Like Sand Through The Hourglass...

In the last couple of weeks I've chided myself as to how much time I spend on the internet not always to garner anything productive or necessary. This morning I had a chat with a friend from high school. She is a breast cancer survivor. She never complained about the ordeal. All I noticed was a decrease in posts. She is an avid photographer, so not seeing as much of her work should have been a clue. I just put that down as being busy.

I only found out about the cancer "thing" when she posted about a bell one can ring at the oncology ward of a particular hospital after your last treatment. Wow! What a revelation!! It's not like we were close friends but we did share some moments and I remember horseback riding with her and her sister and a few others after school at a trail ranch just out of the city. Cancer is not a pleasant thing for anyone to endure. Knock on wood, I am grateful for my health as no matter what income you have, you can't buy it back. You may be able to buy more experimental drugs though...

So meanwhile, dear colleague has been inspired to be part of Head Scarfs for Cancer Patients-Three Cousins Seamstress on Facebook , also this business   http://www.forgottentwigs.com and a walking meditation album of photographs on Facebook.

What made me reach out and contact her this am was this post:"Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is GREAT WORK. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking, and don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. "

-Steve Jobs

 I wholeheartedly agree with this. I told her that I was doing what I love. I am fortunate. We both agreed that time is not to be wasted. I thanked her for her time- she read my blog.

I thank each and every one of you who do take the time to read my "musings" as you can be doing other things.Things that you love. 

So, what will you be doing today?

My Private Thanksgiving Toast

Yesterday was Thanksgiving. It was also my uncle Brian's birthday. So ,when Fall comes around I think of him, especially at Thanksgiving even though the two days don't always coincide. I think of him as the days get colder and wetter. Since I've moved to a farm I never see him. Why so much thought to an absentee relative? Well, my uncle Brian is a homeless person.

I always found him different but I could easily discuss things with him. He's only 6 years older than myself. My Mother is one of 10 siblings and the oldest daughter. He lived with my Grandmother in Ottawa. My Grandmother passed away 19 years ago. That's when things went a little haywire. He had to live on his own. Did not keep jobs for long. What did not help is as a teenager he lost the sight in one eye just by being pushed into a telephone pole. Somehow, my Father brought him into the hospital he worked at, which was a military hospital. Perhaps under the guise that because my Grandfather had served years ago? Not quite sure how that came to be. So, essentially he also has a disability.

A bit of time later, a few more "incidents" and there you have a schizophrenic wandering the streets refusing any one's assistance because he is "fine". In 2011, my Aunt Brenda passed away. I wanted to let my uncle know that his sister, to whom he would sometimes visit unannounced had passed away. I had to call the union Mission and did locate him. He did not show up for the service but at least he knew. My cousin , the deceased's daughter had an issue with him showing up and yet she was very close to him in her early life.I don't understand how cold some people are but I let that go as she was grieving and may have not been thinking as she normally would.

So when I tuck into that pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving, it's with a bit of sadness but also a few good memories and the reminder that winter is coming. Be well Brian.

Puddle ducks!

Fall is a beautiful season but a frustrating one. Things you've put off doing now may not get done until Spring. The sun shines and the wind blows. The leaves abandon the trees and become carpeted as the rain beats down on them. That was a description of yesterday's weather. The sun would shine and warm everything up but never stayed out long enough to accomplish anything as the rain fell and fell and fell. The only appreciative crew were the ducks.

Puddle ducks.But not your Beatrix Potter type. The rain created quite a few puddles deep enough in some spots for the ducks to immerge themselves and splash and bathe about in a quite contented state. There a very small puddles left today as the ground absorbed the rain. So I wonder, how will the ducks be in the winter? They were quite noisy this am. They wanted out of their night shelter to play about in the water.
This has me pondering what I will have to do with them for fun in winter yet I've seen mallards live near the Rideau River over the winter when I lived in Ottawa. At least they won't be migrating as they are unable to fly!

Not my ducks but gives you an idea of what I am talking about.

Soon my sheep will be divided into whomever will be bred groups..Still not done cleaning out the barn. windy days make it difficult to burn some of the stuff that I'm taking out of there and I am working solo. Hubby helped out a bit one Saturday..and the calendar pages quickly flip on...

Sans A Camera!

No photos. My friend picked up her camera. So now I must find the cord to my old camera, which I found , is a pig on batteries-yes batteries. It will not play nicely with cheap brands either...

I've heard from Bertie"s new owners and he is settling in well, has taken a liking to one of the ewes and follows her around. I figure it is a Mom substitute thing until the hormones kick in and that will be soon enough.

The leaves are falling and the fog is taking some time to lift today. The sun is poking out which makes doing outside chores less tedious. The ducks are exploring new territory-Yes I have 4 runner ducks!! I think they may be all female. They are only a couple months old but I picked them up beginning of August. It will be some time before eggs appear.

My clip is still not back from the mill. I hope it comes before the Knitting guild vendor night!!Meanwhile I knit for a craft fair and farmer's market. If it doesn't sell, I have Christmas gifts made!! This morning I rewarded myself by purchasing a pattern. I hope I can use some of my own wool to knit it once it arrives.

This weekend I will visit my friend Anna Hammond and her farm and pick up  a few varieties of garlic. Planting season is soon and I thought this would be another lovely feature or product to sell next year!! Fingers crossed for that crop as my pumpkins were a failure this year. Strange as that never happens...I will have to purchase a couple as they are huge hits with the chickens and the sheep!

Time to knit!!