March Comes In Like a Lion

  Yesterday the wild wind blew and her high speed gales kept us inside most of the day. The house creaked and groaned. I am so glad the llamas have a nice shelter from the wind and cold. Paul built it before we moved them up to Utah. The chickens paced and cackled inside their spacious luxurious coop behind flapping shade panels and rumbling  panels of tin roofing. In the afternoon we put on our coats and boots to feed our animals. The hay tarps had blown clean off . Paul and I worked together to fasten them down as they whipped to and fro around us. After feeding, we reached the new back door that Paul had installed in the back of the house. He put in a temporary ramp leading up to the threshold. 


The sound of the wind and the ramp up to the door reminded me of Dorthy's scene on the Wizard of Oz where she stamps her foot wildly on the basement door in the tornado scene. The Great Wind of the Vernal Equinox and the night of the Greatest of Moons filled me with excitement.I could not resist stamping my foot on the ramp like Dorothy did on the basement door. "Auntie Em! Uncle Henry!" I screamed, stamping on the wood as the winds carried my words into the next county.


Paul, not being a fan of the Wizard of Oz had no idea what I was doing. I just smiled sweetly at him and together we walked up the ramp to enter the house. The wind followed after us, blowing curtains and papers all over the room.

 That I night I went to bed early to read. I just love this book Happy for No Reason by Marci Shimoff.
It is nice to read something pleasant before turning in. I could hear the different patterns of wind as her mighty force barreled through the rugged ranges, whistled through the big old apple tree and slammed against the bedroom wall.

Paul came and asked me to look at a Bluegrass Band called Cherryholmes that was performing on TV. I thought about it for a moment. He had that certain wanting look on his face so I knew it would be worth getting out of our nice warm bed to take a look. I stood by the TV in the corner of the room and listened to the lively mountain song. I enjoyed them so much I sat down. They were a family who formed a  Bluegrass band named Cherryholmes. The father had a long grey beard nicely buffed arms and tattooed. He held a base fiddle to the front of his body as his daughters and sons played fiddles, mandolins and guitars. The mother yodeled clear and they all joined in a precision River Dance. We sat there watching the show, while the wind wrapped around the walls of our house and blew open the vent flaps on the roof.

Cherryholmes Bluegrass Band.
Check them out on amazon.com
click on the image.

Moments later we heard an unfamiliar whirr that seemed to circle the house. It was over and around our home like hovering helicopters and idling tractors. When the noisy wave was over Paul got out his flashlight and investigated outdoors. The dry brittle bones of my Aspen trellis had cracked clean above the ground. Paul laid the skeleton down to rest in the yard.

I had envisioned Clematis or Morning Glory climbing up it's silver limbs and gracefully trailing down to earth, but in two years I had only a 5 inch high growth of either climber. Not to worry. The Great Wind has made room for our young Elm trees to stretch and grow.

The long green garden bench was blown 20 feet across the yard and crashed into the front fence. The lid of the trash can was wide open. Other than that everything else was right where we left it. In the crowded city where we lived, in California, there would have been enormous devastation in winds like this. The trees in the city are blocked from the wind and the limbs are weak from lack of exercise. The limbs of big oaks and Sycamores snap and crash on top of cars and roofs. Here in the country, the trees have muscle. They feel the force of winds and sway with it from early on in their long lives. The wind is good and March is full of wind here. Nature's ways are magic, unexpected and to be respected. The March winds stimulates root growth and strengthens the limbs, nuzzling, licking and pulling the trunk and branches like a mother lion ensuring life to her new cub. Whew* She takes all the stuffing out of me and keeps our spring wanting bodies still and waiting as if not to disturb her most glorious work. I recede indoors with appreciation of Her coming attraction. I begin tending to my own creations indoors, planting seeds and planning my summer gardens while sipping my delicate and fragrant cup of green tea. Life is good.

We slept on the wings of whirling waves and flapping folds of long brisk winds under the close watch of mother moon. Full and bright she shined on the night of the Vernal Equinox and The Great Wind and the Greatest of All Moons. It is morning now and the small flakes of snow have begun swirling, floating, winding their way to earth like white rose petals. We are home bound yet another day. This day is  perfect for a homemade stew and a big red bowl of colorful Amish popcorn while episodes of Northern Exposure. ♥ Life is good.

Oh Beautiful Moon of March



March Moon 20011



Oh Beautiful Moon shine bright tonight

beam your Illumined Light



March Moon Veiled 2011

There is a woven veil of dew and earth across your face

But I see your glorious beams shine through.



March Moon Crown 2011



Oh Beautiful Moon! Your golden crown is present

Stately, Knowing, Feminine and Whole

 Gracefully, Sojourn, Ethereal Flight

Across the night and morning sky. 

Deborah Moen

Paul had just put in a new door in the back of the house. It was finished and quite lovely affording us privacy into the back yards and pastures. Last night, I found such delight opening the new white door and feeling the rush of howling March winds sweep through me and into the room. The back yard invited me in and I tippy toed out onto the grass in my stocking feet. I carefully made my way across the yard accompanied by only the wind and moonlight. The coop was quiet and dark and the llamas were bathing in the glow of the beautiful full moon.

I will be planting by the moon today. A perfect time to get my seeds started indoors. Heirloom Tomatoes (Aunt Ruby's German Green,Black Russian, Dutchman and Golden Sunburst.) I have this wonderful dream of Strawflowers, Everlasting heads of creative beauty. Zinnia, Larkspur, Cosmos and Bachelor Buttons will be born today and soon be standing tall against my Wild Sunflowers and Marigolds. Paul has scattered cow manure over the llama manure and worked it into the soil. He is planting a Wildflower Garden. Soon the wooden boxes will be built for my single gardens between the young fruit trees. Corn will grow in the east garden and Squash Buttercup and Summer Squash, Watermelon and Pumpkins. I delight in all of this and it fills my head with visions of color and design. I am inspired beyond measure and about to crawl out of my skin with joy!

See post on Creating New Garden Boxes

Time For Dog Obedience School



This is Kollie now 6 months old.



Kollie is a teenage bombshell, full of independence, lot's of bursting energy and smart too! I was crushed one day when my obedient little puppy refused to come to me. "Kollie?" I repeated. No response except for a little come hither look in her eye and off she went in the other direction. All those hours of training and treats have gone to the wayside. She and I are at a crossroads and I am the one who needs training! Walker our 2 year old Australian Shepherd needs experience socializing with other dogs and training so we signed him up first.  Our human family members and Walker signed  up for obedience classes at the Hitchin Post in Enoch,  just up the road from us.

 We were to leave our dogs at home for the first class. It is basically the humans that need training in communicating with their dogs. We were greeted at the door by a very large German Shepherd named Gunner. He was so gentle and well behaved. A beautiful and calm Siamese cat followed behind him and brushed past my pant leg. The wood floor was clear and open. The atmosphere was friendly and inviting. I could hear Ceasar Milan and my eyes caught his video playing on the monitor screen in a corner of the room. There where a few chairs lined up against the walls for us humans to sit while Pam gave her educational presentation on dog training.  My grandson and I sat down on the folding green chairs, while Paul went up and signed in for the course. Ceasar's heart warming and encouraging miracles gave me a spark of hope.  I was thinking of my little Kollie and our 2 other dogs and each family member and how we could achieve a harmonious way of life together. There were quite a few people there with various challenges and questions. Pam Williams, our trainer, explained to us that dogs are programmed just like wolves and our pets were not furry little humans. I felt my head sink as my visions of Kollie as my little baby dissolved. Though I could still love her as my companion and play with her it was also my responsibility to learn how to communicate in a way she could understand and educate her on the house rules. As Pam spoke and demonstrated with her own dogs, I was beginning to understand my dogs behavior better, I was beginning to see a miracle forming for our whole human and fur family!

 Our homework was to spend at least 15 minutes with our dogs heeling on a leash then having them sit down by our left side. Pam says we give verbal commands because we are human and need it but dogs can sense how you feel, what you want them to do and when to do it just by looking at you. Your expressions, your movements your posture all tell the story of who you are and what you can accomplish.We were also to grade the food we feed them also. This was a shocker. She told us to check the ingredients and change their diets. There is information on the internet about this grading system. I would check it out because in the 60 years dog food has been in business dogs are getting more diseases and ailments than they did before. If your dog is losing hair, scratching, has skin irritations, hip dyplasia or tumors, the diet is a good thing to check into.  Most vetenarians do not study nutrition. We love them and what they do for our pets but do your own research. It will save your dogs life and save on vet bills.

Here is the link for Grading Your Dog Food   .http://www.elkcountryanimalshelter.org/GradeDOG%20FOOD.html      Changing our dog food  has increased the shine on our dog's coats and their bowels are now firm. We also removed the ritual of dog bones after they ate because we found wheat made their bowels loose. Because the food is so satisfying they do not even look for their treat. Pam says we can give them a small slice of meat for training or treats. We also give a chunk of Taste of the Wild dry dog food. They love it and it is very good for them.



On the way home from our first dog obedience class, we formed our own alliance and agreed per Pam's instructions, to balance and center ourselves  before we walked into the house. This is one of the most important practices we can do as human beings for ourselves and for our pets. It felt good to be on the same page! Paul told us he was reminded of the training he did with his ultra cool dog Blizzard, a Great Pyrenees. He admitted he had forgotten many of the things he had learned when Blizzard walked the earth. This class was opening our eyes and our hearts. It is a lifelong process of practice and repetition

The truck pulled in the gravel driveway and we all exchanged confident smiles. We were ready and armed with knowledge. The door opened and our "energy" met with their "energy". Three sets of eyes looked up in awe at our balance and confidence. Little Miss Kollie hopped up to greet me and I told her firmly "Off".  It took only seconds for her to know that hopping up on my leg was not acceptable. We all made our way through the kitchen. It was quiet and still. They were reading us. I felt this thrill of accomplishment beam through my chest and I quickly took a deep breath to balance myself. Bedtime was equally as calm and quiet. We had become Leaders of the Pack and I felt respected and accomplished.

Read about when Kollie was a puppy just click on this link:
http://littleutahfarm.blogspot.com/2011/01/little-kollie-moen-border-collie.html


We will be taking Wind Walker to the first session and then we will take Kollie to the next session. We will use what we learn with all our dogs. But it is important to have Kollie and Walker each take a class for socialization and obedience training. The exposure and practice for our family is also valuable.


Contact information for Dog Obedience Training The Hitch'n Post Dog Training Center
 Pam Williams Trainer
The Hitch'n Post also carries some Pet supplies,and does Pet Grooming and Boarding

4200 N Wagon Wheel Dr

Cedar City, UT 84720
(435) 586-7530
Enoch, UT

Llama's Have A New Pasture

 During the day the llamas are laying down all stretched out, soaking up the sun and sleeping. Ever so often they get up and graze on the leftover hay bits in the main corral. In the evening right before feeding time the llamas put on quite a show. The llamas breakout into a wild frenzy, and running, springing up and down on all fours (pronging) Boing* Boing *. Wulfie calls out his shrill alarm sound and leads the herd in their ceremonious dance in, out and around the two corrals.The new pasture offers lots of room for the late afternoon romp.



Watch Video

Our new pasture is a result of learning from our mistakes. We tried many times to plant this area with grass with little luck. Once we cleared the tumble weeds and bind weed, the dirt was barren. When wet we sunk to our knees and when dry it was rock hard. Nothing would grow in it except for bind weed which kept poking up through the ground.  Paul decided to go to Southern Utah University to get a truck load of manure from their agriculture department. He also mixed in the llama manure we had in the compost bin. Out came the tractor and the manure was applied and the ground was leveled. Paul purchased pasture grass seed from our local Ace Hardware and broadcast the little seeds evenly in the narrow rows. We watered faithfully and like magic, the seed began to sprout in just a few days! The pasture grass continued to flourish. When the pasture grass was well established we discussed plans to fence it with corral railing.


As luck would have it, Paul spotted some fencing rails leaning against a fence on a drive out of town. We decided to drive on through the open gate and talked to the 3 men working there on a rusty water drill. Turns out they were for sale at half the price of new ones. We were told there were other stacks of railings on the property so we found a stack we liked and began sorting and selecting the rails we wanted. Some of them were bent or rusted. We ended up with 22 very nice 12' long by 5' high rails and a matching gate!
The owner of the property drove in with his truck and let us know that the rails were once a part of the ostrich farm he and his family had up on the hill. He motioned with his hand towards the southwest range of juniper and red clay. It gave the rails a history and we eagerly loaded them up and took them to our little farm.

Once the rails were home, Paul applied a few coats of silver spray paint until every rail looked shiny and new. The railings were assembled in less than 30 minutes. My husband is so good at fixing, building and creating,  designing and improving our property. He is amazing. This project completed our whole acre somehow. It looks beautiful and the llamas really enjoy the grass and extra room.

Chicken Feed and Treats-Recipes




My Chickens Venus, Jupiter, & Mama Chicken

 

Feeding My Chickens

On cold winter mornings I whip up a batch of warm steamy polenta, corn, and prepared elbow macaroni. My chickens love it.   I serve this on a large cutting board and bright red plastic plates around the coop so they all get some. Be careful when your setting it down. Sometimes those chickens get wild and jump on the plate before it is served. Get a firm grip on the pan handle and serve and get out of the way, fast!. Please keep in mind I do feed my hens 16% laying mash and scratch and these little recipes are for extra treats. I make them fresh with NO sal,t onion, fish and I stay away from meat because it makes them very aggressive. Chickens are good mousers and it will disgust you to no end when you see it happen.

Winter Polenta For Chickens

Boil 4 cups of water
Whisk in 1 cup of yellow cornmeal
Stir over heat until it thickens and comes away from the side of the pan. Note: This stuff really bubbles and explodes so lower heat or lift off heat source ever so often and keep stirring!.
Add a handful of each and stir: frozen peas, fresh corn kernels, and cooked small elbow macaroni*

* large pieces of spaghetti  noodles  need to be chopped up small to prevent the chickens from choking.

Listening to my chickens gobble up their food is heart warming.

Cabbage and Bread A transition into Spring

The days are hanging at 36-50 degrees and nights are staying well above 25 so it is time to turn off the infrared lamps and turn off the water heaters. By now I have had it with sticky warm stuff so I mix up one of the best dishes for my little hens, chopped fresh cabbage and torn up pieces of bread. I scoop the cabbage into a big red bowl and tear up the bread and mix with my hands. It is so nice and dry and very easy to feed. Just toss it around and they have a ball with it for quite some time. Love to listen to them chitter-chatter "Oh there's a lot today.. " Look Betsy, over here!" My little hens are so sing songy and appreciative.

 Chicken Zucchini Summers Harvest
In the summer when my garden is producing a lot of zucchini I cut it lengthwise and lay the giant halves right on the floor of their clean coop extension. The hens love the slippery seeds and eat all the creamy flesh inside. If you are so inclined they love their vegges grated also. Broccoli, lettuce, corn and home grown tomatoes are their favorites. When my trees were full of apples my hens would eat at the apples that fell to the ground.

Juicy Sliced Watermelon For My Chickens
Watermelon is a hit on those searing hot days of summer. Here in Cedar, the Green River Watermelons are highly sought after. They disappear fast at the Farmer's Market at the lady Bug Nursery. I do grow my own but they are small and do not ripen all the way. In the coop, the juicy red flesh is eaten all the way down to the rind leaving a paper thin green shell behind. Cut it open and watch it disappear while they chatter to each other, "Oh isn't this delicious?" "Yes, lovely !" "Hey, that's is my piece!" "Move over, Betsy!" cackle cackle* purrr

Autumn Scrambled, Too Many Eggs

I have 10 chickens and they are all hens. I collect about 6-9 eggs a day. The eggs add up quick and I share them with my neighbors. There is nothing like loading up my basket with eggs and delivering them over the back fence. Sometimes the number of eggs overwhelm my fridge and counters and it is time to crack the extra ones into a bowl and scramble cook them in olive oil.

Some of this bears repeating, My girls get laying mash 16% protein and chicken scratch. I add hand collected granite grits and oyster shell to their diet. I allow them to roam free in a large fenced yard to hunt for bugs and eat grass. The chickens do catch a mouse once in awhile and small birds that fly into the coop. I just have to look the other way.


Related Articles


Click here for complete and well done page on What do chickens eat?

From  http://www.fantasticfarms.au/

I have the galvanized fountain for their water. In winter we use a galvanized heater underneathe to keep the water from freezing. In summer I think I will try this plastic feeder.

The girls really love their water dish like this one only for 10 hens I have a little bit bigger. For chicks I would use the chick size fountain. Little chicks can drown in a big dish of water. I change the water in the morning and afternoon. They run to the fresh vessel of water and slurp it up. I provide both the fountains and the dish all year long.

Little Kollie Moen-Border Collie Pup

Here I am all starry-eyed and full in love with our newest family member, Kollie. My husband and I had been wanting a new Border Collie after Decker our dog died. We began looking at pictures of Border Collies and some ads. Then one day...
We ended up at the Market Grill Livestock Auction in Cedar City to buy another llama. There were no llamas. There were just goats and sheep. A man asked me what I was looking for and he and another man said they had a llama for sale at his ranch. I asked a few questions about the goats and one thing lead to another when one of them grabbed my left elbow and escorted me and my husband insisting,"You got to see this puppy I got."
We let ourselves be lead to a long stock trailer with 3 large goats in the back. A galvanized clasp and heavy chain clanked along the sides of the trailer. A side door opened and the man reached out to grab a tiny Border Collie puppy! She was 4.6 lbs and 6 weeks old. Once I held my arms out to hold her I was hooked and so was my husband, Paul. He handed the man $50 and she was ours, a gift from our dreams.



Lakota our llama meets his new sister, Kollie.

 We took her right on over to the vet for shots and worming after watching the auction. And then Miss Kollie met with all the others members of the family. Here she is meeting Lakota one of our llama herd.

Wind Walker and Windy our Australian Shepherds took well to Kollie. Windy took on a mother role and Wind Walker is like a dad or big brother. Kollie was like having a newborn baby and we took her out every hour during day and night  to potty train her. Paul and I took turns during the night. there were days I was so tired from losing that little bit of sleep. It wasn't long before she slept for about 2-3 hours at a time. In a few more weeks about 3 months old, she began sleeping through most of the night. And soon after that she was jumping up at the back door to go out. Kollie learned quickly.

Read About:  Golly Miss Teenager Kollie

The Southern Utah Sky



Glorious sunrise over the high western edge of the Colorado Plateau
Just outside my kitchen door.



Everywhere I travel in Southern Utah I see beauty, whether I am stepping just outside my kitchen door or on foot for a hike or riding in the truck exploring back country roads.  You can look up and out into the sky and experience fantastic cloud patterns, streaming sun rays, and fire lit sunrises and sunsets. Hawks, eagles, magpies, crows, ravens, doves, ducks and flocks of snow geese fly overhead. There is always something to enjoy in our Southern Utah sky.

My Bike Ride Around Cedar City, Utah

I took off riding down the country road.

I took off riding down the country road. It was a beautiful day in Cedar City.

The wind blew the grain making each stalk gracefully bow.







The sun cast western bound shadows off the bales of hay, making it appear to be a giant alfalfa chessboard.

Alfalfa Chessboard

The Crow Tree

Here is the Crow Tree. Lot's of loud cawing and ruffling of wings.









My favorite rural road has been newly paved and I must adnit it is easier to peddle on.

My favorite rural road.

No dust to swallow today, only sunflowers and blue sky to absorb.

The expanse of land is breathtaking

I can see forever along this northbound road to Lund...Green and deep brown & red earth and fields, bordered by Willows, Russian Olive Trees and Elm.There are barns and silos, cows, sheep and many mountains ranges as far as you can see, in all directions. the expanse of land is breathtaking.

My kind of place!

I turn right into a muddy bog which spread under  a stuck irrigation sprinkler. 

I can not pass, I thought.

I saw a detour through the willows in a wash, so I ventured carefully off the beaten path.

The small sandy bank caught my pedals and the rabbit bush grabbed at my spokes. But once down I had planty of room to weave in and out of the willows in the wash.
40-50 yards I traveled while the barbed wire fences screamed in the wind. I turned my head from  the hard spray of water shooting out across the wash.

I approached the dry road. I pushed my bike up the sandy clay bank.


I peddle eastward, facing the rising edge of the Colorado Plateau.




A silver grey horse comes out to greet me.



A silver grey horse trots out to greet me, snorting, head bobbing, mane blowing in the wind.
I smiled at his startled face and stance as I passed.



I turned towards home,

The highway stretched before me,

Lined with tall yellowed grasses, silver green sage and the deep dark purple alfalfa flowers.

Facing south, I think of the red cathedral cliffs at Kolob Canyon and the wild lifted rocks at 

Virgin Gorge.




The Yellow Farm House



Here is the big yellow farmhouse, where I turn for home.




My neighborhood. Cedar City, Utah .



SUMMER TIME GARDEN SO GREEN

The warm green fields of summer.

There is a lot to be said for the vast changes that occur where the seasons are true. The promise of Spring, the warm green fields of Summer, the colors and mystique of Fall and the sparkling snowscapes of Winter. They all cause me to appreciate their fleeting beauty.













I am so happy with the many shapes, colors and surprises the green gives me this summer. Walking through the arbors with the now tall willows and soon to climb Black-eyed Susans.

Iceland Poppies

The little shade garden of wildflowers are a delight with their delicate pastel fancy shapes and habits. A sure place for Faeries and Tea Parties.

The volunteer sunflowers

The volunteer sunflowers reach their faces into the wild blue sky and the smell of harvested alfalfa permeates the cool night air.

Sunflowers

Our new lawn.

Our new lawn has grown in so green! The grassy knoll we constructed with clods
 of leftover grass, grew many wildflowers.

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN

And the bounty of food and the pleasure of it's color.

My bowl runneth over!

My bowl runneth over...with squashes, beans, Chinese peas, fennel and corn. Heirloom tomatoes and peppers galore.

Green, Green, Green



Corn is not yet as high as an elephant's eye.



Green, Green, Green



The corn is not yet as high as an elephant's eye but... My Deborah Maple is even higher into the sky. about 20 ft.



Our  New Deborah Maple



Oh beautiful earth with your thunderheads.

With your ethereal paper white moons...

Ethereal paper white moons

and your circus blue ribboned sunsets

   Heavenly gilded clouds of  gold.

I am truly where I love to be. Thank you.