This is the season to be thankful

To my many friends from the best department in the U.S. of A. thanks for always having each other's back.

To all our friends and family that we left back in CT 25 years ago, thank you for your Love and Support over many years in raising our family.

To my Son in-law El Jefe for a wonderful journey to Bavaria last February.

To the State of Maine for it's beautiful coast and many great vacations for our family over the years.

To MCAS  Iwakuni, Japan for providing my home for the first Christmas away from Mary Agnes and Kathy many years ago.

To Uncle Bobby and Aunt Barbara for providing many beautiful places we never would have visited.SedonaAZ being one place and it's Rt.89 to Flagstaff that I'll never forget.

Thanks South Dakota for Fog and Snow in May, so we never got see Rushmore or Crazy Horse.

 

To West Point, Annapolis and Colorado Springs for providing so many great leaders, yesterday, today and Tomorrow.

To Arlington National Cemetery's Occupants for the sacrifice they have made for us and our freedoms.

To Germany for all the Nut Crackers you provide for this festive season.

To Key West just for being there.

To Alaska and it's beauty, the last frontier.

To MCRD  Parris Island, SC, for it's part in molding the person I am today.

 

Boaters Row, Philadelphia, thanks Granny Wittman for all the years we saw it while I was a wee tike.

NYC, thanks for what you offer, especially at Christmas

Thanks to Maggie for being such a loyal companion.

To the Village of Allen, MD and all our friends, for accepting the invaders from the North 25 years ago. We have always felt at home and now have sand, firmly between our toes.

To Ireland and the Genes that are carried from my wife to our children. Did I mention Guinness?

One of the most beautiful places at Christmas.

And finally, Thank You to my wife of 48 years for a wonderful life with three fantastic children, nine grand children, one great grandchild, one son in-law,  one daughter in-law and one Cowboy.

Peace on Earth and Good Will to all Mankind.

Merry Christmas !

Chicken Tid Bits & Other Things

Why Does a Rooster Crow

Cock-a-doodle-do! It's what most people think of as the crow of the cocky rooster just before daybreak. Cartoon roosters always crow at dawn. But most real roosters sound off at sunrise and beyond. And a threatening nearby train noise might spark his crowing as much as the sight of an advancing predator.

 This morning I heard Cornelius, the name given by Mary Agnes to Rooster shortly prior to 5:00 AM. He's quite a sight to observe during the day. When the kids, as we call them are out of their pen Cornelius will alert them to bugs he observes and stand over the object until a hen appears. He has 14 hens he's responsible for, and he does a great job. They are not out of their pen every day. They are only let out sometime after 3:00 PM. The reason for this, chickens love to dig holes and the back yard would look like the surface of the moon if they were out all day. Their pen is quite spacious, measuring 25 x 60 ft. When they have the entire back yard to roam in, it's almost an acre in size. Their coop is a manufactured one, built by the Amish in the Lancaster, PA area. The coop is heated in the winter by use of a red heating bulb hung above their water which will not freeze.

Over the years we have had numerous Roosters. There were some that an international tribunal would have brought up on charges. One in particular was Saddam Hussein, he was brought up on charges for stalking and attacking from behind. He was just downright nasty and was sentenced to death by neck wringing. A quick propeller like motion while flinging the nasty bird over ones head. May God rest his miserable sole. The Nasty Rooster! Chicken soup is very good this time of year.

Below is a picture of their coop and Cornelius.

The lifted lid to the left of the coop covers six laying box's. This morning at 8:15 AM I collected a dozen eggs.

Once again the chickens came out a little wary as the ground was covered in a good frost. When it snows I have to shovel paths for them to get to their outside feed trough. The outside trough is their AM treat. this mornings treat was some Gouda cheese mixed with their Layer Crumbles and Scratch Grain. Inside the Coop is a Large trough with more food. I have Cornelius and the girls accustomed to my Bumpety Bump Bump knock each morning when I unlock their door. You can hear the scurrying down from their perch as I unlock their door. They exit each day in great anticipation and scurry off to the trough for their AM treat.

And for them their day begins.

December 21, 2013

Today our weather turned warm, the last I checked it was 57 deg., not bad for December 20'th.  Late afternoon brought the Hallmark channel back to the TV. Yes Mary Agnes is home and the wonderful climatic romance adorns the screen meant for Sports, News and Weather. Sam Face Timed last night to chit chat with Granny. The kids from Columbus, MS have but a good night's sleep prior to heading off to Maryland. In rout they will stop in Wilmington, NC to visit Aunt Della and family. That would be the Baird family which also consits of Mitch, Austin and Eli. Della is one of Kathy's closest friend from her school days in Vernon, CT.

Another Quilt by Mary Agnes

This was Rachael's Birthday Gift from Granny and I.  I paid for the material and Granny did all the work.   This was given to Rachel a bit early on Thanksgiving. With it being a Christmas themed quilt we wanted Rachael to have for the entire Holiday season. She was quite surprised and appreciated the early gift.

December 22, 2013

Today was muck day for the Chicken Coop. After emptying all the manure, Chicken Shit for those that really understand, half a bale of pine shavings are spread about the floor. Muck day comes a little more frequently in the winter than summer. They bed down earlier, on their own I might add due to lack of sunlight. They go in to roost around 5:00 PM in the winter and 8:00 PM in the summer. I tend to let them out earlier in the summer also. We lock their door each night to keep predators out, should they get over the fence.

I took some eggs and a card over to the Culp/Kolb household this AM. Seems they have an influx of family this time of the year, some from as far away as Japan. I was met on the porch by a hug from Miss Agatha and that is always a grand start to the day. The chickens will be happy to note that their grunting and groaning has gone to a good cause.

I t

Tonight we go out for dinner to our daughter Sarah's for dinner. Dee Lataille will be in as she treks up to CT for the holidays , coincidently also from Wilmington, NC. Dee was also a neighbor and class mate of Sarah's from Vernon, CT.  The Weather Gods predicted a high today of 70 deg., it's now peak sun time and it's only 65 deg.  I thinks that,s all we're getting from the sun today, but it's still nice.

Where in the World is Jeff Berthiaume?

Yep, That where he be. He is home from Barbados and he and Kathy got out of the house to do a little shopping. Seems the cleaning lady was coming in to tidy things up for the kids from Mississippi.

Thats all Folks. I'll try and get back to you before the fat little guy gets down the Chimney.

Semper Fi

 

The week before Christmas

This and That

12/17/2013

On Saturday last week the entire Romspert Clan gathered at Aunt Barb's for the annual Christmas party. A great meal with way too much food was enjoyed. Gifts were exchanged, I received the book " Crystal Night". If your a history buff and don't know what Crystal Night was (The beginning of the persecution of Jews by Germany in 1938) it's a must read.

We got to do face time with Kyle Bifferato, in the Air Force and stationed in Afghanistan, and his brother Adam, USN from Great Lakes NTC in Illinois. It was a nice treat for all.

This year, yours truly passed the Baton for the meal blessing to Joseph Romspert and he did a fine reverent job.

The girls in attendance.

On Sunday the city of Salisbury had their Christmas parade. Abby Berthiaume performed in her last parade prior to going off to College.

Granny is in the kitchen baking Fudge, Rice Krispy treats, Mac and Cheese and a Meat Loaf.  I've just returned after dropping someone off at the airport. Maggie is at the groomers getting pretty for Christmas. Yes, in this house it is Christmas, she is not getting ready for the Holiday.

The chickens have been fed, given fresh water and 11 eggs were collected.

Maggie got her Beauty Parlor treatment for Christmas today.

Tonight on ESPN 2, #1 UConn takes on #2 Duke in women's basketball. Can Duke compete with Uconn?

Jeff still has one more night in Barbados and then home tomorrow. I'm sure Jeffrey is a bit unhappy today after his Detroit Lions lost to the Baltimore Ravens on a game ending 61 yard Field Goal.

Sam, Zed and Mia will be arriving this weekend from Mississippi. 

Medical News

Solving the shortage Primary Care Doctors

Foods

  Whole Foods finds success in smaller cities.

European Agency Warns of Risk to Humans in Pesticides Tied to Bee Deaths

We have several friends who keep bees and I thought this might be an interesting read for all.  What do you call a Bee Keeper ?

12/18/2013

We awoke this morning to an inch of ice and snow on the grass and cars, temp was 33. No school delays for Wicomico County this morning. Abby spent the night and thanks to the Scrape Genie, her windows on her car were cleaned.  For dinner last night Granny made the best BLT & cheese sandwich ever. It could have been on the menu at Evo.

It is with sadness that I report we did not win the Lottery. 

Sports

                                                   

Congratulations to the US Naval Academy on their 12'th consecutive victory over the US Military Academy this past Saturday in the snow in Philadelphia.

#1 v #2 in NCAA women's basketball didn't come close to all the build up it received. UConn won 83 - 61

On Sunday evening the Chicago Bears come to Philadelphia for a meeting with the Eagles. The Eagles must be thankful for Green Bay's triumph over Dallas last week after their loss to the Vikings in Minnesota.

And we close the sports news with the NFL power rankings: Week 16 from the Detroit Free Press.

The home folks in Detroit must be glad it's a Free Press, the city is bankrupt.

The end note. 

Unless something drastically changes I may have gotten out a decent Blog on this occasion. For now I shall stick with the Blogspot format. I just kept running into too many problems with WordPress.

One week from today we shall celebrate the birth of Christ. If this is the last edition prior to the 25'th, I shall wish you all a very Merry Christmas from our home to yours now.

“May the Blessings of Christmas be with you,

May the Christ Child light your way,

May God’s holy angels guide you,

And keep you safe each day.”

Image Credit