SORE BACK AND NO RESOLUTIONS

          Christmas is over and as per usual, like a great many people, I overate, drank too much and sat on my butt too long.  As a result, from this somewhat decadent lifestyle, on Christmas evening, when I bent over to get some grain for our pregnant goat, my back, since I've got 5 compressed arthritic discs said, "That's it Lenny!"  Barely able to walk because of the intense pain, I went from sitting on the couch to laying on the couch.  However, since I've been inflicted with this back problem for quite a few years, I discovered that rather than laying on the couch and waiting for my back to quit hurting, I try to get moving as soon as possible and despite the pain, I seem to recover faster.  Day 1: walking was not an option.  Day 2: walked around the house a little bit and not just to use the toilet.  Day 3: walked about a mile to the lake and back taking photos of the thawing ice and melting snow.  Day 4, tomorrow: hopefully will be able to bend over better and may take a crack at cleaning the barn and chicken coop; especially the chicken coop. it's rather disgusting.

My Friend, Ronnie's Tepee

          It's almost the New Year and I don't plan on making any resolutions - I've got enough hard work ahead of me for the coming year.  I need to expand the hen house and studio, build a new wood shed, possibly a combined sitting room/green house and a tepee is a must, also get wood for next winter to keep us warm - geesh - I should be 17 instead of 70.  And oh yeah, drag small logs out of the forest so my friend and I can saw them into boards; enough for the upstairs 1,200 sq. ft floor.  Did I mention that I want to dig a small pond - planning on adding some ducks to our barnyard - maybe rabbits too.  And I think I've got an aching back now.  One good thing to say about my back giving out on Christmas day, it's winter and I don't have too many chores to do at the moment.

Watercolour Portrait of My Grandson Ethan

          Talk about a nice Christmas gift, my daughter Brandi, who lives in Toronto, ON paid for my airline tickets to Nanaimo, BC and back with a day in Toronto - now how special was that?  In return for such a thoughtful gift, the day before I flew out, I painted a portrait of her son Ethan looking out the window.  It's been a long time since I painted a portrait and it was good to know that I hadn't lost the ability.  I posted the portrait on a website for artists and mentioned that I was willing to paint portraits - didn't give a price, said it was negotiable.  I received a comment from another artist telling me that they only paint for the joy of it and not for the monetary gain to which I replied, "Hey, I have to make hay - I live on a farm with animals to feed and a small family to help support, so I not only paint for the joy of it but for the money too."  So hey, if anyone out there in cyberspace would like a portrait painted of a loved one or even a pet to help support our farm and family - my prices are reasonable; all I need is a good detailed photo to go by.
          The weather has taken quite a change the past few days; almost all the snow has melted and the temperature feels somewhat balmy.  It's the first day in almost 2 weeks that the chickens have been let out to roam and scratch about the barnyard.  They are certainly happy little feathered creatures and seem to be laying quite well.  Since the chickens are all very young, just beginning to lay eggs, we are getting eggs in all sizes and because of the Ameraucanas, some of the eggs are green, blue and pink - almost seems like Easter.  Freya the goat is quite large now - only about a month and a little bit before her big round belly gives birth - I wonder if she will have one or two kid?  I'm going to let a few of the hens, in the spring, if they become broody, to sit on their eggs and let them have chicks - would kind of like to let them do it naturally but may incubate some as well to perhaps sell.
          Time to get off my butt, stop writing and start walking about for a bit - need to get my back into working order again and especially need it healed before spring arrives - cheers, eh!