A Winter Siesta...And A Thank You

Well, it's turned into "almost winter", finally.  I think it was down in the 20's last night.  Felt like it at least.  Some spitting snow this morning, but the sun has tried to come out a bit this afternoon.

I'd spent a good bit of the morning at the dentist and my mouth was so sore that I wanted to just go curl up on the couch and do something warm and non-violent like knit.  I couldn't resist Liddy's cute smile though so I grabbed my camera and sat down next to her on the barn lot couch.

Here's where Liddy and I were sitting.

Here's where Hank and Baba were sleeping.  More on that tomorrow ;-).

Here's where Andy was sleeping.  See him tucked into the background?

Big Baaxter will never outgrow being Baby B.

Here's where Kate was sleeping - at the ready!

Jester gave me a big scare last week, but he's a tough old bird and keeps on keeping on.

If I posted this green grass picture in June, you'd never suspect a thing...except for all that wool.

Liddy stood up and snuggled with me for awhile and then turned around and laid back down with her butt tucked up next to my lap, just like when she was a baby.  Such a sweet lambie :-).

Here's where Emily was sleeping.  Wool pillows are better than gate pillows :-).

Maisie looks like such a cute, tubby little angel...

"One of my orneries was supposed to go straight south from Kentucky to Tennessee, but I sent it the scenic route through California."

Seriously, we watched the tracking.  Sigh...  Did everyone else get everything okay and in a timely manner?  Anything damaged in shipping?  

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Thank you so very much for all your holiday orders!  I'd set a goal this past year to not just pay all the sheep's feed and bedding expenses, but to try to cover everything sheep related - minerals, vaccinations, deworming, shearing, miscellaneous vet bills, supplies like water tanks, buckets, new gates, Hank's food and medical expenses, Kate's food and medical expenses, one bobcat rental (we rent a bobcat twice a year to clean out the barn) and one farm payment.  

It ended up being a pretty crazy and not super productive (I didn't think) year, but we managed to cover everything I'd hoped except for making the mortgage payment and I'm actually pretty close to getting that done, too, if I throw in the petty cash jar (now that I think about it!).  Andy pushed me backwards a little, but he was worth it ;-).  I'm putting it in the win column!   

I didn't figure in everything* like barn electric/gas/water bills, insurance premiums, fuel for car/truck/tractor, a couple loads of gravel...and goodness knows what else I'm not thinking about right now (luckily Saint Tim doesn't keep score).  I think I'm going to try and make a good run at some of that for 2016 along with some fiber and artistic goals and I'd sure like to try to write a book.

Here's to 2016!

*I also didn't figure in cookie expenses because thanks to two festivals, Hug a Sheep Day, some well timed farm visits and extra $5 bills tucked into envelopes here and there, the cookie coffer has stayed in the black for a couple years now...and that's all the sheep really care about ;-D.  

Thank you!!!