21 02, 2020

TMEA Music Convention Purchases

By judythemorgan|2020-02-20T21:10:39-06:00February 21st, 2020|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|2 Comments

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

I had an absolutely fantastic time at the Texas Music Educators Association Convention last weekend. I attended nine different workshops where I was inspired, encouraged, educated and reminded why I teach music.

Then there was the exhibit hall. Every imaginable music related business was there. I worked very hard to stay focused and only purchase useful items.

For example, I found googly eye rings. Given my love of googly eyes https://judythewriter.com/googly-eyes/ this was an absolute necessity.

Then there was the dachshund slide whistle. What self-respecting, dachshund-loving music teacher could resist such a useful instrument.

Of course I also purchased books, rhythm sticks and egg shakers. Overall it was a very successful time at the exhibit hall.

Next week I’ll share some of the songs I learned. Hint, hint – they are about something else near and dear to my heart J

7 02, 2020

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

By judythemorgan|2020-02-06T17:29:15-06:00February 7th, 2020|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|4 Comments

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

When Rachel moved out, she could only take one of her dogs. She chose to take Penelope, the younger, more flexible dog.

Sadie seems quite content to have remained with the rest of the pack.

Part of my routine every time I leave the house is to count the dogs. I don’t want to leave one outside to bark and annoy the neighbors.

Of course that reminds me of a song I used to sing to our children.

So my day now starts with a children’s song. Oh wait, my day has always started with a children’s song – I am a music teacher. In this case, however, I am singing to the dogs.

31 01, 2020

Googly Eyes

By judythemorgan|2020-01-28T21:20:45-06:00January 31st, 2020|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|7 Comments

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

I find googly eyes very entertaining. They add a whimsical element to anything they touch.

I used them back in October for my Laura Ingalls Wilder Pumpkin.

I found one on the floor in my classroom. I set it on the bookshelf and spent the day feeling like someone was watching me.

I took it home and put it on my piano where a piano student stuck it to my metronome. It makes me smile so I will leave it there.

Recently I saw an article posted on Facebook about a person in Bulgaria who was putting googly eyes on different things around town. There is actually a name for it – “eyebombing.”

This is one of my favorite pictures. from the article.

I wonder what would happen if I carried around googly eyes and placed them on things in my town. It would definitely make me smile. Maybe I should try it.

24 01, 2020

Juba

By judythemorgan|2020-01-19T10:30:13-06:00January 24th, 2020|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|2 Comments

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

As an elementary school music teacher, I have quite an assortment of puppets which I have collected over the past 30+ years. One of my first is a long, green snake-like puppet with alligator teeth.

I call it my “snakagator.” I named it Juba from one of the first songs I learned in my elementary music methods courses.

The song lyrics say “Juba this and Juba that. Juba chased a yellow cat. Juba up and Juba down. Juba running all around.”

It is one of the first songs I sing in my youngest classes. I can let them pick animals of particular colors for Juba to chase or I can fill in children’s names.

The kids love it! My two year old preschool class particularly loves Juba. In fact for a while, every time they saw me, they would shout “Juba!”

It doesn’t bother me at all. I have been called much worse.

17 01, 2020

Morning Snuggles

By judythemorgan|2020-01-15T20:55:09-06:00January 17th, 2020|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

Not all of our chickens have names. Lili, however, is special. She is the only D’Uccle, or dusseldorfer as I call her, in the flock. I must confess, she is my favorite.

She is much smaller than the other chickens and has wonderful long feathers on her feet.

Lately she has taken to hanging out on the roost in the coop in the mornings. She runs back and forth as though she is afraid to get down.

So I gently pick her up and set her on the ground. Actually I give her a little hug first.

I’m not sure how she feels about this but these morning snuggles get my day off to a nice start.

Especially now that I have no children left at home.

10 01, 2020

Look Up

By judythemorgan|2020-01-09T07:44:36-06:00January 10th, 2020|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|6 Comments

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

One thing I enjoy over the Christmas break was having the time to breathe and notice my surroundings. When I am teaching classes and private students, I find myself in survival mode only thinking of the next thing that needs to be done.

I seldom stop long enough to see what is around me.

For example, one morning, as I was coming in from feeding the chickens, I noticed a bird’s nest above the garage door.

There was no sign of occupants and I wondered what type of bird had lived there, whether it laid eggs and how many, where it went, etc. It would have been fun to watch the whole process if only I had taken the time to look up above the door.

So as I head into a new year I am planning to look up more often. Hopefully I will have another chance to see something wonderful right in my own back yard.

13 12, 2019

Miller Farm Friday Countdown to the most viewed blog of 2019

By judythemorgan|2019-12-09T11:50:33-06:00December 13th, 2019|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

Countdowns are supposed to build suspense. Are you excited to know which Miller Farm blog got the second most reads?

On July 7 2019 reader wanted to know about the shrinking household at Miller Farm. Not Quite Empty Nest

And, drum roll, please, for Chicken Wrangler Sara’s most read blog ….

On June 21, 2019, the most readers of 2019 read Gertie the Great White Whale.

This will be Chicken Wrangler Sara’s last blog post for 2019 before we head to our holiday break. See you in 2020.

6 12, 2019

Miller Farm Friday Countdown to the most viewed blog of 2019

By judythemorgan|2019-12-03T08:34:03-06:00December 6th, 2019|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

Today we’re starting a 3-2-1 countdown reveal to Chicken Wrangler Sara’s most viewed blog this year.

December is a tough month if you’re a schoolteacher. Corralling students and getting ready for your own family Christmas preparations — it’s exhausting. Finding time to write is hard. Trust me I know.

This little diversion will provide Chicken Wrangler Sara with a holiday break from blog writing. But never fear, she’ll be back January 10 with fun stories from the farm and classroom.

I think you might be surprised which blogs, you the reader, viewed the most. I was.

Two blogs tied for 3^rd Place.

April 19/19 Bees & Bluebonnets

August 23, 2019 New Shoes

Just click on the blog title if you missed the original posting and/or want to read the blog again.

Next Friday we’ll discover which blog had the second most views.

22 11, 2019

Full Up at Miller Farm Inn

By judythemorgan|2019-11-21T10:25:03-06:00November 22nd, 2019|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

A blog memory from Chicken Wrangler Sara

A fellow teacher at my school shares our love of dachshunds. Not quite as much as we do – she only has one. Her dog’s name is Elvis and he is not fond of being put in a kennel. His mom asked if he could possibly stay with us when they went out of town. He came for a play date and everyone seemed to get along so it was settled.

Elvis came to stay over the Thanksgiving Holiday. He arrived on Tuesday and seemed to be excited to join our 6 pack at Miller Farm.

Then Beekeeper Brian got a text from Miller’s mom. He needed a place to hang out also. Had Brian not said anything, I might not have noticed. After all what’s one more dachshund.

Miller arrived on Wednesday bringing our total to 8 dachshunds. It went remarkably well.

I decided to do an intermittent mop of the kitchen floor and put everyone in the back yard but they began to bark so I brought them back in. A neighbor who works nights has asked us to try to keep them quiet during the day. That seems reasonable even if it is difficult.

So I put them all in the living room so I could mop the kitchen without help. They didn’t mind that at all. In fact, they all climbed on the couch for a nap. Elvis and Miller, the two black and tans, nearly blend into the sofa in the top right corner.Rachel missed out on all the fun. She was pet sitting for a couple who have 3 Great Danes. She sent this picture with the largest who weighs in at 180 pounds. I think I’ll stick to large numbers of small dogs rather than small numbers of large dogs.

This post originally appeared on December 1, 2017

8 11, 2019

Wind chimes

By judythemorgan|2019-11-02T15:09:41-05:00November 8th, 2019|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|2 Comments

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

We have in my family what is known as the “obligatory bag.” It was started by my mom after I got married and moved out. She has a bag full of random things for us to take home each time we visit.

Sometimes it has clothes, empty mason jars, magazines or maybe even my favorite candy. Recently there was a set of chicken wind chimes in the obligatory bag. I was very excited.

I thought we could hang them outside the kitchen window where I could see them as I work in the kitchen. Beekeeper Brian hung them on the front porch where I can hear them as I teach piano.

This was a much better plan.