Happy Samhain....

Double, bubble, toil and trouble

Fire burn, and cauldron bubble..

Happy Halloween everybody! I don't think there will be much in the way of trouble around here this All Hallow's Eve since both my husband and myself have the flu. I'm on the mend, he's just starting.

It's a shame we both feel so unwell. Today the air has a most unreal aspect to it. It's warm this morning - almost balmy. The wind is up causing the leaves to spin and whirl with a magic all its own. Cool! The other magical happening for today is that it is our anniversary. Yep, that's right - we married on Samhain! I mean, c'mon, could you pick a better day? Can't forget those who passed before us, right?

Typically we celebrate all day and night. Readying things during the day and celebrating with ritual, food, and libation at night. Sad to say, I think bed rest will be the most we can muster this year. But, our intent will be there - it always is.

So, to this I say, Happy Anniversary to the man with the big heart and open mind. You've have been my inspiration and my biggest fan of all these crazy endeavors I have embarked on since you came into my life. Words fall short in trying to express everything I feel for you.

Tá sí a ghrá mo chroí - you truly are my anamchara...

Peaceful Fridays.....

The circle continues and it is nearing time for nature to take its rest...

She is giving us some beautiful memories to keep while she goes to sleep.

Not only are we beautiful, we are full of perfume and hints of romance....

Even though our petals have been touched by Sir Jack, we continue to show our beauty...

The fragrant summer bloomer wants to get in one last display of color and fragrance before it too must rest and regenerate..

I, too must rest..... but only after giving back to you once more. Come pick me on All Hallows Eve and then let me rest my peaceful sleep so I may wait for the time of light.

Have a peaceful weekend, y'all................

Session house......

I'll miss the session tonight - the first time because of illness. I have the stinkin' flu! So, here's to the rest of the session players - may the craíc be grand and the beer cold. May the tunes flow as well as the songs. Play one for me. I really will miss all of you....

It's all about the little things.....

Sometimes the small things in life can give you the greatest sense of satisfaction. This morning as I carried a 25lb sack of chicken feed across the frost covered yard listening to the crunch of the grass underneath my wellies, I headed toward the coop to let the girls out to start their day. I couldn't help but smile and think to myself how alive I felt at that very moment. It may be the only time today I feel this way - who knows. It was a sense of shameless satisfaction of caring for something else, for being able to greet the sun and breathe the fall morning air. It was crisp - and alive and that's exactly how I felt. It was knowing that when I reached the coop I would hear the girls greet me with their low, morning cackles and bustling about the coop readying themselves to also greet the morning sun and breathe the cool, fall air. It's a great way to greet the day, only second to Fionnghuala sticking her nose under the fitted sheet so she can snap the elastic on it to wake us up. We don't need no stinkin' alarm clocks 'round here!
Enjoy your evening - the sheet will be snapping before you know it.........

The season of change.....

When I walk through this gate, peace is what I seek and receive....

It is the season of change....

It is everywhere I look inside my fortress of solitude....

But, there are some things that remain constant.

Go kiss a chicken today and tell her how much you appreciate her.

Have a peaceful weekend, y'all.

Idiocy sucks.....

I'm an idiot. Sometimes I can't even believe how much of an idiot I can be. See, it goes like this - I've lost almost 10 years of my digital photos. Gone, vamoose, out the window. The cause is most likely Vista.
The kids were over for supper on Sunday so we decided after we filled our bellies we'd go get comfy and watch a slide show of photos from our trip to Ireland last month. Well, my computer doesn't have a HMDI slot, but, my husbands does, so we figured we'd just plug in my external hard drive that I store my photos on into his computer and then off we'd go. Didn't give it a second thought - he has the same type of external hard drive - unplug his, plug in mine. Right off the bat it didn't recognize my drive. (Why, oh why, didn't my little red flags start waving?) I told him, no prob, just reboot. He did, it recognized my drive, and then dutifully dumped everything on the drive. I'll never forget these words as long as I live - deleting orphan file ####. It happened so fast that by the time we reacted it was gone. So, here's where the idiocy part comes into play. I should have had a back up. I should have known this. Hell, I'm sure subconsciously I did. But, I didn't and now they're gone. Elton John's Funeral for a Friend comes to mind at the moment and I'm not sure why.
I've been told not to give up hope that there may be someone or something that still may be able to find them. So I'm holding onto hope. At this point there's nothing to lose. But, in the meantime I'll just have to grab my Nikon and start making new memories - this time with a back up.

And now - the herding group.....

Welcome to the world of spinning, barking, and well, spinning!

I had a great golden retriever - Garrett. He was, if there is such a thing, a picture perfect dog. When he got older and bogged down with cancer, his 95lb frame was hard to tote around when he needed help.

So, since I like active dogs, and after much research, I decided on the Shetland Sheepdog. Small size but very active. I found a breeder and came home with my little package of joy - Finnegan. Actually, registered as Finnegan's Wake. Garrett was still around to help teach the little guy all things pertaining to manners and obedience. Finn learned well and has grown to be a handsome, obedient companion. Except for one thing - he's nuts! No, really! The dog is always on. I'd truly hate to be in his brain. No amount of exercise - both physical and mental tires him out. But, his saving grace is he is true to his breed and always there for you. Like under your feet there for you. Follow you into the bathroom there for you. Spin around the kitchen island unending amount of times while you bake there for you. Anyway, I think you get my drift. He's always looking for something to do, even if it is following you around.

I had heard that Shelties are like potato chips - you can't have just one. This is true. They are an addictive breed. In comes Northern Chesapeake Sheltie Rescue and our new addition, Shane, who we adopted at 10 years of age. Petrified of men, grossly overweight, and it didn't take much to get bitten. Oh what I have I gotten into! The challenge of bringing out this little dog's full potential, that's what. And work on it my husband and I did. After about a year, this little guy, now 11, was a new dog. No longer fearful or biting, he is the star of the party! He loves everyone and promptly lets you know he would love a hiny scratch! So, here's Shane the ruler. He lets the other dogs know who's boss.

Finn loves Shane, but lets face it - he can't keep the pace of the youngster. So, now I'm out and about looking for the next potato chip and along comes Fionnghuala. A blue merle female. The most absolute sweetest dog I have ever had the pleasure to know. She is shy and is slow to come around to folks other than her family, but, she gives Finn a run for his money! She's fast and can turn on a dime. In fact, there are times that we wonder if she doesn't have some border collie in her - low to the ground creeping, can cut on a pence and can come to a halt in a millasecond.

We're not sure what got over the fence with here but we're sure glad it did. A calm disposition and a faithful companion.

So needless to say, there isn't a day that doesn't go by without dog hair in something, barking at nothing, and gently nudges to go play. Sometimes we just hang out on the sofa and take a nap until a gentle paw touches me to say, hey, it's time for a walk. They are sometimes the biggest pain in the ass but at the same time the greatest joy. We are a pack. I'd be lost without them. I know many of you have your pack and feel the same way. Go spend some time with your pack. You'll be glad you did.

Another rainy day....

There's a hammock hidden back amongst the trees. I miss it today. It's been 40 and raining the last four days. I need some sunshine.... and a lazy day with a quilt in the hammock.

In the beginning.......

Welcome to the Gardens, chickens, and folk music blog. A place where I put my passions on my sleeve, dirt on my wellies, and rosin on my bow. I live on 3 1/2 acres with my husband at my side, three crazy, spinning, shelties, and six chickens.

I hope to share some of the things I love to do and maybe inspire someone else to pick up a hoe or even pick up a bow!

I came to this place, my little homestead not quite four years ago and right smack dab in the midst of middle age. (See, it's never too late!) I got sidetracked in life chasing this little dream I've always had - self sustainability, simplicity, and a little plot of my own to do it with. It took almost a half of a century to get here, but, I'm here. That's all that counts. So, life and dreams have begun and I have opened my arms as wide as I can to embrace all of this. Now mind this isn't happening all at once, but, with some big steps and some little 'uns. Some are backwards, too. And, hey, that's all part of it!

So, come on into the kitchen. I've got a pot of West Clare stew simmering and the fiddle is tuned. We're about to have a kitchen session and the craic is sure to be grand!