Can you believe it is almost February?  An entire month into 2018.  The holidays and past month have been somewhat of a blur, time really does seem to travel faster the older you get.  The last time I wrote to you it was opening day of deer season.  I’m sorry to report I did not harvest a deer this year, however I saw lots and lots of them!  I did manage to shoot 3 wild hogs, nasty jokers.  Addie also started hunting, which was really fun.  We perched in a tree together, admiring the birds, having snacks and waiting on a shooter.  Again, no luck but there was a bobcat!  There are a lot of bobcats around here.  My chicken pen will need to be double stout!

Thanksgiving was fun, but the flu hit Texas hard in December and effectively canceled Christmas.  We had a small dinner at our house and exchanged gifts, the four of us, Christmas morning.  Well, I should say we watched the kids open gifts.  Rob and I both agreed that this new place and house was plenty gift enough.  Plus, I still can’t find our stockings.  This was the first year we didn’t “do” Santa.  It made me a little sad but mostly relieved when Addie declared Santa didn’t need UPC codes on his gifts and they certainly wouldn’t be the same ones she saw at Wal-Mart.  Busted.  Everyone is over the flu now, my grandparents, Aunties, Uncles, cousins, second cousins and so on are all well, thank heavens.  Maybe we will get together for our grandparents 71st wedding anniversary in April.  I’ll bet we do.

The only new skill I’ve really learned since we lasted visited is how to make jalapeno and cheese smoked deer sausage.  It was much easier than I figured it would be and Addie loved prepping the casings for me to stuff.  I felt like such a pioneer!  In the same pioneer spirit I planted 60 something onions, cabbages and beets.  The next day it snowed and was 11 degrees for the better part of a week.  They didn’t make it.  I probably wouldn’t have been a very good pioneer, ha!

Dozer wasn’t sure about his first snow!

In addition to record-breaking low temp’s, snow that stuck for 3 days and icicles, we also had a tornado and damaging winds, twice.  More on all that later.

I did have a run of bad luck that has landed me in a pinch, I’ve never been pinched so it’s quite unpleasant.  I’ll spare you the details but this chicken will be working lots of long hours to get un-pinched.  Prayers, lots of them, are seriously appreciated.  Nothing like a serious pinch to remind you that God’s there and has your back, if you ask and sit and listen.

But, enough about my woes!  Here are a few Wicked Chicken pictures to bring you up to speed!

Pssst…you can mouse over an image for the caption.  I learn something new every day!  😉

Rob managed a nice buck, even if I didn’t!

Helping Dad packege ground meat.

One less pig outdoors and freezer bound!

Our first real Chirstmas Tree!

New house ready for the holiday.

Christmas cookies are a great way to say “I love you!’

Snow makes hay bales more fun!

Addie and Tigger

Feel the love, ha!

Heading home in Laneville, Texas.

Love you, peeps!