Friday is a wonderful day to me. I can anticipate the weekend ahead. I can relax in the evening, breathe deep and think about the events of the week behind me.
This particular Friday is like the last several for me. Quiet. Because my husband has gone on a date to play golf with my best friend, I take some time for me and do exactly as I please. That's a great feeling. I spent time with the animals, watched Geordie sneak off to the pond for one last swim today, I fed the donkey's and the goats and had time to just sit and enjoy the the day as it settled into night.
I went to put the goats up, or so I thought. They went in just fine and seemed to be settling down. Then about 5 minutes later, I looked out onto the woodpile and there they stood. Clearly, they weren't ready to go in. I do a lot of repetitive action with those goats. I think they do it on purpose just hoping that I'll bring more feed to them. I'll go try it again at about dark-thirty. They'll surely stay in their shed then!
It's a lovely night and has cooled off some. I wondered if the mama bear was out tonight with her cubs, but I haven't gone up to the top of the driveway to see. I would say she's there, eating wheat, letting her babies play and doing what MASSIVE BEARS do!
I was talking on the phone earlier to my wonderful friend Mel Stanforth (super dooper dude and arteest extraordinaire!). We were discussing their visit here Sunday and I'm so excited. He and Miss Wonderful Mary are coming to sit a spell with us. While were were talking, we discussed animal behavior and determined that we humans aren't too far off from our animal relatives. They eat, nurture, love, and all the things we do. I'm sure they even get angry. Based on feeding time around here, I KNOW they get angry! To love an animal gives you one sure fire result. You WILL be loved in return. No questions asked. They don't care about your weight, if you're over 40, if you have a fat bank account or if you're even homely. They just love. They don't lie to you, they don't take what doesn't belong to them and animals don't seek revenge...at least in my experience, they don't. I can be the biggest pain in the rear in the world and they will offer total love and affection. I learn a lot from animals. They help me to be a better human.
The show on the USS North Carolina went very well. I saw old friends, made some new ones and even had some of my family there! We all had a lovely evening together. It's always good to be among friends and share the love of music. There's just no other feeling like that.
We spent a lot of time shopping and visiting with Marah. She is doing so well. She's just amazing to watch at times. She's so focused, so enthused with her education and such a joy to be with. Her intelligence is a beautiful thing and I am so proud of what a great young woman she has become. She was always wonderful..but I'm seeing her in a more adult light. I still think about letting her go, and in many ways, she's let go and stepped into her own person, but I'll always be "Mom." That's a role I could never grow tired of. She's a beautiful accomplishment, if I can take the liberty of calling her that!
So, this is just a reflective post. It's Friday. I'm chilled out and have nothing on my agenda beyond watching movie with my husband and my best friend when they arrive back here from their date! We're making wagers right now on how long it's going to take the folks in town to start spreading the rumor! HA! "Did you see that Wayne and Frieda together AGAIN? They have been playing golf for the past month every Friday. Annie is nowhere to be found and they're not even trying to hide it!"
I have cracked myself up with that speculation! Alas, the point is...I love animals. Humans could learn so much from them if only they would.
It's Friday and I'm going to have a great weekend!
I hope you do too!

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(The picture I posted seemed to be a rarity to me. A bear and a deer standing together, perhaps not happily for the deer, but together nonetheless. The deer never moved and never took its eyes off the bear. When the bear was startled and ducked into the hedgeline, the deer took off in a big hurry! The picture is grainy, as it was at dusk and I got what I could when I could get it. But, you get the picture! Look to the left of the bear and you'll see a little cub's head popped up out of the wheat. There are 3 cubs, I discovered, but I couldn't seem to get them all popping up at once!)
Poppy, Petal, Cinnamon and Muffin all seem to be doing quite well. They are adjusting to us, actually better than I thought they would. I'm sure they got plenty of spoiling in at Ronnie and Anita Bentley's, so I wasn't sure if I could make the grade! Everything is going really well and I'm pleased.
Summer is here and all the things that come with it. Animal life is abundant...deer are plentiful and so are the animals that are stunning, but you don't want to meet in the dark! Take for example the bear across the street. Yep, a big ol' bear. Well, let me just be out with it and say MASSIVE. She's a mama bear with three cubs. I was taking pictures of her on Sunday and the cubs were playing off to her side. She walked up on a deer that was already grazing the wheat field. I could feel fear all the way across that field coming from the deer! I'm not sure what I would have done either. I watched Nature handle it. The bear got distracted and the deer ran toward me.
This time of year, I worry a lot about predators. At dusk, I get all the animals up and secured for the night as best I can. That was part of the reason to want donkeys too. They're wonderful herd protectors. The goats are really tough in the daylight! They can also get away quickly. Night is another matter entirely though. I heard a noise last night and walked out to find the goats upstairs here at the house! Sophie was leading the pack and they needed an escort back down the the shed. I had already put them up and clearly, one slipped out...and the rest followed. Goats do that you know. They don't even have to particularly like each other, yet they'll still follow the crowd around! That's funny to me and I've yet to figure out why peer pressure is so important in a goat world!
I've been packing this morning. We're leaving in a couple of hours to go down to Wilmington. I'll be playing on the USS North Carolina this evening. John Golden hosts a Hootenanny event every summer to raise funds for the battleship. What a FUN gig it is too! I get to see all my pals, the atmosphere is just beautiful out on the fantail of the ship and the crowds of people are great.
It's interesting to me when we do these hootnanny's. There is such a variety in age groups. There are families with young kids, there are college kids, there are folks who are retired, even vacationers! You name it...you'll find it there. It's always gorgeous whent he sun starts to dip behind the trees and waterline in the evening. This show is for a good cause. So many people, school groups, etc. visit the USS North Carolina each year. It makes me feel good to do a little something to keep her going.
I will look forward to seeing lots of smiling faces this evening. I'll see old friends and hopefully make some new ones.
I lead a very blessed life and I am fully aware of it. Life is not a drudgery for me, nor is it "work." It just "is" and it's wonderful. It took me a long time to get to this place...the place where I have learned how to just "be." And just "being" is absolutely alright by me.
Here's hoping to see you soon, if not on the battleship tonight, then out there somewhere!
Hee haw, baaaaah, woof, quack and meow to you all!

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We left later than we planned. That was okay. It was cooler, less traffic, we could find 24 hour Walgreens...the pros were many.
The trip was the usual "trip" for the first while. We stopped at a Walgreens, got MORE treats (we only packed a month's worth for this 24 hour trek!)
Sparing you all the gory details (which I may talk about in a later post because the devil is in the details and this trip had many little "devils" in it!), we arrived at the hotel at 4:30am. We were whipped. I pulled the truck into the turn entry of the place and left it there! LOL! (I don't do turns and trailers at the same time very well.) Frieda and I went to check in. All I wanted was to be horizontal. After a lot of inappropriate punch-drunk laughter, we got our room cards. We woke Wayne up long enough for him to park the truck and up we went. Geordie had even had enough by this point and we collapsed.
Frieda got up first. I feigned sleep while Wayne started talking to me. I had hoped he would give up and go away...find Frieda...anything! I was so tired. But, he persisted. When the whistling through his teeth started, I do believe my head made one full spin on my shoulders. I got up and went straight to the shower! Once I showered, I felt a little more human.
We (again sparing you the hysterical gory details), we found a Shoney's and stopped for breakfast. We ate and ate and ate.
Finally, we were ready to go to Ronnie and Anita's to SEE the darling donkeys. It was almost unreal since we'd been planning this for so long! I could see Anita waving from way down in their drive way. Ronnie was getting himself ready to start making us laugh! After hugs and all the "we're so glad to see you's," we made our way to the donkeys. They were just as adorable as I had thought. We watched, patted heads, and did all the things new parents do. THEN. Yes, THEN. Wayne and Ronnie disappeared. At first, I didn't think so much of it. THEN. Wayne called me. Ronnie seemed to have become Wayne's support system. I knew it. They were conspiring. Ronnie had been working on Wayne! He had told him he had OTHER donkeys available! Those two men were tag-teaming me before I knew it and my husband had fallen in love with another woman. A sorrel jenny and her baby girl!
I rationized that there was no room in the trailer. Ronnie, being the support system, assured me there was. I said 4 donkeys would be too much. Ronnie assured me that feeding 4 donkeys would cost less than feeding 4 cats. I smirked. "I'm not trading MY DONKEY'S for THOSE donkeys," I protested. Ronnie assured me that there wasn't a trade in the works. THEN. Then came the final take-down blow of the ever conspirating male personality. Wayne asks the pandering question, "Well, what do you think?" I replied, what do you think I think? I think you're crazy. He already had that glazed-over look in his eyes. Anita and Frieda tried their best to help me, but it was like quicksand. And then I realized it was over. We were bringing home, not two, but FOUR donkeys. We had petted the sorrel jenny a little bit. Her baby was splendid. I just had no idea that she was "that" kind of donkey. She just horned her way right into my husband's heart. I wanted to believe she hit him from behind and he never saw it coming, but I knew in my heart, he wanted her. Ronnie was right there to tell me so! LOL! (Notice I left out all the parts about me being a sucker for animals, what the heck, I've got a whole brood to feed anyway, they are just gorgeous and the ever practical, "I guess four can eat down more pasture than two.) It was finished. We had 4 donkeys.
We went through all the steps of getting them to the trailer. They seemed fine once they were in. In no time, we were off...on our way back home. Still a bit stunned and shaken at my husband's obvious plot to bring home more donkeys, I was truly happy. I knew it would be both alright and fun.
On the way, we talked about names, bouncing different one's off of each personality. "PETAL" was named first. She's the brown and white baby. We set about naming her mother next. We named of flower names that start with "P." Pansy, Petunia, nah. Those didn't fit. Then, out of the blue, I said "POPPY." We all yelled, "THAT'S IT!" We had two more to find names for.
It took a while. We were having dinner in Raleigh. After dinner, we started naming names again. We arrived at "CINNAMON" for the sorrel mom. She looks just like cinnamon toast. (I hear a nickname coming.) Naming names wasn't getting us very far with naming Cinnamon's baby. Nothing "sounded" right. That is, until Wayne said, "MUFFIN!" Again Frieda and I shrieked THAT'S IT!!!" We were totally thrilled. They were all named.
We left Raleigh and headed home. (Once again, I will leave out the events that were hysterically funny. This one occured in Farmville and included a NC Highway Patrolman.) Suffice it to say, from now on, I'm going to start hitching the donkeys and taking them with me everywhere I go. Troopers must love donkeys. This one even called his sargeant to ask "do I pull them over? They have DONKEYS!" (Huh??) It could have been a lot worse. But, this fellow was indeed "a trooper." He saw that the trailer lights did work...and there must have been a glitch or short or something. We aimed for home.
We arrived home in the wee hours. Morning came early and I've spent the whole day trying to make ALL the girls comfortable.
Tonight, as I type this, they were working out the sleeping arrangements with the goats. They're an indecisive bunch. Can't make up their minds and just lay down. I'll check on everyone in an hour or so and call it a day. One very long, wonderful, thrilling day. We have 4 donkeys now. Wayne and I are BOTH crazy over that sorrel jenny and her baby.
As I have tried to indicate, you can't beat a good donkey road trip.
We're all safe, sound, blessed and happy. It doesn't get much better than that. Frieda took what seemed to be a lot of pictures. I'll post them as soon as I get the photo card from Frieda.
Folks, when you see the pictures, you'll see why Wayne HAD to have the sweet sorrel jenny and her 3 week old baby.
Never in million years did I ever think that I'd have so much fun on such a long trip and with TWO extra jenny's. That makes me smile.
More on the donkeys and how they're doing in their new home tomorrow, I hope. If not, I'll see you again over the weekend!
And then, there were four....

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Today is the big day. We leave to go pick up our new additions. The jennets, Mom and Baby will be coming to live here at the Dumb Bell Ranch. We're all JACKed up with excitement and I'm sure to be dropping donkey jokes for the next few days! (BTW, so you can stay up on the jokes, a JACK is a male donkey, pathetic though it was, I just had to attempt humor!) It also doesn't help that I've had about 3 cups of coffee this morning...not those sissy amateur coffee cups either! I drink those super-industrial-gi-normous cups of coffee. Those little cups are just enough to make me mad!
Geordie has had his bath for the trip. Wayne is doing what Wayne does...which is about 240 things that MUST be done before we leave to go anywhere. It's like a ritual for him. I throw my stuff together and am ready to roll. He methodically decides to remodel the house before we leave. Sad part is, he comes close. Mighty close.
Dear friend Frieda will be travelling with us, as she and Wayne were co-conspirators in this donkey heist! They set about finding ONE BURRO for me for my birthday. I had one when I was young and loved her a lot. I always vowed I'd get another one. But in keeping with Wayne's personality, (going to the nth degree!) we wound up with two of them! And they're just gorgeous!
Their place is all fixed and ready for them to go in when we get home. The only "problem" that really isn't a problem at all, is the curious nature of the goats. They mistakenly think it's all for them. I guess they are really in for an awakening of sorts, when they see those donkeys come out of the trailer. We borrowed a trailer from our friends Mike and Judy Davis. They are my goat gurus, offering sages of wisdom when I call them with even the most ridiculous questions. Both Mike and Judy are ALWAYS laughing! They are just those type of folks who are naturally just "happy" and it is contagious. You feel good just being with them. Of course, they have a menagerie to die for...countless goats, chickens, cows, dogs, etc. even ducks!! I don't try to keep up with the Jones's...it's those DAVIS'S that I'm trying to catch up with. Given the feed bill and the fact that Wayne would eventually go into orbit, I just mostly lust after all their animals. And visit THEM when I would like a BIG animal fix! LOL!
I'll have to let you know how the trip goes, etc. Meeting new friends in person is always a great thing. It's like I've known that Ronnie and Anita Bentley all my life. They're just good people that way. Ronnie is a hoot and will give ME a run for my money when it comes to talking. You never know what his "topic" is going to be, which keeps things very interesting. Today, for example, was BILLY BOB THORNTON MOVIES! Did you know that my main man ANDY GRIFFITH was in one of them? I didn't. But you can bet it's on my Netflix list now! Other conversations with Ronnie covered old time country music, then the next talk we had was on Westerns and who played in them. Folks like Mike and Judy Davis and Ronnie and Anita Bentley are the fabric of a wonderful life. Their home, their family, their animals and their friends are clearly what mean the most to them. They are happy and they savor every moment. We can all learn a lot from that. The world is just too busy anymore. But the Davis's and the Bentley's have a way of making you feel like they are never to busy to talk with a friend. I like that. I like that a whole lot.
With that, I'll close and let you know how the trip goes! I'm sure the post will be hysterical when we get home.
Here's to great friends, old and new!

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Today is Sunday. I love Sundays in general and this one has been especially nice. I didn't sleep a lot last night, but for some reason, I woke up feeling ready to go...early even. Wayne was gone by 6:30. This was a big day. He had gone to meet the gentleman who fabricated our staircase for our new home and they would install it. It has been months in the making and we were both so exicted to see something new happen to our house. We started the "house house" last summer. We hope it's our last stop. We have planned and designed it to be, anyway. The staircase is spiral. It is for the front entryway and it is beautiful.
All went well with the installation. The stairs look exactly as we hoped they would...gorgeous. Wayne and Johnny Abbott, the metals fabricator, even appeased me by posing with Geordie Dawg for a "YEE HAH!" picture. We were delighted.
I came inside did a little research, then laundry and a few other household chores. I did them with a good intent. I did them with a gracious heart. "Even in the least of these," I thought to myself as I folded clothing and towels, putting them away. Normally, it's a drudgery. Normally, I really don't like laundry. But, today...Sunday...I folded slowing and carefully and reverently.
Wayne got started on readying the shed for our new additions. This means in plain English that he is readying the goat shed to also accomodate the two burros we just bought. Both are jennets. Some folks call them "Jenny's." That's what I like to say too. Mother and daughter. They are gorgeous! We plan to pick them up on Tuesday. I am so excited.
I spent time with my outside dogs. They are precious and each one jockeys for one-on-one time. They are so warm, loving and accepting of playtime...our time. I swear they can count head pats, hugs, and toussles! It's like they DO keep score! After doggy play time was goat time. They were hungry and being the food source, I'm always very popular with them. What an ego boost. Can that go on a CV? "Popular with goats." Hmm. Will have to think on that one. Geordie and I walked down and he ran ahead. He has assumed the job, at no charge to me, of putting up the goats. It's born into Border Collies...and a beautiful thing to watch. As soon as we got goats, he started his job. He never tires of it. Always shows up, works 7 days a week and loves it. I don't know of any people like that! HA!
Right now, spaghetti cooks for dinner as I type and reflect on this Sunday. Happiness is finding pleasure in the sweetest, simplest things. Happiness isn't always the monumental events of life. Happiness is all around. My home and my family are content. It doesn't get much better than that. An unexpected, but surely welcome "I love you" out of the blue from my husband is sweet and simple. I watched him wipe the sweat from his forehead, as he looked up and smiled as I fed ravenous goats. He is peaceful today too. Not even that we've "talked" about it. A wife just knows. We did talk about the breeze, the cooler weather, and other things. We laughed at the goats as they ate their dinner. Let's just say their manners are not as polished as I'd like them to be.
Today is Sunday. Monday will come soon enough, but for now, I will wring every ounce out of this day that I can. Days like this are wonderful and filled with the sweetest, simplest things, reminding me that I am blessed.

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Summertime. The sound of the word is relaxing. I was just thinking about all the things that are so enjoyable this time of year.
Summertime heat has arrived here in Pamlico County, and that's not always such a welcome thing. I'm kind of a "75 degrees is perfect" kind of girl. Alas, we've hit 90 a couple of days this week and is the precedent for the days to come. That's ok. Looking outside, I see the goats. I'm sure they're hoping I don't let Geordie out to chase them. As a herd, they move from shade tree to shade tree. Mornings and evenings are when they are in the fields eating grass, going to the pond for water and milling about. Afternoons are rest time. I think there is a lot we could learn from animals in the summertime. They certainly know how to rest. It's no big deal. No big production, no plan. They find a place that looks good and they lay down! Same with the outside dogs. They go into their houses, where it's cool and shady and they nap. I'm all about a good siesta myself. I don't get enough of them, but on certain occasions, generally Sunday afternoons, I might find a time to stretch out and rest...even nap. Perhaps I'll make a summertime resolution to do more of that. I'd like to say I could encourage Wayne to do the same, but he's much too "type A" for that.
Another thing that just makes me FEEL GOOD in summer are gardens! EVERYWHERE! Because I live in the country, I see all the gardens belonging to the old timers. They are stunning. I love a traditional garden, but this year, I'm doing container gardening, which is working out great for me. (Last summer, Wayne and I did HAY BALE gardening! It was interesting and fun. It takes a bit of preparation of the hay before you plant, but it was quite the conversation piece and we got a great yield! One benefit was little or NO weeding!) I'll talk about that in another post.
I have the usual garden variety container garden now. I have peppers, tomatoes, herbs, cucumbers and some squash. I think that will be enough for this year. It's all upstairs on the deck, so I see it and am able to enjoy the plants all during the day. There's not a better feeling than to get your hands in some dirt, plant and watch things grow. It pains my heart that some kids actually believe that food "comes from" a supermarket!
Summertime give us lots of company. A young man who works at the local building supply and knows Wayne showed up yesterday evening, baseball cap in place, fishing pole in hand and ready to fish. "Miss Anne," (as the kids around here call adults) Josh said, "Mr. Wayne says I can go fishing." I told him not to burn daylight and get on over there. The goose family welcomed him with open wings. (There is a large family growing up with us this summer! A mom and dad and 11 goslings! Eleven were hatched. Eleven made it and are growing like weeds! I adore them!) Other kids will be showing up from today forward. School is out as of today so the kids will come to swim in our crystal clear pond. They call it "the pool." That cracks me up.
It's a good life here. We have a blessed and rich life. Our home is our sanctuary. It's a place that is all our own and we can shut out the knocks and bumps that the real world deals. Summertime, more than any other makes me close to my land. I feel close to everything that lives and grows here. Deer come to drink, even bear and bobcat! We have the only "fresh" water around here, so we get a treat all the time with what might be visiting us to graze or drink. Wild animals are just that, but I pray that all remains harmonious.
Neighbors venture out and drop by. They're always coming to see what kinds of craziness we're up to. I think they think we're weird, but I'm not sure. I know they get free entertainment, so that works for me. We like that a lot. Wayne and I love sharing our lives, our home and our hearts with others. Our great friends give us love, comfort and help us grow and flourish here.
I never thought I'd have the opportunity to have this kind of life. Travel? I've done plenty of that. HOME is where my heart is and I'm as content as I could ever be...right here, loving summertime, loving my home.

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Strange things do happen in small towns. The real world eventually shows up and smacks a dose of stark reality to an otherwise quiet existance. A good thing? I think so. It's good for the brain cells when issues come up that are worth discussion. As I can understand the "facts" that surround the new, happening circumstance in Oriental, two business owners placed cameras in town. One is located on the side of a neighboring home. The business owners have the other camera on their own home. The problem with this lies with "what the cameras are directed on." One camera points into Lou-Mac Park, which is a wonderful gathering place for both residents and visitors to Oriental. This camera was placed to show visitors the sunrises and sunsets of Oriental. (The business owners have a website that features Oriental and they put the cameras up to generate advertising dollars via website visitors.) The other camera, which by the way, was the first camera to go up, is pointed toward the Town Docks of Oriental. This is a hub of activity for pedestrians, boaters docked at the town dock, etc.
Cameras are a relatively new phenomenon in today's technology. They have been used in Europe for several years now to "spy" on the goings on of citizens, catch speeders, red light runners, etc. Nowadays, cameras are surfacing more and more as a means of surveillance. Businesses use them for after hours protection, homeowners use them for security and in those terms, I truly don't see anything wrong with them. In fact, I have seen twice in as many weeks how the use of surveillance cameras has captured criminal activity as it was happening and the perps were captured as a result of video surveillance. A church in a small town placed a video camera on its premises after a rash of burglaries. Much later, a woman was meditating late at night and was attacked by a stranger who followed her into the church. Because of the recorded footage, the attacker was apprehended and will certainly be convicted as a direct result of the cameras. My point is this. The church had a problem and elected to survey itself in that manner. What good does it do to video a park? It is of great interest to me to hear the opinions of others on this. I'd like to know if you think video'ing is ok, if you have a problem with it, how far do we need to go as a society to police ourselves or is it ok for others to police us? This subject has brought a current national debate to our little village and I don't think that is a bad thing. The subject certainly warrants debate and lots of it. So, as I'm kicking off this new blog, I'm tossing a topic out there in hopes of hearing opinions.
I'll continue to post on this issue and what the result, if any, the placement of the cameras will be for Oriental, NC.

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I had started this blog way back in 2005 and for many reasons didn't latch onto it very quickly.
Now, I have found blogging an easier, quicker way to keep current on my website and hopefully
hear back from folks on a more regular basis.
I blog on all kinds of sites anyway, so it only seemed fitting to revive my own blog and get it up and going again.
This is sort of a second first posting! LOL! Though it might not change daily, it will be more frequent than putting together newsletters.
Thanks for having a look and here's hoping to come up with lots of interesting ideas to blog about.

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