Colors!

 Today has been colorful. The trees get prettier every day as the leaves change from green to gold or red. The apricot trees have golden yellow leaves that fall slowly onto the ground to be pounced on by the hens. Why those particular leaves taste better than others? Well, who knows. But the hens know the difference. They chase those yellow apricot leaves. The Bradford pear is pretty to me as it slowly goes red. Not all at once, mind you, but it changes each day by adding another dozen to three dozen red leaves among the deep green ones. And then there are the very jewel-like colors sported by my Black Maran pullets. They have copper, azure, purple, and tourmaline green shimmers in their feathers. It might not be noticeable to anyone just looking across the yard at them, but get close to them in the sunlight and those colors just magically appear. Amazing! The only thing comparable is butterflies or hummingbirds. Then, too, a few flowers have remained and are still blooming out front and along the western fence in front. And if the colors are not enough to make the heart happy, the mockingbird out front in the Bradford pear has the most cheerful attitude around. He sings and jumps up into the air to make his point! Not sure if they stay all winter or not, but he certainly has claimed that tree.

Today my dogs found a cat--or it found them. Not sure if it was a tom or not, but it told them what it thought of them in no uncertain terms. It was balancing on the fence along Anderson's right before their fence connects to mine. When it finally decided the cuss fight was over, it took off and ran under the Anderson's shed. It was a lovely grey cat, but for sure it would never be able to make a home over here. Thompson grabs cats and means it to be the end of the cat. He might hand me a bird with a soft mouth, but no cat is ever going to be pleased to meet up with his jaws. He feels the same way about squirrels and possums! Crunch, crunch!

The Anderson's are without water for a few days. The trash trucks broke the lines, but the Andersons will have to pay to have it replaced, so Donny decided to have new plastic line put in all the way across the place instead of just repairing the breaks. Have a feeling it is the best decision. Those old pipes have been here longer than the rest of us have been alive! 

Have to take Sylvia to the vet in the early morning. She has split a toe nail and can hardly put her foot down. It would help if she would stop chewing on them, but she just gets that foot up there and chomps on it good. Maybe it is nerves or something. Can't really criticize her. Know an old woman who chomps on her nails, too--just not the toe nails! Just dread taking her in because it upsets her so badly. Will have to set her harness out so we can be sure she won't slip her collar. Poor baby just trembles to go anywhere without Thompson. May just take him too so that she can relax a bit.

Got a birthday card sent off today, but had intended to send a couple in the direction of Vernon and Quanah. Haven't got that done yet. Still have good intentions, so maybe the notes will be written and mailed tomorrow on the way back from the vet's office. Always have to make one trip do more than one job, ya know. Sent my daughter-in-law a couple of plants that might or might not live for her. They certainly have not lived for me--and it is not for lack of trying. But they have milder weather in Ft. Worth than we have up here in WF. When it is hot, it gets REALLY hot. And when it is cold, well, hello ice storm! But we actually have nothing to gripe about currently. The mornings are cool and the days are decent, so nothing has been too extreme. 

Thompson has this tone he uses to talk to me about treats. It is neither a whine nor a bark, but an expression of a bit of exasperation. It says to me: where are the treats? Aren't you about ready to give us some treats? DEEP sigh as he gets on the couch and groans about it. Good thing the hens can't come in the house and complain like that! As it is, when the door shuts on the deck, here they come! "Oh, you are out here to give us a bit of grain, aren't you!" Honestly, my children were NEVER this spoiled. They got cookies, but they had to help with mixing and all that before they got them. The burned--well, crisp around the edges--ones got to go to the kids across the back fence. Not sure that Brandon knew what good cookies were supposed to look like cause he got all the ones the kids would not eat. Shaking my head and thinking of that bunch of kids.

Have had the nibbles all day. Woke up feeling as if coffee was absolutely needed, not just wanted. Have to wait an hour after taking meds, so sometimes it is a bit provoking. Good thing no one needs for me to be bright and cheerful early in the morning. The dogs are used to the old grouch, and the hens are just in such a hurry to get the first blade of grass that it is not likely they care what anyone's attitude might be. Tomorrow will see coffee time on the road to the vet's office, so maybe everyone will just look at the expression on the sweet dog's face. ahem

May you enjoy the beauty that God has put in this world around us. Rest well, dear friends. You are loved.