here.

(The single non-woody stem has three flowers at the top that resemble black-eye-susan blooms with an extended center. Before you tell me this is a coneflower, look closely at the large leaves attached in a wrap-around fashion about a foot apart.)

New Puppy

Isn't he adorable! We're calling him Jack. He is a 6 week-old Great Pyrenees male. We've had him for 2 days, and he has already won our hearts with his intelligence and gentle temperament.
This is Cam feeding the one and only duck.
After our broody hen failed to hatch her nest, we picked up a few chicks at a nearby farm for her. She did not like them even though we snuck them under her at night. So we will have to raise them ourselves. Well, at least one of the cats likes them.

With no tractor of our own, we had been looking for someone to cut our 10 acres of pasture. Not so much for hay (there's a little), but for weed control. So yesterday this Amish boy comes over with a team of two horses and a generator powered mower and does an excellent job.

Llamas for sale

In an effort to raise some much-needed funds, we have decided to sell our two llamas. Charlie and Bunny are a male/female pair about 3 years old. They have not yet had a baby. Bunny (on the right) was bottle fed and is very friendly. She especially loves little children. Charlie is shy, but will eat from your hand.And no, they don't spit at people, but they will spit at each other if angry. We are asking $1200 for the pair, but will sell them separately if needed. Please comment on this blog if you are interested. They both make beautiful wool.

Avatar-- a critique

I just watched this movie-- at home-- on my computer. I'm sure it was much better at the theatre-- in 3D. 'Cause without the full effect of the awesome special effects, this movie didn't have much to go on. The premise was interesting... using an avatar to infiltrate a native population... but that was just about the only original idea in the whole movie. Yeah, I know the creators of this earth spirit worshiping alien species probably thought people like me would ooh and ahh over the fictitious dinosaur-like creatures and plant life, and some of it was quite interesting. But there it stops. The plot was soooo predictable, the dialogue lacking, and the story elements stolen from other films! If you have seen Disney's Pocahontas, Star Wars Return of the Jedi, and Dinotopia, then you pretty much have already seen Avatar. If you are reading this and you are one of the people responsible for this movie, please don't make a sequel. That's already been done. -wink-

Kit's New Dress

Ella Mae made a friend this Christmas. Her name is Kit. Here is her first custom-made dress. It is a medieval style gown with a separate top that snaps in the back.

Wordless Wednesday

More Flooding

Here's a peek at how high the water rose in our pond. The dock would have floated away had my quick-thinking husband not secured it with fencing posts. At least the fish are biting well...

Flooding

We had record rainfall this weekend in western KY and TN. And all the rivers and creeks are overflowing. You see, our soil is mostly clay on top of rock, giving way to caves and sink holes underneath. There's not much absorbing power there. And once the ground is saturated, the water must go somewhere. Thankfully, our house is on high ground, but I pity all the people who have lost their homes, cars, and crops-- and some have even lost their lives. This video was taken of the flooding Little River about 200 yards from our property. As I am filming, I'm standing on the edge of the original bridge (which would have been demolished by the water by now). The "new" bridge is much higher and stronger. We had to drive into Clarksville yesterday evening, and just as we crossed into Tennessee we saw a full rainbow. God knew that we needed a reminder that there will never be a second worldwide flood. (Genesis 9:11-17)

A Farm Day

This is supposed to be a "hobby" farm, but some days it just takes over. Like yesterday we awoke to a phone call from a neighbor saying that our animals had escaped from our field into his. It turned out to only be one animal, Bunny. But it took a good chunk of the morning to retrieve her, and then fix the spot in the fence that failed to restrain her. (Bunny is the gray llama on the right.)
Then, way behind schedule, I went to the barn to milk the goat, and found a visitor in our sycamore tree.

Of course everyone had to come and see, including Summer and Sunshine, our "twin" cats.

A little while later, we went to an Amish dairy farm nearby and purchased some Jersey/Holstein bull calves. We will bottle feed them twice a day until they are weaned, then they will become steers raised for their meat. The thing about bottle-fed calves is that they will mob you if they can and slobber all over you looking for food. Farm Days can be fun!

Doing it God's Way

It really irks me whenever I see the title of something that claims to be "God's Way", like "Raising Kids God's Way" or "Managing Your Money God's Way" or "Sweeping the Floor God's Way", or whatever. This immediately implies that if the reader does not implement the methods contained within, they are doing contrary to God's will. If you have created a method based on Bible-harvested principles, then say so, and please share it with the world. But to say that your method is God's Way is presumptuous and egoistic. Because, in actuality, God's ways are shockingly different from our own. He draws straight lines with crooked sticks, creates beauty out of garbage, and slays his only true son in order that worms like us can be his adopted children. God's ways blow our minds.

Creations from an old sweater

It was a beautiful cotton knit sweater, but it was big and bulky and I almost never wore it. So, inspired by an ad in the Pottery Barn catalog for a "sweater knit" pillow cover, I cut it apart and made one myself.

I was so happy with the result that I kept going. The sleeves of the sweater made perfect doll dresses. Here is Ella Mae modeling for me. I attached the straps to the front behind a faux leather button. They snap in place behind the shoulders in the back. Then I made another strap from the scraps of knit and sewed it onto a leather coin purse that happened to be just the right size for an 18 inch doll. I think she looks pretty chic, don't you?

A Strange Conversation

It's really cold here and the wild critters are looking for sanctuary. I got up during the night to get a drink of water when a mouse ran across the kitchen floor. I gave a little scream. (I wasn't afraid of the mouse, just surprised by the mouse.) He was behind the stove by this time, so I went back to bed. My husband was slightly awake, and this was our conversation word for word (I'm not making this up)

Me: Did you hear that scream?
Him: Uh-huh
Me: It was a mouse.
Him: A mouse screamed?
Me: No, I screamed because there was a mouse in the kitchen.
Him: What was a mouse doing in the kitchen?
Me: Um... looking for snacks?
Both of us: ZZZZZZZZ.......