Red Dirt Farm and Studio

We had a wee dusting of snow this week.  Tonight and into tomorrow and Monday we are expecting snow amounts to be more than we have had the past few years.

I’m doing the happy dance.  Several of my orchids are getting ready to bloom!  After a lifetime of not only not being able to get my orchids to bloom but mostly killing them in record time – they are alive!

  I shower with them, and all my other plants once every other week.

The little orchid on the chair was a birthday gift from my dad last year.  It bloomed most of the winter, into spring and summer,  then it rested through the fall and now it is getting ready to bloom again.

I’m no longer an orchid killer.

 

 

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On the flip side.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I broke the tip of this moon.  Another one of those learning curve things when working with clay.

 

 

 

Unpleasant weather headlines have made the news all week. I hope you are all getting by without too much hardship.

Not being a fan of winter or winter weather the dusting we had was very much to my taste. It looked pretty for a short period of time and then it quickly melted away.

Preparations are underway for the coming snowstorm.  Extra feed for the animals has been purchased, weather and wind cloths have been attached to all the coops and runs.  Extra straw is on hand the electrically heated waterers are in place.  The generator is ready to go and food provisions are on hand for the humans. It is a bitter 15 degrees this morning.  The wind has been whipping the past few days, making things pretty miserable. The girls are very silent this morning, they aren’t laying eggs.

Amber Ale chick is still living in the house.  She isn’t gaining weight and I feel she has had a bit of a set back these past few days. Her poops are too runny.  I take her out each day and she dust bathes and eats a bit of grass, but doesn’t want to be out long and doesn’t want to be around the other chickens.  One day I saw progress – she was able to get up the porch steps on her own, but since then she hasn’t been able to do it again.  I’m anxious for her to return to outdoor living.  Common sense says she isn’t ready to do it though.

My patience has been wary lately.  I feel impatient with the animals and even worse with Mr. Red Dirt.  He does most of the grocery shopping and I find myself feeling short-tempered with his shopping choices.  He veers off the list I make or makes substitutions that aren’t to my liking and I show it. Mostly because the items we need are not available.  Sigh, note to self breath deep and know that this too shall pass.

I made cat and owl clay critters yesterday.  The owls look less owl like and a bit like old man faces.  I need more practice.  I hope to make a shadow box sort of thing with the clay figures, a 3-d piece.  I have a vision in my head of what I want the end result to be, rarely does it work out that way.

Did you see that blood red wolf moon?  Oh my gosh, it was amazing.  I howled at the moon and Mr. Red Dirt called me Hermoine.

Sadly I didn’t take any photos.  Instead here is a moon shot I took last month.

 

Acorns from the forest floor and magical little birds of goodwill hang by vintage ribbons.

 

The Goddess of the Enchanted Forest cast a spell on a family of birds, they slumbered in a nest made of moss and twigs high atop the trees in the forest for many many moons until she awoke them; so that they could cast a spell of goodwill upon those in need.

I am out to fill up the birdfeeders, heaven knows I don’t want the squirrel population to go hungry the next few days.

Keep well, until next time,

xo kim