Sun and Cricket Bed and Breakfast

Meet Gemma Mae, the newest member of our tribe. She's about 10 weeks old and already is comfortable with her pal, Marcie, in the back of the truck.

Just had a couple of ace birdwatchers here over the weekend, and they reported spotting the following migrants: Swainson's thrush, Tennessee warbler, blackburnian warbler and black-billed cuckoo. In addition, they spotted -- or heard -- these residents: scarlet tanager, rose-breasted grosbeak, rufus-sided towhee, wood thrush, red-eyed vireo, ovenbird (cool name, isn't it?), yellow warbler, chestnut-sided warbler, hooded warbler and Kentucky warbler (which is quite scarce). We're thrilled. We always felt our farm was ideal for birds -- what with the undisturbed sylvan setting and open fields and meadows. So, it's nice to know the great variety we have from two people who definitely know their birds. In fact, they told us they found more birds here than at the two Audubon Society sites near us.

My new golf cart -- my preferred mode of transportation -- with the new stray kitty, whom we call "Indian Joe," (because Chief Grey Cloud, our other cat, feels the farm can only handle one "chief").

The dogs love winter. I thought someone would get a kick over Lydya teasing her daughter, Marcie, over the tennis ball -- as the horses look on. Marcie's just waiting for her chance to grab the ball. ... And, she got it!