Snow Day

Greetings and Holykisses,

Yesterday afternoon, we had no more n gotten a little firewood stacked on the porch and it started to snow! We didn't get alot of snow overnight, and it's already melting some but it sure was pretty watching it fall to the ground. Another line of it may be coming later tonight!
One of the things I love the most when it snows ... are all the footprints! Or ...in this case; little hoof prints. In this picture; outside of our old barn; I could tell Lydia our goat had already made her way to the water trough.
When she discovered I was outdoors, she ran to the fence demanding her breakfast.
This olde gal has quite a sweet tooth and if if her porridge doesn't have molasses in it, .... well; let's just say it wouldn't be "just right."
Violet and Spirit also came up to say hello. They don't look like have very much winter hair this year. "Hi there Donks!" (They are very vocal)
On my stroll to the potting shed, I couldn't resist snapping a picture of our old pumpkins. I always toss the ones used for Autumn decorating back into the garden. The snow and cold weather has finally put cracks in them. I didn't disturb em but wondered if a cute lil field mouse or garden gnome has taken up residence from underneath? I like to just let them winter over to feed the critters. Then come spring when I till the garden again, they usually sprout up more and more pumpkin plants.
The birds seem so grateful for full feeders when the weather turns bad.
I couldn't have counted all the red wing black birds visiting today.
I keep telling myself that blackbirds and sparrows gotta eat too. :) I like the little stripe head "chipmunk" sparrows the best. We also had many cardinals today and a few woodpeckers. I need to get out my bird books because I've forgotten some of their names. But then, chipmunk sparrows probably already gave that fact away?
This pan feeder is one of my favorites and always gets alot of action.
Seed catalogs have been filling up our mailbox and also a big portion of my mind these days. I'm dreaming of big, juicy, heirloom, vine ripened tomatoes and pink peonies galore. Even though this old washtub is frozen with snow; when I look at it, I'm imagining green sweet potato vines spilling over it's sides and colorful zinnias, wallflowers, red yarrow, and purple coneflowers blooming all around it. (See; I got it bad.) -- It probably didn't help that last week I placed my first order for the "snow queen" hydrangea that I've wanted to plant in memory of my Angel Mother. My Aunt emailed a picture of it to me long ago, and last year when I tried to order one, they were already sold out. This year, I made sure to get it early. Now that our new porch is finished, it should have a good shady spot.
Today, as I walked by, I realized this little cart will have yet another story to tell:
Last year, it housed pink and yellow Portulaca Grandiflora- better known as good ole moss roses. I never pulled them out, and as you can see- although they're all dead... there's hope that they'll return in the Spring. To be honest, I didn't know until last year that moss roses can actually reseed. But a handful of ours did last year that were planted in an iron kettle along with some hens n chicks. I wonder if these will too? Usually our chickens have scratched them all out by now.
Our cat Merry Pearl has been in a royal funk. Some of you may remember that she just "turned up" last year. She was on probation for several months... but Myguy finally gave his thumbs up and she's now part of our family. (I "think" that's safe to say anyways.) But poor Merry Pearl has been struttin around with a big chip on her shoulder.
It all started when this lil gal showed up last week. Apparently she's another runaway, or maybe a drop off that found her way to the shabby olde potting shed. In fact, the potting shed is exactly where this one stays. She'd probably come up by the house more often but Merry Pearl treats her like a ... well... like a dog! Our dogs walk on eggshells around her.

Will these two cats ever get along.... and tolerate eachother? Pearl is really throwing her weight around. She runs the other kitty back under the potting shed and then camps out next to the food dish so the new one can't eat it. Then a couple nights ago, Pearl split and wouldn't come when called. I was so afraid she'd had her fill and decided to just leave home. But the next morning she was back on the porch meowing for her can of 9 Lives.
Look how much they resemble each other on the top of their heads. Their markings are so alike, that from a distance I have trouble telling them apart. -- I kind of wondered if the new kitty was pregnant when she first arrived. She no longer looks near as big. I tried to peek under the shed with a flashlite but couldn't see a thing. -Our big round bales of hay are not far away... so I wonder??? Could it be she had kittens in between hay bales? I tried to pick her up and turn her over to see if she has milk, but she pitched a fit.* (Good thing I had my mittens on)
Not much else going on here today.... it's kind of a quiet Monday. I probably should be back outside taking down our Christmas lights and outdoor nativity. But instead; I think I'll just turn those lights on and head out to my craft room. After all... it IS a snow day!

Holykisses xoxo
L