This morning I thought the weather was perfect for kicking back and doing nothing, which feels really good after the bustling around getting ready for Christmas. It has actually turned into doing a little bit of everything here.

A lone llama and goat greeted me at the gate. Hungry sheep awaited in the barns. Water buckets were not frozen but dirty, all in need of dumping, scrubbing and re-fills.

 

  Caitlyn commandeered the new eight foot feeder that my friends Chris and Caleb had built and installed just before the holidays. Additional feeder space makes such a difference at this time of year when everyone's in full fleece. A manger that comfortably accommodates seven sheep in early fall is a tight squeeze for six sheep in full winter-woolen regalia. Not so great for the fleeces (if the sheep are constantly brushing together, all that friction, heat and moisture creates self-felting sheep!).

 

 

Add a couple of bossy goats to a barn and the sheep often get shoved aside. They're easily intimidated by Butch who can be pretty territorial and nasty with his horns. Today Gypsy was in tolerant mood, sharing her feeder with a few ewes.

 

  Today's dreary drizzle gave me a great excuse for avoiding outdoor projects on my to-do list. Installing a new bird feeder on the deck and cleaning out the carriage barn will have to wait. Instead I spent the morning tucking away the holiday flotsam and jetsam: rolls of gift wrap, tape, bows and ribbon. I've finally managed to finish unpacking from my recent sojourns to sunnier climes, putting away my flip-flops, t-shirts and shorts until summer (sniff, sniff).

Our Christmas holiday was restful and relaxing. We spent a leisurely morning sharing gifts with each other and with our two goldens, Daphne and Mishka. Here's a look at their swag.

  Daphne was quick to claim her two favorites and then duck around the sofa before Mishka could swipe them (hard to see, but she's holding three toys in her mouth).

 Not that Mishka minded. With the ridiculous number of new toys, there really wasn't any competition.

Santa was generous and brought me, among other things, some new reading material, (fantastic, since I can't stand to be without a pile of books in my queue):

 American Buffalo: In Search of a Lost Icon by Steven Rinella

The Hidden Life of Deer by Elizabeth Marshall Thomas (author of The Hidden Life of Dogs).

The Daily Coyote by Shreve Stockton

AND the spiffy telephoto lens I've been wanting for my camera (woo-hoo!).

After sharing time with the sheep and puppies, we headed off to a wonderful dinner with nearby friends. Hope your holidays were festive and joyous.