Once was Blind, But now I SEE...

It could only HAPPEN to me! Yep, have a very special little buck. He is the product of my Gold Tipped Chocolate doe and (a different) Chocolate Buck. We believe he is a Chocolate Chin. Insight?? Anyway, his dam decided she did not like the spacious brood hutch she was in and would not eat or drink a darned thing! Nothing, Zero, Ziltch, NOT even CALF MANNA or water with Acid Pack! That is until I tried to foster her 3 remaining weak kits to a proven and remarkable doe, in which I had to cross my fingers. I moved that dam (Cinnamon) into a small 24 X 24 like she was born in and darned if she didn't start eating and drinking like never before!! Now, out of the 3 foster kits who were all very weak only 1 survived! We watched this little fellow very closely. As his eyes opened concern sat in quickly. "Blitz" was fast to nurse he soon had caught up to his foster siblings size and continues to impress me daily.

These pictures have not been changed as I wanted everyone to see our little miracle. I believe his temporary "moon eyes" (ice blue pupils) were caused from a short period of little to no nutrition. Just a theory, but today I proceeded to take new pictures as the unbelievable truth and justification to my theory is revealed....
Unaltered

This kinda stuff... IT ONLY happens to a "True Nut" and yep, that'd be me!

More treasure to behold...

This is (lilac) Bunny's (YEP, that's her name! LOL) 2nd litter. Her first one turned out so very nice. She decided she'd surprise me while I visited A Wool Gathering on Sunday. Now bred with Black I again was hoping for the Chocolates, maybe a black or two... BUT NO! We just had to add in the whites and fawns.... We'll see how fawn is fawn or if we have cream as they come around.... But here are her kids. I'm thinking the one on the bottom left "might" be cream as it's not quite white.

Bundled magic

WOW! Monday I was given a blessing to share...I always seem to be amazed at the broad color spectrum of some of these babies. Pearl (Chocolate Pearl) delighted me with a nice large litter of 9 (she had 11) from the deep chocolate buck Choco. I just can not seem to get over this. I was expecting a lot of Chocolates and (hopeful) Chocolate Pearls, not sure on the later since pearls wait to get their color later around 7-8 weeks. BUT, the blacks?! They make me think SEAL. Is this even possible?! AND HONESTLY?! What is that greyish? A smoke or a Lilac? UGH! So much for genetic predictions...LOL

A visit to Clifton Mill ...

A days visit to The Wool Gathering meant breakfast must be in order... AFTER-ALL, who could visit all those vendors on an empty stomach? NOT me! I was shocked at the size of their pancakes, they come with a warning that if you can eat 2 the 3rd one is on them! Imagine that. Now, had I been thinking I'd have taken a picture of those babies... YEP, Aunt Gail ordered them. LOL, She knew fully their size as they'd eaten at the Mill prior to this but she'd "forgotten" just how large they were! The waiter brought these out and stacked on a plate of 14 inches in diameter were 2 edge to edge pancakes. She only dented a quarter of the stack! Can you imagine pancakes that size?!

Anyway, I had to take some pictures of the Mill. Beautiful! Apparently, they also do a tremendous Christmas display complete with a Train on the grounds and Santa. Now what was funny is as many of you know I'm pretty limited in my flexibility do to the number of surgeries I've endured. BUT, I know that in order to get some really good pictures you've got to be willing to take a risk, sometimes going where the shot is. RIGHT?!

Well, I'm sure Mom wanted to scold me as I climbed up on a lean to fence and peered over the 10 foot picket fence to get the last shot... I just couldn't resist. I had to try!


Mom thinks in my spare time I should take a photography class. I don't think I'm that good to consider it, nor do I have a lot of spare time.

The busy gardeners...

Worked diligently this year to make the gardens beautiful and a delight to enjoy! Expect anything less? Not in this garden. :-)

Zinnias and Marigolds seemed to try to steal the show so they thought...


Coupled with the bounty were Cosmos... (possibly a new favorite of mine).










And 1 of the Butterfly bushes.. Compete with Butterfly :-)















Incredible Dadila's to behold ...

























left with the bee's working overtime in the "Live-forever's"...



Yet we must say Now but a sad good-bye till next years gardens... as the clouds usher in fall tonight with their hearty blown streams of wind....

Munkie's done what?!

Brought home a darn Ingunna! Given to him by a "friend" we had to make sure of course with his history... so the following day it was off to get this little lady set up with supplies....

Here Andi (future dil potentially) is holding her "Lizzy" while the work on her new habitat is being completed.

Sassy Roxie

Bet ya had no idea I had ventured into this beautiful species... A green cheek Conure! She is hubby's buddy, spoiled for sure. She has been with us since May and they get along so nicely when they play... LOL

What is really funny that while Roxie sasses all day long until her buddy gets home from work MY Cockatiel (Glitch) thinks she's a Nextel Boost! I couldn't help but to laugh when Glitch learned how to make the "beep, beep" of hubby's work phone.

My upgraded future....

Lots is always going on with me and anyone who knows me is aware of that. BUT, I bet they don't know this...lol
Last month I ventured into a tech upgrade, and while it's taken me a bit to adjust I do believe I'm pretty happy with my new HTC HD phone. It takes some amazing photos as well as video's, I've just had to adjust to the "slide" feature of this baby. It even has a virtual "Mag" style light that mimics the real thing, hubby so wants one of these now... None-the-less, here is 1 of my first photos (Mom's garden of course) using the panoramic feature. Not to bad for a first....

The beautiful Moon flower...

A quite day of rest...

Chrysler and Dad "rest" together after a LONG week at work.

Stress has its' Price

Seems to be that the harder I try in life to be at peace within the more the Devil dances upon me. I've tried desperately to seek sanctuary in my life, in my home yet STRESS seems to consume me. Simple things to many over take me. The children have no clue so it seems NOR do they care. The young are easily led to wrong doing, are oblivious to common courtesy and respect. It should be easy to say "Clean the Kitchen" and I assume in most families it probably still is simple. Yet in my family when they are told to do the kitchen I must provide a 3 page detailed outline on what steps it takes to clean the kitchen! To me it makes sense to want to keep a tedious job simple, something as easy as picking up whatever in the room you are in; keeping things neat as you go. However, that is not the thinking pattern of "kids" today. "If it lays there long enough "someone" else will take care of it. Why go out of my way?" They assume if something is within their room~ be it theirs or another s belonging they can "dispose" of it through various means for monetary or other gain, One specific child will trade it or sell items that do not belong to him. Items that he "KNOWS" is on loan from another family member regardless of potential consequences. I have older children that claim "they are working on getting a job". They live here "scott free" with their "extended" new family. Yet despite the enormous costs of maintaining our home will ask for money. "I can work for it". Why is it I remain so generous and now suffer alone?! With this amount of Stress I'm losing my control and as a result am fighting a nasty Shingles outbreak. It rears it's ugly head during times of enormous stress. Luckily for me it's been over 15 years since my last outbreak, but the pain this time is 10 fold! Imagine the feel of a dagger being plunged from your spine through your body~ that is the beginning. About 3 days later the rash begins to develop. The blisters follow shortly thereafter~ that is the contagious stage IF touched. The entire episode can last 3-4 weeks. The potential for prolonged continued pain can last the rest of ones life from a single attack. In advanced stages shingles can shut down organs. GOD, PLEASE don't let this go this far!




These pictures show the blister stage as well as the path of travel. By Wednesday I predict it will have made it to my mid-line on my tummy.














The rash stage began Friday. By Sunday it has traveled from my spine around my side as seen below. * NOTE extreme difficulty in taking pictures of my back single handedly. LOL

Stopped in the "Tracks"

TRULY? Did you expect something to reach out and "GRAB" you. AFTER YESTERDAY? After-all I AM THE Nutty Buckeye for a reason....

So... I WAS "thrown off my BUNNY TRACKS" yesterday. Sure that after the long eventful day it was undoubtedly clear; I had to follow immediately with a relaxing shower and a little of my ice cream, "that" would provide my "revenge"! :-) lol

The French "Old Maid" she "thinks"

Upon closing of the days tasks yesterday I was given such a giggle it only seems appropriate to share it based on the "unexpected" arrivals of the days preceding event. It was a uneventful evening, nothing out of the ordinary as I ventured through my nightly duties of ensuring the herd status. I came to the end of the duty at hand and was given quite a jolt! With a mouth full of hay my young Sr. Chestnut has DECLARED her interest in nesting! Tiki was PROUDLY carrying around hay :-0... LIKE "Hey Mom, is it my turn for breeding now or what? I'm getting to be an Old Maid here!" I told her not yet and to quit that behavior! She'll have to wait a little longer for now it's grooming time. ;-)

UNEXPECTED delivery!

Well, My lovely daughter has "struck" again! On the 24th of June after Kat and I had discussed a "problem" Lionhead doe the decision was made that I would bring her home. Which in fact, I DID. Well... I got a really HUGE surprise this morning as I went to feed and water. Now mind you... Kat had not bred her. BUT she has 2 little girls that come over to "play" with the bunnies! (Need I say more?!) These girls are in the 10-12 yr. old range and Kat "says" "They know not to put bunnies together!" Well now I have 5 bouncing examples of how "THEY KNOW not to put them together". Just in time I got the nest box and HAY in. Sweet Dreamer "frantically" built her nest and in less than a half an hour "blessed" us with these kits. Showstopper (the ONLY available buck in the herd at her house) is the sire is out of a breeding from my herd. Thank GOD I can recreate things like this!

I "beg" to differ...

Where did "Shagg" get "HIS" information?! LOL I think "we" should correct that guy....
Aunt Gail clipped & shared this fun (and fitting) comic.

Only every 3 YEARS!

In the eyes of his sister he does no wrong. He lives the way WE were taught! A Semi-truck driver by profession with a heart built strong. He has served OUR country proudly. My Brother (Scott) and I have a unique bond that most siblings never have the joy of experiencing. YET, at the same time we are cursed. Living several states apart interferes with our ability to enjoy each others company frequently. We only average a short visit about every 3 years. Yesterday, was a blessed moment to share. Mom was in HEAVEN as her children shared the day together!









What really made the day fun was sharing the hummingbirds as well as talking about the Angora and Lionheads. He's in LOVE with the Lionhead, never had he seen one till yesterday. Maybe (LOL) one could grace the dash of the rig to keep him company. (I can see its' little bobbin' head now!) ;-)

Aunt Gail also shared the day with us all and there was to be a "mean" Othello match between Aunt Gail and Scott after I left to come home. Can't wait to hear the results....




I can't believe the bunny in this picture over my shoulder! LOL How funny is that?! No, it was not a planned thing. :-)

Hummer MAGIC

It amazes me the magic of a simple beating wing! For they seem to be able to stop many of us in our tracks. These beauties visit Mom's feeders several times a day, HOWEVER... only I (so far) have the patience to be still long enough to get any pics.

Be-still the MAGIC .

THE "new" babies in the BOX

I know I've been slacking on posting much with the
babies in the box. LOL As I was getting ready for a day in
Columbus yesterday it became apparent I "had" to show
Mom "her" bunnys' new litter. That gave me an excellent
opportunity to take some to upload as well. So with little "ado" here are the "NEW" kids in the barn. I think I see CREAM could be in here (could be a fawn) and IF so I be real excited as it's out of Hopscotch and Queen! :-)





















The litter (left) I'm pretty excited about as well. Course ANY time CHOCOLATE is involved I get that way. LOL This litter is out of Sunny and Choco (below left). I'm expecting SUPER things out of Choco this fall. He has a dreamy coat and a nice dense muscular body with what feels to be a super shoulder and incredible hindquarter.

The culling truth

What started out to be a simple tangled foot has ended in a 8 day old kit being culled. A hard decision it was. It took confirmation with another rabbitry to make the final decision. This tort youngster unfortunately reinforced another lesson of wool bearing breeds. The importance of making sure the dams wool is short in lengths after nesting/delivery is completed. As I'm sure many of you reading this can predict this little one got wool twisted around an extremity causing loss of circulation. For how long? Less than 12 hours. BUT ultimately TO long. The sad little ones foot (left front) had sustained damage. I took a wait and watch approach to determine the extent. Hoping that it was only bruised (such a skeptic I am). However as you can see in the photos atrophy and eventual young death was inevitable.
I've yet to grow enough to be heartless and cull swiftly, I took the cowardly way out (so I feel). I'd hung on to long and had bonded to this little "LEFTY" ; that's what makes me though.

With many tears and frustration I tucked my little tort into its' soon to be coffin and put it in the freezer where it will stay ~ quietly life slipping away as it becomes cool and falls asleep forever! Hopefully, hardening this overly sensitive heart of mine in the process.

Cranberry Bog

A true treat for the nature enthusiast is a trip to the Cranberry Bog located in Buckeye Lake which I was provided the pleasure of exploring a couple of weekends ago. Free to visit but a permit is required to do so normally. However, once a year a pre-planned trip is available through the Department of Natural Resources.

This "island" is a BOG comprised not of dirt but sphagnum moss. Being so unique as to the be the only know occurrence in which the lake surrounds the Bog instead of the bog surrounding the lake. "Our" bog is home to some very interesting vegetation including of course the Large Cranberry which does produce the edible berry with a very short harvest period.




Present and growing on the island naturally are the Northern Pitcher Plant.


The Calopogon Orchid as well as the Rose Pogonia Orchid (2 very RARE orchids).














The Cinnamon Fern (below left) as well as the Royal Fern (below right).


















Indigenous UNFORTUNATELY to the island is also the Poison Sumac (shown below)! Growing abundantly in tree form it is the most poisonous of the woody plants and should be avoided at all costs.

Kingwood Center

Located in Mansfield are the beautiful Lush gardens of Kingwood Estates. A once private garden that is now enjoyed by the public. Featured are the beautiful flowering Dogwoods lining the main walkway to the Mansion that was the home of Mr. & Mrs. Charles Kelley King.


Well know for their beautiful displays of Tulips in the Spring and Poinsettias in the Winter it becomes easy to miss the extensive Tropical Greenhouse garden. The cost of admission is a modest $5 per car and makes for a pleasant family activity.
















These gardens can be enjoyed from the various benches throughout the park or quietly around the clear blue pond with the Mallards and Peacocks.