Sorry I've been missing

I'm really shocked that I haven't written a post in a whole month.

Spring snuck up on me and I've just been relishing every minute of it.

Despite staring at her for over a month, checking her in sensitive areas and trying to just plain will her to have her baby, Dolly is on her own time line.

I'm still checking her every day for "signs" of impending birth.

So far she just keeps getting bigger.

In the mean time I've been mowing grass like crazy.

Planting vegetables in my garden.

Playing with Bug in his newly filled sand box.

And generally keeping my online time limited to visiting other peoples blogs and Facebook.

In the last month another interesting thing has happened.

A small bird has decided he is in love with his reflection in my tinted office window.

He comes every day to talk to himself, admire his lovely feathers and give offerings of bugs and feathers to the bird in the mirror.

Isn't he sweet? He cuddles up next to himself and chirps softly.

These aren't the best pictures but hey, it's hard to photograph through double pained tinted glass!

Hello Dolly!

It's no secret that I have an affection for all animals. It's also widely known that I have a special affection for those of the equine variety.

While perusing the farm and garden section of Craigslist I came upon and advertisement for miniature donkeys. I have wanted one of these for a very long time. Our neighbors two places down the hill have a field full of them. Every year when the babies are born I swear I am going to ask them if they want to sell me one.... every year I don't do it. So when I responded to the add, imagine my surprise when the people selling them where none other than my neighbors!

They were full of information for me. Bug and I spent almost an hour hanging out with them and their donkeys. They wanted to sell me a Jack (boy) and Jenny (girl) package but the Jenny was pregnant and it didn't take a genius to realize three Donkeys and three full size goats where not going to fit in my tiny barn. The whole time I talked with them a sweet little Jenny leaned against me as I scratched her back. I fell in love but knew that Mini Donkeys really do so much better with a donkey friend. So when they told me they were 95% sure she was pregnant that meant she had an instant friend inside her right now. Plus I can't resist having a baby around in a couple months.

So here she is meeting the goats for the first time through the fence.

Charlie (black goat) is certain she is going to eat him! You should have seen how high he jumped when she walked up behind him!

I think that is what fat belly. If she isn't pregnant than she needs to be on a serious diet!

So, anyone out there know anything about pregnant donkeys? I've been reading online and now I'm a little scared at what I got myself into!

Dreams.. was it the deviled eggs or something else?

Last night I had the most vivid dreams. Ones that make you wake up and it takes you a minute to figure out that it was only a dream. Was it all those eggs I ate during Easter dinner yesterday? Or is it something else?
The first dream that I had was a variation on dreams that I've had on and off for as long as I can remember. I get to a parking lot and my car has been stolen. In disbelief I look everywhere for it, thinking that I just forgot where I parked it. I feel panicked and I wake up and feel relief that it isn't true.
After I fell back to sleep I dreamt that my husband and I both woke up late for work. Like seriously late, four and a half hours late. We were both panicked. I woke up on time, husband was already at work. Once again I was relieved it was only a dream.
I was compelled to figure out if perhaps there was more to this than eating to many eggs.
So I looked up what the meaning of each dream was.
This is what it said about my car being stolen in my dream:
To dream that you car has been stolen, indicates that you are being stripped of your identity. This may relate to losing your job, a failed relationship, or some situation which has played a significant role in your identity and who you are as a person.

Hmmmmm......

It said this about waking up late for work:
To dream that you are late, denotes your fear of change and your ambivalence about seizing an opportunity. You may feel unready, unworthy, or unsupported in your current circumstances. Additionally, you may be overwhelmed or conflicted with decisions about your future. You feel time is running out and that you do not have time to accomplish all the things you want.

Kind of go together don't they. Makes me think it wasn't the eggs after all.

Wordless Wednesday ~ Under the Sea

Find more wordless Wednesday HERE.

Odds and Ends... well mostly just odds.

I really wanted to post a photo story Friday again this week. I'm really enjoying participating. I spent several hours trying to edit pictures from our trip to the Aquarium this past weekend. Do you know how hard it is to get a good shot in a dark aquarium without flash, moving fish in the background under filtered light and small child in the dark foreground looking at them??
Oh you do know? Well then you'll understand how many good pictures I ended up with. I'll post them sometime but I'm not done with the massive editing job just yet.
I'm having a hard time finding the inspiration to blog. Several semi funny things have happened in the last few weeks but I just can't seem to properly put them into words. Like the story of the gift I just received. It's really kind of funny but when I type it out it's just lacking something.
My mother in law brought me back a present from Arizona. It's a purse made from crochet plastic bags. I'll let you all digest that for a moment. Yes plastic bags from stores.
You can sort of tell which ones where from Walmart and which are from Safeway. I suppose it could be considered the ultimate in recycling but I'm just not feeling it. See, only slightly funny.
In other news, I've been super cranky this week. Yesterday husband came home and I told him I didn't feel good, that I had horrible cramps. Husbands response was "Oh that explains a lot"
Note to all men... that is NOT the correct response.
Since I was feeling so crappy I went to the store to buy a bottle of wine after work. I got up to the register and the guy asked for my ID. I hand it to him, he looked at the picture, looked at me and then as he was typing the date into the register he says really loud "OH Wow!"
I thought maybe I'd one a prize until he said "You don't look that old!"
Um... ok I think that was a compliment.

Photostory Friday ~ Marbeling

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

A few weeks ago Bug and I went to visit my dad. After loving on the brand new baby goats, mydad, Bug and I went over to watch my dad's friend Marjorie work.

She creates marbled fabric and sells it to other crafts people. They in turn make beautiful things from the fabric. The process of making this fabric is long and I won't go into specifics because, well I don't remember all of the technicalities!

What I do know is that is was fascinating to watch. Bug who has a short attention span watched for about two hours in a cold cramped studio as Marjorie worked her magic.

Bug was entranced....

Marjorie put row after row of dye onto the special slimy liquid.

Then she used a "comb" to smooth out the lines.

Then she used a "rake" in the opposite direction.

Once the pattern is the way she wants it she lays the fabric into the solution.

When the fabric is lifted the die is adhered to it.






She makes multiple patterns and stores every on in her head.

It's was so fun and very inspiring to watch an artist at work. It reminds me that I need to find my bliss!

Photo Story Friday ~ Uninspired

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

I have been feeling completely uninspired lately.

Uncreative, listless, and tired.

I don't know if it has been the weather or what.

I haven't even wanted to pick up my camera.

When I do I feel like every picture I take is crap.

Then a few days ago the baby lambs started arriving at our neighbors down the hill.

Every morning they when we drive by Bug and I ooooh and ah at their cuteness.

The weather was gorgeous today so I took some time on my lunch break and headed out with my camera. Of course the sun was out and at a harsh angle.

Every picture I took looked washed out. I couldn't get it right.

When I got to the lambs field there were all of two within shooting range. I had to peer over a bunch of dead blackberry vines to try and shoot them. The rest were far away taking their afternoon naps. There was none of the running and jumping in a huge pack that we see every morning.

I walked back up the hill to my house a bit let down.

I had finally gotten inspired by something and it didn't work out.... again.

Then as I walked toward my house I saw this image.

The mountain reflected in my office window.

That's when I decided that there shouldn't ever be a reason for me to feel uninspired when I have this reflection to look at every day.