living out of a suitcase

That's what it feels like lately, like I'm living out of a suitcase.  I only half unpack, because no sooner do I start to settle in then I'm off somewhere again.  I do love to travel, but it's stressing me out a bit and I'm not keeping up with things I need to keep up with.  Note to self, be better at scheduling every minute of the day, and sticking to it...

Last weekend was a poultry show down in Hollister, CA.  It was sure nice to see everyone, there were some good friends who I hadn't seen for nearly a year, and I really had an enjoyable weekend.  My birds didn't do much damage.  One of the males got Reserve of Breed.  I've only been showing the Black Breasted Reds this year.  I love all the comments I'm getting about them when I show a big group of them, that means a lot to me.  Can you believe I've been working on that color for 21 years now?  That makes me feel old!  I've got the breeding pens pretty well planned out as far as how many of what I'll keep.  Oh yeah, sale birds are posted!  Head over to Random Rosecombs if you want to buy birds!  Hopefully we can finish up the chicken coop in time to start hatching birds in March, although I'm not sure at this point where all my brooders are going to squeeze in...  :-)  Most of the birds are here now.  There are still a few more roosters at Mom's house that I need to bring up as soon as the rest of the pens are done, and some elderly hens who told me they'd really like to just live out their retirement down there in that nice big aviary...

There was some bitter cold weather up here recently.  The cows are starting to have their babies, the first one was "Panda" who had a little girl a few days ago on one of those brutally cold mornings.  There will be a lot more babies over the next couple months!  These free-range cows still seem like such a strange feature to me.  My family used to show cows when I was a kid, and show cows get pretty pampered.  Babies were weighed and ear-tagged immediately, most of the cows were halter-broken, they got their hooves trimmed.  These range cattle live a very different life.  Not a bad life, they seem pretty content wandering around!

The last few days have been nice and sunny in the afternoon.  I'm up to my eyeballs prepping for an art show, otherwise I'd go riding.  But the "work harder" resolution beats the "go riding" resolution, I'm afraid.  Hopefully after the show I'll feel like I can spend a little more time out there.

I'll have five pieces entered in the Red Bluff Bull Sale Art Show next Wednesday through Saturday at the fairgrounds in Red Bluff.  Do stop by and take a look if you're there.  I won't be there though.

I won't be in Stockton either for the ABA National poultry show.  Believe me I'm catching lots of flack for that!

I will be in Reno at the Engraving Arts and Firearms Exhibition at the Nugget, January 25-27.  I am also giving a seminar entitled "scrimshaw basics" on Monday the 28th.  I have been staring at the computer screen til my eyeballs pop out the last few days working on my presentation, which hopefully will, as they say, "kick ass."  Cross your fingers...  ;-)

Okay, it's almost midnight.  The fixative fumes and glass cleaning spray fumes have killed enough brain cells.  My pointy-eared orange roommate went to bed, so I think I'll call it a night.