Yesterday was so perfect, what with celebrating Easter Sunday with one of our friends, which included fresh Banana bread,
Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter cookies, and a pot of coffee. I can’t think of a better way to honor God on such a special day, than to spend it in rich fellowship with other believers.
After we enjoyed visiting, emptied the coffee pot, and made short work of the sweet and sticky Banana bread, I was blessed with an enormous amount of plants in various stages of growth. Here, let me give you some peeks at my new babies…
Now, remember our little Sis? She hasn’t been transplanted yet, as I still need another bigger pot, but check her out…
This is after I had to trim her back, as well as, starting three new babies from her starts, I think they’re called. I know you will laugh at me for this, but we’ve kept baby pictures from the first day we brought her into that old RV.
She was so tiny, can you believe it?!
Anyways, we are off to buy her a new container for the transplant… wish me luck!
While restorations are still ongoing at the barn, I thought to go exploring in the woods this morning just for the fun of it. I’ve also been wanting to take Bailey back to the area where Tilly discovered her beneath that log. For the life of me, I haven’t been able to figure out how the puppies managed to escape from the lobby in the first place, only to then end up in the woods behind our farmhouse. It just seems really strange, you know?
So off we went, the three of us, back down the path from which the mouse and puppy had come, in search of some answers. Well, I went in search for the answers part, while the mouse and puppy mostly chased one another around trees and beneath bushes. Several times, I found myself just watching them play, rather than doing any searching. It actually worked out in my favor, though, because it was during this game that we discovered a hidden trail, just off the main path we’d been traveling.
Being curious, we decided to follow the new trail, though I had to crawl on my hands and knees on several occasions. You try following the path of a mouse, or even a puppy, for that matter! I’m just sayin that it isn’t that easy, that’s all.
Anyways, we didn’t have to travel that far before my eye caught a glimpse of something shiny, further down the path. You’re never going to believe what we stumbled upon, not half an hour’s walk from the farm?
The very carousel that I’d been suggesting we could restore into a garden or something, sat before us in a small glade… for no apparent reason! There was no trace of a carnival passing by, in fact, no roads could be seen anywhere nearby.
While I stood staring in confusion, over why someone would abandon an old piece of machinery in middle of the woods, both Tilly and Bailey disappeared around the back of the carousel. I called out to them, but there was no reply from either… as if they’d simply vanished!
I ran round to where I’d last seen them heading and nearly tripped over my own shoe in surprise…
I kid you not! There was a doorway on the backside of the carousel, standing wide open! Logic said that my two little ones had probably gone through the open passage that I too, felt compelled to enter…
At first, all I could see was a dark corridor with little light available, aside for several ceiling lights that mostly just flickered on and off. I did see a small doorway ajar, further down the passage, and could hear the distant whispers of my two tiny compadres.
When I got to the doorway and pushed it open… everything about the disappearance of the puppies finally made more sense…
Did you know that the Lobby had a back door? I didn’t! Apparently, back behind the archive section is an open doorway… no wonder the puppies got out that way!
I hope you weren’t expecting me to explain all this, because I’m just as confused as you probably are…
Well, at least now we know it’s within easy walking distance of the Barnyard… if you were of a mind to visit, of course!
Rollin, rollin, rollin… keep this mower mowin…. mmmhhhhmmmmhhhhhhmmmmmm….
I bet you never knew that Eustace could sing, and quite well, I might add!
Somebody has to mow all this grass, so it might as well be Eustace. He does get to eat all the clippings, so it’s a win win for all of us, don’t cha think?
You didn’t think that I’d forgotten about our missing little ant, did you?
Not a chance! Do try to keep in mind, however, finding an itty bitty little ant in the forest is far from easy. I had all the little ones out searching the woods frequently throughout each day; calling out her name, in the hopes that it might lead her back to the new farm house. I took it upon myself to make another visit to her family, being sure to leave her a message that include directions to our new location. Aside from that, all we could do was wait, and hope.
Even in the darkest of nights, when all seems lost to us, there is always hope!
As I sat the kitchen of our farm house this morning, quietly enjoying my first needed cup of coffee, my thoughts were suddenly disrupted by the distinct smell of cotton candy, floating in through my window. It surprised me so much that I nearly dropped my coffee in my lap! No, I wasn’t surprised that the the air was deliciously fragrant, just because of the candy smell. That would be silly, don’t you think? There are a myriad of glorious smells floating through the forest, at any given moment, and in any given season!
My surprise at the smell of cotton candy goes much deeper than just a yummy breeze, but you may or may not recall the reason, so I’ll explain. For those of you that don’t remember, there was a strong smell of cotton candy in the air, on the very day that miss Lilly first floated into our barn. Now, it probably makes a great deal more sense, as to why I nearly dropped my coffee when I noticed the air… I smelled Lilly!
I don’t know what most people smell when ants are around, but our little girl smells just like cotton candy! I jumped up out of my chair and ran out the back door, as fast as my legs could carry me, scanning the meadow from one side to the other! Seeing nothing with my eyes, I decided to try following my nose.
There, amidst the dandelions in the meadow, sat a strangely familiar looking creature…
Yes, anyone who knew her from the beginning will recognize those beautiful eyes…
Even if I’d been confused about the eyes, when the tiny ant began smiling at me… it removed all doubt from my mind! She may have gone a bit wild ant/bunny on us while out in the wilderness, but it’s still our Lilly! You try braving the wilds all by your onesie’s, and then let’s see what you look like when you finally get home. I know that I’d probably look a mess, to say the least…
You don’t see me anywhere, but don’t let your eyes fool you. I’m simply sitting inside the house, drinking my morning coffee. I’ve just been sitting here, listening to the sound of birds singing outside my window. It’s quite peaceful in this place, and I’m finding myself lingering a bit longer each morning, just to listen to the countryside wake itself up!
(In the real world, we await an approval and invitation to accept our housing voucher. They’ve gathered everything they need, paperwork wise, so this is the part where the paper has to walk itself from one place to another, for a whole lot of signatures. Once that’s been completed, we’ll be given an invitation to attend an orientation class, at which time, we’ll receive that physical “Golden Ticket”. Until that occurs… we must wait.)
You won’t believe who showed up yesterday, bounding right in through the front door? Our Auzzee!!!
I’m not sure where he’s been hiding, nor, how he managed to track us down, here at the farm? I don’t think it even matters, really. I’m just so grateful to see the furry little guy, which is sort of strange, don’t you think? He used to have more feathers, as well as different fur… you know, the fur and claws of a cat, remember? Correct me if I’m wrong but, doesn’t he look like sort of like a wooly bear?
See what I mean?! It’s no bother to me, really, as I’m just so relieved to see his adorableness bound into my kitchen this morning!
It won’t be much longer now, and everyone should be back together again, and the barn is coming together wonderfully, as you can see…
Miss Tilly has volunteered herself to be our handyman’s little helper, isn’t she so adorable in her mini-hardhat?
Even Bailey is enjoying all the new hay that we threw across the barn floor…
And, of course, young Squagon is thoroughly enjoying himself, swinging confidently from the rafters,
Yes, Squagon is looking a good deal more like a bat or dragon than the furry baby we first met, but that’s an update for another day. Don’t worry over it, as the little guy is doing quite well, and no worse for ware, after his time alone in the forest. I just think there is more to him than we’d first thought, that’s all.
Anyways, as far as the progression of all the repairs and restoration of the farm, things are going well. With the house pretty much finished, I’ve been looking over the barn and taking meticulous notes, in order to assist our handyman in some of the larger tasks. That’s a bit much to ask of our Tilly, so I stepped in to help.
I think I’ll hang out with him today while he does all the things on my “Honey Do” list. I made sure to put that requirement into the fine print of his contract… I made sure to smile a lot when he was looking over the paperwork, so he just grinned and said, “Mmmhmmm.”
Oh, by the way, my little shadow was successful in locating our misplaced dragon…
Well, he found her, point in fact! Anyways, they’re on their way home now, as we speak! I realize that it may seem rather preposterous that I can know of such a thing, when I’m here with you and they aren’t even back yet, to tell the tale.
Well, to coin a phrase from Guardians of the Galaxy II, “I’m Mary Poppins, Yawl!” Ok, so maybe not totally like that, but suffice it to say, I did it my way… wait, isn’t that Frank Sinatra? Sheesh! Are all the good lines taken, or what? I can’t use It’s my website and I’ll do what I want to, because there’s an old party song that sounds too much like it.
I know, I know… I might not be Mary Poppins, but my site DOES make magic cookies! Yup, yup, yup… I think that will do just fine, wouldn’t you agree?
With that settled, just trust me when I tell you that they’re on their way… I can feel it in my bones!
I told you that I would not rest until I found our lost camel, Eustace! Well, I’m not the kind of girl that goes back on her word, so here I am once again, deep in the heart of the desert.
As you know, the camel that I hired for this trip, up and disappeared on me, some days ago. Since then, it’s felt like I’ve been going in circles without a single clue… the winds have erased any sign of footprints, blowing sand across my own tracks, even! If anyone came in search of either the camel or myself, they would probably become lost themselves, so it’s best that I do this task alone. I’ve spent most of my life in the deadlands, so I can safely navigate the dunes, as well as locate all the good watering holes, like this one.
This morning, while I was resting and re-hydrating, I began to hear a faint jingle sound, coming from the bell I’d hung around that camel’s neck just before we headed into the dunes… we both put one on, just in case we got stuck in a sandstorm, and lost sight of one another.
Anyway, as I sat drinking my water, I heard it, distantly, but it was definitely the camel’s bell!
The runaway camel just appeared from out between several dunes, not far off from where I’d been sitting. There he was, just plodding along in my direction… and you’re never going to guess who stepped out from behind the dunes, only moments later. ..
Yes! I know it’s hard to imagine, but somehow the camels found one another out in the desert. After only a few moments of discussion, the runaway camel confessed that he’d left me behind, days earlier. Eustace made the young camel lead him back the way he’d come, retracing their path until they spotted me…
I always say, if you want something bad enough… never stop, never back down!
Eustace is coming home!
However, before we head back to the barn, we’ll need to take the younger, more inexperienced camel, back to his village… who knows how long he’d wander around before anybody found him?
Have a fantastic day, my friends! We’ll see you back at the barn…
Thank you for choosing Journey With Me Adventure Travel! If you would please take a seat, wherever one’s available on our tour bus… Oh, and don’t forget to put your seatbelt on, just in case things get bumpy. Ok, is everyone comfortable? Alrighty then, we should really get started. This most ideal day is quite full of things to describe from beginning to end, so we’re gonna have to do this Wiwohka Wonka style! If you tend to experience motion sickness, there’s a med-kit under each seat, carrying a barf bag and some Dramamine. My rigs always come prepared for the unexpected! Ok, let’s do this!
Fresh morning air…Walk with Bailey…Warm cookies…Mmmm, coffee…More coffee…Check site stats…Keep on writing…Laugh along the way…Love…Add a little humor…Mix in some heroics…Write about it…Antics…A bit of sailing…More antics…Mixing…Baking…Snacks, of course…Tales…More tales…Follow some clues…Some free play…and some free riding…Bonding…Snuggling…Inspiration…Practice hunting…Feed the troupes…Clean up the days mess…Studying…Sleepy time snacks…Bedtime stories…Time for a bath…Tuck everyone in…Goodnight prayers…Dream of anything…
Thank you for riding along on this adventure extravaganza! It was far less bumpy than I’d expected, so if anyone is interested in eating breakfast before you go, I’ve left some goodies…
I’ve decided that I like this field! In fact, I love everything about this valley for some reason, or another. Maybe, it’s the fresh mountain air? Or, quite possibly, it’s the combination of that air, mixed with the scent of flowers in the meadow. Whatever it is, I swear that the breeze smells of cotton candy… seriously!
This valley seems like the perfect place to settle down, wouldn’t you say? We could create something beautiful for the babe’s, as well as for myself, since I feel rather adrift, just now.
While the RV seems to be working fine at the moment, once all the lost have been retrieved… it won’t be! I’m already having a hard time writing, lately. I’ve no office, or even a decent desk to comfortably work from, what with puppy fur, cheese crumbs, peanut shells, and sticky dragon fingerprints on everything. None of my fruit preserves are safe from Dinky… I swear that little dragon can pilfer (steal) anything she sets her mind on (or anything Boomer can convince her is important)!
Anyway, due to the sheer number of family members we’ve acquired, along with all that’s needed for their care, we need more space! With that in mind, I began to look around the area to see what might be possible for the future home site of the Barnyard. I’ve found a very promising site that has a good deal of potential, so I thought I’d show you my ideas.
I didn’t have to walk far down the valley before discovering, what I think looks to be a realistic endeavor. I found an old farm that was abandoned… ages ago, from the looks of it. There’s a house, a barn, and everything!
Check out this house…
Now, I know it doesn’t seem like much, when you first see it. But, I think that with a little elbow grease, and some real TLC… it just might work! You’d be surprised how much better it would look, with only a quick paint job. Here, let me show you…
See?
Ok, well, I liked the idea behind the re-painting, but the yellow isn’t really cutting it for my dreamy plans, so I think a little color change is in order…
Yup! I think that the green is much more fitting, and I’ve always wanted a porch that wraps around the house.
Bailey’s already decided that she wants to stay, and I’m judging by the absence of the other babes, they’re probably already in the house… snooping!
The wonderful thing about this farm is that it comes with a barn, can you believe it? There’s a massive barn out behind the house… and it’s still standing! Now, before I show it to you, remember that we have to see the possibilities. This farm has been sitting empty for some time, so things got old. But again, with some hard work we can recover it, I think. Come on, I’ll show you…
Maybe a fresh coat of paint, a few repairs on the roof boards, and then some new barn doors. Aside from that, I don’t think it would need anything else, seriously! When inspecting the beams and rafters inside the barn, I was pleasantly surprised how well the framework of the building had held, over the ages. In fact, the inside of the barn looks fairly nice! Whoever originally built the barn used wood that had been well-treated with some form of weather protection. It’s always impressive to look at something crafted with so much care, and forethought… I tell ya, they don’t make things like they used to!
So, here’s what should be quite manageable, in regards to the future possibilities of our barn,
This is the back of the barn, which I think would be better suited for the front, don’t you think?
In regards to painting it, I’m torn between the traditional red color that is often chosen,
or staining it with some form of weather seal, and let the sun naturally fade it, ya know?
While I enjoy the natural look better than a bright red paint, it wouldn’t be compatible with our farmhouse. So, to satisfy my vanity, as well as entertain and impress you, we’ll go with paint!
Now, I’ve hired a very capable contractor for much of the restoration work that will be needed, so the job is in good hands. He is diligent, hard working, incredibly talented, and very handsome. All of these qualities make him well sought after, but he’s accepted the bid for this job, so we got lucky… though it will take every ounce of my self-restraint, not to waste the whole time flirting with him… sheesh!
He’s so cute! Ahhem… ok, anyways…
Hopefully, as time rolls foreword from here, things should begin to stabilize for you, as far as, what the environment looks like when you visit. I don’t know about any of you, but I’m tired of always looking like a nomad, flitting from one scene into another… it can start to feel a bit chaotic! I think it’s time to settle down, wouldn’t you agree?
Honestly, where I reside in the real world is always going to be changing in some way, or another. Isn’t it like that for most? As far as what most of you will ever see of my world, it’ll be here, within the lobby and/or out at the barnyard. For now, that’s all there is! Frankly, I don’t have time to wait for the real world to cooperate, so I’ll just design this virtual setting… until the real thing catches up!
Let the farm building commence!
For now, keep this visual as our hope…
**Remember, a bit of green paint and an added walk-around porch**
Journey With Me! 