Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Back to the Country Life!

We are back in the country - my Happy Place when I'm not at my Happy Home!
I am blessed to have both!

I always love the drive to Waco. 
It's just a short two hours with one stop at QT at exit 405.
That's where I get a big thing of tea......I mix the Black Mango and Pineapple Papaya! Yum!
This time I also bought a pretzel and Louis Dean got a hot dog.
We were in a hurry to get to the ranch so we ate our lunch as we drove.
We usually stop at the rest area just past Hillsboro and then we were at HEB!
I made a quick trip in for dish washing soap and HEB Steak Seasoning.
Home Depot for building materials (I sit in the gazebo display and wait for Louis Dean to call me and tell me he's checking out!) and on into Mart to shop at Read's Grocery for New York strip steaks and baking potatoes.

Our welcoming committee as we pulled up to the gate!


These belong to the neighbor Mr. Jackson.
I love that we get to enjoy them without having to take care of them!


They were all gathered at the fence line watching me unlock the gate.


And we are HERE!!!!


Monday was Dean's birthday.
I brought food for a special dinner and picked a bouquet of wildflowers for the table.


Steaks, baked potatoes, salad and cake!
Dining al fresco!
You simply can't beat the scenery!
The blue step ladder was used to take down the bird feeder - repaired and rehung.
So far we have not seen the red winged blackbirds that were frequenting it on our last visit.

Dinner was good and we all went to bed early.... as in 10:00!


Alas, we did not sleep as well as we thought we would!
At 1:30 Louis Dean and I were both back up sitting in the front room just talking.
We rolled with it and enjoyed our time together knowing that we don't have a schedule that requires us to be up early.

When I woke up this Tuesday morning at 10:00 - Louis Dean had already been working for an hour or more. He was anxious to get started on painting his wall boards for the utility room.

It was late afternoon when we walked down to Dean and Sherry's to check on our chicken.


Sherry had worked all day at her job and then hopped on her tractor as soon as she got off and worked some more.


I went around to see all the critters!
The ducks march in a line like little soldiers.


The horses were out by the meadow behind the hutches used for baby chicks.
They thought I had treats! I didn't but they let us pet them anyway.


Dean said he had not seen 'our' chicken today. This one is not Chicken Little but Louis Dean and I went around to all the pens and the areas where the chickens were. I collected some fresh eggs for breakfast in the morning while we were at it and found our chicken alive and well and happy to be back with other chickens that proved to be more friendly towards her.


We lingered at the peacock pen to admire Dean's work and visit with him for a few minutes.


This pen is huge as it should be to house a family of peacocks!


He's done such a wonderful job!
It is nearly finished!


We went back up to our place and I hung LED lights around the windows.
I love my little lights!


Louis Dean is a happy camper!
He dearly loves building!
While not big on finishing - he DOES do it - but his biggest thrill is starting a new project!


I set out my art and worked on several small projects.


Louis Dean says this is a lazy man's way to make a fire without using the chain saw.


Supper tonight was a simple soup of potatoes and corn with onions and celery.
We don't waste any food if we can help it.
You can always make soup of things that you need to use up!


We have the best neighbors!
Stephanie on one side of us and Olga on the other with Cousin Joe across the street.
His granddad is brother to my Aunt Irene's husband....both now deceased.
Olga is a baker extraordinaire and brought us a slice of decadent cheesecake before we left home.
We are doling it out a bit at a time to make it last!


I took a two hour nap from 3:00 to 5:00 so it was late when I finished my art for the day.
I left it out since I am on Country Time and can paint again tomorrow.

Louis Dean is still fighting the bees!


These are Africanized honey bees and are a real menace.
He used a lot of chemicals last week when we were here for a few days and it may well have done some good - but not enough.
After researching it we found that dishwashing detergent and water seems to work best.
Bees breath through their bodies and the soap prevents that.
He didn't wait until total darkness but sprayed them down - from what he thought was a safe distance - and only suffered two bee stings as he made his getaway!
He plans to continue to douse them with the mixture every night for the next two weeks.
We MUST get rid of them because it isn't safe to have them so close to the house/camper.
Once it is safe enough to get to the hive, he will take it and burn it.

I am about ready to blow out the candles and turn off the lights and go to bed.
The days are stretched out in front of me.......13 of them.
I shall paint, read, write, cook, walk, think, pray, meditate.......
and simply BE......



14 comments:

Joy@aVintageGreen said...

How wonderful to be back - hope those killer bee have can be destroyed before you leave for home again. Hugs.
Joy

Susie said...

Linda, So glad you found your chicken safe. What a wonderful peacock pen.Dean takes after his dad...building too. Hope LD is safe with those bees..I had forgotten there were killer bees in Texas. Linda, I do not like to waste food either. I saw where one of my blog friends cleans and safe all pieces of vegetables and boils them down for a broth to freeze , then use it in soups and other dishes. Clever ladies out there. Blessings to you and LD...enjoy the country. Love you, xoxo, Susie

Arlene G said...

I have not heard of those bees...ugh!! Please keep them in Texas. Hope you have a good visit and complete all the projects you two have been working on.

Vee said...

Oh I have heard of those bees...began hearing of them 40 years or more ago. My bees are nasty this year, but I have been told that they are just riled up because spring came so late and they are truly hangry. Ha!
May Louis suffer no more stings as he gets rid of them for you are right...too dangerous to have them so close.

Two weeks in the country...you’re living the life! I thought it was so sweet that you were up in the night chatting just because you could.

MadSnapper said...

Thanks for letting me know that I am an original, original and not a copy. I like that I'll have to remember it and I'm glad he's getting rid of those bees. Scares me silly thinking about those care killer bees. Glad Chicken Little is happy and I love the peacock house and it reminds me of the one my granddaddy had. From the time I was born until I was 10 years old he owned a restaurant and motel in Callahan Florida and he had peacocks wandering around on the property but at night he put them in a big thing just like Dean's peacock house

Estelle's said...

I am deathly afraid of those bees....they can't be near the animal either....I always enjoy your posts from the ranch..it's just so lovely and full of adventures...I also ordered the book you are reading...a good one for summer right? Y'all have fun!

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

You do have the best of it for sure ! I too love living on slow time. Now there is never any hurry to get things done. After working so many years, it's wonderful now I'm retired. I do hope your able to get rid of those bees. They seem to be the only bad thing in your otherwise happy life.

likeschocolate said...

Is this your second home and if so do you have someone manage the farm for you. Looks lovely!

Rain said...

Hi Linda :)

Back to the ranch! How lovely! :) I love your welcoming committee!! What a nice table, I love dining al fresco too. We to that a lot once the weather gets warmer, but mostly in the screened-in veranda...too many black flies! Happy Birthday to Louis Dean! :) Oh the bee situation sounds harrowing...I hope you are able to get control of that, stings are awful! I'm so glad you're having a great time! :)

Diana Ferguson said...

Stopping in to say "Hi." Isn't it great to get away for a few days at such a special place?! Rick and I are headed home after being on our road trip for about twelve days. Be safe and happy birthday to the hubby.

Ginny Hartzler said...

I LOVE this quote at the end! Killer bees? Are you sure? That is very scary, seeing as they really can kill you! I think he should stay away, and hire an expert to come and get rid of them. But he probably won't, and wants his revenge. I am so glad the Quads were there BEFORE the bees! The first cow in your greeting committee had ears that hang, I have not seen that on a cow! They are very curious. The peacock pen is lovely. I love the beautiful picture of your art supplies! Was it taken through a screen, or did you edit it?

Cheapchick said...

Have fun at the farm - minus those bloody killer bees

Debbie said...

oh linda, we shop at home depot the exact same way you 2 do, i don't like home depot - lowes i can handle but not home depot!!

your welcoming committee looks very spiffy, it must be nice to drive in and see them there waiting for you!!

i love soup but i must try to expand my horizons, i always use recipes!!!

i'm glad you saw the bucket list - i was hoping you would!! xo

Carole said...

Great tip for how to survive hardware store visits. Cheers