Friday evening…July 4th… Nice day if you’re feeling good!

Spent the day feeling either sick, sleepy or both!!!! At least the day was nice for all those of you that could be together and have a picnic or family get together. Richie, Kenny and Katie was here this afternoon for awhile. Rich and I had coffee and we gave them cake from the Two Kids Bakery in Greenville. We talked a little and then Vick, Rich and Katie went to the brooding house to see the bunnies. In the course of discussion, Rich said he had the same thing I have and it lasted with him for about a week. He had the same sick or sleepy feeling. At least I know that I am about over it then!

Later, we had corned beef & cabbage with potatoes for dinner, which I really enjoyed. Then we went out and got Cogburn and the others in for the night. We had been seeing a little woods mouse at the corner of the house, and tonight, he came out to visit with us. I picked him up and you can see how big he is in that picture. He’s a monster!!!! We got a few good pictures of a beautiful 4th of July sunset here on the Cluckin’ ”A” Critter Farm. Look closely and you’ll see one of the reasons we love it here.

Friday, July 4th… Overcast, warm & muggy might ruin cookouts…

Here it is the biggest holiday of the summer, with grills a smokin’, fireworks a poppin’, and folks gathering to have a good time.

Every year it starts out as a great day for everyone, then somebody has too much drink and drives, or holds a firecracker too long, or does what they shouldn’t in a lot of different ways and a lot of caring, loving people end up in an emergency room by the end of the day.

Please…..be careful with everything you do! Don’t drive if you’ve been drinking and celebrating…. let someone who didn’t drink do the driving or call a cab. Keep this special day a holiday for one and all! Remember to thank every Military Service Person you know or pass……It is because of them and past service personnel that we can celebrate today! Say a special prayer for all those who died protecting our freedom!

Vick and I are going to spend a quiet… low key … and casual day together, recuperating from our sickness and pains this fourth of July. We may fire up the grill for a burger or two, clean the pool or make rabbit hutches if we’re both up to it, but that’s probably about it, since we can stop and sit down if we feel ill or tired. She is still a little slow on her feet with the Sciatica and I have a stomach thing going on. (due to sinus drip from allergies) Anyway…. we do what we can…..But you all enjoy the day and we’re hoping the weather holds for your planned celebrations.

Last night, we let Rooster Cogburn out to exercise a little and he and MR were into it in a heartbeat, so we locked MR and Stewie into the henhouse yard pen and left Cogburn stay out to exercise. Later we found Cogburn and Stewie sparing through the fence. Anybody want a Rooster? Looks like they will never again co-inhabit again! See the pictures below.

Vicki got some excellent pictures of a lot of the animals in their natural state this afternoon. You will see some beautiful chickens and other funny things.

Cogburn dusting himself

He's really into it!

"Six little duckies all in a row....." what a nice song......

"into the water, they all will go........"

C.I.A. chickens.....always undercover.....makes sense Vick would have them........ (a little inside joke)

Through all this he's still dusting?........

Turkeys are always into everything. They miss nothing!!!!   EVER!

She stands about 5 or 6" tall.....A Roadrunner?

Spot's clutch of eggs has grown to 13....I wonder when she will sit on them?

A beautiful bird!! We have many beautiful birds running around here.

How they beat the heat in the afternoon

Look at this fluffball! He doesn't have feathers...just downy fluff.

This lady has feather leggin's

Talk about feather leggins....... Look at hers!

A whole bunch of good lookin' ladies!

Rooster Cogburn where he want to be.....with his ladies!!

These ladies lead to a long running disagreement between Cogburn and Stewie!

Yowl! We gotta break this up before someone gets hurt again!

 

Skip trying to calm the "green monster" in Cogburn

To no avail as Cogburn screams "I want a piece of that red headed ?$#^@*#!!"

After explaining long term incarceration for fighting & chickenslaughter, Cogburn finally calmed down.......He calmly said, "Just keep red away from me or they'll be big trouble.....  And MR.........I owe him.... big time!"

Whew..... what a time we sometimes have here on the Cluckin' "A" Critter Farm!

Thursday, July 3rd… Getting ready for the 4th… Hoping for sunshine!

Everyone is hustling and bustling around getting ready for the big day of celebration! Grilling… games… company… stories… laughter… swimming and beer! Lots of beer!!!!

The fourth of July spells Summer Fun for millions of people nation wide… forgetting the drudgery of work and enjoying the Big Summer Vacation starter… the kids are fresh outta school and we’re off! You’ve been planning this vacation all winter long!

Well, have fun. Enjoy yourself, because you’ve worked hard and you and your family deserve the time together with fun and laughter abounding. Make memories that will last a lifetime!

But, Please, keep in mind those who cannot have fun this holiday weekend… the people that cannot be together… who cannot smile, laugh, hold their kids… go on a vacation… enjoy a cook out meal around the picnic table because their kids are half way around the world or no longer living. Please remember those young men and women of our armed services and take a minute of you day to honor their efforts and sacrifices to keep us safe and free and above all, say a prayer for those soldiers and their families which have given the ultimate sacrifice while protecting those freedoms you will enjoy this day.

God bless the world… and everyone in it… let peace & love abound!

Today we will get our truck inspected, visit with Richie when he arrives around 11:30. He will undoubtedly have Kenny with him too since he has graduated and he’s gonna hang with Richie for the summer as a break before the college bit. Rich probably had a meeting this morning and he’ll swing by after that to see the progress on the barn. After Richie leaves, I’ll finish sweeping the pool and get all the dead & brown algae swept up and looking good. We also need to go to Majestic Pools in Hudson and pick up one of those chemical solar covers that come in the form of a fish. You just throw it into the pool and a little computer in it lets out enough of that chemical to cover the top of the pool and shields the water, which keeps the heat in and the water from evaporating. The sun goes right through the film and heats the water which heats the water and in the evening when the sun goes down, you shut off your pump which allows the chemical to cover the top of the water fully, blanketing the water to keep theheat in during the chilly nights. I need to mow too, but they are calling for some nasty weather this afternoon. We do need the rain though. Our pond is down a good 16 to 18 inches and the fish are losing color, indicating a lack of oxygen in the water like it was last summer. If we do not get rain soon, we’ll have to run pumps to aerate the water which will re-oxygenate the pond.

Vicki snapped these pictures yesterday! They’re interesting.

From The Barbie Garden

Barbie's friend, Boobie.

My feelings EXACTLY!

Making their way to the unfinished barn already!!

Wednesday, July 2nd… Getting another slow start!

I was up at 6:00 AM this morning, read the AOL news, checked a few other sites quickly and typed a page of credentials for a web site I built and then finished reading Joseph Campbell’s “Pathways to Bliss”, which I started some time ago, but laid aside to work on the barn and then got interested in “The Birdhouse Chronicles” another book about rural PA life of a couple that moved from the city of L.A. and their trials and tribulations of country life after that. I picked the Campbell book up this weekend when Matt and Mark were here and I was up early to make coffee and tea for them. I waited for them and since I didn’t have time to do the usual, I started reading “Pathways to Bliss” and since I only had about 70 pages to go, I figured I would just finish it this time.

I will now start “The Hero’s Journey” by Joseph Campbell. It appears to be even more interesting than ’Pathways to Bliss”, but we’ll see. I like to read early in the morning, especially when it is a rainy day and I cannot do the usual planned work for the day. Yesterday and today, I didn’t feel very good when I arose from bed. My sinus problems sometimes cause this and the last few days, they have been a wretched curse upon my usual self. All I want to do is sit and sleep. Occasionally, I feel like getting up and doing something, but that doesn’t last long once up and moving. Oh well….I’ll tough it out and get back to normal in a day or two………

I went with Vick last evening to walk Rooster Cogburn. It is how we exercise him during his recuperation from the beating he took from MR. Vicki took pictures and I stood guard with MR’s “white stick”. (the white pvc pipe I whack him with when he tries to flog someone.) He is still quite vulnerable and would be an easy mark for Stewie, (who is trying to even the score) or MR, (who nearly killed him before) so I keep guard while he runs and walks around, socializing with the girls. In the end, he grew weak and had to lay down and rest. After that, Vick picked him up and put him back in the cage on the porch for the night. Here are some pictures him out & about just before dark.

Today, since I’m not totally up to snuff…..nor is Vicki….. We will go to Catskill Hospice and take care of some paperwork there and any other such stops we have been putting off……maybe even taking Vick’s art prints to the Woodstock gallery, where the lady wants to see them.We’ll see. We’ll keep you informed about what’s cookin’! Keep watchin’

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July 1st… Another new month with NEW excitement for all!

All you need to do is get out in the world and view the beauty all around us to achieve an excitement high. The further you look… the more you will see and the more excited you will become. Everyone loses sight of the beautiful scenery we possess here and can see on an everyday basis…..the very things that other visitors, both north and south of us, pilgrimage to see every year. They make the trip, wholly or as a part of their annual vacations, to come here and see what you and I can see every day around us.

Yesterday was a “hump” day for us… after a long weekend of running and rushing everywhere we went, we were beat and couldn’t get over that “hump“…thus, no evening blog. I just couldn’t keep my mind focused or my eyes open.

This morning, we are refreshed and ready to go again…. we are over the “hump” and now we are ready for the smooth sailing we usually encounter.

Today, Vick has an appointment with Dr. Paster at 10:30. We love to go there, because of the positive results the Spinal Decompression Therapy has had on Vicki’s condition. We like the upbeat aura of Carol, Jim and sometimes Joan, when we go in and say Hi, then the friendly smiles of all including the very busy Dr. Mike Paster make us wonder where else you could go to feel any better?

Below are a few pictures of one of the beautiful lakes we pass on our way to Dr. Paster’s office.

All of the pictures below are of the Alcove Reservoir along route 32  

Above: This is a Beaver in the middle of the lake

All the kids are now enjoying their Summer vacations!

Remember how we all looked forward to that (then couldn't wait to get back to school in September?) summer vacation?

Enjoy it Katie and Spencer........AND good luck to Kenny and Andrew as they start a new adventure in life after graduation last week.  We love ya all!!