Alexa, play Cool Change

 
So many things change that it seems nothing stays the same for long. It used to be farm things changing all the time. Okay, maybe it still is. But now, it's what's happening inside the house that's ebbing and flowing on the daily.

Driving vehicles on sister seems logical.
It is a hill.

The grandkiddos are growing. That's part of what changes constantly. Trying to keep up with it all is a task for their mama and papa (that's what their children them). Lauren and Ryan do a great job keeping up with these two. I'm a side show, taking them here and there, helping here and there, and watching them here and there. 

Big smiles all around with this lil girlie girl.
Olive is the Queen of Smiles 

I'll talk more about them in a bit, as they have changes happening in their own lives, too. 

Let's talk piggies, shall we?

Last blog post found me with a surprise pig (Baby) and learning what pig fights are all about. Fast forward and boom, they are fast friends. I would have never guessed it. I really had thought they'd always live separate based on their initial week or two. Then, they started trying to get through the fence to actually be together. They do sleep in separate pig houses mind you. But they eat together, play together and take naps beside each other in the afternoon sun. It's rather sweet. Pigs are herd animals, and they are their own herd now.

Maggie (left) and Baby (right)
Not the same breed of pig, people 😮

Char Char

I also last left you with Charlotte being welcomed into our dog pack. Talk about transitioning! She's gone through many phases of just trying to figure out her new life and who dropped her into this universe.

Her smile 

This is what the inside-dog-pack looks like
when I leave for work.
Lying together on the dog bed(s) in the 
laundry room. Usually with one of the kitty's. 

This was an evolution. When Charlotte first arrived, she was determined to not let me go to work without her. She would follow my truck down the gravel road. Yet, after Ryan (so kindly) would wake up early to keep her in the house until I could drive away, she eventually learned when I was leaving. Luckily, Ryan no longer has to get up early to watch her. As Char now understands my routine on work days. She knows the clothes I put on, and the certain words and pets I give just before I leave for the day. She's a smart girl. She's chosen me as her person and bonded strong. And her and Sugar are also working on their own bond, but that will take longer. With time though. With time.

Charlotte's favorite thing to do is sleep 
beside me, touching her paw to me
at all times in the night. It's like I've 
grown an extension of my body. 

I'm grateful for her, and her ability to grow into the pack with Maybe and Sugar. They are doing very well together. Char still barks at men like a mad dog, but I'm hoping that time will settle this down some. Hard to say what's happened in her past that causes this reaction. I often take the 3 pups out in my truck when I run errands, and Charlotte seems to really enjoy it. This is, until I take her, Maybe and Sugar in a dog-friendly store (Home Depot or Tractor Supply). Even though I'm working with her on staying calm around males, Char always ends up in air jail. In my arms screaming like prey. Throwing a crazy-eye-teeth-showing-full-on-panic-attack tantrum, until said male person moves away. Crazy Town ensues in times like these.

I wonder if she'll ever recover from whatever has happened to her in her past. It's typical rescue-pup behavior from one whose been hurt before. She's safe now, and I'll keep working with her on her trust issues. I have a feeling it'll be a lifetime of healing. I get it, Char. I, too just lost 200 lbs and find that maybe men are not prudent for me at this time, as I have a wealth of healing to do as well. I try to remind myself to do the best I can until I know better. Thank goodness we always try to work towards better. 

They enjoy being together 💟

This is their very favorite thing to do! (Mine too)
I did take the shaver to both of these sweeties.
Their longer fur attracts too many burrs - and
unknown smelly things from the farm. 

One thing is for sure, Sugar and I have a special bond, one of unbreakable strength. And to have another pup for her - and I - is extra special. I've come to understand how amazing these rescue pups really are. Their desire for love and safety is strong. I'm blessed they call me home. 

So what's new at home? 

Glad you asked! I've had the wonderful opportunity of selling eggs up front of the property for a few years now. David got me all set up awhile back and it's been going great.

The Egg Fridge

He made the bridge, put lights out, gravel around the bridge, and signs up. Pretty fancy, esp for a road-side stand. I love it.

Then one day recently, this fridge begin to show signs of wearing out and turning off on it's own. I'm not sure if it's the weather or just age, but the fridge stopped working. 

Oh dear, I thought. What now? Stop selling eggs? Only sell them to people I know? Take them to work? 

So I decided to make a trip to Home Depot and take a look at what they have (and prices) for a replacement egg fridge. And let me tell you, I've never had such a great Home Depot experience. I explained my needs of an egg fridge to the sales lady in appliances who got me all fixed up with a fridge for a great price that met my needs exactly. It's a touch smaller (which is great) and is only a fridge (no freezer - which is great). And she loaded it on a cart and wheeled it up front for me. Then I got 2 new outdoor extension cords on sale, and I was set. At the checkout line, 2 high schoolers working there promptly loaded it up without my asking, and proudly secured it in the back of my truck. I asked them to thank their mother's that night when they got home. For doing such a wonderful job teaching them how to assist and help others so willingly. And I gave them dinner-money even though I know I'm not supposed to do that. It's what mom's do. I was so grateful for this experience, help and positive energy that I received at Home Depot. There were such nice and kind people working there that late Saturday evening. It was like I was the only one in the store. 

So now to get it home and unload it on my own. You know what? I did it. I unloaded it out of the back of my truck and got it set up. I was so proud of myself. 

So excited to have a reliable egg fridge again

This road may not be well traveled by my farm,
but I sell out almost every day. 

It's so nice! A fridge only - with many shelves. I just love it. What did I do with the old fridge? I moved it further out front and down the way, and put a "free" sign on it. Within a day or two......it was gone. That's one of the things I love about living out here. You can put anything out front, and someone will take it. 

I'm going to back track a minute and mention another change that was made a couple of weeks ago, Lauren had begun to cook homemade cookies and sell them from the egg fridge.

Sugar cookies for sale
(old egg fridge)

And within a day or 2, they were all gone.
Apparently, cookies for sell, along with eggs
are a big hit. 

So her next batch of homemade cookies were choc chip with marshmallows. And there's only one baggie left of them. They also went fast. I'm glad someone is enjoying them!

There's room for cookies AND eggs 🍪🥚

I love the idea of selling items with an 
honesty policy and unattended money box.
People are organically honest.
And they probably laugh at my misspellings....

Back to the babies.....

One privilege of having my daughter's family living with me is the grandkids. I get to see them each day, and be a witness of their own changes and growth. And - watch Brooks evolve into many different occupations on the daily:

Soccer player 

Doesn’t everyone play soccer with a goat.

Landscaper
Yes, we raked leaves and put them in 
trash cans and buckets - 
then went and put them in the burn pile and
burned them.

Construction Worker

This construction worker
 builds many a building with his
magnatiles.

Fisherman

We caught some blue gills, as the catfish were
so big that he was calling them
dolphins. And we did not reel in
any of those successfully.

Fireman

Artist, maybe

Or even a gymnast. Who knows really what these children will do in their lives. I could even continue with trash collector, sweeper, and anything else you need done. He's always ALL in for assisting. He loves most all activities as most children do. Trying new things. Being brave when he’s afraid. Right now though, his occupation would most certainly include a vehicle that has wheels. And any vehicle, no matter farm, construction or rescue vehicle, he wants it in toy-form. Santa can't go wrong with this one.

In the mean time, Olive is heading towards a 6 month old birthday in a couple of weeks. She's getting a tooth. She's eating real puree food. She knows who her mama is. She is in love with her brother. She can't take her eyes off the ever-roaming dogs and kitty's around her. Mostly, she's a bundle of joy. Her nickname? Ollie

I have no words that can
accurately expressive this kind of love.
💕
My daughter with her daughter.

So as things keep evolving around here, I can tell you that Lauren and her family are mulling over their own family decisions like working or going back to college, day care or no day care, and many other opportunities that can present themselves in this day and time of togetherness. All I know that it's ever changing around here, and that's okay. Change is great. Change is good. Change can be unsettling, uncertain or even hard. Yet, let's keep changing. I never want someone to feel shame for change in any way. After all, change is the only constant. You know what they say....change before you have to. 

Wait, there's one sweet girl I want to never change......

My Sweet Dora
💜💛💚

Catch ya on the flippity flop,

Cyndi

Every busy construction worker needs to eat well

House complete 💪

The changes continue

So many things can change in such a short amount of time. More than I can keep up with at times. As I'm blogging and not yet posted, I'll leave with this. The new laughter of Olive, a new voice in the house. She's learning to express herself more day by day. 

Halloweenie

Guest Blogger Today 😍 Lauren shares a bit of her own little life: 

“What would you like to be for Halloween?” I asked Brooks back in September. “An iguana with icing!” Brooks replied. That character was from “Halloween ABC’s”, a book we’ve read manyyyy times. I suspect he mostly wanted the icing. However, an iguana seemed like a great costume and I quickly found a dragon cape online that could pass as an iguana. Easy on, easy off, and didn’t hinder potty training progress by complicating lowering our pants - I’ll buy it! 

Halloween lesson #1: I asked too early about the costume. 

By the time the iguana costume arrived, Brooks had become obsessed with Mario. In my head, I didn’t want to buy a onesie (see complication with potty training mentioned earlier) that’s cheaply made and will be worn one time. I *thought* it’d be better to purchase overalls, a red long sleeve shirt, and a red hat that he could wear at other times. And I’ll just draw on a beautiful mustache. Smart? Smart. So I thought. 

The first of the Halloween events on the docket: trunk or treat at Brooks’ school. They message stating that costumes should be worn over school clothing so teachers can easily take them off. It’s also a little warmer than it may typically be this time of year. Okay, I’m adaptable! I dress him in shorts (see potty training again), the long sleeve red top, and offer him two Mario hat choices. I sprung for an official Mario hat that he ended up not liking, but resentfully wore for the event. Ryan even made a little felt emblem for his shirt to ensure that everyone knew he was Mario. 

Halloween lesson #2: go all out!

I missed the memo that all of the parents were bringing their top Halloween energy on costumes. One child was dressed in a full policeman get up. There were princesses with long hair clips galore. I went for practical, functional, and (my interpretation of) less wasteful. I really missed the mark. Brooks came home and said, “no one cared about me costume.” Knife to chest! I got teary. I cared about his costume and I had hoped his friends would too. But in comparison to all of the others, he felt not as important. I hit myself with the bad mom stick. Next year, I will be going ALL OUT. 

Determined to get the school memory out of his head immediately, I decided to take him to Beware on the Square in Celina the following day. It’d be a date, just he and I. 

Bootleg Mario strikes again! Halloween lesson #3: candy makes everything better. 

The event on the Celina square was a little overwhelming for Brooks, I mean Mario, but he had a blast. We practiced saying trick or treat, but when the time came Mario could never muster it. Despite this, he was loaded up with candy. So much so that we decided we better sit on the bench to people watch and enjoy some. 

Ah, yes. A little people watching and candy made the sting (to me) of yesterday’s costume snub disappear. We also have a whole additional year to practice saying trick or treat. 

To polish off the Halloween weekend, we decided to take the family to a Fall Festival at a church in Gunter. Bootleg Mario and Bootleg Luigi joined forces. 

Brooks was totally starstruck when he got to meet Princess Peach at the event. There were games, more candy, activities and a train ride. 

His favorite part was the train with Nana, despite the very cold weather this day. 

The Gunter event was much more our speed. Homemade costumes were sprinkled around on kiddos and only a handful went all out. Everyone was kind and laid back. This is what I had imagined the Halloween spirit to be like! 

The Cannon/Mario Brothers Family 

Overall, the weekend was a blast and I hope it filled Brooks’ head with happy Halloween memories of fun events as a family.

We didn’t end up trick or treating as we had planned because both kiddos ended up being under the weather. It turned out that Brooks had RSV, which he passed to Olive. To keep from reliving the details, I will summarize: Olive had a brief 24 hour stint in the hospital the day after Halloween and improved with the medical team’s care. We’re beyond grateful. 

Next year, I won’t be a Halloweenie and will step up my game. I’m coming for you, 2024 Halloween! I wonder what Brooks will want to be. I’ll wait at least until October to ask, make sure we have many candy-filled activities planned, and you better believe I’ll be going all out on his costume. 

New Beginnings

We live

in a world

of

sunrises

if the earth is given a chance to start over every single day, aren't you?

- Cleo Wade

I just love Cleo Wade's work. She's an artist and poet who is an advocate for reminding us through her books and poetry that our life is constantly in a state of design. This means, she says, you have the power to redesign it at all times. Thank you, Cleo. I love your beautiful book, Heart Talk, and your children's book, What The Road Said which is an all-time favorite of mine. 

Books are my window where I see the outer - and inner world around me. And not just because my daughter is a librarian 😉  When I think of what my dream date would look like, it would be with my favorite writers/authors:  Brene Brown, Cleo Wade and Anne Lamott. Inspiring women who write on the topic of (many things!) including vulnerability, hope, shame, resilience and the power of love. They remind me to know the value of knowing my value. 

Gifts of Imperfection (my fav book by Brene Brown)

As I move through my little life, often times unwittingly and unknowingly yet trying hard to be self-aware with mild success, I find myself presented with gifts. My most recent gift? Charlotte. 

Char, who has an a uncanny resemblance to Sugar

Rising Strong (another great read by Brene Brown)

Char is a 2 1/2 year old bichon frice who is the classic broken spirit-rescue-in-need-of-safety-and-love doggo, from a local rescue organization who takes in small dogs that are about to be euthanized. Local shelters call her organization to offer up small dogs "on the list". She dedicates her life to picking these doggies up (young and old) caring for them, and then works to rehome them. 

Why Charlotte? Well, there's irony in this answer. Let's back up this story to when I ended up with Sugar (also adopted) by chance - and not with intention. At the time, I was to see another dog and God decided I needed Sugar. Frankly, we needed each other. Fast forward to now. I've been thinking that Sugar needs a friend to be at home with her, as Maybe slows down. 

Levi is so patient with Maybe.

Maybe waits for him to finish
his meal and lick his bowl
clean for him, of course.
That's what friends are for.

You see, Sugar is a flight risk who thinks that going out in the world to look for me while I'm at work is a good idea. Her dog friends tend to keep her at home and remind her to wait for me. So my thought process is that if I get Sugar a friend now, then they will bond and be each others mates eventually. Bottom line? Sugar does not do well alone, and once Maybe leaves us, Sugar will be alone. 

So, I am to "see about" a small dog who is also a malti-poo and when the lady brings that particular dog to see me, she also brings a surprise dog, Charlotte, whose recently been taken in and not on her website for adoption yet. Char was scared, barking out of her mind, showing her teeth, and just crazed in every way.

Char hid, and her panicky, non-stop barking
 upon her arrival informed me of
her level of scared-ness. 10/10

Poor thing was so scared and I knew it. Others would see her differently, even assuming she was aggressive or mean. I get it, she's exhibiting behavior that appears that way, but yet, this is what dogs (esp rescue dogs and homeless dogs) do to protect themselves from further harm.Yet, in all this chaos,  I knew she was mine and she knew I was hers. We've been side by side ever since. 

Day 1 : after she realized I was here 
to love her, not hurt her.

Charlotte loves the farm, me, her pack-mates of Sugar and Maybe (well, Maybe doesn't love much these days except food and sleep so there's that) and she fell into our routine so quickly that it's like she's always been here. 

Char stayed on a leash with me the first 
few times out to the barn and to 
feed the animals. She met
everyone slowly. 

One thing for sure is: she loves walking and running with the cart/stroller. These two love their cart-time. Maybe also enjoys this as well, but only as a ride-along now.

Charlotte’s particular broken-ness that needs addressing? Most men. She's not a fan and this makes it safe to assume a male has created core memories in her little mind of harm, feeling unsafe or anything along those lines. She's insanely scared of most men. 

So we have some things to work on as most broken dogs from rescues need. After all, Sugar would not let David touch or pick her up for 6 months. Now Char is on that same train in regards to letting a man near her. But it's something we can slowly work on and weave back into her life. We'll focus on helping her feel safe again, giving abundant love and a permanent place in our pack here on the farm. Yes, she does love the 4 livestock guard dogs and is slowly adjusting to the farm animals. But there's one in particular that she's not fond of. Another new gifted farm animal I recently received unexpectedly who’s also scared and unsure of her new life here. Her name is Baby.

Apparently, Baby will not fit in the igloo 
as I had expected she might. She’ll 
need a pig house. 

Power of vulnerability (I love this book, Brene)

Gosh, what happened? Well I was driving home from work the week before last (was it a Wednesday? I don't remember) and I got a phone call from my farrier who was frantic about needing a home immediately for a pig. The conversation went something like this, " The owner is having surgery tomorrow and there's no one to care for the pig. And she's the same size as Maggie (my pig) and she's tame and sweet and used to live in the house and and and and and and can you take her pleeeeease? Her name is Baby and you will just love her!"

Fine, yes, I'll take her. I was feeling completely vulnerable in this situation. And so, I set a boundary. But she has to live outside with Maggie. In a pen. Okay, she says, they will bring her to you tonight. Tonight?! They? Whose they? 

Daring Greatly (another amazing book by Brene)

And sure enough, at 8 pm that same night, a man shows up with a pig named Baby in a open crate on a trailer from where he drove her like that for 2 hours and Baby is scared out of her mind. She's twice as big as Maggie, and I'm told she's only ever eaten people-food, particularly pizza, and is now 'charging' at the man and myself because she's so scared and I'm sure she will take a finger off my hand if given the chance. 

I'm having immediate regrets about this decision. To make the circus even more crazy, Charlotte is barking out of her mind at the man with the scared pig, that I have to place Charlotte (along with Sugar for emotional support) in my truck and roll up the windows so not to scare the pig more. And now to think we have to push/navigate/encourage this pig all the way across the yard and around the barn to Maggie's pen. I had been told she "comes to the shake of food" but this pig aint moving. Baby is not having any of this and could care a less about food this time of night. Let's just say with lots of prodding, pushing and dodging her snout with sharp teeth showing, we finally make it across the yard and around the barn to Maggie's pen with all our fingers intact geeezzzz.

The man could not leave fast enough, and I'm still not exactly sure who he was in relation to all this because it seems it was not his idea to make the 2 hour drive there and back and he knew nothing much about the pig except her name is Baby and she loves pizza. It was a drop and run....for him.

After I see him off, I head back over to Maggie's pen to find Maggie and Baby (both 'only pigs') in a full on pig fight. I've never seen a actual pig fight before but can now be considered an expert on it. They were making pig noises I've never heard or knew existed. Baby is huge and the hair she does have was standing straight up along her neck and down her back. She looked like a wild boar. What have I done. 

Pig Fight Rules:

1) Don't try to break it up yourself unless you want to get bit by a pig.

2) Figure out how to distract them with food or something. Anything.

3) Separate them immediately and in any way you can and keep them that way. And in this case, at 9:30 pm, figure out a fence situation to keep them from harming each other.  

4) Find the antimicrobial spray for all the bites on their ears and sides of their faces.

5) Figure out why you said yes when you should have said no. Apparently, my life story. 

Luckily, I'm a Fence Master and I have random fencing around the farm that I could throw together to keep them separate. And that I did. I place fairly-strong portable fencing down the middle of Maggie's pen to keep them apart. That'll do, I think, until I can get something more permanent for them. I gotta get to bed. 

As I laid in bed that night, I wondered who would be the winner of this pig fight? Maggie was protecting her space. Baby was scared and mad. Maggie is smaller yet more agile. Baby doesn't move about well due to her size but man that girl has some sharp teeth and is not afraid to use them. The answer to this question was not one I wanted to know the answer to. I would need to keep these only children, I mean only pigs.....separate. What have I done. Oh I've already said that, haven't I. 

Morning comes and everyone is still alive - and separate. I do my morning farm chores and head into workie work. I arrive back home from work 10 hours later jiggity jig and guess whose back together? No, not Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott. Those silly pigs.

And guess whose all bit up again on their ears and face, again. Yep, you guessed it. Maggie and Baby. Baby pushed that fence apart in one weak area, just enough to slip through and apparently regretted not being able to get back to her side, by the looks of things. Let's just say I spent a fair amount of time fixing the fence to where that would not happen again. And sprayed their wounds with anti microbial spray once again. 

The purple on her is the color of the 
wound spray

This is going to be a long term living situation. Separate, that is. And am I to keep Baby forever? Is anyone going to take her back? This I still do not know. Yet, it's pretty safe to assume I'll be keeping her at this point. Which means I need to build her a pig house because the igloo is much too small for her. After all, Maggie can get in it and used to sleep in it before I got her an official pig house. But this is not true for Baby. Baby happens to be a much larger girl, as well as older which lends to her residency here at the sunshine senior resort. She gets to live out the rest of her years here, assuming that she is allowed to stay, which I’m thinking the answer to that is yes. Funny thing is, nobody has said for sure about her length of stay, nor have I asked. No matter that, Welcome, Baby!

They do well together with a fence in between

Obviously not the same breed of pig 🙄

So I'm in the process of building her a pig house from random things around on the farm. I have positioned her in a place in Maggie’s pen that is actually under an awning already. Yet, I need to make sure she is warm as the winter arrives. Pigs get cold as they have little fur or hair to keep them warm. So a pig house is being constructed around her spot she's chosen, all on her own. She's decided where she's comfortable, and that's okay, Baby. I'll build it around you. And so I did. 

I've taken misc things around the farm and
created Baby a shelter of her own. 
It's a work in progress, but I'm getting there. 

The random door is a temp roof. 
There's still work to do to get 
her house winter-ready. 
Her pig house will be made from
ingredients I already have.

Braving the Wilderness (such a good book, Brene)

As both Charlotte and Baby settle into this brave new world they have been dropped into, I rejoice. Char has come around quickly showing her ability to potty train, accept Ryan who is a male in the house, learn the routines we have around the farm, and begin to trust her life again and show her cute little personality. She's independent yet needy, strong yet scared, and learning to love again. She'll be wonderful for Sugar because they each have traits the other does not. God knows. He just knows what we all need. I'm forever grateful.

And what a wonderful time to express our gratitude over this Thanksgiving holiday. It's hard to say just one thing that I'm thankful for because I feel thankful for everything. Esp the gift of waking up each day. For my health. For the love I'm able to give and receive. For family and friends. For the opportunity to work and help others, all while being able to pay my bills. Everything. And during our Thanksgiving meal......

Inspection in progress

Asking what the mashed potatoes are.
Have we not given this to him before? 😮

.....when I asked Brooks what he's thankful for, giving him an example of monster truck. He says back to me, "That's not a food". And in that moment, I realized in his mind, Thanksgiving was a time to be thankful for food things. You can only say a food your thankful for. He picked bread. I picked turkey (sorry Paul). And the realization of how impactful we are as adults to influence these young minds is daunting. Everything we say and do seeps into their brains. What a huge responsibility we have to all children to steer them, teach them, and help them become grateful and helpful human beings. Certainly one of the hardest things we do in life. 

I'm heading out to the barn to care, love and relish in these beautiful creatures I've been gifted. May your holidays be filled with love and light. 

And may your first love last forever.

You are your first love. Take care of yourself.

-Cleo Wade

Until next time,

Cyndi