Where have I been? With the Animals of course. :)

What a lovely way to start  January 1st 2013?

I took this out my kitchen window today.

It started out with blue skies, sunshine, and crisp weather that turned to 50 degrees today.

We had to get outside as much as we could.

Nine years ago, when we moved here, we woke up to snow and freezing weather on the first.

What a difference a few years makes.

We have sheep in the closer field now and its a lovely view to see when looking out the window.

We didn't get any in our yard .YET.. I am hopeful. They were trying to get a permit to get more land to fence in out here but so far a no go. But we can see these pretty good  from our back windows.

 Lots of walks gets us closer.

 I haven't had time or energy to blog for the last few weeks.

Con got sick and I was in major pain from my back and knee but it has finally worked itself out.

We have been busy Critter sitting too.. and  are on day 8  which is also our last day.

Taking care of the Six chickens, Three ducks, One bunny, One cat, and Milo, their black lab, who stayed with us.

This was our first morning of feeding the critters. Con was filling the wild bird feeder and the fog over the River was amazing. We had no problems the first morning, but as the morning wore on we lost one of the ducks we were watching. Duckaccino went missing. We hunted EVERYWHERE. We hunted the yards next door. We hunted the bushes.We called here ducky ducky ducky. I was sick. That night we only locked up two ducks. I called Jill with a heavy heart and told her. She thought maybe it was laying on her eggs somewhere as Jill was taking them away from the two females to keep them from sitting on them and it might be mad, and MAYBE it will show up the next day. I slept so so with hope.

 Not only did she show up the very next morning, she somehow got into the garden bed, we'd shut the gate on that is attached to the Chicken coop pen that we locked the ducks in at night. The chickens were IN the house. The chicken coop pen has a top on it but the Garden bed, altho it has a tall fence around it, is open on top. Somehow she flew in there and was safe from predators. I wasn't the only one happy to see her.. These two  spent some time kissy kissing each other. She stuck around after that.

 This was the scene each morning. The cat is by Milo.

Then we would go uncover the bunny, and Annie would run over, move us out of the way whining, and have to smell and lick it to make sure all was well with him. He let her too.

 The next morning.  they all came running from the pen.. all three ducks.

 Another morning Duckacchino said to heck to waddling and  flew over to get the food.

This was the best I could get so early in the cold morning.

 Milos bed was in the hallway by our bedroom.

 He followed me EVERYWHERE. If I snuck over to check on the critters he would bawl me out for not taking him along with me and so did Annie..it seemed like it was  in Stereo.

 He also watched Annie as she walked up the stairs to the bed, con built for her after her accident, and he just walked up too and made himself at home on our bed. Annie was so good around him being as spoiled as she is. She never lost her temper with him. Daisy, our cat, was fine with him too.

 Now if this isn't the height of spoiled  I don't know what is?

I gave up making the bed.

I started a new oil painting.

but I have been just to busy lately to work on it.

But after today I hope to get back to it. Once I recoup from the last 8 days.

Now isn't this picture of Annie just the picture of contentedness?

I hope everyone has a very Contented, Art filled, Happy New Year!!

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