Growing plans and sunflowers

I always feel happy walking around our property in the country. After a great breakfast in the town of Manotick, we dropped by the lot and cleaned up and planted some Sunflower seeds along the fence.

and found some fallen branches from our last big wind storm.

Here is the old log hen house. It must be 100 years old. So many memories of early mornings, collecting eggs for my grandmother and playing hide and seek around the building. It would be nice to save this building just for 'memory' sake but it would never house chickens again. It would be a fun restoration project, though.

Kane had a good run about, got too hot and jumped in the car to wait on his water dish.

He always smiles with his eyes closed. Then he had a snooze.

The weather was funny today; muggy, sunny, cloudy, you name it. One of those 'great hair days'.

Along the stone fence at the back of the property is a little grave-site for our departed cats. One corner holds graves of  5 cats; Charity, Patches, Tina, Dharma & Gus. Another spot is the resting place for  Sassy, Maggie & Ginny. These cats have all passed away over the last 19 years. All but Gus lived to be very, very old. It felt good to visit with them and let them all know, once again,  that I missed them so much. I can't help but cry when I sit there. They were all so special to me;  so beautiful. They are a part of my past, now, leaving me with such sweet memories. I had placed a statue of a Collie at the fence near the spots where they lay.

That is our Kane protecting them. God love them, they were wonderful cats.

When my grandmother's home was on this land, this rock where I am standing was just outside and up a bit from her shed.

Here I am outstanding in my field.

 It was often used in a game of baseball as one of the bases. One very hot day, when I was around 8 years of age, I lay in the grass with my head on this rock watching the clouds go by.  I felt something touch my leg and sat up to find a large snake climbing over my ankle. I can't remember what happened next :-b; I just know I couldn't breath but by geez I could run. Snakes scare the life out of me. Little grass snakes make me run screaming. Bigger snakes send me into panic mode. If I know there is a snake in the grass...I go somewhere else. I know it's silly and I wish I could get over it, but....
So whenever I am walking about the 2 acre lot,  I wear boots. The bigger the boots the better.

We'll be out here a lot this summer and I will bring you along.

Our plans are moving forward to build a home here and I couldn't be more excited.

There is so much to do.

and we're not getting any younger.

Have you left a comment on my previous post to win a tea-cup give-away? Draw will be tomorrow. Good luck.

Cat-tip-for-the-day=^..^= cutting kitties nails.

I have been asked how I cut my cats' nails. I do not use any fancy nail clippers just the regular LA CROSS nail clippers we use on our own nails (our cats have their own, though). Some of my cats do not mind this weekly event and sit still from start to finish. Lily & Sierra really struggle so I clip a few one day and finish them the next. This way, by the time they even notice, I am done one paw. There is no law saying all the nails must be trimmed at once. Do a paw a day and that will work fine. The tip of the nail is usually quite narrow and may be hollow. That is a good guide where to cut. I only clip the sharp ends and do not go near the quik.  I don't recommend wrapping your cat up to do this. That just stresses them out. Try to get that one paw done while kitty is snoozing. I did Annie's nails one day and she never woke up. If you have someone who can distract the cat with treats while you clip one paw that may be the route to take. Good luck!

hugs, Deb