To My Blogger Friends And Visitors

Veterans Day

Heroes Die for Me
by Jamie Burns

I am the flag
I look down upon this land called America.
I have been here since this great nation was formed,
I have seen each battle fought
I have seen the heroes die for me, for my country

Thank you all those of you
Who have kept me flying in the breeze
Keeping this country united as one.
Thank you those of you who have sacrificed your lives,
Giving up all that I may still fly,
Watching over the citizens of this nation.
Thank you all those of you who have ever fought,
I am ever grateful for you.

You risked everything; you faced death each day,
Faced fear, faced many terrible things.
And because of you, my thank you's ring out,
Filling the sky, echoing from the hills
They find their way to the graveyards,
And to all of you still living,
You are a special kind of person.

To anyone who has ever served this country,
And to those serving today
Thank you.

As I watch life from atop my flagpole,
As I think of all you've done,
My feelings become too powerful for words
And all I can say is thank you.

I would like to personally say to all Veterans who have given their lives, to all who have served, and to all currently serving...

We care.

We remember.

We appreciate your service.

We say thank you.

Featuring A Brynwood Needleworks' Post

I wanted to highlight this post at Brynwood Needleworks, because I know quite a few people have dogs, and I think this is worth passing on. The moment I read it, I knew I had to mention it specifically in a post. So, head over to Brynwood Needleworks for her post "Just My Dog..." an awesome poem from Gene Hill. It is my first time reading this poem and a great find. I love finding firsts from other people's blogs!

Pronounce Your Words Clearly With Goats-Part Two

Well, apparently I didn't learn my lesson the first time. Recently while feeding the goats, I noticed Vivian had quite the full belly. I asked her if she was bulging. She looked at me as if to say "No Grammy, I'm not Belgium." Could it really happen again, I didn't pronounce bulging clearly enough? Now of course the human factor plays a big part in this situation, we want to believe they understand us and I personally believe they do. I know, I know, do they really understand? That's actually another post all itself coming soon. Plus, some might ask, why are you talking to goats in the first place? These funny moments with the goats just make me smile, so I'm sure I jump at any chance to find the humor. Will there be a part three to this? Of course I'll let you know!

Emma

Emma at Popham Beach.
One year ago today, we said good bye to our wonderful dog Emma. I know everyone feels their furry family member is the most special. Emma and I had a unique bond that surprised even me. When Emma first came to our home, it appeared she would be closer to my husband. It was not surprising, since her previous home was with an elderly couple, and the last number of years specifically with the elderly gentleman. I don't even know when it happened, but things changed and our bond grew so strong. There had been many pets in my family through the years, and they were loved dearly, but with Emma the bond seemed so different. It's so hard to put into words to explain the bond between Emma and I. I will not try to, and accept it for the beautiful relationship it was meant to be. I now cherish every memory of her I have. Her time with us was too short, but I'm glad it was with us. I truly believe she was meant to spend her last years in our home, to love us and be loved. I think often of Emma, and the smiles come easily with the joy she brought to my life and the memories we shared. She was a classy lady, who will always be loved to the moon and back again.


This picture was taken in our barn of a little snowy Emma.

This is what I posted in the goat forum I am a member of, after her passing last year. I wanted to share it here today, because it was so important to me at the time for my grieving process.

Friday, October 9, 2009
Remembering Emma

The beautiful Emma came into our lives December 22, 2006.

Already nine years old, that did not matter, it was an honor to adopt you.

Your first family raised you to be a wonderful loving being.

When you whined after I would sneeze, I always believed it was your way of saying "God bless you."

I loved the white at the end of your nose, that's how you got the nickname "Flashlight girl." It stood out against your black like a light.

Thank you for letting us call you "Emma Smemma" another quirky nickname.

During the almost three years we shared our lives together, an incredible bond grew between you and I. It's one I will treasure and will live on in my heart.

I miss you being in the kitchen, when I do the dishes and your chair is empty, but our home is filled with incredible memories to sustain us.

You are so loved by all of us and dearly missed.

We laid our Emma girl to rest September 22nd under the beautiful Autumn trees. She passed at the age of 12 years with dignity and peace, on her own terms.



This was the first photo of Emma taken in our home.

This was the arrival story I wrote about Emma on a dog forum on December 28, 2006. I wanted to share it as part of remembering her.

Emma was adopted from a different shelter than we normally go to. I was talking on the phone to the staff at the shelter about another dog we planned to adopt; found out he couldn't go with other dogs. She mentioned that Emma was there, because her hufamily had passed away. Emma lived more recently with her hufather and 18 CATS. I met my husband at the shelter and we walked Emma around. I could sense she would be a good fit for our family. Emma was adopted December 22, 2006! Emma is a great dog! In Loving Memory of Emma's first hufamily-thank you for the wonderful care of her while she was part of your family.

Good Clothes Are A Thing Of The Past

People who do any type of farming sure learn this quickly, if it's not already obvious going in. I have never even attempted to wear a new pair of pants, while in the barn, or doing any farm related task. It's pretty much a guarantee that the nail you were certain wasn't there before, will snag those new pants, and voila a hole. If not that, you'll kneel in a spot that is muddy, and there's your first stain. I have chew spots from the goats on the bottoms of my shirts. Their back teeth are sharp, and this can happen very quickly, even as you're telling them no. Of course I have reserved a few pair of pants and shirts, for errands around town, but the moment I get home I'm back in the farm clothes. My supply of farm clothes seriously outweighs my good ones.

"HenPals Chicken Nesting Box Giveaway"

Life on a Southern Farm



"The Giveaway will end midnight EST on Friday July 30th 2010. Winner announced on Saturday July 31, 2010."

See this wonderful giveaway and hurry and enter. Do you need more chicken nesting boxes or don't want to wait to see if you win? Then, be sure to check out their store site HenPals Chicken Nest Boxes, they have many sizes to choose from. Former customers and winners of these boxes rave about them too. "Handcrafted by a Georgia farmer in the USA." Don't miss this!