Friday, October 31, 2014
My Halloween Story
It has been a scary morning around here. Very early, before the light of day, I heard what I thought was the eerie cry of a screech owl in the distance. Thinking of the guineas, I quietly opened the back door. As I stepped out into the darkness a soft movement of white disappeared into the woods. Surely this was my imagination I thought, as I turned to go back into the safety of the house. That's when I noticed the old rocking chair moving slowly, back and forth...
Never a Halloween passes that I don't remember my scariest Halloween ever. Scary enough that I want to re-post my story so that I can share and re-live that frightful night...
Back in the late 1980's when Poppy and I first moved out here, we were deep in the woods. Only one neighbor lived down our dirt path, a quarter of a mile from us. The dirt path was narrow then, room for only one car. Nights out here were dark, very dark. Poppy and I both worked a 45 minute drive away, and in opposite directions. In the wintertime it was dark at 5:00 p.m. Poppy's drive home from work was quicker than my drive home; his drive home was through the country. I worked in downtown Raleigh and was in bumper to bumper traffic for quite a ways.
It was Halloween night and between 6:30 and 7:00 p.m. as I arrived home and pulled into our driveway. Immediately I thought to myself, why is it so dark out here tonight. We normally left the light over the kitchen sink burning...the kitchen window was dark. I stopped the car and sat there, wondering if it was safe to get out and go in the house. My eyes adjusted somewhat to the darkness. I was looking around...for what, I don't know...perhaps trying to convince myself that everything was okay and safe. That's when I spotted what appeared to be a man standing behind a large oak tree near the driveway. It was a man! He was holding an ax!! I tried to breathe! My heart! My hands were shaking as I started the car and threw it into reverse. The man was walking toward the car...I had to get out of there! My trembling hands caused the car to swerve as I backed out of the driveway. This was a horrible looking man. There was something wrong with one of his eyes and there was blood on his face like he had been injured or had injured someone. A black hood covered his head and he was wearing a long, old looking, plaid coat. His boots were muddy. As I gave the car gas and began moving forward, the man began running; running toward the car yelling at me to stop, stop, ...
stop Mel, he yelled. It's me, Poppy!!!
I can tell you one thing!! Somebody almost got murdered that night!!! and it wasn't me!!!
For years after that Halloween night, mama would call Poppy and say, "please don't do anything to scare her tonight"! Mama was not a big fan of Halloween night anyway. She was seriously afraid of that old mask that Poppy wore.
So that's my Halloween story.
By the way, that first paragraph was my imagination. The above story, however, is true.
Love,
Henny Penny
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Ready for the craft show
I know! I say this all the time...where do the hours go! Poppy is off work today and is in the woods at his favorite hunting spot. Quickly, while he is away, I can have a little computer time. There is so much else I need to be doing though!! It will still be there.
This picture was taken early yesterday morning from the back porch. I thought hmmm, this looks right pretty...
Friends, you know the craft show at the farmer's market is coming up this Saturday. The day after tomorrow, already! I have been in the sewing room every night working, working, working...
The weatherman informed us last night that, "Saturday is going to be cold, rainy, and windy. It will feel like 30 degrees out there", he said! How encouraging!! It is truly a job in wet windy weather. I don't plan to let the weather stop me from going! My booth will be set up next to Shelby and Jimmy and that in itself makes for a fun day.
Some of you asked to see a close up of the finished dolls...
Some pictures are blurred. ?
Don't know why I got stuck on the color pink. Most of the time young girls do pick out the dolls dressed in either pink or purple so this may be a good thing.
My favorite doll of the bunch is in the first picture, wearing the pink checked apron. Oh my, Eli was too quite for too long this morning. I went looking for him. That doll will not be going to the show. Her hair is chewed and one eye smeared. I couldn't fuss at Eli. It looked like a toy to him. The box of dolls should not have been left on the floor. In the months that Eli has been with us he has chewed up two things, Poppy's Food Lion work cap and now this doll. He has been such a good dog!
Speaking of the old sweetie pie...
Okay, I'm pushing my luck here. I'm off to get some work done. Thank you again for visiting. Hope to be back soon.
Love,
Henny
This picture was taken early yesterday morning from the back porch. I thought hmmm, this looks right pretty...
Friends, you know the craft show at the farmer's market is coming up this Saturday. The day after tomorrow, already! I have been in the sewing room every night working, working, working...
The weatherman informed us last night that, "Saturday is going to be cold, rainy, and windy. It will feel like 30 degrees out there", he said! How encouraging!! It is truly a job in wet windy weather. I don't plan to let the weather stop me from going! My booth will be set up next to Shelby and Jimmy and that in itself makes for a fun day.
Some of you asked to see a close up of the finished dolls...
Some pictures are blurred. ?
Don't know why I got stuck on the color pink. Most of the time young girls do pick out the dolls dressed in either pink or purple so this may be a good thing.
My favorite doll of the bunch is in the first picture, wearing the pink checked apron. Oh my, Eli was too quite for too long this morning. I went looking for him. That doll will not be going to the show. Her hair is chewed and one eye smeared. I couldn't fuss at Eli. It looked like a toy to him. The box of dolls should not have been left on the floor. In the months that Eli has been with us he has chewed up two things, Poppy's Food Lion work cap and now this doll. He has been such a good dog!
Speaking of the old sweetie pie...
Okay, I'm pushing my luck here. I'm off to get some work done. Thank you again for visiting. Hope to be back soon.
Love,
Henny
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Guineas, Bunny, Ducks, & Kitten
Gosh! I've had quite the response to the items listed on Craigslist last night. The bike, the dog feeder, and the trailer have sold. Makes me want to pull out more stuff. This extra money would buy several metal T-posts for the donkey fence. Poppy probably won't be thinking that way though. :) Yep, if you list stuff on Craigslist, expect to keep busy!
At first glance these look like Halloween pictures but no, it's the babies under their heat lamp......
I have a hard time getting a good picture of the grown guineas but this one turned out pretty good...
Bun Bun and I were on our way down to the dog lot to play. His face was so cute I had to take his picture...
Now, the Halloween picture. A scary old kitty cat sneaking around a tree to catch a duck unawares...
Catching ducks is vewwwy vewwwy tiring...
Poppy will be using the computer soon. Thank you for stopping by. Hope to visit with you all tomorrow.
Love,
Henny
At first glance these look like Halloween pictures but no, it's the babies under their heat lamp......
I have a hard time getting a good picture of the grown guineas but this one turned out pretty good...
Bun Bun and I were on our way down to the dog lot to play. His face was so cute I had to take his picture...
Now, the Halloween picture. A scary old kitty cat sneaking around a tree to catch a duck unawares...
Catching ducks is vewwwy vewwwy tiring...
Poppy will be using the computer soon. Thank you for stopping by. Hope to visit with you all tomorrow.
Love,
Henny
Monday, October 27, 2014
Checking in ...
Our little Halloween kitty cat...
Maybe we should have named him Spooky...
Not really. He is such a sweety pie. The leaves are falling now...
Where have two days gone? Guess I've been too busy to notice. I did get a lot done today...got five more metal T-post into the ground for the donkey lot. Then started cleaning out from under the shed where Poppy parks the four-wheeler and riding mower. Half of that shed would make a good little donkey barn...I dare not mention that right now though. :)
Saturday I was out standing and staring at the stuff under the shed. I said to Poppy, we could make five hundred dollars if we sold all this stuff we don't use. He said, go for it! So, with a bucket of warm soapy water and an old rag, I single handedly pulled out and scrubbed an aluminum dog box that goes on the back of a pick-up truck, a large aluminum dog feeder, an old 7-speed bicycle, a good running push mower that has no back wheels, and a nice wood and metal trailer...
The dog feeder sold immediately after putting it on Craigs List.
Can you see the metal T-posts across the back? That will be the end of the lot. Things are coming right along. Oh, this is the wood trailer. Sorry about the flat tire...
All the animals are waiting to be put to bed and Poppy is asleep in front of the television...giving me a few minutes at the computer.
All the baby guineas are alive and well. Also thank you for the comments on my last post...comments I haven't had time to reply to. Also, little Smokey is sleeping safely at night on the enclosed front porch with Eli and Weetie. Thank you for visiting. Hope to be back soon.
Love,
Henny
Not really. He is such a sweety pie. The leaves are falling now...
Where have two days gone? Guess I've been too busy to notice. I did get a lot done today...got five more metal T-post into the ground for the donkey lot. Then started cleaning out from under the shed where Poppy parks the four-wheeler and riding mower. Half of that shed would make a good little donkey barn...I dare not mention that right now though. :)
Saturday I was out standing and staring at the stuff under the shed. I said to Poppy, we could make five hundred dollars if we sold all this stuff we don't use. He said, go for it! So, with a bucket of warm soapy water and an old rag, I single handedly pulled out and scrubbed an aluminum dog box that goes on the back of a pick-up truck, a large aluminum dog feeder, an old 7-speed bicycle, a good running push mower that has no back wheels, and a nice wood and metal trailer...
The dog feeder sold immediately after putting it on Craigs List.
Can you see the metal T-posts across the back? That will be the end of the lot. Things are coming right along. Oh, this is the wood trailer. Sorry about the flat tire...
All the animals are waiting to be put to bed and Poppy is asleep in front of the television...giving me a few minutes at the computer.
All the baby guineas are alive and well. Also thank you for the comments on my last post...comments I haven't had time to reply to. Also, little Smokey is sleeping safely at night on the enclosed front porch with Eli and Weetie. Thank you for visiting. Hope to be back soon.
Love,
Henny
Saturday, October 25, 2014
Baby pictures and more Smokey
It's pretty chilly here this morning. Temperature in the 40's. All the babies made it through the night and that makes me happy...
In cold weather, baby guineas are about as fragile as a pot of Impatients. A few years back a guinea hen hatched twenty some babies. Thinking we were doing the right thing, we left them with their mother to raise. We found dead babies scattered about the yard and woods, in every patch of wet grass, and lost in the tall grass around the pond. That mother guinea made it home that first day with only five babies.
Seems there is always a little sad news to go along with the good. An owl caught and killed one our six adult guineas a few nights ago. The guinea was missing Thursday morning . Thursday evening when I went to close the chickens up for the night they were all squawking and carrying on. Some were even trying to get out of the lot. There had to be a predator lurking around. I yelled for Poppy. He came running out with his shotgun. He did hear a noise in the woods so he fired a shot into the air. When he did, an owl flew from a tree right outside the chicken house. All got quite for the night. Then last night the same thing happened. Again Poppy fired a shot and the owl flew. Thankfully, the guineas had sense enough to roost in a different tree.
Curious about the new babies...
Wonder if the guineas are warning Smokey about the mean old owl...
Looks like the meeting is over...
Guess I had better head back outside. The last of the peppers need to be picked before I can finish cleaning up the garden.
Oh, one more. The colors are kinda pretty here...
Looks like it will be the middle of November before our leaves are really pretty. We still have mostly green.
Thank you for visiting. Hope to be back soon.
Love,
Henny
I should have put in my post that little Smokey really is safe at night from owls and other predators. He is now sleeping with big Eli and Weetie on the enclosed front porch. Smokey also has his own bed on the front porch. :)
In cold weather, baby guineas are about as fragile as a pot of Impatients. A few years back a guinea hen hatched twenty some babies. Thinking we were doing the right thing, we left them with their mother to raise. We found dead babies scattered about the yard and woods, in every patch of wet grass, and lost in the tall grass around the pond. That mother guinea made it home that first day with only five babies.
Seems there is always a little sad news to go along with the good. An owl caught and killed one our six adult guineas a few nights ago. The guinea was missing Thursday morning . Thursday evening when I went to close the chickens up for the night they were all squawking and carrying on. Some were even trying to get out of the lot. There had to be a predator lurking around. I yelled for Poppy. He came running out with his shotgun. He did hear a noise in the woods so he fired a shot into the air. When he did, an owl flew from a tree right outside the chicken house. All got quite for the night. Then last night the same thing happened. Again Poppy fired a shot and the owl flew. Thankfully, the guineas had sense enough to roost in a different tree.
Curious about the new babies...
Wonder if the guineas are warning Smokey about the mean old owl...
Looks like the meeting is over...
Guess I had better head back outside. The last of the peppers need to be picked before I can finish cleaning up the garden.
Oh, one more. The colors are kinda pretty here...
Looks like it will be the middle of November before our leaves are really pretty. We still have mostly green.
Thank you for visiting. Hope to be back soon.
Love,
Henny
I should have put in my post that little Smokey really is safe at night from owls and other predators. He is now sleeping with big Eli and Weetie on the enclosed front porch. Smokey also has his own bed on the front porch. :)
Friday, October 24, 2014
New babies and kitty cats
Been another one of those days and I am worn out! Poppy is asleep in front of the television. I was working on dolls for the craft show next Saturday but thought hey, I better take advantage of the free computer. So here I am. Now what to talk about?
Remember last October when a Guinea hen surprised me by wandering up in the yard with five new born babies? I raised those baby guineas. Cared for them all through the cold winter months...
Well today, pulling into the driveway around noon after a trip to the grocery store, there was our missing white female guinea with sixteen newly hatched baby guineas. Panic big time! Guinea hens cannot raise their babies on their own and especially not in cold weather. I piled the groceries in the kitchen, put the cold stuff in the refrigerator and spent the next three hours trying to catch that mother guinea and sixteen babies. Twice I let the mother slip out of my hands and twice all the babies got away. Let me tell you, this was a job! A job! But tonight the mama and her babies are snuggled safely in the old dog lot with warm hay, a heat lamp, food, and water. Tomorrow, hopefully, there will be baby pictures to show you.
For now I need to say goodnight, thank you for visiting, and close with some kitty cat pictures...
Remember last October when a Guinea hen surprised me by wandering up in the yard with five new born babies? I raised those baby guineas. Cared for them all through the cold winter months...
Well today, pulling into the driveway around noon after a trip to the grocery store, there was our missing white female guinea with sixteen newly hatched baby guineas. Panic big time! Guinea hens cannot raise their babies on their own and especially not in cold weather. I piled the groceries in the kitchen, put the cold stuff in the refrigerator and spent the next three hours trying to catch that mother guinea and sixteen babies. Twice I let the mother slip out of my hands and twice all the babies got away. Let me tell you, this was a job! A job! But tonight the mama and her babies are snuggled safely in the old dog lot with warm hay, a heat lamp, food, and water. Tomorrow, hopefully, there will be baby pictures to show you.
For now I need to say goodnight, thank you for visiting, and close with some kitty cat pictures...
Dumperoo says he is tired too...
Love,
Henny
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Update...Fencing in the back 40!
This little sweetie pie follows me around in the yard now, climbing trees and jumping out from behind things to scare me. He attacks large Guinea feathers and brings them up on front porch.
Why in the world can't I get as much done these days! I'm busy all the time!
I did finish one big job that has been on my list for for a while. Cleaning out the hen house. There were dusty cobwebs the size of a jump rope hanging on the rough walls and ceiling. I used my old "Webster" duster with the extendable handle to reach in and clean out. Remember the "Webster"? I raked everything off the dirt floor and added fresh wood shavings. Hope the hens appreciate all this when they fly up on the roost tonight.
Here it is Wednesday morning. Started this post late yesterday.
So, I mentioned hoping the hens would appreciate my work...well I went out at the edge of dark to close up the chicken lot for the night and there stood all the hens with their necks stretched out, trying to figure out what was different inside their house. They were afraid to go in. One by one the hens had to be shooed inside. :)
Also, the plan for fencing has been downsized considerably! Funny how if you keep looking and dreaming, something will work out. Check out this spot. Facing our house, this is the left side of our property. Down near the pond, walk in here, turn left...
and see the chicken house and lot up ahead...
walking closer...
and closer, then join on to the chicken lot. Would this not be the perfect size for two donkeys, and very doable.
With the much smaller lot, I can use the metal T-posts and wire fencing. Plundering through our stash of stuff we keep, in case we should ever need it, were eleven T-posts. I can buy a few at the time and put them in the ground. Then the fencing.
Poppy came home from hunting Monday evening just before dark...I heard him park the four-wheeler under the shelter, which is on the left in the above picture, second from bottom...with the ladder hanging near the top. The new fence will run along the back and be attached to the shelter. Anyhow, peeping out the window, I saw him with his hands on his hips looking at the T-posts that have been driven into the ground. He didn't question why the posts were there. Then yesterday, Poppy caught me standing with my hands on my hips dreaming about the new fence so I explained it all. He approves! Could be he is just thankful that I've given up on fencing in the whole back 40!
I sure appreciated all the helpful comments that were left on my post about fencing in the back. Some of you suggested that a smaller area would work fine for donkeys.
Bun Bun has grown into a big furry unusual looking rabbit. He's munching on apple peelings...
Bun Bun is a sweetie pie too.
Thank you for visiting. Hope to be back soon!
Love,
Henny
Why in the world can't I get as much done these days! I'm busy all the time!
I did finish one big job that has been on my list for for a while. Cleaning out the hen house. There were dusty cobwebs the size of a jump rope hanging on the rough walls and ceiling. I used my old "Webster" duster with the extendable handle to reach in and clean out. Remember the "Webster"? I raked everything off the dirt floor and added fresh wood shavings. Hope the hens appreciate all this when they fly up on the roost tonight.
Here it is Wednesday morning. Started this post late yesterday.
So, I mentioned hoping the hens would appreciate my work...well I went out at the edge of dark to close up the chicken lot for the night and there stood all the hens with their necks stretched out, trying to figure out what was different inside their house. They were afraid to go in. One by one the hens had to be shooed inside. :)
Also, the plan for fencing has been downsized considerably! Funny how if you keep looking and dreaming, something will work out. Check out this spot. Facing our house, this is the left side of our property. Down near the pond, walk in here, turn left...
and see the chicken house and lot up ahead...
walking closer...
and closer, then join on to the chicken lot. Would this not be the perfect size for two donkeys, and very doable.
With the much smaller lot, I can use the metal T-posts and wire fencing. Plundering through our stash of stuff we keep, in case we should ever need it, were eleven T-posts. I can buy a few at the time and put them in the ground. Then the fencing.
Poppy came home from hunting Monday evening just before dark...I heard him park the four-wheeler under the shelter, which is on the left in the above picture, second from bottom...with the ladder hanging near the top. The new fence will run along the back and be attached to the shelter. Anyhow, peeping out the window, I saw him with his hands on his hips looking at the T-posts that have been driven into the ground. He didn't question why the posts were there. Then yesterday, Poppy caught me standing with my hands on my hips dreaming about the new fence so I explained it all. He approves! Could be he is just thankful that I've given up on fencing in the whole back 40!
I sure appreciated all the helpful comments that were left on my post about fencing in the back. Some of you suggested that a smaller area would work fine for donkeys.
Bun Bun has grown into a big furry unusual looking rabbit. He's munching on apple peelings...
Bun Bun is a sweetie pie too.
Thank you for visiting. Hope to be back soon!
Love,
Henny
Sunday, October 19, 2014
More about Smokey!
I hung some of the old well used quilts on the clothesline today to sun and air out. Most of these quilts stay on the iron bed on the back porch where they get to feeling damp in rainy weather. The sun warms them right up!
Smokey and the leaves...
Here it is Sunday afternoon. A beautiful Sunday afternoon! I started this post yesterday but ran out of time. Once supper was done and the dishes washed, Poppy was on the computer. Probably a good thing since I needed to read and sew last night anyway.
I love showing you how comfortable Smokey has become with his new home. These pictures are a little fuzzy. They were taken through a window...
Sweet Eli. Smokey was rolling off Eli's back and then playing with his tail.
Eli say this is his kitten...
That about it for today. Thank you for visiting.
Love,
Henny