Secretary of Agriculture

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read here The Organic Consumers Association

negative feelings about
Vilsack's Possible Confirmation as Secretary of Agriculture

GOG Christmas Lunch

The GOG's [Good Ole Gals] get together once a month at a different location for lunch. Today we went "uptown" (up the big hill) to the Broyhill Inn. We all met each other through the Watauga Humane Society, one way or another.

Dee Dundon was our President for many years, she was the best, and never has stopped working for the homeless animals. Dee will always have a special spot in all our hearts.

Dee, Susan, Dot, Kathy, and Linda

Lyn, Claudia, Jean, Linda, Dee, and Susan


entrance to the Broyhill Inn


Jean, Claudia

Lyn, Barb, Kathy

Susan, Lyn, Barb, Kathy

Mahala, Dee, Dot, Linda, Jean, Claudia, Joanna, Susan, Lyn, Barb, Kathy

Dee, Dot, Linda, Jean

Mahala, Dee, Dot

Susan, Lyn, Barb, Kathy, Mahala, Dee, Dot, Linda

puddle jumper & Rep Foxx

My husband is a puddle jumper. The Wilcoxes have a family trucking business. Because Boone is in the boonies, the big trucking companies don't want to haul freight up the steep, crooked roads to Boone. The joke is - whoever designed the roads to Boone must have been drunk.

So, little Wilcox Freight services the TriCities airport and some of the big trucking companies along east Tenn interstates.

In the last couple of weeks, Mike says you wouldn't believe how many flat-screen TV's he has had to pickup and deliver. Coming in second - treadmills.

We don't have a flat-screen TV or a treadmill. We have an old TV and live on a very steep-dead-end road so... Besides, we're content with the old TV and walking back up that steep hill will give ya a great workout. whew

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Guess who took the time to call me today? Congresswoman Virginia Foxx who represents the 5th district of NC. I am very proud to have her representing me in Washington DC, with a lot of peer pressure on her she voted against the bailout mess Part 1 and thereafter, and I sent her an email to let her know I appreciate her and she turned around and called me on her cellphone.

Before she was elected to Congress and was a State Rep, I used to see her at a local gym, she was always on the treadmill reading a thick book.

It's been a few years back but she wrote Mike and I a nice letter when we and HonkyTonk, our gander, appeared on the front page of the local paper.

I think it's a nice touch on the Congresswoman's part to make an effort to stay in touch with her constituents.

stereotactic breast biopsy

The U.S. Institute of Medicine found that only about 60 percent of the women old enough to need regular mammograms get them.

Stereotactic breast biopsy takes calcifications and breast breast tissue to be studied under a microscope. This procedure uses x-rays to find the tissue to be removed. It may prevent the need for an open (surgical) biopsy.

The breast is pressed between two flat plates and a low-dose x-ray is taken. The x-ray helps find the exact tissue to be sampled. A needle is then guided to the biopsy area and removes several tiny samples of breast tissue. After the needle is removed, a small bandage is placed on the skin.

For my biopsy, they actually gave up because my calcifications would move everytime they tried to grab 'em. They would target the area and then not get what they were going after. They did get tissue and will see what the pathogist reports but I'll likely have to have a surgical biopsy. I may hear something from Dr. Placentra, my regular Doc, by Friday.

Wake Forest University Baptist is almost two hours one way, I've been down there 3 times now since Dec 2nd and sounds like I'll have to go back again.

COMPLAINT - They did inject some numbing stuff but it wasn't nearly enough, and I had to keep hollering for more. Why didn't they hit me up big time and then go at it? They couldn't get what they were going after and kept jabbing and jabbing, which I didn't want to interupt them but dang, knock out the feeling in that breast first! They were working high, near the armpit so maybe that had something to do with it. That jabbinging went on for over an hour. The doctor told me that this biopsy was very unusual (I'm thinking, of course, I'd be in the unusual category).

My outlook has been very good until enduring all that discomfort and it sounded like it was a waste of time. Unlike the photo above, they had me facing the wall, I could hear voices but could not see anything. They were very polite but they were frustrated too. I think two Drs, a resident, and radiologist assistant were in the room.

I'm feeling fine now at home but just a long day. Mike drove me down today, we stopped at a cafeteria near the hospital and got home at 7:00PM.

2008 sure has been a medical adventure for me, my ins company wishes I'd fall off a cliff.

First Date

Nougat took the girls, Clara and June, out for some bark. He got 'em a romantic spot in the corner.

Nougat tried some moves on the girls but they weren't putting out. I've never seen so much peeing by everybody in all my life. In the end, Nougat was a gentleman, and all enjoyed their time out together. (I got sooo lucky with Nougat, he's got a good pedigree and he's very tame, he'll let me pet and rub on him as long as I'm willing to keep at it. Will stand to let me grab him by the collar. Dud on the other hand, is rowdy, need to work with him).

Clara and Dud.

MountainMan trimming hooves.

SweetPea looks on as MountainMan trims her Mama's hooves.

Dud and Early.

SweetPea checking out the bark on the tree and Dud poises for me.

Clara and June munching on some bark.

Buck Pen Upgrade, Bamboo

Was cold, but we finally had a day that we could get out and work. No snow, no wind, had sunshine, and blue skies. Our new Nigerian Dairy Dwarf Bucks, Nougat and MilkDud, were in a temporary pen until we could work on some fencing. Now they're in their new digs, in the future they'll get some fun stuff to jump on. You'll see bamboo in the photo's, we love bamboo fo several reasons, talking about poultry and the goats - makes a great mulch, good to munch on, stays green all year, bends with ice doesn't break, shelter, protection, shade, some leaves fall and good to scratch in. Yeah, you want to control it but that's not nearly a big deal as people make it out to be, root system runs on top of ground. Next year, we're gonna sell it at the Farmers Market.


KidsCorral Milk"Dud" - cute little buckskin



KidsCorral Russell Stover "Nougat", Dud's daddy



Notice Nougat's collar, Christmas bell's



MountainMan in buck pen, with the 3 does looking on. Adding water to the electric waterer's. Faverolle's in the foreground.

Funny - [This is pre-goats and without Mike's knowledge.] Our local radio station has a SWAP SHOP and I advertised that I was looking for Nigerian Dwarf goats. No more had they made the announcement, my cellphone rang to which I heard from Mike, "we're not getting any damn goats." Well, 5 days later I manipulated him once again, and we were on our way to NE Georgia to pick up our three does. :-) Now, he dearly loves the 3 does and we've since added 2 bucks.



From the doe pen looking to the buck pen.



Faverolle girl, Maybelline. Faverolle's only lay eggs when they FEEL like it.




Faverolle's - Early. Cuckoo Marans roo - Dud - Nougat



The bucks house.

Does - Grandma Clara, Granddaughter SweetPea, and Daughter June

Poultry Health Articles

This is one of my Cuckoo Marans girls, Sophie. She's a beauty and yes, she knows it.

For those looking for poultry health info, K.J.Theodore of Shagbark Bantams is the best I have found. Mike and I go along with her recommendations.

http://www.shagbarkbantams.com/contents.htm