Aminals...

Yes, I misspelled that.  Husband and I say it that way quite often, usually when I tell him I am going to feed.

It has been an off and on winter.  The llamas have been fat and fluffy.  I fed them more this winter, as the grass in our fields don't seem to be coming back quite as quickly, and I have a fair amount of hay, so... Why not?  I have hay fever, so I have taken to putting the hay in a container to carry out to them, but they still seem to be getting used to me sneezing while feeding...

Buzz, she is getting to the point where she will hide in said hay, and is rather disgruntled when I move the tarp covering it to get the llama's breakfast.  I think she is getting old enough that she'd rather just sleep under there until noon, when it's warm, and she won't be as likely to be cold, wet, or bothered by Rudee.  (Yes, Rudee still tries to roll her, but not as aggressively as he used to...)

The chickens are finally getting busy with spring laying.  They are giving me 4 to 6 eggs a day now, and they are filling out, and becoming nice looking hens.  Mon Ami must have a preference for blondes, as most of the young hens are yellow tinted, not red from the Rhode Islands... I don't know if I will let anyone set intentionally this season, but I've said that before, and still ended up with chicks... So, we shall see who wins the battle of wits/wills this year.

Ding has filled out, and is a lovely lady, and not a bit of attitude.

BWAHAAHAHAHAAAHAAAAA!
Ahem.

She and Husband are best buds, but she still follows me around the house, and we have odd little conversations.  She trills, I tell her what I'm doing, or plans for the day, she mews... I am rather happy I wasn't born in the time of the Salem Witch Trails...

Lastly, Rudee.  He did okay this winter, but he is getting to be an old dog.  He is nearly deaf, and I don't think he sees all that much better.  We've taken to cleaning the kennel nearly every day or so, as he really isn't as able to 'hold it' as well as he used to.  I am sort of sad that he is getting older, he walks with a bit of a limp, groans when he gets up.  He still seems happy to get out and walk, for a while, he likes to have breakfast, but he prefers to eat much smaller meals.  He's just getting to be an old guy...  We had to give him a bath a few days ago, because he stank so badly.  He just wandered around, looking confused for a while afterword.

It's odd how time moves on, and you don't notice for what seems like ever, then suddenly, things change.  But, then I look in the mirror, and realize, if he has any thoughts like this, he probably remembers me looking a bit different not so long ago, too...

A is for Age.

How old are you?  That question is so innocuous, but so loaded.  I am always amused at the idea that as you are a certain age, you need to be/do/like/say certain things. 

I am interested in things that would belie my age. 

I know about Babbit bearings and zirc fittings on old Chevy trucks, and have helped repair a Studebaker.  I know some about donkey engines in logging.  I also know some about making stone and bone arrowheads.  Does that make me a certain age?  I also like (some) rap and hip-hop, think skateboarding and motorcycles are sweet, and I knit.  Does that change the opinion of how old you think I am? 

I have found that people think you are as old as you let them think you are.  A friend of mine had been in Viet Nam, and a news article had come up about Jane Fonda.  He was, to put it mildly, outraged...  I was puzzled.  She had never been on my radar, and so I asked why he was upset.  After hearing probably more than I will ever remember about 'Hanoi Jane', he then snorted, "You should know this, you were around then!" 

I looked him squarely in the eye, and said, "Just how old do you think I am?"  He responded that I was his age.  I asked him what he was doing during the Moon Landing in '69.  He told me he was in the Marines.  I told him I was a toddler, sitting on my grandparents table, watching the landing.  Also, according to my parents, I was much more interested in my Oreo cookie dismemberment.  He looked stunned.  "But you act so much OLDER!"

So.  Act your age?  Meh.  Act how old you WANT to be.  That keeps 'em guessing!