My StepMom-Best Friend-Big Sister sent this card to me for my birthday.  She knows my love of siamese and that I have two.  I saw this and had a good laugh, since she refered to this kittie as myself as a diva.  lol  This would be the perfect lady for my sister's siamese Noll.  Smile.

This has been one fun week!!! NOT!!!  I do not have any children, but I do have four inside kitties.  And for the past week they have all had a belly ache.  First one then another, then another and then the last one.  needless to say they were all running back and forth to their boxes.  And sometimes they didn't!  Yuck, cleaning up the runny poops in not high on my to do list, but Do I must.  Finally I think they are all getting their stomachs back in working order.  But dang they sure could clear a room!.  Just can not figure out where they would pick-up a bug since they do not go outside, but a bug they did get.
Otherwise things are getting cleaned up and put away outside.  Today the canopy came down, which meant the furniture was put away too.  We did leave to rockers out on the deck in case we get a few more nice days, but hey today was sunny and in the 70's so I won't complain.  I cut the dog's pen grass one more time, so that is done until spring whew!  Hub is cutting the grass on the rider one more time and mulching the leaves. 
More tires were stacked onto the exhisting ones, so now they are piled three high.  I have found these are great filled with dirt and manure, and planted with the cukes, pumpkins and other vining plants.  You always know where to water.  Plus I planted carrots in two and I have never grown larger or more sweet tasting carrots.  They pulled right out of the ground with such ease too.  So next year they too will go into tires.  Just saved sunflower seeds for next year, and some meragold and morning glory too.  Moved the maximillian sunflowers to the other side of the deck, this year they were fifteen feet tall, and needed to be tied up.  Keep getting in the way of the satelite dish so they either moved or he was going to rip them up.
Kitties got to go outside in the dog pen and get fresh air, probably for the last time, but their container of grass in growing and they munch on that and the oats I planted will be up soon for them too.
Today is my 34th. wedding anniversary and instead of relaxing we do what we always do, work around our place, no rest for the wicked!!!  AS my Mom says.  So everyone out there SMILE!

Just love this time of year even though this summer we have had such hot temps, and very little rainfall.  Things are still growing like crazy.  They are calling for rain tonight and tomorrow and we need it.  Rainbarrel is empty and the old bathtub that collects rainwater is running low.  All the five gallon buckets we had full too are empty.  May mean carrying buckets from the creek, which is way down too.  And today we had another day in the 90's.  Can not say we didn't have a summer this year!
All the animals just find a cool spot and flop all day long, they wait until dark to become active, as do we!  Horses stand in their stalls, even the ducks and goose are panting.

Here are some more of my flowers for you to enjoy.  Smile even though we are all melting. +^..^=

The last post showed my bougainvillea blooming.  Well it reality only the leaves had changed color and the flowers had yet to open.  So here is what the actaul flowers look like.

After atleast five years maybe more one of my bougainvillea has bloomed.  When I first put it out in the spring, it got sunburned and all the leaves fell off.  Then I needed to repot it, so again it was shocked.  But the other day I looked at the plants on the deck and there right before my eyes she was blooming again.  Now I hope my other one that went outside a few weeks later and had the same things happen to it will bloom.

Dad, I miss you still deeply, even though it has been eight years since you left this earth for a better place.  I know you are no longer in the pain you were in but I still wish you would have fought a better battle and stay here with us.  Emmy and I miss you so.
Even though you are gone we are still able to view what you left behind.  Beautiful paintings, that show the talented person you were.  I even have some of the greeting cards you helped design, when you work for American Greetings, and the birthday cards, that were in themselves small paintings.  I know one day we again will all be togther, and can catch up.  Until then I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.

Well summer is almost upon us, and the heat and humidity are right up there.  Atleast we got alittle bit of much needed rain.  The gardens were screaming for it.  The hummingbirds are finally showing up, not as much as previous years, but I am happy just to hear them buzzing around.
Sadly I lost one of my peking duckies, just made a year old too.  They went to the creek for a swim and a snapper got him.  Took almost all the skin and feathers off one leg, by the time I managed to catch him later that day, it was already getting nasty.  But I gave it my best, flushed the wound, and put peroxide on it.  He seemed alright so I put them into a stall, to better keep an eye on him.  But sadly the next morning he was hiding behind some posts and the smell was terrible.  So instead of making him suffer a slow death we put him done.  So now the other Peep has he is named wanders around, but hasn't made friends with Gertie and Whitie yet.  I figure by winter when they are put inside together they will bond.  Safety in numbers and all that.  For now he is content and follows me and comes when I call him to eat, loves dry cat food.

Gizmo doing what he does best, relaxing in a box!

Stuey our long hair has the most fur between his toes of any cat I have ever seen!! You just want to pull on it,or cut it off. But this is what makes him unique. He is like my Siberian Huskies with the hairy toes, must mean he should be outside playing in it. But no inside he lives until the weather warms up and his borthers and sister and himslef can go outside into the dog pen. Maybe tomorrow as they are calling for a huge warm-up. But being the Northeast it changes day by day, hour by hour etc.

Was outside and turning the goose and ducks loose, they said enough of being inside in a stall, we want fresh air, grass and a creek to bathe in. Which is exactly where they are, taking a bath and refreshing themselves.

A quick note to the artist who painted my blog header. This would be my younger sister Kareen, good job sis! Reminds my of our Dad's painting. Smile

Anyone that knows me, knows that I am not nor ever have been a morning person! So this morning hub. comes into the bedroom and asks me if I am up. It is 7:30 am. He is like "you have to come and tell me what is inside the bird feeder. He is saying it is either a rat or a squirrel. I stagger out to the front windows, get my eyes into focus and take a look. There inside a closed feeder is a RAT!!! We can tell it got inside from the top which he moved. There he was chowing down on cracked corn, while the birds ate on the outside. Know one critter I hate is a rat, so I am like this has to go. He is like how will it get out, I said after it has it's fill it will climb back out. I just can not figure out how it climbed up a sheppards hook. So here it is full and tried to get out, it can't so I guess it started chewing the string which it was hanging by. But big surprise he was so fat from eating all that corn all he could squeeze out was his head. Well Hub went out and shot it and the bird feeder too. So I get a new feeder, and the rat was trown across the way to feed another critter. Everything here at the Rustic gets recycled lol. Smile. Oh and his demise was quick, so no hate comments from animal lovers because I am an animal lover, but not when it comes to vermin.

Wham-Bam like the pic says dis iz teh good part NOT! Now my other half has gotten what I have. And he is Not happy camper. Men just do not take being sick nicely. He is mumbling it is all my fault, like I wished this on him. Well I didn't. Because now I must here about it, and pretty much jump when he moans he needs something.
Guess what goes around comes around lol. So tomorrow I will call and get him on some meds, since right now he is sharing mine. And I certainly plan on taking all the antibiotics, because I am tired of being sick. Today even though my head is still stuffed, ears are humming and I am coughing I went outside and cleaned the barn. It was only about 18 degrees, but atleast sunny so it actually wasn't too bad. Plus the boys needed to get outside and burn off energy. I just love seeing them running through the snow kicking up their heels. The loved rolling in it too. I cleaned both their stalls, hauled fresh water and even cleaned up the goose and duckies stall. Their water was frozen so I refilled with fresh semi-warm water. And when I came back they had played in it and ended up knocking it over. So I had to fill it again. They will be happy when the weather warms up so the can go back to swimming in the creek and our neighbors pond.
I noticed also today some scrub brush around the creek is turning red, which means spring is coming, one can dream! The feeders have been up since Nov. but we haven't had too many birds, but this has changed since the other night of snow. The next post will chat you up on this. Smile, must go feed the wood stove and keep the hubby warm. =^..^=

Bam!!! The new year started off shitty. In the first time in more years then I can remember I got a chest cold. So I went and got antibiotics which helped, since without I usually end up with bronchitis. My having asthma seems to make things worse. Well as that was clearing up I felt it moving into my sinus and Bam woke up one morning with such pressure and not being able to breathe. Picture a little kid with that yummy greenish-yellow stuff coming out of their noses. Well that is me! And Bam the next day I wake with an ear ache, so called the doctor back up and got a different antibiotic for these symptoms. All I seem to do is wheeze, blow my nose, sniffle, cough and my hearing sounds like it is muted. I hear the sound of a sea shell in my ear. Bam----Year is not starting off great. And now we are finally having winter, and cold temps, which makes chores so much more fun. I can only guess what lies in store for the rest of the year.

I finally got pictures download from my camera into my computer and will be posting them, even though they were from this past fall. I know just alittle slow, hey that comes with age. The picture here is of Stuey I took one night when we were sitting and playing dice. I looked up through my plant on the tabel and saw him looking back, just had to snap him.

I hope everyone else out there feels better then I do, wouldn't wish being this sick on my worse enemy. Well just maybe. Smile

As we come to the end of yet another year, we here at Ruda's Rustic want to wish everyone a Happy and safe New Year! Enjoy the parties, eats and drinks, but becareful when it comes to driving. Desegnate a driver!!!

We here will watch the old ball drop, drink alittle, snack alittle and hope the coming year will be alot better for us and everyone around the world.

We finally got around an inch and a half of snow, now we are getting the colder temps. This is great as the ground will freeze and we will not be sinking into mud at the barn. I hope for a quick winter and a long beautiful spring, but being that we live here in PA. you never know day to day what will happen. I do know my two huskies are blowing their fur again, which to me means the winter will not be too harsh, plus the horses really do not have much of a winter coat. The other day I saw and heard a bluebird singing. So one can only hope.

So everyone you all stay healthy, warm and happy on this New Years and the year to come.

Everyone here at the Rustic wishes everyone out there a very Merry Christmas. So far winter is holding off on snow. We are glad for this as usually by now we are snowed in. We still have green grass! Means my horses can come out during the day and blow off steam. The barn kitties can come out too. Only thing I could do without is all the mud. We need a week of below freezing to firm up the ground.

I am very late on sending out xmas cards, and putting up the tree and lights. Seems as we get older we feel less like doing things. Plus no family around just George and myself. So no presents under the tree. We do wrap things for the animals though lol.

I did my good deed though, my neighbor didn't have a tree, decorations etc and really couldn't afford them. So I went up into the attic and brought down my extra tree, lights and bulbs and bells and am letting her use them. They have two cute little girls who deserve a merry xmas. Was a joy seeing their eyes light up at the decorated tree. Makes things worthwhile.

So tis the season to be jolly and nice. Smile

Wishing everyone out there in Blog world a "Happy Thanksgiving". Only thing that bothers me to NO end though is the fact that it seems to be a forgotten holiday. Where did the giving of thanks give way to shopping like crazy for Christmas before Thanksgiving is even over? For myself by the time it feels like Christams the mood has left me. I am to the point that I hate shopping! I love the snow, decoration, horses running through the snow with the wind in their hair. Love the baking, writing actual cards, and catching with dear friends, but enough with thenotion we should buy, buy, buy. Enough, just let us step back and first give thanks for what we have.

Happy Thanksgiving from the Rustic Ranch.

Hello-Happy Halloween-Boo! Hope everyone will have a great halloween. Here the nor'easter missed us. But we will get our share I am sure. I have gooten all the plants indoors, before any frosts. We took the awning down, and furniture away for the winter. Just left a few pcs. so if the weather permits we can sit on the deck. It seems like bang summer came and went, but we will have five to six months of winter. No wonder people get depressed. No sun, no greenery, just long dreary days and nights. Well I will just spend more time blogging I guess.

I am BACK, and want to wish all a Happy Halloween! Here they have it today, Thurs. But they really should do it on said day! That is how they did it WAY back when. I remember going out from

three to four hours. Now a days with all the sickos out there it is only two hours, and the kids are watched. Don't you wish for simpler times. Have a safe one.

Summer is almost gone and there is a taste of fall in the air. My "Ozzie" is finally home. I haven't gotten to ride him yet, weather isn't permitting it. But I have been putting the bridle and saddle on him, he stands so patiently. I have also been standing on my step stool next to him, to get him used to it. As I am short and he is tall this is the only way I can get on him. Even my two step mounting block is too short. I always wanted a Big horse and I certainly have one in him.

The apples are falling and I need to make more pies today, plus more stuffed peppers. Having the stove on will warm the house as there is a chill.

All the perennials are more or less done blooming also, which is sad they usually bloom into almost Oct., wonder if this is a sign of what is to come brrrrr.

This picture is one of my kitties, the youngest one "Gizmo", he loves having his picture taken, and usally bothers me as I sit at the computer. But since it is alittle chilly they are all bedded down. I want to thank all of you for the kind words on my blog, I will have to get back into the groove of writing again with the weather turning cooler, enjoy>

Ozzie is coming along in his training. Was riden in the woods the other day. And he is learning to flex and give to the bit better. The yielding to the bit is where he is having trouble. Other then this no major problems like bolting, rearing or bucking. I am getting anxious to again start trail riding. I know I will be nervous and will wear a helmet from now on. It is almost like starting over. So when I first started riding I was green and so was my thoroughbred horse "Sugar Pie" and now many years later I start again on another green horse. Do I have "stupid" written across my forhead? lol.

On another note my at home appy "Oreo" played escape the other day. Guess he is missing his brother. I looked out and there he was standing in the road eating the grass on the roadside. Not a care in the world. I did a double take because he was like this glowing white horse. Then I realized oh no he is mine! So I ran out called him and here he came quite calmly. But halter on him and walked him back to his stall. I checked the fence and there were no breaks. Was a loose spot then he just lifted and walked out. Fence is tightened and on again. So that makes all the horses I have owned getting out atleast once.SMILE

This is my "Ozzie", who finally is getting broke! Took years instead of a few months because there was something always going on, or no money or he was always getting hurt. I have a really nice Amish gentleman breaking him. He uses natural horsemanship, and I am amazed at how well Oz is doing. By the second time Matt got on hum, he just stood there, Matt was kicking him in the sides and bouncing in the saddle and Oz was bored. So hopefully soon he will be trail ready and I will again start riding after a two year absence.

Early summer I was worried as I was not seeing the swarms of hummers as in past years. But since the beginning of July they are here. I have just bought my fourth ten pound bag of sugar. They go through atleast two quarts a day and more if I would fill feeders totally to the top. They drink it so fast it doesn't have a chance to spoil, even in this heat. But in about a month and a half they will be heading south for the winter. I even took a video of them as I was standing right next to the feeder. A few times I could feel the wind from their wings. They are truly a tiny wonder. They love the hostas, and trumpet vines, and petunia but so far haven't seemed to enjoy my jasmine or mandevillia, or butterfly bush. But the butterflies sure do. Rspecially the hummingbird moth/

A picture says a thousand words

Finally after four years we finally sent Ozzie to be broke! First we couldn't because he needed to be gelded. Then the next two years he was always getting hurt. He didn't realize that behind hid head was a large body. Was always getting his legs dinged, cut or something. Then we wanted to send him but no money. A few more yrs and now everything fell into place and off he went. I called tonight and was told he is doing great. Has settled in to the new stall etc. On Monday evening we are going over to watch Matt work him, and bring him the bit I use. I am getting excited that after a few years off I will finally be able to ride. Wheeeee I love my horses. As you can see from the picture he is a very curious horse, here he is getting ready to pick apart a brush pile in his field. This stupid thing will not load pictures so I am going to just post this and try again later.

I added a new bird to my life time list. It is an orchard oriole. I haven't been able to snap a picture, due to the fact that he is very shy. So I found a picture to post until then. I haven't seen him since it has gotten hot nor have I seen the baltimore orioles either. They more then likely went further north. I know the robins have too. It is getting really dry here, with the ground even cracking. We go from extreme wet to now dry. But nothing like other areas.I have noticed that the hummers have increased greatly, as now I am going through 2 qts. of sugar water daily. So far I have almost gone through ten pounds of sugar. Amazing how such tiny birds can go through all that.

The previous post showed my new air plant, well a few days later and wham. I went out on the deck this morning and looked around and saw it had given me a purple flower. It has a smell I knew but could not think of. So I had George take a wiff and we came up with the scent is alot like cloves. Hard to believe this tiny flower was strong enough to smell. These are the things that make my day. Take time and look around you, you never know what you will see.

I know what you are saying "She hates pink!" But this just glowed so beautifully and it also will get tiny purple flowers along the main pink flower, so I will make an exception this time lol. It is an air plant - Aeranthos purple giant.

I had my George stop at another greenhouse, one we do not go to very often. He is aliitle on the high side, but he has tropical and indoor houseplants. I wanted some new unusual ones and he never disapoints. This he called german ivy, but I am not sure, I just wanted it because it had thick almost succulant leaves. Unusual yes.

Here is something you do not see everyday ! A snow ball in the summer!!! Now look carefully and you can see it is actually a ball made out of seeds they came together. They were from the poplar trees. They were whipped around on the driveway into a ball, I just had to save and take a pic. Enjoy =^..^= Happy Fourth to all of you.

For all of you who follow my blog you already know that purple and orange are my favorite colors. Well here even the birds and animals; large and small try and do their part. Here is a new born painted turtle who I found off our back deck in the driveway. So tiny yet when I turned him over there was one of my colors "orange". A few days later cutting the la

wn I almost ran over a female painted turtle. she was finishing up laying her eggs. I got off the mower and watch as the leathery eggs dropped into the hole she had dug. She then refilled and tamped down the dirt, and back to the creek she went. So far no eggs have hatched. I need to find out of long they take to hatch. So come on JC and looked it up. Oh and also snappers are snapping turtle, big, ugly, smelly foul tempered creatures.

This beautiful watercolor was painted by my sister Kareen. She has started taking some classes to see if she can fufill a lifetime dream. Our Dad was a well know Cleveland artist, his talent has rubbed off on the two of us. Myself I have gardening , and crafts , and the ability to mix and match color palettes together. She has the gardening and crafting and painting talent. She also has the literary talent and writes beautiful poems. Sista I love you!!!

I know it has been awhile, just haven't felt in the mood... Down in the dumps with life etc. And have been trying to get the outside pulled together, and with all the rain, rain and more rain, it has been rough. But I am almost done with gardens, flowers etc. I am adding some more pictures of my peeps, they are now three months old and you can hardly tell them from "Whitie" the older duck. They grow so fast, but I still am not able to tell if one is a female or not, the other is a male. So "Gertie" my goose is in heaven. She has three white duckies to keep her company. I had hubby bait a large hook and put into the creek. I noticed no one is swimming in the creek, even the honkers are not. They started with six babies and now are down to only one. We have snappers and they need to be caught and gotten rid of. They are under the surface and just grab their little legs and pull them under!!! Pisses me off but payback is a bitch!!!

I saw this guy and had to get him!!! And I got a good deal, he was half - off! Was a deal for summer and we are only in spring, guess they are pushing seasons on us. He will sit somewhere among the plants on the deck. That is after we repair the deck and repaint and fix the awning too. Things always need to be done when you own a home. Like my Mom says "there is no rest for the wicked"; guess we are really wicked, because we never catch our breath.

The weather here in PA. is playing tricks, one sunny nice day then days of damp cool dreary ones. For April we only had six dry days for the month. And now with it being May they are calling for almost a week of rain again. All the while my seedlings need to go outside but too cold.

The duckies have gotten so big they are in the dog crate. I took it apart and put the two pcs. together. Plus we had to put chicken wire around because they have already gotten out. Not to mention my huskie "java" ( who likes killing things) was standing with his front feet inside the crate at one end and they were at the other. And two days ago the whole crate with duckies went into the heated grain and tack room. They were really stinking up the house, even though their home was cleaned daily. Who knew two duckies were so messy and stinky. As the pictures show they are growing by leaps and bounds.

Yesterday while it was warm I grabbed them up and took them into the stall where Gertie and White are. I made sure to watch because I didn't want them to get beaten-up. Imagine my surprise when they went after the bigger ones. Gertie was so started when the one rushed her she fell over backwards trying to get away. So they can defend themselves lol. Now if the weather warms up they can all come outside, eat grass and swim in the creek.

I was able to find new purple and orange flowers to use on the deck. They are called stock, and smell alittle like phlox., plus I bought a persian shield, and a fushia that has a purple center. I bought a new gazing ball, in a light bright green. george says you can really see it!

With all the rain nothing else one can do but look outside and dream!

Here is a new stupid and quirky garden item I just had to have. A purple Do-Do bird! For all that know me I bought it because it is purple and orange, my two favorite colors. I also bought two more orange daylilies and a ruffled orange poppy. Again because I love those colors and my gardens show as such. Smile!

The other night was a full moon. George said come out and see it. It was tangerine, just coming up over the trees. It was beautiful, but I had a hard time taking the shot. First it was windy, second it was cold, third my hands weren't steady. But I managed to get a few, George said " can you imagine with a larger lens the shots you could get"? Hey you can buy me a larger telephoto lens any time dear.

I told myself if I ever could find ducklings again at a good price I would buy two. Well I found some and now they are MINE!. Right now they are inside in a cat carrier by the stove. They need warmth, so they sit a fire watch. I need to wait until they are larger to figure out their sex. I also need to come up with names for them, kinda out of the ordinary, but something they will come to when called. I have one named Whitie already. And have used the name Dickie Duck before. so anyone out there who wants to help me name them give it a shot.

They already see me and get all excited, I want them to bond before they go outside, they love cuddling in a towel in my arms and usually go to sleep. And the saying "Likes ducks to water", well it is so true. I had a water container in there, but it was just too small so I put a bowl in and the one just jumped right in. They are only a few days old tool. So guess the saying it true. Then they jump out and run around like crazy so happy.