SPRING CLEANIN' & RE-VAMPIN'

Ahhhh....yesterday was the first day of spring and it's none to soon for me!!  For weeks, we've been sorting through the attic, closets, barn, kitchen cabinets...and then, yesterday,  "BIG YARD SALE-- ALL MUST GO!!".  That was how the signs read, but of course, there were still some things left to box up for another day.  Yard sales are soooo much more work than some would imagine and after several weekends of moving sales during our re-locating from GA to TN, I don't relish the idea of preparing for one!  Anyhow, we made through the weekend,  and I'm rid of most of it, so I'm tickled! 

I've been painting several things, trying to get ahead a little before we leave for Mule Day.  Things have slowed since Christmas, but orders are still coming in, so I'm staying busy!  The picture is of one of my photo albums that I've just finished...very pleased with it.  It's listed on Ebay now!

I mentioned Mule Day...for those interested, it's in Columbia, TN --- April 8-11.  Anyone that loves long ears or work animals, be sure to check it out.  We've been going 15 years and plan to attend 'till we can't go anymore!  We camp inside the park and it's UNBELIEVABLE FUN!!  We're heading over on Sunday, April 4th, to ride in the wagon train.  We travel 15-20 miles a day on back roads, camping out at farms along the way at night, then pulling into the park on Thursday for the kick off of the pulling, driving, western, jumping and yes, even gaited classes!!  The crowds number 250,000 and you'll see mules out of every known breed of horse...Quarter, Walking, Paso Fino, Appaloosa, Paint, Belgian, Percheron...the list is endless.  Every color, every size -- it's truly a AWESOME ASS event, where every bray brings a smile!!  Contact me if you have any questions and I'll gladly help you out!!

I plan to re-vamp my blog page within the next few days.  I need to update "favorites" and some other things...watch for NEW things soon.  I also plan to post links to some really great sites for horse folks, artists, farmers, gardeners, wildlife enthusiasts, pet/livestock owners, so check back with me often!!  I plan to "network" more with links to Facebook, and other friendship sites.  I'd love to connect with as many folks with my same interests as possible!!  Thanks so much for stopping by and reading my blogs...I know how busy we all are and I appreciate each visit!

CAN IT BE...????

Springtime is the land awakening. The March winds are the morning yawn.

~Quoted by Lewis Grizzard~

 

Can it be that March is upon us??  The month when lambs are born and lions roar?  Robins, blue birds, even our much anticipated purple Martin scout has visited and checked out the gourds we have hanging and waiting!  It's still cold here at AWESOME ASS ACRES, but I know it won't be long before the garden's plowed and vegetables are ready to can!  I'm always amazed at the changing of the seasons, but spring is my favorite.  It doesn't matter one's age, everyone still looks forward to the awakening of life that spring brings...baby animals of all types, tender new sprigs of grass, flowers that burst from buds, even sounds that happen no other time of the year!  

I hope you enjoy every minute of the "show" ahead...with the trials in our lives, it's such a pleasure to experience this gift of nature!

   

Spring shows what God can do with a drab and dirty world.

~Virgil A. Kraft~

It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!

~Mark Twain~

SPRING...Daffodils and MULE DAY!!!!!

I LOVE springtime!! There's nothing like looking out and seeing my daffodils bloomin'! Audrey, my sweet mother-in-law, calls them "Johnnyquils"...so, I always think of her when I see the first bloom! She turns 90 in August and has only recently slowed from doing her own yard work, quilting, going camping with us, and frying the BEST apple/peach pies, known of, in this hemisphere! Her mind's still as sharp as ever, with twinkling eyes and always something sweet to say! A very wonderful human being...none better!

We're also gearing up for our annual trip to Columbia, TN for Mule Day! We'll leave on Saturday, March 28 and return on Sunday, April 5. We'll head out with the wagon train on Sunday morning (March 29), travel through some of the prettiest back roads in the country for 4 days, then pull into the Maury County park on Wednesday to join the other thousands of mule enthusiasts...about 250,000 folks showed up last year!! We've made this trip for 15 years and it just seems to get better each time! Ridin', campin', campfire, great friends, long ears, and non-stop brayin'...what could be better?? Watch for pics when I return!!

BORROWED, BLUE & PRECIOUS, TOO!

Well, I've spent time in Georgia again...just overnight, but long enough to get some sweet sugar from our grandbaby, Alayna and some really sweet pictures, too! While there, I lost count of the books that I read to her...she LOVES books! All of course, are "Learn About" books...animal, colors, alphabet, numbers, vegetable, fruits, nursery rhymes, bedtime stories, the list goes on and on and on! I'm looking for her to read by the time she's 2...you know, with her Nana's genes and all!!!HA!

I've also just finished a little something different...an address book, (whatta ya know, another book) with a handpainted blue roan Arabian on the front. Okay, I've covered the blue and precious...now the borrowed...I've included a picture of one of our "outside" cats, "borrowing" some nap time on our bed, as I painted tonight! This is Josie Wales, a 2 year old calico female, that we found on the side of the road. She was very sick and very little and was "supposed" to be taken to the Humane Society the afternoon that we found her (or so I told my husband), but she ended up staying here that night and the many nights that followed! I do a little animal doctorin', so I convinced him to let me keep her long enough to get her well! In fact, I have some pictures of her the first night here, she's sleeping on his shoulder, while he watched TV...I think that kinda sealed the deal! She knew exactly who to work on with her "wiles"!! I hope everyone's well and looking forward to spring...I've noticed the stores are already stocking barbeque grills and gardening tools --never too early to look ahead, I guess!! Take care and thanks for stopping by "AWESOME ASS ACRES"!