Shearing Day and the Gardens

Well I've been emailing a friend, Brenda H., for almost 2 years now on one of my knitting groups and finally got to meet her when she told me she was coming up for shearing day. She's just as sweet as she seemed over the net!!!!! Maybe even more so. Shearing Day is something I didn't know anything about and I live here. She lives out of state. So I made plans with her, my daughter, son-in-love and 2-1/2 yr. old granddaughter to go to "Shearing Day at the Farm", about 20 min. from my house. My daughter loves new things like this. It's such a good experience!!!! So we met up and got to watch them shear the "Jacob Sheep" and the Alpaca's and pet some Angora Bunnies that were for sale. And Brenda went home with one making her 4 bunnies now. My little angel wanted the one that Ms. Brenda got. But she will have to wait and maybe she can have one of Mr. Smokey's offsprings. The Jacob sheep orginated from Jerusalem and they are very rare in the US. Less than 5000, I believe the owner said. He's the one in the blue holding down the young male alpaca's neck. It was very interesting. Almost made me want a farm, so I could have some. The shearing that they got off of the sheep and the alpaca was wonderful. They will clean it and so forth ( not really sure what all goes on there) and it will be for sale. I'm going to have to learn to spin so I can have some of it. Next my daughter (6 months pregnant w/ baby brother ~ Sawyer) and my precious angel went to the Gardens for the third year in a row to take my angel's photo's in front of the tulips. Her first photo was when she was 7 months old in front of them. Next year baby brother will be in the photos. While we were taking photos of her in front of the red tulips, we noticed a man snapping photos of her right and left and then he handed my daughter his business card and said to look in tomorrow paper, there was a chance that my angels photo would be in there. And sure enough it was front page. So you know this Mimi called and ordered 8 more copies. Tehehehehe. I'll scan it and add it to the slide show later. Just had to share. Oh yeah, I've got 3 different pairs of socks OTN at the moment, that go with me in the car. And a sweater for me. But I've got to get busy with baby brother something. But being born in mid July he won't need anything for a little while yet.
WHOOPS ~ forgot, if the slide show should stop and ask for your email addy, just click on the the little red X at the top right hand corner and it will start again. Or if it's not running you can do the same thing. And I think you can clik on a particular photo to enlarge it as well.

My dad in the nursing home w/ my baby doll

 

Took this today at the nursing home. You can see dad in his wheel chair. He's been there 2 weeks now I think. It's a new nursing home close to my mom so she can visit often during the day!!! I placed my baby girl in Dad's lap to get a photo of them together. She didn't like it at all. She's scared of the wheelchair and of the nursing home. She see's little old ladies running around holding baby dolls wrapped in blankets, mumbling and you can see her little mind working. But then she will get to playing with a toy that I've brought in and be fine. I take her by now on Monday's after going by to have coffee with mom from 8:30 to 10:30. It was a every Monday ritual we had ~ to go see mom and dad every Monday and they loved seeing me and their great-granddaughter come through the door. Mom always had and still does have choc. cake made for her. My girl calls it "Granny cake". She loves her Granny cake. It's the only thing in mom's life that is staying the same. Having her great-granddaughter come on Monday mornings. Then we head to the nursing home to visit Dad for a little bit, with mom usually joining us. Today mom wanted us to go to lunch with her. She stated that it's not fun to eat by yourself!! Here I've been thinking of poor dad and he does not even know where he's at, his mind is going. He still recognizes us, but that's about it. Not even realizing that I needed to be asking mom how she is. Well I have changed that. I can't do anything for dad but visit and pray, but I can do for mom. I will now be taking my precious little granddaughter on Friday's and mom and my girl and myself on nice days will take Dad out and go for a long walk and get him out in the fresh air. Mom needs the exercise and my girl loves her walks. She finds such treasures, like leaves, rocks, etc. that she willingly shares with me. And I know she will share w/ mom as well. I marvel that she willingly shares what she thinks are treasures with others. No selfishness at all. Giving up her precious finds so easily. Makes me examine myself and what I give or don't give and my motives. Makes me stop and think how much we take for granted. The beauty that surrounds us and life itself. It makes me stop and think ~~ slow down and enjoy life itself and those I love. Enjoy the simple things!!!!! I can't imagine how it must feel to go home to a empty house, except for their 13 yr. old Schnauzer. A home that they just built a year and a half ago for their retirement and now it's just her. Knowing that he will never come home again. It must be terribly hard on her!!!!!!!!!! So now I concentrate on her and helping her and pray that the Lord will show me what I can do to help her make it through this!!!!! Thank you all for letting me share this on my blog.

This weekend my daughter and granddaughter and I will be going to a farm ( tried to talk mom into going) about 35 minutes from here to watch alpaca's and sheep being sheared. Angora bunnies being combed for their fur. And then to watch spinning. They will have arts and crafts for the kids. I know my little precious one will love it!!!!!!!!!!!!! She loves animals as does her mom and mimi (me). Then of course you know I will visit the gift store to explore the yarn made from the alpaca and angora. More about that later. I'm sure I'll be taking photos. Then next week, we'll make our yearly pilgramidge to take my little ones photo in the tulips. This will be the third year we've taken photo's of her in the Gardens. Next year we will be adding a baby brother in the photo as my daugher is exspecting a baby boy in July. Yes my little gril is growing up and becoming a big sister. She moved into her big girl bed and she's so proud to share her crib with a baby brother and be a big sister. She's already making plans of helping mommy by putting his paci in his mouth when he cries and feeding him and going to get a diaper when he needs changing, etc., etc., etc!!! LOL. She's my sweetheart and my joy!!!!!!!! What would I do without her????? I don't know and I hope I never have to face that situation.