I had already gotten into bed that night and remembered word of a hard freeze. " My garden !" I sprang out of bed, grabbed my lantern off the night stand and some blankets from the hall closet, slipped on my sloggers and out I went to tent my beautiful plants.
I laid down the blankets near the dried corn stalks. With the help of my lantern, I found long sticks and poles to make tents over the plants. The white poles were easy to find as they reflected in the moonlight near the barn. I made the tents so the blankets would not touch the plants as that can cause them to freeze.
It was already 34 degrees and the temperature was dropping fast. I was so concerned about my plants I did not feel the cold. I quickly cut my zinnias and sunflowers to make arrangements for the kitchen table. I put them in a bucket along with some tomatoes and bell peppers. I took in the hanging baskets of coleus and impatiens and put the basket of sweet potato vines in the dog house. Before I left the garden I took a good long look at my tented flowers and plants then went inside. I went to bed knowing I did the best I could. I said a prayer, and snuggled under the warm comforter and drifted off to sleep.
The next morning I lifted the blankets.
The next morning. Tented plants after Jack Frost visited.
The next morning I went out to see my garden. I took the wet frosty blankets off and saw everything had survived.
In the days to come Jack Frosts revisited and finally my garden let go. Some are sleeping underground in the roots and some have transformed into spirits of memories. Such a lovely garden this year I am glad I took photos and videos of it.
Dogs never live as long as we want them to. The years go by so fast. It was Walker's time to leave us. He passed into Spirit 2 months ago. It seems like yesterday, He had an upset stomach and he got up from the lawn trotted over to the apple tree, laid down and he was gone. It was swift and peaceful. Walker was 13 and was diagnosed with Leukemia. You would never know it by looking at him. He was energetic, loving , and h was a beautiful Australian Shepherd.
Our beloved Walker (Windwalker)
The earth is never the same when someone we love passes away. All family members people and animals, big and small, were affected by the absence of Walker. It is a very heavy feeling that most everyone has experienced. When you have 20-16 pets you can come to an acceptance that this is a part of life.
Then came Bandit. Bandit belonged to a family that lived 50 miles away. A friend sent us his photo through an Aussie Rescue and we fell in love. The family who owned him felt it was best for Bandit to go to a loving home where he had more space, more room to frolic.
It was obvious he was loved and well taken care of. We spent time out in the backyard. The ducks and hens quickly retreated into the coop. Kollie, a Border Collie didn't know what to make of this new dog. She growled at first but in a short while she calmed down and herded him around where we were sitting. We talked and we told Bandit's fsmily that we would love to have Bandit.
We got to kept him for a few hours after that first meeting without his family there. The tension between the 2 dogs became calm. Bandit even had dinner with us and that went well. They came to pick him up and we made plans to have Bandit brought to our home in a few days. In this way the whole family would have a chance to say family to say good-bye.
Bandit came to us on Sunday, August 22. We were exited to see him. We all sat in the backyard and talked while the dogs played. The ducks and hens even came out of the coop. It all went well. We all felt the sadness and the gladness.
MEETING THE CATS
Up to this point Bandit had not met the cats. His first glimpse went like the scene in the movie, ET when the little girl opened up the closet and saw the alien. They both screamed. I closed the door of the bedroom where I let him get a peek at the cats and Bandit looked up at me with wild eyes. What the heck was that? That didn't go so well. I was a bit worried how they would be able to live in the same house together.
Paul slept in the living room with the dogs and I slept in the bedroom with the cats, door closed.
The process of desensitizing Bandit and the cats went well. We put a leash on Bandit and let the cats out. Slowly but surely with patience we got him used to their presence. His comfort zone was 20 ft at first. Every time he looked at the cats we directed his attention away and gave him a treat. Little by little with that method we went from 20 ft. to 15 ft. to 10 ft, and finally 5 ft. and less without any concern. There was interest but he never became aggressive, just fearful yapping. Diverting his attention with a treat worked really well.
Black Hawk our youngest cat eventually came to love him. Black Hawk really missed cuddling with Walker and welcomed his new friend, Bandit. Harley McFarley our older cat, was very leery as because in the past he had been attacked by dogs twice and used up 2 lives recuperating. In time, perhaps he will trust his new family member.
Things are going well. We walk Kollie and Bandit almost everyday. We are taking him to obedience training and also have taken him out to our Juniper Forest on leash for a walk.
Little Utah Farm Store is selling this folded card with Bandit on it. Or personalize it by taking Bandit off and put on a picture of your own pet. There is always a discount offered so look for the code and include it at checkout.
Sparrows on icy winter branches Photo by Deborah Moen Little Utah Farm
The temps have been dropping down from 20 to 6 degrees between 4 am and 7 am the past few days. I made my mind up before going to sleep that I would get up early to turn on the heat lamp in the coop. I got up at 5 am got my warm clothes on and filled the water buckets, with warm water, in the kitchen sink. I stepped out into the new snow. It was so beautiful outside. Everything was enveloped in an icy fog. I made my way to the coop. I had my crampons on. I felt confident in the new snow which was on top of last weeks snow which turned to ice.
Yak Trax They are awesome !
I took off the blue tarp I had clamped across the front of the coop to stop the wind and snow from entering. I noticed one of the latches were unhitched by the strong winds last night.
I unlatched the door with gloved hands because flesh can stick to freezing metal. The freshly filled water bucket was set inside the coop, the heat lamp was turned on, and the feed was replenished, along with some very desired dried boon worms, and sunflower seeds. The bucket of water I had in there was frozen solid so I removed it and set it where the sun would help the ice to melt. My ducks and hens have a small insulated room where they roost. There was not so much as a quack or a peep while I was in there except for Fae, our white Plymouth Rock hen who came out and began eating. She looked great, unscathed by the bitter cold.
I shoveled the paths and cleared the corral along the fence so the llamas could eat their hay. The green hay looked so beautiful against the white snow. My hair was frozen and I had white frost where my breath had flowed in and out.
Overhead I saw the ravens flying from the west. I could see their under wings were frosted with ice.
Raven's wings were frosted with ice.
I so enjoyed my time out in the snow. As I opened the gate to walk back into the house, I looked back at the at the rising sun and low clouds which hung along the foot of the mountains.
I looked back as I opened the gate and felt so thankful. Deborah Moen Little Utah Farm
I can not express enough what living on this little farm has taught me about caring for our animals. It has opened my heart for other living things besides myself. It has made me strong and capable of doing things I did not know I could do. Changing from a City Girl to a Farm Girl is not easy at first but you learn by doing. All the books about farming and animal care can help but it is the experience that is the greatest teacher.
Deborah Moen of Little Utah Farm
I thank you for visiting, Little Utah Farm Until next time, Believe in your dreams They do come true.
The Lambing begins in spring when they transport the pregnant ewes from the warmer winter areas to the sheep ranch. Photo by Deborah Moen of Little Utah Farm
The Lambing has begun!
I heard the rattling of the big diesel trucks and stock trailers barreling down the dusty lane towards the sheep ranch. It is just a few doors down. I knew the sheep had arrived and I rushed to grab my camera. I ran as fast as my legs could go to the ranch to see the sheep unload. My was heart beating fast as I whispered an affirmation to myself, “The sheep are here".
The trucks stopped out in the back field and the drivers opened the back doors to let out the pregnant ewes. I ran to the mound of red clay dirt by the old fence to get a better look.
The ewes leaped off the truck to get some spring grass. The man who owned the ranch was there watching them unload and spoke in a John Wayne-like voice, with a hand on his hip and thumb in his right pocket, “Come on ladies”
The sheep bells that hung from their collars clanged as they ran over to the tall haystack behind the barn. They were hungry after their journey. Actually sheep are always hungry. I smiled knowing that within weeks the lambs would be born right here in my own backyard. And soon I would hear their young bleating cries.
I was practically floating on the way home and took I a shortcut, running through the irrigation ditch that runs near our little farm. I got pricked by the wild rose bushes and whacked in the face by long willow branches. No matter, I was so filled with breathless joy it didn't phase me.
At home I sat with my husband and animals soaking up the warm bright sun. A beautiful hawk circled overhead and we saw a large V of seagulls, of all things, flying north.
What an amazing and memorable day !
Thank you for visiting Little Utah Farm
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Until Next time here is a quote:
“To my mind, the life of a lamb is no less precious than that of a human being.”
― Mahatma Gandhi
Deborah Moen of Little Utah Farm
This is one of the baby lambs just a day or two old. Look at his sweet face. I have photographed him and put the image on a greeting card. Card comes in semi-gloss which we recommend for beauty and sturdiness. The card text inside is Happy Spring ! but you can personalize it with your own message.
You can make your own oven cleaner. And you can use it to clean your tub, those slippery greasy silicon baking mats, and more! It is safe because it is only dish soap, vinegar, lemon juice and water. Don't be fooled by it's simplicity, this stuff works. I am going to give you the recipe. But first take a look at this.
Here is my oven before and after
BEFORE
This is our oven before picture.
AFTER
Best Oven Cleaner I ever Made
BEST OVEN CLEANER I EVER MADE
RECIPE
Mix together in a spray bottle:
1/4 Cup of dish soap ( I used Dawn dish soap)
1 Cup of vinegar ( white or apple cider)
1 Cup of lemon juice
1 1.4 Cup of water.
Spray this concoction on
wait 20 minutes ( I waited over night)
If you do an overnighter, before you begin, spray lightly with water to moisten
then wipe. Most of the grime and browned area wipes off.
Caked on stubborn spots come off easily with a steel pad. Just test your oven in a small area to see if it scratches. Mine did not scratch.
That is all. When I went looking for a commercial oven cleaner to buy in town, there were none to be found. I ran across this recipe and tried it out. This will be my general and heavy duty cleaner from now on.
LITTLE UTAH FARM SHOP
Did you know we had a store on Zazzle. Our images of our garden, animals, the moon, radical weather, and vintage tractors are printed on many products such as greeting cards, mugs, t-shirts, blankets, and more. You can customize these also.
Now take our neighbor, Amanda, for instance. This is a calf with attitude. She comes on a pillow, throw blanket, lunch box and just about anything you want to transfer her onto. She is a favorite. Moo !
Water For Wild Birds In Winter Little Utah Farm Photo by Deborah Moen
Feeding birds is also a form of prayer Pope Pius Xll
Yesterday it was6:30 am and the outdoor thermometer reads 20 degrees.
The little birds are hopping on the ice in the bird bath and some are sipping at the edges hoping to get a drink.
The night brought 4 " of snow.
Water for wild birds in winter. Deborahslittlegems.blogspot.com Photo by Deborah Moen
I heat up a pan of water on the stove. While the water is heating I put on my shoes and a coat. When the water is warmed I take it outdoors. The birds see me coming and fly away. I pour the warm water over the ice and it begins to melt. I rather enjoy feeling the cold hard ice under the warm water.
Water for wild birds in winter. Photo by Deborah Moen deborahslittlegems.blogspot.com
I can even slip my fingers under the edge and pull up the whole circle of. I have discovered if I break off a piece, I can use the rounded edge to scoop out the old water and debris. I fill it with the remainder of warm water and make my way back inside.
The birds come back one by one lining up around the edges. It does my heart good to see them sipping and enjoying a nice drink of clean water.
We give the birds water and they give us such pleasure watching them drink and take baths. We get lots of different birds.
house finches
doves
house sparrows
golden finches
robins
northern flickers
starlings
Soon the orioles and hummingbirds, western king birds, and sometimes a red winged blackbird will come by. In spring we get out the feeders and fill them with homemade sugar water.
Little Utah Farm is a small oasis for wildlife. It is rewarding to provide fresh clean water for our wild birds in the winter.
11 Birds on a Bird Bath
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Deborah Moen of Little Utah Farm
Caring for wild birds feels like a prayer.
Is written inside our 11 Birds Sitting On A Bird Bath greeting Card.
You can customize this card to put your own text in. Card comes in different sizes and we recommend using Semi Gloss Paper.
Black Hawk minutes after we found him, Alone in the alfalfa field only 4 weeks old.
"Walker, Kollie !" my husband, Paul, called out to our dogs. "Get over here !" Those two dogs love the tall grass borders along the alfalfa fields and tend to get caught up exploring, sniffing, eating grass, and peeing on all the wild scents. They ran back to us as we made the turn towards our home. At that moment I heard high pitched sound, like a hawk, which I thought was coming from the bushes along the fence. My husband even asked, "Is that a hawk?" Probably a hawk hunting we assumed and walked on home.
The next morning we set out on our walk. Paul confided to me that the thought of the hawk kept him awake all night. He told me he wanted to check that area thoroughly in case the hawk was injured. We entered the field. The alfalfa had grown near 8" high and we picked up our feet to step over each clump. We stopped at the spot where we heard the hawk cry out. I leashed the dogs and stayed back while Paul went ahead and searched along the bushes.
I thought I heard him say kittens and rushed over to see. A tiny black kitten emerged from the bushes wobbling straight for me. My heart pounded in my chest. There was a bed and a bowl of food and water hidden back against the fence that runs along a very busy country road. "What shall we do?" Paul asked. "I am taking him home with us." I answered. I felt so sad someone would leave such a helpless creature in an alfalfa field exposed to the freezing nights and predators.
"Mew ! Mew!" the little baby kitty cried and cried. Then it struck us...it was the kitten crying out yesterday, not a hawk. As we continued our walk we decided we'd name him, Black Hawk. I asked Paul for Kollie's pink bandana. He untied it from her neck and I wrapped it around the kitten to keep it warm. I held her close on my chest.
When we got home we went and bought him some kitten formula and a bottle. More on that later.
This is the video below of our dear little Black Hawk on his first day home.
I realized the best thing had happened. We found Black Hawk and he had found a loving home on Little Utah Farm.
Thank you for visiting Little Utah Farm.
Until next time,
We will be posting updates on Black Hawk's life with us.
When a new face comes to Little Utah Farm, I and my husband have a special practice to instill peace among our animals . For example, when we bring home a few new hens, we place the hens in a large safe kennel and place it in the shade under the apple tree, and sit around it with the resident hens and ducks and the dogs. There is a lot of sniffing and gawking, and then everyone relaxes and begins to enjoy the space together. This practice has worked for us.
Bunny on the other hand has not had the benefit of the family get together in the safety of the kennel. He is getting to know the family in his natural way. One day I saw him in the backyard munching on sweet green grass blades and chomping down chicken scratch. I was concerned what would happen if the dogs rushed out of the back door into the yard. Would they chase him ?
Maven and May go to investigate what Bunny is eating.
Yesterday I let the dogs out and then noticed Bunny in the middle of the yard. Over the next few seconds my mind raced with worry and then I took a breath and regained my peace remembering that peace begins with me. I walked away from the door and allowed things "out there" to unfold.
The Peace that surpasses understanding.
Walker and Bunny are getting along very nicely.
I returned in a few minutes to empty the trash and I saw Bunny communing with the hens, ducks, and the dogs. It was a beautiful pastoral scene with wild birds and warm sun. The dry brown grass had begun to flourish like spring from the recent rains. All looked so peaceful and content. I was filled with gratitude and a sense of relief. So explains my title for this post, "The Peace That Surpasses Understanding"
Thank you so much for visiting Little Utah Farm,
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Until next time,
I wish us all peace and contentment.
Deborah Moen of
Little Utah Farm
Are you on Facebook ? We have a Facebook page called Little Utah Farm. Join us daily for more farm life pictures and videos.
And did you hear ? Little Utah Farm has a store on Zazzle. We put our photographs and art on coffee mugs, pillows, blankets, t-shirts, ornaments, greeting cards and more. Here is one of our Collections of Holiday Season Farm Animals. We have goats, llamas, hens, ducks on greeting cards, wrapping paper, ornaments, gifts, and more. We also have a Holiday Season Horse Collection, Vintage Tractors Collection.
