God has provided for our merriment and quieted our anxious souls that we may have joy. We just need to go to Him with our burdens.
I am so glad that He comforts me and brings me great joy.
Stevie, true to form, and who loves perching from the top of ladders, did just that.
I took another photo with increased light, so her cute little toes can be seen.
As you can see from these photos, it was an overcast morning. So the day did not warm up as quickly or as much as I like. But it still got up into the high 50's.
I hadn't planned to get much done out at the ranch so I had the morning to decorate, thinking I would go to the gym in the afternoon. Seen here, four of my five helpers. Mama Styx is elsewhere.
Once again, I had to get a close up of Stevie in this basket she barely fit in. And a little later she turned around so I could get both her and this cute snowman.
My pets bring me much comfort and joy. But it does come at a cost. They can get into trouble, get hurt, make messes, or fall ill; and then the comfort and joy fly out the window.
While putzing around here at home, I got word and photos from Joe. Daniel had joined the hiking group for the day.
These photos are probably not in order, and I am guessing that Daniel first met up with the group at camp during breakfast.
Joe and Dan had it easier going because they were not carrying 35 pound backpacks. This last photo was sent late in the day.
This was at the
point where Joe and Dan headed back to their vehicles and Ben, Gabby,
and Caroline continued on down the Appalachian Trail.
I got to the ranch just after noon and watered all the new transplants and grass seed. I brought up a little more dirt to put around the azaleas and then I hauled more logs to behind the wood shed. This is what the pile looked like by the time I quit.
I had seen what I thought was a Bald Eagle fly up from the banks of the lower pond when I first arrived. And later, these two mallard pair were on the side pasture pond when I was picking up manure.
Wanda almost always shows up when I call her, to feed her. Typically she comes from the field south of the barn. She has also started coming into the tack room while I get her food ready.
I had inspected fencing that Patty painted with oil and noticed chew marks on the rail. Patty had put oil on all the places that had been chewed so I knew this was new. It did appeared that the oily wood was avoided.
Before feeding Amiga and Zorro, I hopped on her to see if she was any less lame. I was pleasantly surprised that I did not detect any 'limp' to her walk, gait, or even canter. While I was riding Amiga around the pasture, (bareback and bridle-less) Zorro followed us the whole way. What a silly boy. Mary saw us from the house and thought it so cute, she came out and took some photos.
I
was home by 3pm, early for a ranch work day but not soon enough to make
it to the gym which closes at 4:00 on Saturdays. I enjoyed a quiet
evening at home with a little more decorating, until.... the Christmas
lights I tested, that worked before I hung them, did not totally work
once I got them all up. Ughh!
Our fireplace mantel and hearth is always my favorite when decorated. And I didn't even do the side shelves this year.
Babe now seeks out Maggie to cuddle with, even when the dog is in the Mancave.
Neighbor Allen had his son and another feller out blowing all his leaves off his property. Once they were done, I went out to mow up what was in our front yard so they wouldn't blow into his yard. However, leaves from Brian's and the church are finding their way into our yard, so it is a loosing battle.
I noticed all these holes (chipmunk I presume) in Allen's hill by our Hemlock tree out front.
I went out to the ranch to do a few odd jobs, get chores done, and meet Duncan (our golf cart fix-it man). I took this (video) of Wanda trying to get some lovin' from Maggie. Notice how the back half of her tail appears limp. I hadn't really noticed this before, but assume she came that way. I wonder what happened to it. Even her back right leg seems a little stiff.
While Duncan worked, I moved more logs (using the tractor) to behind the garden shed. It was supposed to be raining by afternoon, but had held off, so I watered the azaleas.
I finally got all of these logs moved from this front bed.
The wind had picked up, the temperature dropped and it felt and looked like rain. But precipitation never did come.
Karen had arrived and was down at the machine shed with Duncan.
When Patty arrived, we wormed the horses and then went to check on the golf cart. It was finished. So she backed it out of the shed and I put the tractor away. Karen then moved her car in to have the transmission fluid changed. I hooked up the little utility wagon to the golf cart and could then used this to haul the rest of the logs.
I had also cleared up most of the pile down by the barn. The remainder I left for a bonfire because they were too big for our fire-pit up by the house.
So, here is what the pile of logs behind the garden shed now look like.
I
was in no mood to wrangle Christmas lights when I got home, so I put
decorating on hold and messed here at my computer until my 9pm bedtime.
Monday 12/6 - My sleep cycle has been so messed up. I woke after four hours, computerized from 1:30 to 5am, took a 90 minute nap, and woke feeling so groggy. It didn't help that the rain had started so it was dark and gloomy. At least I had this Ava update to brighten my morning.
With it being a cold, rainy morning, just walking the dog chilled me to the bone. So I started the fire, got a cup of hot coco, put on Christmas music, and continued work on Christmas cards (video). All of my pet friends entertained and kept me company. I enjoy them, even though one in particular is usually a bit too annoying. 
This was the night's sunset, the only other photos I took today.
Joe got home from his five day hiking / poker get away just as I was leaving for the gym. I made it through my whole workout, but it was a struggle because I was still so tired. It did take me longer than usual because I took more rest breaks (in which I walk a lap or two on the very tiny track and get a drink of water).
Maggie out enjoying the sunset with me, and looking for deer and little critters. I love the profile shot below.
After hitting Food City on the way home, I decided I didn't want to go anywhere the rest of the day, so had Joe do ranch chores for me, on his way to poker night.
I got a second wind after a big 2pm lunch so started putting up the Christmas tree. It is the smaller one I usually put up in the balcony, already with lights and ornaments on it. So it just needed fluffing.
Then I got distracted by constructing a cardboard cat tunnel under the tree (photo taken the next morning). Both ends have an opening and there is also one in the slant by the milk crate.
I had popcorn for dinner while down loading the few photos I took, and then played computer games.
I hope this will hold up under cat criminal activity.
Then to finish off the stand, I put a green cover over the whole thing and a red Christmas throw around the base of the tree.
I sat in the living room working on Christmas cards while struggling with Monita, who was either vandalizing the tree or laying right on the card I was trying to write on.
This is Babe with Maggie. Maggie could tell I was frustrated, but didn't know it was Monita I was getting mad at, so she was feeling a little worried.
I took another day off from the ranch because Patty was doing chores. Also, it was too cold for my liking. While Patty was out there, she got this photo of one of two eagles by the lower pond. We were trying to figure out if they were Bald Eagles or Golden Eagles. This one looks to have a partial white head, and a few days earlier I thought I saw a white head, but also distinctly remember seeing white under the wings and tail as it flew over.
With researched and doing a comparison between the two, I'm still undecided. Here is the (website) I got this picture from. The numbers are the years of age of each. I remember seeing what looked like G1a with the white under the wings and tail, but also thought it had a white head. Hum.
I cooked dinner and then Joe and I watched TV for a few hours, Survivor and finishing the Only Murders in the Building series. The cats enjoyed the fire (Mama Styx was on my lap) but notice Monita is messing with Babe's tail. She is a devil in a cat disguise.
Wednesday 12/8 - Once it warmed up (about 10am) Joe, Maggie and I went to the ranch to hang two metal gates to replace the Electrobraid ones that weren't working too well for us. Joe's back was really hurting, so he was moving kind of slow and stiffly.
The three boys in the front pasture were enjoying the grass and getting along very well.
At one point they approached to go through the gate opening (with Rio bravely leading the way) to go into the paddock to get a drink of water. We had finished hanging the back gate and were working on the gate to the front pasture.
The boys were very hesitant to come through the opening, with the two new gates visible. We just stood back, gave them some time and space, and let them work it out and check everything out.
Cowboy was too leery of this new development and would not pass through the opening. Rio and Maslo debated turning back, but then decided they wanted a drink. I ended up having to work with Cowboy to get him to go through, to the paddock.
Finally, all three horses were able to enjoy a big drink of water, Maslo at the stock tank and the other two from the pond.
Once refreshed with water, they headed back out to the front pasture. They were much quicker about going through the gate opening this time, and all three cantered up the hill towards Amiga and Zorro's pasture.
Here are the finished gates, both closed, and then with the gate to the front pasture open. Both can be swung the other direction to be opened to the back pasture.
We took hay up to Amiga and Zorro in the side pasture, and a few loads of manure were dumped on the back side of the dam. Then Joe headed home and I up to the yard to finish moving a few more logs, basically re-stacking some of them for better clearance around the garden shed, and to look better.
A view of the side pasture from the garden shed. Amiga had been standing guard while Zorro rested, and now she joined him.
Maggie 'helped' me pick up sticks from the yard and then I decided to head home rather than ride, because I didn't want to disturb Amiga. First though, Maggie and I went down to the barn to feed Wanda and then back up to feed Amiga and Zorro.
When I let Amiga out of the shed after she and Zorro were both finished eating, she and Maggie both were cleaning up some food Zorro had spilled.
Joe came home early from poker and we watched Survivor. Not only does the show portray the physical struggles, but it is also a social experiment that reflects society and the honest, earnest moments of humanity.
Thursday 12/9 - I was treated to a beautiful sunrise on my second walk with Maggie. And these are the only photos I took all day. This first one was from our driveway, the second while walking down the street, and the last one from the Lutheran Church parking lot.
I left for town at 7:15, was quick to get my bone scan and mammogram, and then went shopping. I was looking for a few Christmas gifts and a couple of 'specialty' items. I never did find a barbwire fence tightener, to re-wind stings that have been caught (usually by farm equipment) and pulled so that they came uncoiled and are now longer and droop or sag. Most store clerks had no idea what I was talking about, so I am not sure a device even exists. There's an invention someone could come up with.
I didn't return home until 2:30, so it had been a full day of shopping (mostly lots of looking). I was anticipating and shopping for Christmas, and am also excited about and planning for sister Jean's mid-January move to the ranch.
Joe left for another five day trip, this time to Phoenix, for golf and poker with a friend. I enjoyed Christmas music while sorting, organizing, and stashing away all my purchases. And then enjoyed games on my computer.
Friday 12/10 - I just about finished all my Christmas cards before I had to get a move
on. I dropped them off at the post office on the way to the gym, and
had a good workout in spite of dragging when I first got there.
Next I went to the ranch to do chores. Bad weather had been predicted for overnight, so I debated putting Amiga and Zorro in stalls, but decided to let them fend for themselves because the prediction had decreased the chances and moved the storm front to hit just before sunrise. It was windy and a bit rainy already.
Playing games at my computer, by 7pm I could not stay awake. After walking the dog, brushing my teeth, and reading my daily devotional, it was getting close to 8:00 when I turned the lights out. I always fall asleep immediately. Waking in the middle of the night is a different story.
That is an excellent song with a gospel message.
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