Simply Live

~ lambie, lambie, lambie ~

After pouring my guts heart out in the last post, I feel ever so much better, although, I think it has more to do with your kind comments than the emptying of my soul. In my case, soul emptying isn't so much courage as the fear of standing before God, hopefully in the far future, and having Him say, "I gave you such a Large Life, why did you choose to live small?" shudder! 
In this "grief journey", I've learned it's best to just go with it when it happens. There's no stemming the flow of grief but I do try to stay on the farm, behind locked gates, when grief overwhelms me. If I'm in public, I head for the nearest restroom or back to the car; there's no need in causing others discomfort and, if there's one thing I've learned, folks who can handle a crying woman are few and far between. When I've encountered someone in distress, if it's someone I know, I give them a hug and ask if I may pray for them. If they say "yes", I start praying; if it's someone I don't know, perhaps I'll touch them on the arm or shoulder and ask the same question. As the old saying goes, there are no atheists in a foxhole and no one has ever turned down my offer of prayer.
Each week brings new opportunities to work as well as the same ole grind. Of course, my same ole grind is beautiful to me...lambs, calves, kittens, spring...and, once again, the cycle of grieving has taken an upturn. In other words, grief will be "manageable" for a day or three or God knows how long, before I'm swamped again. It's a roller coaster ride sans seat belt and all I can do is hang on and try to keep up but knowing God's plans are for me to prosper and do well, to give me hope and a future while I cast my cares upon Him because He cares for me. With Him carrying me and the load, I can do this grief journey! sort of.

"That it will never come again is what makes life so sweet."

~ Emily Dickinson ~

Ashley, a neighbor, works at her SIL's vet clinic and is forever bringing home the waifs that are abandoned or need special TLC. Like the lamb above; he was attacked by a dog and sustained severe injuries all over his body. There are those who say if you look cross-eyed at a sheep, it will fall over dead. This lil' feller says naaaaaay! He's still alive, doing well, drinking a bottle and wearing diapers because he's living in the house. I told John, Ashley's husband, "I could never work at a vet clinic; it's a license to starve." Meaning, of course, I'd bring home Everyone who needed a home. How on earth do you think Dave and I ended up with 5...sometimes 6 when Jake comes to eat...dogs, 3 house cats, barn cats, rescued sheep and horses? 

~ Flash and Lambie ~

Flash, John's "basket hound", is long suffering as Lambie nuzzles in the, unrealized, hope of finding a working teat. 

~ is this the look of guilt? ~

One of the dog beds is a feather mattress...hard to believe, eh? I bought it at a thrift store, not knowing it was a feather mattress but, as you can see, now I know. It needs a sheet, sewn into a U shape, so I can stuff the mattress in there, fold the end under and stop vacuuming feathers every week. It looks like someone has killed chickens in my office! 

~ Daniel, Morgan and my sheep ~

Last week was sheep de-worming and we're going to shear in April. The farm isn't open to the public any longer, I can only do so much and something had to give. Friends have asked if they can come help; well, gosh, gee, if you're sure....HA! free labor...gotta love it! I'll fix a wonderful homemade lunch - bread, soup, dessert, iced tea, coffee - and we'll make it a fun day. My little flock is only 28 so it won't take Clinton but three hours or less and that's if he takes his time. I wanted to shear this weekend but Clinton is knee deep in lambing and can't take time away from his own flock. In the next few days, I'll try and get to his farm to take some photos.

Our Cove Volunteer Fire Department is active and we're up to 18 members...hurrah! I won't fight fires but I'll bake cookies for every meeting and take notes, keep records, etc. Basically, whatever makes our fire fighter's lives easier, I'm there to do willingly. We're a very small community but spread out over thousands and thousands and thousands...you get the idea...of acres. In our valley there are about thirty people but we go to the surrounding valley's when we're called upon to help. None of us are paid, we do this because we want to help ourselves and each other; we live the way our Grandparent's lived and the way we're admonished...treat others the way you'd want them to treat you.

That's not to say we don't argue, fuss and fight at times but we always manage to kiss, figuratively, and make up. We have to; we're dependent upon each other and look out for each other's homes, livestock, fences, each other. 

~ double rainbow ~

Throughout the years, we've seen several double rainbows off our back porch. Did you know before Noah's ark and the 40 day and night rain, there'd been no rain upon the earth? Only dew and after the flood subsided, God gave Noah a a promise or covenant that said He, God, would set a (rain)bow in the sky to let it be know He, God, would never again destroy the earth by water. The Bible is full of God's promises and, lest I forget, I'm forever reminding God of His promises. It helps me no matter what emotions are racking my brain and body and it's the only way I can live. With God's help, I simply live, each and ever day. Bless His name forever.

Blessings ~ promises, especially God's promises ~ lambs ~ good help ~ home made food ~ neighbors ~ a hope and a future ~ rainbows ~ 

Road Perils

 ~ tree down ~

For a good part of the way out of the Cove, it's two lane, unmarked, roads. This road, Pounding Mill Road, is marked and, as you can see, driving is hampered by a tree across the road. This is the shortest way home, the next shortest way means turning around...difficult to do on a road this narrow...heading back to Rt. 460 and then turning east to head to Tazewell town and then home or, turning west, and going on a narrower, unmarked, dirt road. It's just as likely, perhaps more so, trees would be across the dirt road as well. Hmmm.

~ mission accomplished! ~

It was easier to get out in the pouring rain and help break up, then move the tree just enough so one lane of traffic was clear. See the oncoming car? The driver wanted to stop, waaaaay back, but I motioned the driver to come closer. As soon as the automobile was close enough for me to talk to the driver, I saw it was a woman and asked, "Do you have a man in that car with you?" She looked startled and said, "nooooo...?" I told her, "well, you'll have to do. We need to move this tree so we can all get to where we're going." Startled is not the adjective I'd use for the look on her face this time -grin- but she jumped out of her car, ready to assist. The two men in the car ahead of me, that woman and myself broke up the tree enough so we could pull it out of one lane of road. As we're readying to break up the tree, one of the men looked at me and said, "So, Cove Gal, how's Dave doing?" I must have looked as startled as the other woman! "Gaining strength but it's slow going and daily", I told him. He laughed and said, "Mr. Harrison is in the car and we'd heard the news." He and Mr. Harrison are the gents who keep our furnace and heating system in working order; it was nice to work alongside folks I know.

 ~ uh oh ~

On the other side of this mountain, this tractor trailer driver found out dispatch doesn't always know best. I felt sorry for him. Cell phone coverage is spotty, at best, and in the short time I was there, his phone connection broke several times. To say he was exasperated is putting it mildly. Eventually, within three hours, a tow truck came and rescued him but he and dispatch were having trouble communicating. The driver asked me, "what's the nearest town?" Now, that's a trick question. Around here, towns are few and far between but we do have plenty of wide spots. I told him, "tell your dispatcher you're about four miles from the Pounding Mill WalMart." The guy looked at me like I'd struck crazy. "Pounding Mill?" But, he told her and her response was about the same. I just grinned and left them to it; I can only offer help, can't make them take it. The truck was, probably, in okay shape; it looked like he'd driven onto the soft shoulder and it gave way. Good thing it was on the ditch side of the road and not the cliff side.

 ~ dear ole Abbie ~

Beloved Abbie, like so many most at Thistle Cove Farm, has some years on her. As a foundling, she came here in 1998 and was full grown then so she's upwards of fourteen years. That's close to 100 in our years and she's beginning to slow, just a tad. I thought she'd had a stroke but, after taking her to a vet who specializes in Jack Russell's, I found Abbie didn't have a stroke but rather vestibular disorder. Nasty stuff that and means she suffers from having her world dizzy and imbalanced. She tells me when she needs to go up or down steps and I have to make sure not to disorient her. The two times I have turned her too quickly, she has to lay on the floor and flip 360 degrees to right her inner ear and restore balance to her world. It's painful to watch and I can only imagine the disorientation inside her little head and body.

She's eating well and moving nicely; was able to chase a rabbit yesterday and in a, fairly, straight line. She's on pain meds, to help her sleep and cope, and on antibiotics as, sometimes, they seem to help. Dr. Peggy, the vet, also suffers from vestibular disorder and was quite sympathetic; she even called this morning at 8 a.m. to see how Abbie is faring.

 ~ Sam, either licking his chops or warming his nose ~

Sam went to the vet also and he has a very nasty ear infection. I've been trying to clear up this ear infection for a very long time; hopefully, we've got the right mix of meds to get the job done this time.

~ double rainbow ~

Can you see the double rainbow? Dolly Parton said, "if you want to see the rainbow, you have to put up with the rain." She's right, you know. For two weeks, or more, it's either rained or snowed each and every day. Lawz! but I am glad to see the rainbows!

Our GP, God bless Dr. Steve!, called after 8 p.m. tonight. He wanted to let us know he'd already received the results of the CT scan Dave had earlier today. The tumor has shrunk a bit more and we'll take it. Yes, Lord, we'd still like that miracle of full recovery please, but, in the meantime, we'll take this small victory and thank you, Lord, thank you so very much.

Here's hoping rainbows for you as well. Rainbows and unexpected gifts.

Blessings ~ rainbows ~ Dr. Steve ~ Dr. Peggy ~ helping hands ~ Dave ~ Sam ~ grace ~

Soli Deo Gloria,
Sandra