Short Folks and Plow Trucks

Some things just make you smile without doing much of anything.  Landon is one of those little folks that makes me smile just because he "is".  After a really rough start in life, which included open heart surgery at 3 months old, there is not a trace of him slowing down now.  Landon is bright, busy, very-very busy and full of more energy than you can shake a stick at.  His grandpa, Hollis, comes out to where I work to get some of my happy chicken eggs and brings Landon, he only does this because he knows how much joy it brings me to see Landon, even for a few moments.   So this is a big thank you to Hollis for knowing how much I enjoy those visits and a way to show off this amazing little guy sitting in a plow truck that we are fixing in our shop. 

He lights up the room with his smiles.

Landon "driving" the plow truck today............

Landon 2 years ago at Christmas time

And Landon in Jan.....2 years ago......what a difference 2 years can make in a child's life.  

Kidnapping fat people and love notes

I felt this little minion-im was appropriate for my "winter weight" justification.  Kidnapping generally is inspired by some form of payment or reward after the return of the kidnappee, so I'm not sure I was every really in any danger of being kidnapped.  But....man o man is it ever a relief to be ubber protected.

And just as proof that I have the world's best husband.........here's one of the many sweet notes he leaves me.  This one was left as he went off to drive milk truck for the day, one of his many jobs he does after he's done working 40 hours at his main job.    I am blessed and he is a good man.  (and yes, I tell him all the time)

That's all I have for today............it's a slow week.

Toodles.

Day 12 & 13

After boarding the train for Bristol, finally sorting out how we were going to Lesley's place, spending a perfectly delightful evening with Lesley and seeing her lovely, lovely flock...we were once again loading our luggage into a vehicle to spend the last few days of our UK trip with Maurice and Gilly Wakeling.  Maurice and Gilly had generously offered their home for the final 3 days of our stay so that they could drive us around to several UK breeders in the Somerset area and South of England.
Of coarse it rained quite a bit during our stay in the south, but we had enough breaks to get our hands on a couple hundred sheep!   I could not get over how green it was there in mid to late October, I could get used to 11 months of grazing for my critters.
Maurice had chosen a delightful cider maker/store where they still press the apples and store the hard cider in wooden casks.  The retail portion of the establishment had several kegs behind the counter for varying types of hard cider that included sweet, semi-sweet, dry, champagne style etc., there was no reason not to try all of them.  I am a big fan of the cider in the UK.

One of our stops was Heather Chapman and her lovely flock of Gulmogets (and some Katmogets).  Heather was a great sport about letting us paw through her sheep despite the rainy weather.  

Some of Heather Chapman's gulmoget ewes

A lovely fawn katmoget ram

Some of Heather's ewe lambs

The lane leading to Heather's was so beautiful........

Right to left: Maurice, Gilly and Heather

Mature Chapman ewes

 Another eye popping flock we got to visit and drool over belongs to Jean Curtis.  Jean is one of the sweetest ladies, sharp, funny and a very successful Shetland sheep breeder.  And a fine baker of cakes as we were to find out a bit later.  Another generous soul that too time out of her busy day to entertain us, show us her flock and then give us our fill of tea and cakes.  

One of our favorite katmoget ewes belonging to Jean Curtis.  (amazing flock of Shetland sheep at Jean's)

Jean Curtis' ewe

Some of Jean's girls on pasture

Jean with her ewe flock.  She has rubber mats under that straw, so her gals have some comfy digs

Another stunning Katmoget of Jean's.

A closer look at the wonderful badger face on one of Jean's ewes

A sampling of Jean's awards

Mike (my hubby) Garrett in the back Me and Jean in the front.  More of her many, many awards behind us.