Tada! Lights up!

 It started this morning with our 15 ft. ladder being too short. Thankful to our neighbor, he loaned us his boom truck.My gosh it was really cold & windy working out there...and then we found our first strings of lights were defective so after awhile they were sorted and we exchanged bulbs and finally got a string long enough to hang across the peak of the garage roof.. red & white bulbs...taking a warm up break.

 We  made a trip to town to get more lights to string across the garage door and for the two baby spruce trees in the front yard. Of course we needed extra extension cords and surge protectors. We decided on Green & Red lights for this part of the job.This took all afternoon.We were even more cold and glad to be finished. Now doesn't that look nice & Cheery? Time to go inside for a hot drink..and warm up..

The next project will be to get some fresh pine boughs for inside the house and the Entrance gate.. I think, unless I go get another string of lights & a star to place on the Blue Sky Farm Sign in the yard.. then I will be finished....I think.....well maybe not.. The chicken coop just may need some lights too...I think the" girls" would like that.....don't you?

 We are expecting more snow tonight. Don't you think the lights will be even prettier reflecting in the snow?

I believe....

Tree in Front room done. Love my angel...Next is the outside light chore.. and brrrr its cold out there.. More later..

Starting to Decorate Blue Sky Farm

Today I started the decorating.. I have much to do but here is a peak at work in progress. I will be cutting some boughs this week, Placing them in and around the tub. (If you magnify the photo you can see I have  5 ducks waiting to be "Gussied up")  and then dragging out the lights.. Many strings to be strung and decisions as to what will get trimmed. I love Christmas. It is my favorite time of the year. When I was a child my dad would  hang lights along the roof top and each year he would add a few more here & there. in trees, and along the driveway. Even though my children and grandchildren are away, and its just Buster Clay & me I have to do it.. I must have a tree and all the trimmings..next will come the tree and inside will be something different this year.. I think my tree changes each year depending on my mood and what inspiration I glean from magazines & store fronts.. I have my Charming Chicks coming on Dec 11th for our MJ Farm Girl Christmas Gathering so I must get  busy 

So stay tuned this is a true work in progress.... 

Thanksgiving Time

 I feel very grateful for my camera and the places I travel with my husband. (Not necessarily in that order) He really makes the journey fun and will stop anywhere for me to capture the Kodak moment.... some are definitely better than others..but we do enjoy this new discovered hobby.  My children are not with me this year, They all have families and husbands families to share their holiday with, & this year is a year for us to spend with my husbands side..( Really happy to say I Love being with them) so that's another Thing I am Thankful for... It could really be bad if It wasn't this way..

We made it over the Cascade Mountain P ass to spend the Holiday with them in Woodburn, Oregon

What usually takes 5 hours to get here took a little longer.. 7.5 to be exact. It was not slow going entirely because of the compact snow & icy roads.. There was heavy Traffic from Eugene to Woodburn for some unknown reason with stop & go traffic and 20 mph speed. We did enjoy a short stop, hoping to capture a picture or two of the snowy forest. There was plenty of snow and Amazing shots for us to capture. These are a few fit for framing  I think...

I hope you all have a very Nice Thanksgiving with your family and friends and if you travel drive carefully.

Today at Blue Sky Farm

Well my blogging friends, here are a few pictures of Blue Sky Farm on this beautiful morning. At first, 
Buster didn't want to come with me to the coop, But I insisted he come along. He does like playing in the snow....Here he is waiting for me to open the gate to the back yard.  We found our car almost buried out front. When we got to the back yard,  it looked  so pretty although the snow was deep. These are my tracks in about 9 inches of white powdery snow....

We made it to the coop.... and look how warm these girls are. The coop is dry and a bit of sunshine is coming through the doorway from their yard. As you can see I disturbed  Blondie as she was tucked behind the burlap curtain....to gather these two eggs.

 They  have been laying very well the past two weeks..even as the temperature dropped below freezing, I have been using a couple eggs a day and still have plenty for holiday baking. Some of these I will share with  my sister in law tomorrow when we travel to Woodburn for Thanksgiving . The Chickens will be cared for by our neighbor and they will gather the eggs. It really is nice to have good neighbors who are willing to watch things when we are gone.  

 I have bread dough rising and Buster is playing out in the snow.. Doesn't he  look like he is having fun? For now, I best stop here and take a look to see if  it's time to make the first punch down.... and pour myself a cup of hot tea....

Snow everywhere

Here is the latest picture of the snow falling out front of our house across the driveway.. It is snowing again and it really is pretty.. We are home from our drive to the Reserve marshland. That is an Eagles nest with snow stuck to the twigs. The eagle was around hunting for his lunch..

Below is a picture taken from my car window as we stopped along the waters edge. It was so quiet and peaceful and down right COLD.
Nice to be home now warming up with a cup of tea.

Button up your overcoat...

I found my winter felted wool hat, a pair of gloves and my crazy socks.... Batten down the hatches, The wind and snow is coming again and not just a dusting. Another 3-5 inches expected tonight. Doesn't the sky look cold and bleak?  We are warm and toasty bracing for the next  Winter Blast. If you go to the kitchen you can see what this "hen's been cookin"... It's going to be good with dinner tonight.  My kitchen smells so homey and warm too. Bundle up if you are getting this Arctic Blast and keep those fires burning..& have a hot cup of something..You can make  mine a brandy!

Why, I Can't eat in peace..

I warmed up some leftover waffles this morning for my breakfast. Getting ready to fill my tummy I am interrupted...Can I eat them in peace? Ohhh No... As I look down at my feet, I see Buster sitting very politely waiting for a dropped bite.. or perhaps a quick hand off...( Hmm.   that is not happening.). Then I glance outside to see how hard the snow is falling. ( it has stopped) and There at my window is a Hummingbird.. What is He doing here? He should be far south  by now, or may get caught in the coming Snow storm. I have no sugar water made for a hummer, so we poured a bit of watered down  maple syrup... He immediately started sucking up his fill... and finally as

I look out the front window off the porch I see these sweet birds looking for a few crumbs.. Now I can't leave them without so.. I gave them some too... Now if everyone doesn't mind can I finish my breakfast even though now they are cold... I better hurry before some other critter wants something... Now I am getting cranky..Maybe I can sneak a snack later...

Over the river & through the woods...

This morning Clay & Buster & I took a short  drive to possibly catch some pictures of  trees still with their colorful foliage but it appears where we drove along the marsh area called Eagle Ridge we were too late.Most of the migrating birds were even gone.... I had to stop and capture it while Buster wandered sniffing all the smells of the woods. This picture does remind me of a childhood drive my family took to my grandma & grandpas home for Thanksgiving. .We would sing "over the river and through the woods..as we drove along".. The weather was still nice enough to walk a bit without a coat.. Do you have these moments when something sparks a memory of your childhood?

Charming Chicks Gathering

Here are my My home greeters. They will be welcoming my guests tomorrow as they enter my home. I came across the Mary Janes Farmgirls Connection on line when I moved to Oregon. I started my own chapter, because there was none here in my town. Saturday I am hosting a "Klamath Falls Charming Chicks" Meeting and Luncheon. We are a chapter of the MaryJanes Farm Girls. You can learn more about her organization by clicking on the side bar picture of her.
Our chapter started with 2 members almost 3 years ago. We have been growing and now have 14 members and rumor has it there may be 3 more coming to our November Luncheon meeting. One of our chapter projects will be adopting two needy families for Thanksgiving and we will adopt a family for Christmas in our community. We hope to do more in our community as we grow. .
Being a farm girl is a "condition of the heart". We all love country things and try our best to live a sustainable life. Reducing, reusing and recycling is one of our goals. Some of us enjoy sewing, quilting, knitting, crocheting, cooking, raising chickens & other animals, gardening, thrift store shopping and simply enjoy our families and friends. We can earn badges to wear for learning many new things if we want. (think of it as Girls scouts for grown ups.") It really is a fun to have a sense of belonging. We are one happy family offering support and a helping hand to each other. Many have no family living close and we fill that "sister role." Everyone should have a sister to share events and sad times with, don't you agree?
This month there are four of our members who are celebrating their birthdays and we will help them do that. We meet once a month for a meeting and sometimes just to connect and share what's of interest to us. We are just one of many chapters across the USA and even in Europe. Please go to MaryJanes website if you are interested in reading more about what "farmgirls" are doing. There is so much in learning  from each other.We each have our own style, making us all unique and Special Sisters.

Mirror, Mirror on the wall....

Okay, its been cold outside so I have been busy inside..  While I was in Washington  last month,  My friend Leila gave me two window frames to decorate.. Her husband removed the glass for me and showed me how to cut mirror tiles to fit.. I painted them first a aqua color and then went to work on the mirror project. I have never attempted glass cutting but now feel confident. I only messed up on 4 tiles and cut  one finger.. I'm adding aqua to my decor for the family room and think it really "cooled" the room. We get lots of warm sun in there by afternoon, so its a nice feeling now, open and light.

  I have had the two wall sconces, Thinking perhaps aqua candles would look nice in the pots.

I moved some things around in the dining room and now there's no room for any more!...( the room is bigger than it looks here..)

I guess I will be making another trip to Joanns & Michaels for candles & aqua print fabric to make pillows & draperies next, or perhaps a trip to Ross.. It's always fun to browse  there...I have another room to decorate....before Christmas.

Here it comes

I was sure it was coming see.. Taken this morning out the front window
It has rained since it first snowed melted what was here and then it snowed a bit more.. right now the sky is really dark with more snow clouds. Probably wont start snowing again for a few hours but it is really cold outside and windy.. I am glad its warm inside and the "girls" have been inside their coop all day..I gave them some warm noodles & rice..and that should warm them a bit..It would me..and it is getting close to dinner time. I have left over beef stew to heat up..so I better get on with that...