Winter

Winter

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Just Living Life


I wish I could show you how I saw before. I just sit amazed at every thing I see. Yesterday it was a perfect blue sky kind of day. My hens really needed a bit of time in the yard. I let them out and they were just enjoying the sunshine and all having dust baths and singing as only happy hens can do. It was clean house/laundry day so I would check on them every now and then when I noticed not a white Silkie in sight. Which means that crazy hawk was back.


I wish I could get a picture of this hawk when he is up to no good. He is a little what we called a sparrow hawk. He is a dreamer though, instead of sparrows or even doves, he wants chicken. He is very brave and doesn't even feel threatened by me. Now before I could see, he had to come right up on the porch before I could see him. Which he did I am sure and laughed fiendishly. He races so fast around the yard as he swoops and tries to get my hens.
I went outside to gather my hens and put them back in their house. When here flies in Mr. Hawk and does his swoop and laughs as he knew before I wouldn't be able to see where he was sitting watching me. But now I can see, and I saw just exactly where he was sitting. I walked down to his tree, and walked up to where he was and I yelled at him. He flew off,  I was hoping he was scared of me now as I can see again. Now if he would just go some place else for awhile. He is too small to get a hen, but  I have seen them tackle a dove and eat them on the ground so I am afraid he could do that to one of my silly white feather head Silkies. They really are not the sharpest knife in the drawer.

Now that it is spring. I think the boys will not be working on the giant mud ball any more. My youngest son Peter though has been working on something else. I thought I would show his newest project.

This is one of them this perfectly round ball. He has another one but it doesn't have the designs this one does.

Here is I think the fourth one he has made. He is having to figure out things as he goes along.

Can you tell what they are made from? Well, they are made from mud. Just like the giant mud ball. Only he makes small ones and then polishes them. He has learned that it only works if we have a warm day. If the day is cool the mud won't stay together. This is something they do in Japan. He saw a video and decided to see if he could teach himself to make these.
It has been so much fun to see how each one will be different.  Not to mention just the smallest change in weather will keep the mud from staying together. It all started, when Peter and his Dad were talking, Peter wants to start a business. His Dad said, " Use your brain, think of something no one else has ever done, use what you have, because if you have an idea, you could change dirt into money." Peter decided to see if he could do just that. This was what came out of his head. I love that part about the field of dreams, it is still producing dreams after all of these years.

Have a wonderful day.

~Kim~

Dreams

Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.
Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.





20 comments:

TexWisGirl said...

your boys are so inventive. :) keep those silkies safe!

Gumbo Lily said...

Darn hawks! I see this happen when I've got birds at the bird feeders and a hawk swoops in. The little birds just disappear.

The mud balls are really beautiful! Does your son do something special to get the gold colors in the balls? Really neat idea.

Alica said...

It's good to have dreams! I've never seen mud balls before...what does he polish them with?

Gail said...

Beautiful art. Maybe he could insert a hook and make an ornament.

Miss Debbie said...

Hope the hawk stays away. Mud balls are interesting. You certainly have creative children Not surprising with such talented parents! :-)

simply bev said...

The mud balls are brilliant! Very clever.

Nellie said...

Peter sounds like quite a clever young man! Great ideas!

Boo to that hawk! You will show him now!

xo Nellie

Christine said...

It will be very interesting to see what happens next with the mud balls!
Use the not-so-sticky ones to fire at that bad old hawk!
Have a great day in the field of dreams! (love your blog name).

Pom Pom said...

I like the mud balls!
We have snow today. Sad face.

Dog Trot Farm said...

Hi Kim, you and Ron are parents to some pretty amazing artistic kids...mud balls...go figure...Spring has found you, I am so envious...we are enduring yet another snowstorm...I am so happy to know your eyesight has greatly improved...Tell your dear husband Winslow Homer still reigns supreme here at Dog Trot Farm...Blessings to you my friend...Julie...

Buttons Thoughts said...

Oh those mud balls are very cool. I can see you out chasing that hawk I am so happy you can see what a wonderful wonderful thing to see the world for the first time in a long time. Hug B

Three Sheep Studio said...

The Mud Balls are amazing and I can hardly believe they are actually Mud !! Does your son let them dry completly so that they get hard ? Very interesting.
Enjoy your beautiful Spring !
Rose

From Beyond My Kitchen Window said...

I LOVE them. He is so talented. He could sell them at craft fairs. People are always on the look out for creative, unusual and decorative things. I can see these all in a bowl on a coffee table. So neat and cool! What happens to the balls as the age? Do they crack?

Cranberry Morning said...

What a fun post! When I was a kid, I would have been right there with them, making mud balls. That's REAL fun.

Debbie said...

Your hawk has good taste, I prefer chicken as well!! I hope you are able to keep them safe!!

Mud balls = good old fashioned fun!!

Julia said...

I'm so glad that you have good vision again. Enjoy..
Your son's Dodango Mud Balls are amazing. That kid will probably go far in life.

Too bad you didn't have a big net to put over an enclosure so your hens could stay safely outside in the grass all day.

I planted some begonias and Heliotrope seeds yesterday and some California Wonder peppers.I've got my grow light in the bathroom.

Hugs,
JB

Meg said...

Haha good for Pete! Those balls looks like they would go with dad's Bonsai for decoration. :)

Simple Home said...

So interesting about the mud balls. How perfectly round they are! And to think that we just used them to get at a sibling or classmate when we were kids :) It really has been a lovely winter hasn't it. I keep reminding myself that we could still get cold weather and all of our spring blooms could disappear, but I don't see that happening. It's been so mild.
Blessings,
Marcia

Kathy ... aka Nana said...

Sure hope you're able to foil that hawk! Does his presence frighten your chickens?

That's fascinating on the mud balls! I never knew that! I wonder if it works with any kind of mud?

Empty Nester said...

Just when I think the creativity in your family can't reach further heights, someone goes and does just that. What a wonderful, wise and talented family you have. Just like their mother. :)