Of Birds and Boys

One of my goals this year was to start a blog. I'm always a little behind to start this now and not in January. A good way to look at it is that I'm doing this in March and not in November. I have a full life here. I've been married to my husband for almost 15 years and I love him more today than I did the day we were married. Together we have built a great life together. We live on what we call the Big T Ranch. Its a beautiful one acre lot that is a rare find in crowded Southern California. We also have two great sons. J-1 (11) and J-2 (5).

We have quite a few animals here. We have a small herd of about 16 Southdown Sheep, two dogs and a whole lot of birds. My husband (El Patron) is very into Homing pigeons and J-1 raises show chickens (black bearded silkies and white, black-tail Japanese) and is involved in our local 4-H club. I have a flock of maybe 20 laying hens that aren't really laying well. J-2 wants a duck. We have talked about getting a guard goose and some turkeys.
I know far more that I would ever have thought about bird and eggs. I didn't have animals growing up but now I have them in abundance.

I have my passions beyond my boys and birds. I hate to call myself a fiber artist. It sounds so presumptive and although I really like it I don't feel that I am really good at it. I like all kinds of fibery things. I sew, spin, knit, bead and I am learning to weave. I am the weaving leader for our 4-H club. I've won a few ribbons for my spinning and knitting but I don't seem to have much time for it as I would like.

I also am working on my garden. I have a roughly 60x50 ft plot. My dream for it is that it will be a year round garden that will supply my family with the fruit, vegetables and herbs that we need. I like the idea of self sufficiency. I don't like what is happening to our food. All the processing and crap that we eat. Things that are we really not meant to be eaten. I don't want to be a zealot about it, I just want what is best for my family and community. I believe in the interconnectedness of all things. So if I do what is best for my family and community it may effect others and make the world we live in a better place.

We have been remodeling and adding onto our house for two years. When I am asked when we will be done I just laugh and say it will be done when it is done. El Patron is doing most the work himself and we are running out of funds to finish it quickly. Again it is the self-sufficiency thing. So as much and I absolutely hate it and want it finished I will wait so that El Patron will be around to share it with me and the boys.

So that's me in a nutshell. Check back and see how it all works out.