Welcome to our family blog to keep you updated on all the happenings around the Walker cottage and "farm". Even though we live in a rural section of the Tennessee Mountains life is far from boring as you will see.

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

2017 Walker Christms Newsletter



Hello to all our family & friends!
After a late short autumn we are having a milder winter so far.  We enjoy the wood heat and crackling fire when the temperature dips down to freezing at night.  We are blessed to head into winter and the coming New Year with a full pantry of canned stuff from our garden and a freezer filled up as well.
It's been a busy year here at the Walker farm with our two ducks, five Guinea hen chicks that are busy growing now out of the brooder and under the nests, who hopefully will help the two older ones keep the tick population down once they are grown, two golden half grown chicks one of my hens hatched out for the first time this year, and four large buff roosters- that were supposed to be hens- who strut around the chicken yard and crow loudly early each morning. The hens continue to give us brown eggs every day. Our Texas heeler, Tex, who turned a year old this summer is convinced he is the boss of all.  He helped me chase two black bears that got into our woods and with his boundless energy keeps guard over our place. Texie boy ate the strawberries, blackberries, and ripened grapes almost as fast as I could pick them. Thankfully he left my green beans and tomatoes alone. Never a boring moment with Tex, who we are working on training.
Besides the regular upkeep around the place, this year I white washed the hen house and shed inside and out this summer. It was quite the undertaking, but looks so nice now that it is done. I also painted the back steps and rails along with the outside window frames of the sun room.  There is always plenty to do to keep one in shape. I'm so thankful that for most of the year I was able to be up and around.  There is much satisfaction in completing ones tasks.
Dana continues to be on oxygen most of the time now and even with physical therapy he still is weak.   He barely is able to make it to church once a month anymore so I only am able to go when Dwight can be here. Thankfully with increased and new medication, most of Dana’s seizures are now under control. If he exerts himself much it will set one off so Dana is mostly housebound. Every time we turn around another medication is added, which keeps me hopping to keep up with it all.  The eye doctor kept adding to Dana’s prescription eye drops until I was giving Dana twelve eye drops a day besides his four insulin shots and other meds.  Can you imagine? Some days I feel like I am going around in circles.
Dawn is doing better with her monthly shots and was able to do four VBS’s this summer even traveling out to Idaho. Annette is driving, plays the piano & violin, and loves to cook. Right before Thanksgiving she had to have gallbladder surgery. William, who is taller than me now, is the farm boy taking care of all the animals. He plays the piano, guitar, and banjo. Katie started kindergarten this year. This little tomboy sings with the family, loves to feed and pet the chickens and goats on their farm. They got two guard pups to train this past year.  Dawn’s family also came out twice to work around our place doing jobs that were beyond me.
Dwight continues to work at the body shop when not slowed down with a bleed. Right before Thanksgiving he scared us when he got a shoulder bleed that filled up his chest making him short of breath. It slowed Dwight down for a couple of weeks as he was weak with the loss of blood. Case continues to come every other weekend. His biggest thrill was getting a dirt bike for his birthday. He is growing, still full of energy, and almost as tall as me. Can that boy ever put away the food!  Every time I turn around he is hungry.
It’s always such a joy when my children and all the grand-kids come home. Our house rings with laughter and chatter while the walls vibrate with all the bouncing energy. Thankfully there is plenty of room to run around the Walker farm. The last couple of times William, Case, and Katie played “tag” with Tex. It was a tie who got worn out the quickest.
This Thanksgiving Lois, Ted, and Kyle drove down from Pennsylvania for the day.  It was such a special time. Lois and I hadn’t seen each other for a couple of years. Of course we never did get caught up talking- ha!
God has been good to our family this past year. We are truly blessed!
May you and your family have a wonderful Christmas season
and a
Happy New Year!
Dorcas & Family

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