One word: Busy. All in all we're not too busy, we take time every day to spend time as a family, somehow.
Drew has been on again off again sick with this nasty bug going around. There is one bad thing to say about a milk winter for sure and that's that it's not cold enough long enough to kill off all the nasties.
Off topic, but truth be told, I feel like I haven't seen my husband in months! He's been gone all the time for one thing or another. I won't get in to why, the reasons are many.
We've been really enjoying the record temps here...spring has sprung really and I hope it sticks around.
We've had new babies born- 2 on Sunday and 3 yesterday (2 does and a very large handsome buck). Rachel's (hopefully) last dr's appointment for her leg was yesterday. They took final X-rays and gave her the all clear to run and jump as long as it didn't cause her any pain. We've been waiting on Apricot for what seems like 2 weeks with daily and nightly checks. All in her own time 2 days past her due date she had a kid on the ground by the time we got home. I hadn't planned to come home, I had planned to go take the kids right to school but as it happened, Rachel wore stained play clothes instead of school clothes so as fate would hate it, we got to see two of them enter the world.
Toddy had 2 flashy buck kids on Sunday. I won't talk about them too much as their fate is pretty much sealed. One of them though I call "Bitchy Boy" because he just doesn't shut up. Or rather, he has spurts where out of nowhere he'll squawk, then stop...like, someone disrupts him or the wind hits him wrong or the sunlight isn't in the right position. The kids think it's mean to call him that. He was doing really well until yesterday, then it seems he didn't want to eat a whole lot. He knows where to get food and seems eager to go get it but looses enthusiasm. I tried to bottle him but he didn't want anything to do what that either. It may be that he's just a bit slower to get going than this brother who's now robust and doing all those fun goat baby things at only 3 days old. I gave him a little oral pick-me-up and we'll see how is today.
We expect rain much of next week. It's welcome! Our pond has standing water in it and I do hope that this drought does not continue.
I have been making and selling goat's milk soap. I find it rather fun. In fact, I have a new website for all goat/farm/soap relate stuff: www.marmaladehollow.wordpress.com Eventually I'll change it over to a "dot com" address but if you happen to want to check it out, be my guest. I'll continue with the blog here, but in trying to keep the farmy stuff separate of the family updates, I'd rather keep personal life, personal (even if the world is free to read here) so this one will remain as is.
We have our chicks ordered. Me and a couple of other families went in on a large order of 'pan fry' birds. We'll be raising about 25 of them strictly for butcher. They are all roosters and hefty discounts are given since, like most male species, the world doesn't need but a few. So, we should be putting some home grown chickens in the freezer in the fall.
I also ordered my layers as well- silver laced wyandottes. I don't know if I or Rachel (for those of you who talk to Rachel) told you the story or not, but last year when we were getting hay I heard Rachel screaming from across the yard. Course, we all thought it was funny that she was being chased by a rooster and there was a split second where I didn't realize she really thought she was running for her life. It was one of those "funny but not really all that funny" moments. After that split second I, of course, ran over to run the rooster off but after that she wanted nothing to do with chickens ever again. She still doesn't but in reading up on chicken breeds I found the SL wyandottes not only to be very attractive but also good layers, good dual purpose (meat and egg) and very cold hardy due to their small close comb. I ordered only pullets from the farm store. I had wanted some roos as well but I waited too lat to order online and the minimum order from the farm store is 25. I don't need 25 additional roos! So, I am hoping from this 'pan fry' order of 150 or whatever it is, there will be at least SL wyandotte in there so that I can have a roo for my females. Laying hens are VERY popular around here. Not that I intend to start selling layers, amongst all the other stuff I do, but eventually I will need to replenish the stock.
Never mind that we don't have our coup built yet! I'm hopeful at some point that happens.
As I sit here and white this in the dark, the cat is licking the bowl of cereal milk. Guess I won't be finishing that!
Showing posts with label jeremiah. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jeremiah. Show all posts
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Saturday, January 21, 2012
And the Army life keeps rolling along...
Wednesday's orthopedist appointment had Rachel leaving in a cast. It's just as well, she's less fragile this way.
She's been getting along better on her crutches. The school has a wheelchair that they are happily allowing her to use. Which is a good thing, because being on crutches all day would tank! Except, the wheelchair needed to see the inside of Daddy's shop on Tuesday evening because (we joked) it had been in an accident. Hey, the humor HAS to keep coming otherwise we'd hang ourselves! So, a little bit of screwdriver-ing here, some banging, a little bit of jumping on it there, and we're all set!
Thursday the UPS man showed up with a lovely package for Rachel. The Mischlers, Rachel's 4-H project leader(s) for fiber arts, sent 'get well' flowers. How sweet.
Included are also some belated birthday photos. On Monday, we went down to Wichita, and drug our broken legged daughter to the movie theater. It's always amazing how (seemingly) little things can really change the way one does things! But, all in all it was a very good time. I am normally not a fan of 3-D movies, but Beauty and the Beast (even though we've all seen it a million times) was really REALLY good in 3-D. Drew will deny it, but he was sitting on my lap and literally jumped at one particular point. I chide him about it.
Thursday I got a call at home half way through the day saying that Rachel's cast was bothering the back of her leg. Before they put the fiberglass wrap on, a cotton mesh sock goes on, then gauze. The gauze is folded over the wrap at the top and bottom and then more wrap is applied. The gauze and netting makes the top and bottom plush. On occasion, the fiberglass wrap is applied too high and there isn't enough gauze and netting to fold over. Such is the case on the back of her leg. So, down to school I went to apply some moleskin to the back so it wasn't slicing into her skin. I thought surely this had to be the end of chasing and we can get back to life as we know it with a broken leg! By the way, I went down to take care of her leg at 1:30, if I had had the time to just sit down there until the end of the day I would have. But I don't! I am already taking Jeremiah to work too and so my day is literally starting about 2 hours late and I am loosing another hour and a half in the evening! More on that later...
Negative on being the end of it all. Yesterday (Friday), I was working away and the phone rang. I am beginning to dread that dang phone! It's the school's secretary/part-time nurse/part-time cashier (a woman with many hats). Rachel fell in class and her leg was hurting. "Awwwww crap!", I think. I talked to crying Rachel. I calm her down and she wants me to come. What other choice do I have? THIS is the exact reason I do not work outside of the home and it's beginning to look like, until the kids are married, that I will not ever! SOMEONE has to be their for the babies. So, back down to school I went. Apparently she had decided (which was actually my idea) to try the crutches for a while instead of the chair and she was getting ready to sit down in her class chair when she either hit it with a crutch or it (somehow) moved away from her and she sat down on the ground. I really don't think it's as bad as it sounded over the phone and I am sure it scared her and her medication was late in getting to her yesterday so who knows. She probably added another year on to that cast's wearing life! UGH.
I pulled Andrew out of school early at 2 and we all just headed home. After everyone was situated, I fell onto the couch and napped. If you know me, naps are few and far between. I just won't take them. But if my nap yesterday was any indication of how my week went, that should say a lot! I was not about to turn right back around and have to lift Rachel in and out of the car just so he didn't have to come home early. I was ready for that week to be over.
Oh, you're wondering how my day goes now? Well, let's see...because the big truck is a diesel, cold temperatures mean things work a little differently. First off, the truck has a heater, it gets plugged in. We forgot to do this Monday evening so it refused to start on Tuesday morning. Jeremiah was supposed to drop the kids off at school but at the last minute I had to throw on clothes and get Rachel settled and explain to half a million people the issue, fill out medication releases so the school can administer it, blah blah blah blah. However, there's the issue of getting her up and dressed and all of that!
Wake up: Wake up isn't much different. She is able to get up to standing on her own and usually uses the crutches to get down the hall either to the kitchen table or living room where she eats and gets dressed. Her toothbrush is brought to her and she pretty much does everything from the couch.
Getting her dressed: What does she wear? Well, I've taken to cutting a leg off thick knit tights and putting her in a dress. She has a pair of pants that would probably fall off her waist if they weren't held up by her cast and a pair of PJ pants that work well too. One must get creative! The weather has been so darned cold that it's been difficult to figure wardrobe out!
Getting to the car (AKA The Explorer): Shewalks crutches out the front door and either Jeremiah or myself (usually me) carries her down the steps, sets her down where she walks crutches to the car, someone picks her back up and deposits her into the car, loads crutches, loads Drew, loads backpacks and off we go.
Back to the truck. Wednesday, the day of Rachel's orthopedist appointment, the truck started just fine but then quit after idling to warm up after about 5 minutes. Jeremiah can't get it re-started and we figure it's the biodiesel freezing. Biodiesel is good to about 20 degrees and we didn't think to mix it with regular fuel given the fact we had about a million other things on our mind and the previous weeks temps had hovered around freezing over night. Well above 20 anyway! It was probably 3 degrees out Wednesday morning so at the last minute again we all piled into the car, we dropped Drew at the front door and made it to work by the skin of our teeth! I got home, rushed out to do chores, hurried up, got a shower and Rachel and I headed out the door for her dr.'s appointment. We didn't get out of there until noon, ate a quick lunch and I dropped her back off at school. I came home, did 'house' chores (dishes, laundry, picking up, stoking fire) because I hadn't had time before. And then before I knew it, it was time to pick up the kids and Jeremiah...again!
We thought perhaps the fuel filter needed to be changed on the truck, as is often the case when you run 'bio'. The fuel filter does need to be changed more often so we picked up a new one on the way home and some regular diesel to 'cut' the bio enough to get it started and running down the road. Thursday morning, it's the same issue and he really had planned to take them that day so it was late. Back into regular clothes quick and in a hurry I go and out the door we zoom! I was really hating life at that moment.
Friday morning, against my wishes, Jeremiah said if he got it started, he will just leave. He thought that it was just so cold the fuel was freezing in the lines while it idled, which is perfectly understandable. It is cooking oil after all. But, I had said I already planned to take everyone, I was ready that day and me having to go was not coming as a surprise. I told him if he so chose to take the truck and it breaks down between here and the school, DO NOT CALL ME, Call AAA, DO NOT LET ME COME HOME TO FIND YOU HERE, PARK THE TRUCK WHERE I CANNOT SEE IT and let me go about my day blissfully unaware and while you're at it, find a way to get that truck home with YOU behind the wheel. I don't care if it's towed here or what, I DO NOT want to know about it! Capeesh? Capeesh. So, as it was, it drove fine, the fuel was probably freezing. We do have an injector going bad and it will need to be replaced but the source of the issue was this darn cold and the fuel. The problem has been solved by further 'cutting' the bio with regular fuel. I won't say lesson learned, we had other issues come up preventing us from doing what we knew needed done.
So, there's my week folks. Sounds like fun right?
The orthopedist wanted to see us back in 2 weeks where they will cut the cast off and re-x-ray it. He thinks it might be healed. Silly dr. didn't take in to consideration my daughter was going to fall though! I've got half a mind to call him and tell him to give it another week. That sounds awfully quick doesn't it? Yeah, I kinda thought so too but he's the dr. so whatever. 2 1/2 weeks of immobilization is good for me...we'll see!
I was more than ready for the weekend to start to say the least! If nothing else it means a short reprieve from having to do all the lifting and driving! However, one should always be careful what they wish for because...well, for one, it could always be worse (que broken leg) for two, next week may be even worse as I won't have the weekend to look forward to extra help because extra help won't be here! Jeremiah is scheduled to take some students to Mo. for a welding competition...leaving me here...alone. As usual, I am queuing Scarlet O'hara, as I so often do, and, "I'll thank about that tomorrow." One day at a time.
She's been getting along better on her crutches. The school has a wheelchair that they are happily allowing her to use. Which is a good thing, because being on crutches all day would tank! Except, the wheelchair needed to see the inside of Daddy's shop on Tuesday evening because (we joked) it had been in an accident. Hey, the humor HAS to keep coming otherwise we'd hang ourselves! So, a little bit of screwdriver-ing here, some banging, a little bit of jumping on it there, and we're all set!
Thursday the UPS man showed up with a lovely package for Rachel. The Mischlers, Rachel's 4-H project leader(s) for fiber arts, sent 'get well' flowers. How sweet.
Included are also some belated birthday photos. On Monday, we went down to Wichita, and drug our broken legged daughter to the movie theater. It's always amazing how (seemingly) little things can really change the way one does things! But, all in all it was a very good time. I am normally not a fan of 3-D movies, but Beauty and the Beast (even though we've all seen it a million times) was really REALLY good in 3-D. Drew will deny it, but he was sitting on my lap and literally jumped at one particular point. I chide him about it.
 |
| And yes, if you must know, it's wrapped in a bag. We bought several small knitting looms for her and given the fact she's immobile, it was the perfect gift to pass the time. We gave it to her on Sat. figuring, why wait? So it did not get wrapped. Tacky? I don't care! |
Thursday I got a call at home half way through the day saying that Rachel's cast was bothering the back of her leg. Before they put the fiberglass wrap on, a cotton mesh sock goes on, then gauze. The gauze is folded over the wrap at the top and bottom and then more wrap is applied. The gauze and netting makes the top and bottom plush. On occasion, the fiberglass wrap is applied too high and there isn't enough gauze and netting to fold over. Such is the case on the back of her leg. So, down to school I went to apply some moleskin to the back so it wasn't slicing into her skin. I thought surely this had to be the end of chasing and we can get back to life as we know it with a broken leg! By the way, I went down to take care of her leg at 1:30, if I had had the time to just sit down there until the end of the day I would have. But I don't! I am already taking Jeremiah to work too and so my day is literally starting about 2 hours late and I am loosing another hour and a half in the evening! More on that later...
Negative on being the end of it all. Yesterday (Friday), I was working away and the phone rang. I am beginning to dread that dang phone! It's the school's secretary/part-time nurse/part-time cashier (a woman with many hats). Rachel fell in class and her leg was hurting. "Awwwww crap!", I think. I talked to crying Rachel. I calm her down and she wants me to come. What other choice do I have? THIS is the exact reason I do not work outside of the home and it's beginning to look like, until the kids are married, that I will not ever! SOMEONE has to be their for the babies. So, back down to school I went. Apparently she had decided (which was actually my idea) to try the crutches for a while instead of the chair and she was getting ready to sit down in her class chair when she either hit it with a crutch or it (somehow) moved away from her and she sat down on the ground. I really don't think it's as bad as it sounded over the phone and I am sure it scared her and her medication was late in getting to her yesterday so who knows. She probably added another year on to that cast's wearing life! UGH.
I pulled Andrew out of school early at 2 and we all just headed home. After everyone was situated, I fell onto the couch and napped. If you know me, naps are few and far between. I just won't take them. But if my nap yesterday was any indication of how my week went, that should say a lot! I was not about to turn right back around and have to lift Rachel in and out of the car just so he didn't have to come home early. I was ready for that week to be over.
Oh, you're wondering how my day goes now? Well, let's see...because the big truck is a diesel, cold temperatures mean things work a little differently. First off, the truck has a heater, it gets plugged in. We forgot to do this Monday evening so it refused to start on Tuesday morning. Jeremiah was supposed to drop the kids off at school but at the last minute I had to throw on clothes and get Rachel settled and explain to half a million people the issue, fill out medication releases so the school can administer it, blah blah blah blah. However, there's the issue of getting her up and dressed and all of that!
Wake up: Wake up isn't much different. She is able to get up to standing on her own and usually uses the crutches to get down the hall either to the kitchen table or living room where she eats and gets dressed. Her toothbrush is brought to her and she pretty much does everything from the couch.
Getting her dressed: What does she wear? Well, I've taken to cutting a leg off thick knit tights and putting her in a dress. She has a pair of pants that would probably fall off her waist if they weren't held up by her cast and a pair of PJ pants that work well too. One must get creative! The weather has been so darned cold that it's been difficult to figure wardrobe out!
Getting to the car (AKA The Explorer): She
Back to the truck. Wednesday, the day of Rachel's orthopedist appointment, the truck started just fine but then quit after idling to warm up after about 5 minutes. Jeremiah can't get it re-started and we figure it's the biodiesel freezing. Biodiesel is good to about 20 degrees and we didn't think to mix it with regular fuel given the fact we had about a million other things on our mind and the previous weeks temps had hovered around freezing over night. Well above 20 anyway! It was probably 3 degrees out Wednesday morning so at the last minute again we all piled into the car, we dropped Drew at the front door and made it to work by the skin of our teeth! I got home, rushed out to do chores, hurried up, got a shower and Rachel and I headed out the door for her dr.'s appointment. We didn't get out of there until noon, ate a quick lunch and I dropped her back off at school. I came home, did 'house' chores (dishes, laundry, picking up, stoking fire) because I hadn't had time before. And then before I knew it, it was time to pick up the kids and Jeremiah...again!
We thought perhaps the fuel filter needed to be changed on the truck, as is often the case when you run 'bio'. The fuel filter does need to be changed more often so we picked up a new one on the way home and some regular diesel to 'cut' the bio enough to get it started and running down the road. Thursday morning, it's the same issue and he really had planned to take them that day so it was late. Back into regular clothes quick and in a hurry I go and out the door we zoom! I was really hating life at that moment.
Friday morning, against my wishes, Jeremiah said if he got it started, he will just leave. He thought that it was just so cold the fuel was freezing in the lines while it idled, which is perfectly understandable. It is cooking oil after all. But, I had said I already planned to take everyone, I was ready that day and me having to go was not coming as a surprise. I told him if he so chose to take the truck and it breaks down between here and the school, DO NOT CALL ME, Call AAA, DO NOT LET ME COME HOME TO FIND YOU HERE, PARK THE TRUCK WHERE I CANNOT SEE IT and let me go about my day blissfully unaware and while you're at it, find a way to get that truck home with YOU behind the wheel. I don't care if it's towed here or what, I DO NOT want to know about it! Capeesh? Capeesh. So, as it was, it drove fine, the fuel was probably freezing. We do have an injector going bad and it will need to be replaced but the source of the issue was this darn cold and the fuel. The problem has been solved by further 'cutting' the bio with regular fuel. I won't say lesson learned, we had other issues come up preventing us from doing what we knew needed done.
So, there's my week folks. Sounds like fun right?
The orthopedist wanted to see us back in 2 weeks where they will cut the cast off and re-x-ray it. He thinks it might be healed. Silly dr. didn't take in to consideration my daughter was going to fall though! I've got half a mind to call him and tell him to give it another week. That sounds awfully quick doesn't it? Yeah, I kinda thought so too but he's the dr. so whatever. 2 1/2 weeks of immobilization is good for me...we'll see!
I was more than ready for the weekend to start to say the least! If nothing else it means a short reprieve from having to do all the lifting and driving! However, one should always be careful what they wish for because...well, for one, it could always be worse (que broken leg) for two, next week may be even worse as I won't have the weekend to look forward to extra help because extra help won't be here! Jeremiah is scheduled to take some students to Mo. for a welding competition...leaving me here...alone. As usual, I am queuing Scarlet O'hara, as I so often do, and, "I'll thank about that tomorrow." One day at a time.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Another Fabulous Weekend
Jo, Frank and the kids came up for the weekend. Course, I decided that it was a good time to get sick so pretty much all of Saturday I spent lying on the couch contemplating puking. Drew was sick the week prior. No, we don't get the flu shot. I'd rather have the flu, even in the thick of this sickness, whatever it is. .
I did manage to haul my butt off the couch so we could make soap- (1st batch) blueberry pomegranate & (2nd batch) brown sugar & cinnamon but after thinking about it some...I have to wonder if the brown sugar will leave one more sticky than clean...hrmph. Oh well, time will tell once it cures. It's super pretty though!
Sunday we made a boat load of cookies and the whole time the guys were in the shop welding a platform for an auxiliary fuel tank for the Abair's truck so 2x4's or plywood can be slid underneath- nothin' worse than a full size (pickup) bed you can't fully utilize! We don't have such an animal, though I suppose we could but with the camper shell, I don't think we'd really use it. More times than not we end up hooking up the flat bed. Anyway, that's totally uninteresting I suppose. I should have taken a photo of their handiwork but I don't know that I took a single photo the entire weekend. Maybe the next time their down. The guys also installed a pump (or sorts) so that the auxiliary tank pumps right into the on-board tanks. Jeremiah talked about doing this on ours but I almost kinda like having the real gas pump on the actual tank...the pain is getting into the bed to hand the pump through the window but I must say that fueling up at a Nevada hotel from our own vehicle is pretty impressive to some people.
Today and tomorrow we expect rain. I know we've gotten a lot of it...making up for the lack of it this summer perhaps? So far, I'd say this Fall was nicer than last fall. But then, last Fall I thought was winter and when winter really kicked in (January 1 it seemed), I was ready to kill Mother Nature.This year I wasn't so disillusioned to think that once the calendar actually says winter, it's not going to be green grass and singing daffodils right around the corner. No ma'am. It has been pretty mild though, I think...or maybe I am am getting used to 40 degrees faster than last year?
Most of the goat's have settled (their pregnancy). We start kidding mid-March and go into May. We're looking forward to baby goats again and I am looking forward to the higher possibility of not being out in the barn all night in negative four degrees and snow on the ground.
In other news, Rachel has met her 50 point AR reading goal...and BEFORE Christmas. That's awesome. She gets to go to the Imax theater at the Cosmosphere next week as a reward. Drew brought home several books last night and December's homework is to read them over and over. It's amazing to me...this sounding out and reading! Drew excels in Math and isn't doing bad in reading at all but I really think his lack needing glasses but not having them set him back a little last year. Fortunately, I don't think he's at all behind the class though Drew is Drew and what Drew doesn't want to do (i.e. reading or school work of almost any kind), he puts off. It's a struggle to motivate him. He's smart, he's just...well, lazy. It's the youngest child mentality that someone else will do it for him if he whines enough. Granted, getting a stern scolding for whining isn't fun, but he's still just sweet & smooth talkin' Drew.
Jeremiah is done traveling for a little while. This time last year he was in Vegas. For whatever reason the convention was early this year so they knocked out St. Louis and I didn't have to worry about him missing school or church Christmas festivities. He goes to Mo. again in January for a welding competition and Tulsa in Feb. I think? If the Mo. trip wasn't such a po'dunk town, I might consider going but there wouldn't be anything for the kids and I to do other than relax and really, relaxing isn't all that relaxing for me.
Oh anyway, about that time for me to get out and feed the herd but not before I find a vice big enough for my head to relieve this head ache!
I'm relishing the little bit of ice I've had to break in the mornings. This time last year I was hauling off inches of ice and bucketing hot water! We have had some nights and mornings in the teens and only just a few days where it stayed below freezing all day but so far, I've not had much to complain about weather-wise. It's a miracle right? Well, you just wait until next month. You'll get your comeuppance!
I did manage to haul my butt off the couch so we could make soap- (1st batch) blueberry pomegranate & (2nd batch) brown sugar & cinnamon but after thinking about it some...I have to wonder if the brown sugar will leave one more sticky than clean...hrmph. Oh well, time will tell once it cures. It's super pretty though!
Sunday we made a boat load of cookies and the whole time the guys were in the shop welding a platform for an auxiliary fuel tank for the Abair's truck so 2x4's or plywood can be slid underneath- nothin' worse than a full size (pickup) bed you can't fully utilize! We don't have such an animal, though I suppose we could but with the camper shell, I don't think we'd really use it. More times than not we end up hooking up the flat bed. Anyway, that's totally uninteresting I suppose. I should have taken a photo of their handiwork but I don't know that I took a single photo the entire weekend. Maybe the next time their down. The guys also installed a pump (or sorts) so that the auxiliary tank pumps right into the on-board tanks. Jeremiah talked about doing this on ours but I almost kinda like having the real gas pump on the actual tank...the pain is getting into the bed to hand the pump through the window but I must say that fueling up at a Nevada hotel from our own vehicle is pretty impressive to some people.
Today and tomorrow we expect rain. I know we've gotten a lot of it...making up for the lack of it this summer perhaps? So far, I'd say this Fall was nicer than last fall. But then, last Fall I thought was winter and when winter really kicked in (January 1 it seemed), I was ready to kill Mother Nature.This year I wasn't so disillusioned to think that once the calendar actually says winter, it's not going to be green grass and singing daffodils right around the corner. No ma'am. It has been pretty mild though, I think...or maybe I am am getting used to 40 degrees faster than last year?
Most of the goat's have settled (their pregnancy). We start kidding mid-March and go into May. We're looking forward to baby goats again and I am looking forward to the higher possibility of not being out in the barn all night in negative four degrees and snow on the ground.
In other news, Rachel has met her 50 point AR reading goal...and BEFORE Christmas. That's awesome. She gets to go to the Imax theater at the Cosmosphere next week as a reward. Drew brought home several books last night and December's homework is to read them over and over. It's amazing to me...this sounding out and reading! Drew excels in Math and isn't doing bad in reading at all but I really think his lack needing glasses but not having them set him back a little last year. Fortunately, I don't think he's at all behind the class though Drew is Drew and what Drew doesn't want to do (i.e. reading or school work of almost any kind), he puts off. It's a struggle to motivate him. He's smart, he's just...well, lazy. It's the youngest child mentality that someone else will do it for him if he whines enough. Granted, getting a stern scolding for whining isn't fun, but he's still just sweet & smooth talkin' Drew.
Jeremiah is done traveling for a little while. This time last year he was in Vegas. For whatever reason the convention was early this year so they knocked out St. Louis and I didn't have to worry about him missing school or church Christmas festivities. He goes to Mo. again in January for a welding competition and Tulsa in Feb. I think? If the Mo. trip wasn't such a po'dunk town, I might consider going but there wouldn't be anything for the kids and I to do other than relax and really, relaxing isn't all that relaxing for me.
Oh anyway, about that time for me to get out and feed the herd but not before I find a vice big enough for my head to relieve this head ache!
I'm relishing the little bit of ice I've had to break in the mornings. This time last year I was hauling off inches of ice and bucketing hot water! We have had some nights and mornings in the teens and only just a few days where it stayed below freezing all day but so far, I've not had much to complain about weather-wise. It's a miracle right? Well, you just wait until next month. You'll get your comeuppance!
Monday, November 14, 2011
Famous last words
Alternately titled: "I can read the water."
As promised in the previous blog, the story of what can go wrong when the wifey questions Jeremiah.
Not to embarrass my husband -I do love him after all- and I can't say for sure, since events did not unfold any other way, that it would not have gone as it did if in fact I didn't say anything and just let sleeping dogs lie. But the fact is, things went the way they went, I said what I said and his quote, "I can read the water" has gone down in history as one of those ones like, "You pulled a (insert name here)".
Generally, I am a cautious person. I HAVE KIDS! I am a mom and I don't like people getting hurt or spending money to repair broken things for idiotic mistakes. My husband, on the other hand, is generally a chance takin', optimistic, thrill seekin', mud flinging, big engine, four wheel drive liking kinda guy. I don't blame him. If I were a man, I probably would too. But, I am not and therefore, when I see thrills, I see blood. When I see mud, I see a lot of cleaning work! When I see big engines and 4-wheel drive, I shake my head...especially if I see my husband BEHIND the wheel of said vehicle. I will say though that I trust his driving more than anyone else's. I know he knows how to drive in the mud an snow. He grew up with all that! Many years later and I think I am safe in saying I believe he used to take his brother's Honda out to go muddling in. If his brother didn't know that by now, my apologies to both my husband and him. It's water under the bridge right? How fitting I should say that given the nature of this story.
That said, several years ago while we were still living in El Paso, Rachel couldn't have been much more than a year old, we had gotten a massive amount of rain. Jeremiah, being the thrill, mud, big engine and 4 wheel drive loving dude that he is, decides he's gonna take the family out for a drive in the F350. Everything is fantastic, it's a lovely Sunday afternoon, the desert smells fresh and clean. And then, he does it! He leaves the paved road. Now, let me tell you, our house backed up to a VERY large wash. They don't build hoses there for a reason! We were driving the road north towards New Mexico and he left the paved road...to go onto the sand...into the wash...the one that houses are forbade to be built in! The one with signs along the bridge warning of flash flooding! In doing so, I told him I didn't want to leave the road. If you are not familiar with deserts, especially deserts after the rain, chances for flash floods are extremely high! No mind, he tries to convince me it'll only be for just a little bit and everything will be fine. More famous last words.
Now, I don't consider either of us stupid people. I think we're fairly well in tune with the ways of the world. Anyone who knows me knows that I am fairly outspoken, honest and blunt. It's not as if I just let my husband walk all over me so I am sure you are wondering why I was not putting my foot down. Well, the thing is, sometimes I do tend to like to try and trust my husband's judgment. Sometimes it works out, other times, not so much.
The river, that normally doesn't even have a visible trickle of water in it, is at least 10 foot wide and who only knows how deep. It doesn't look deep but as he's driving towards it I am thinking to myself, "Self, surely he's not going to cross that. No, he'll turn here pretty soon and we'll get up to the main road.". Meanwhile, he's not turning and we're still going directly towards the mini Mississippi. I think, "He must see that right? Because, we still haven't turned and there's no way he's considering crossing that!". Ahhh, well, wishful thinking! I didn't open my mouth until we were about 3 foot away from the ledge of that 'river' when I finally said, "You're not going to try and cross that are you?????". Jeremiah, ever so sweetly and confidentially said, " I can read the water. It's fine, we'll make it."
I told him-and I am pretty sure I was cursing at this point too- "There is NO WAY IN HELL you are going to make it, for one, and for two, there is NO WAY IN HELL, you are taking me and our baby across it in this vehicle. LET US OUT!". A little argument ensued, he insisted he can read the water and that everything will be fine. Finally, I said we are getting out and he can do what he wanted to do. I slid out, got Rachel out of her car seat and we stood there on the bank and watch the 'reading the water' unfold.
Have you ever, like, known something was going to happen, watched it happen in your head, witnessed it happen in real life, but then, couldn't believe what you just saw? Yeah, that's pretty much what happened.
I'll stop here and say that Jeremiah blames me! HE BLAMES ME for all of this. He said if I had just not said anything, if he had been allowed to gun it, not started the plunge from only 3 foot away, I wouldn't even be telling this story. Of course, I think differently because it's not like once we jumped out he couldn't have backed up and just forgot the whole crazy scheme altogether or even backed up enough for more momentum. He said at that point he was committed because the front wheels were already sinking in the sand. You know, never mind that he could have backed up in 4 wheel drive or put something under the front tires, as I am sure there was piece of wood laying about. But nonetheless, the following happened: I am sure you've already guessed that he got stuck. And not only did he get stuck, he SUNK! Our F350's cab was now flooded with at least 5 inches of water and sand and turtle and rabbit crap!
Rachel and I watched from the shore and my husband had to 'Dukes and Hazard' it out of the window, up onto the hood and jump to the other bank. There have been a few times when I have felt like committing murder, very few, but this was one of them.
I don't think I said anything while he called our neighbor to come pick us up. I am pretty sire I didn't say anything the entire way home because I was so spitting mad my words may have turned into a bullet headed straight for somewhere. The neighbor's husband and Jeremiah took off on Jeremiah's Ford Ranger. That was his plan to try to get the truck out. I was speechless. I don't remember if I questioned him out loud- this plan to use the FORD RANGER to pull out a STUCK F350-but it was no surprise when they came back about 2 hours later, covered in mud & turtle & rabbit crap in the same vehicle they both left in...and no F350.
I mentioned that perhaps the neighbor down the road with a tow truck might be able to get it out. Ahhhh, now there's an idea! While they were gone with that neighbor I called my Mom who was visiting cousins. I am sure they just thought it was hysterical but I was still so spitting mad at that point. This plan for 'reading the water' sure turned out a lot differently than I am sure he envisioned it happening. He probably envisioned all three of us slip sliding, mud flinging, engine revving, 4 wheel drive engaging it through that silly old trickle straight to the other side. Yeah, he probably would have gotten some flack from me on the other side once safe and sound, but that was okay because it was a thrill! Tthe best laid plans, right?
So, another couple hours later, a case of beer (as payment to the tow truck owner, not for their thirst, or maybe it was, I don't know), some very tense moments (because even the tow truck had a REAL hard time gettin' 'er out) later, and she was parked, sopping wet and disgusting, in the drive way.
That husband of mine, I am sure he can tell you what a great gal he's got. Because, there I was the next day, helping remove seats and flooring, shoveling sand and scrubbing turtle and rabbit crap out of it. To this day, I question his ability to 'read the water'. He knows that while he may catch some flack for not listening to his wife, she's gonna be there by his side instead of murdering him. Mind you, I am sure at that point I got my words in and as punishment and I don't let him forget what happens when he tries to 'read the water'. I like to think occasionally he really does heed my advice but still to this day he has not learned to stay the heck away from situations like that because last year he got the backhoe stuck in the pond twice and both times I pulled him out and he managed to get both vehicles stuck in the snow just to see what would happen if he could get out! A neighbor rescued him there with the tractor. Great job honey, you continue to read the water, I'll continue to love you despite.
As promised in the previous blog, the story of what can go wrong when the wifey questions Jeremiah.
Not to embarrass my husband -I do love him after all- and I can't say for sure, since events did not unfold any other way, that it would not have gone as it did if in fact I didn't say anything and just let sleeping dogs lie. But the fact is, things went the way they went, I said what I said and his quote, "I can read the water" has gone down in history as one of those ones like, "You pulled a (insert name here)".
Generally, I am a cautious person. I HAVE KIDS! I am a mom and I don't like people getting hurt or spending money to repair broken things for idiotic mistakes. My husband, on the other hand, is generally a chance takin', optimistic, thrill seekin', mud flinging, big engine, four wheel drive liking kinda guy. I don't blame him. If I were a man, I probably would too. But, I am not and therefore, when I see thrills, I see blood. When I see mud, I see a lot of cleaning work! When I see big engines and 4-wheel drive, I shake my head...especially if I see my husband BEHIND the wheel of said vehicle. I will say though that I trust his driving more than anyone else's. I know he knows how to drive in the mud an snow. He grew up with all that! Many years later and I think I am safe in saying I believe he used to take his brother's Honda out to go muddling in. If his brother didn't know that by now, my apologies to both my husband and him. It's water under the bridge right? How fitting I should say that given the nature of this story.
That said, several years ago while we were still living in El Paso, Rachel couldn't have been much more than a year old, we had gotten a massive amount of rain. Jeremiah, being the thrill, mud, big engine and 4 wheel drive loving dude that he is, decides he's gonna take the family out for a drive in the F350. Everything is fantastic, it's a lovely Sunday afternoon, the desert smells fresh and clean. And then, he does it! He leaves the paved road. Now, let me tell you, our house backed up to a VERY large wash. They don't build hoses there for a reason! We were driving the road north towards New Mexico and he left the paved road...to go onto the sand...into the wash...the one that houses are forbade to be built in! The one with signs along the bridge warning of flash flooding! In doing so, I told him I didn't want to leave the road. If you are not familiar with deserts, especially deserts after the rain, chances for flash floods are extremely high! No mind, he tries to convince me it'll only be for just a little bit and everything will be fine. More famous last words.
Now, I don't consider either of us stupid people. I think we're fairly well in tune with the ways of the world. Anyone who knows me knows that I am fairly outspoken, honest and blunt. It's not as if I just let my husband walk all over me so I am sure you are wondering why I was not putting my foot down. Well, the thing is, sometimes I do tend to like to try and trust my husband's judgment. Sometimes it works out, other times, not so much.
The river, that normally doesn't even have a visible trickle of water in it, is at least 10 foot wide and who only knows how deep. It doesn't look deep but as he's driving towards it I am thinking to myself, "Self, surely he's not going to cross that. No, he'll turn here pretty soon and we'll get up to the main road.". Meanwhile, he's not turning and we're still going directly towards the mini Mississippi. I think, "He must see that right? Because, we still haven't turned and there's no way he's considering crossing that!". Ahhh, well, wishful thinking! I didn't open my mouth until we were about 3 foot away from the ledge of that 'river' when I finally said, "You're not going to try and cross that are you?????". Jeremiah, ever so sweetly and confidentially said, " I can read the water. It's fine, we'll make it."
I told him-and I am pretty sure I was cursing at this point too- "There is NO WAY IN HELL you are going to make it, for one, and for two, there is NO WAY IN HELL, you are taking me and our baby across it in this vehicle. LET US OUT!". A little argument ensued, he insisted he can read the water and that everything will be fine. Finally, I said we are getting out and he can do what he wanted to do. I slid out, got Rachel out of her car seat and we stood there on the bank and watch the 'reading the water' unfold.
Have you ever, like, known something was going to happen, watched it happen in your head, witnessed it happen in real life, but then, couldn't believe what you just saw? Yeah, that's pretty much what happened.
I'll stop here and say that Jeremiah blames me! HE BLAMES ME for all of this. He said if I had just not said anything, if he had been allowed to gun it, not started the plunge from only 3 foot away, I wouldn't even be telling this story. Of course, I think differently because it's not like once we jumped out he couldn't have backed up and just forgot the whole crazy scheme altogether or even backed up enough for more momentum. He said at that point he was committed because the front wheels were already sinking in the sand. You know, never mind that he could have backed up in 4 wheel drive or put something under the front tires, as I am sure there was piece of wood laying about. But nonetheless, the following happened: I am sure you've already guessed that he got stuck. And not only did he get stuck, he SUNK! Our F350's cab was now flooded with at least 5 inches of water and sand and turtle and rabbit crap!
Rachel and I watched from the shore and my husband had to 'Dukes and Hazard' it out of the window, up onto the hood and jump to the other bank. There have been a few times when I have felt like committing murder, very few, but this was one of them.
I don't think I said anything while he called our neighbor to come pick us up. I am pretty sire I didn't say anything the entire way home because I was so spitting mad my words may have turned into a bullet headed straight for somewhere. The neighbor's husband and Jeremiah took off on Jeremiah's Ford Ranger. That was his plan to try to get the truck out. I was speechless. I don't remember if I questioned him out loud- this plan to use the FORD RANGER to pull out a STUCK F350-but it was no surprise when they came back about 2 hours later, covered in mud & turtle & rabbit crap in the same vehicle they both left in...and no F350.
I mentioned that perhaps the neighbor down the road with a tow truck might be able to get it out. Ahhhh, now there's an idea! While they were gone with that neighbor I called my Mom who was visiting cousins. I am sure they just thought it was hysterical but I was still so spitting mad at that point. This plan for 'reading the water' sure turned out a lot differently than I am sure he envisioned it happening. He probably envisioned all three of us slip sliding, mud flinging, engine revving, 4 wheel drive engaging it through that silly old trickle straight to the other side. Yeah, he probably would have gotten some flack from me on the other side once safe and sound, but that was okay because it was a thrill! Tthe best laid plans, right?
So, another couple hours later, a case of beer (as payment to the tow truck owner, not for their thirst, or maybe it was, I don't know), some very tense moments (because even the tow truck had a REAL hard time gettin' 'er out) later, and she was parked, sopping wet and disgusting, in the drive way.
That husband of mine, I am sure he can tell you what a great gal he's got. Because, there I was the next day, helping remove seats and flooring, shoveling sand and scrubbing turtle and rabbit crap out of it. To this day, I question his ability to 'read the water'. He knows that while he may catch some flack for not listening to his wife, she's gonna be there by his side instead of murdering him. Mind you, I am sure at that point I got my words in and as punishment and I don't let him forget what happens when he tries to 'read the water'. I like to think occasionally he really does heed my advice but still to this day he has not learned to stay the heck away from situations like that because last year he got the backhoe stuck in the pond twice and both times I pulled him out and he managed to get both vehicles stuck in the snow just to see what would happen if he could get out! A neighbor rescued him there with the tractor. Great job honey, you continue to read the water, I'll continue to love you despite.
Necessity= the mother of invention
Alternately titled: Honky Hook-up
Jeremiah and I thought surely the 'cherry picker' (engine hoist) would work fantastically to get the wood stove into the truck so we could deliver it to its new home in northern Kansas. Surely it would have if the kids hadn't bled off the fluid some time ago. Now the seals are probably bad and it 'bleeds' off every time it's jacked up so that wasn't going to be of any help. What's a person to do? Well, first you need hard headed ever so optimistic and unwilling to give up man, key Jeremiah, and his willingidiot wife, Amanda! You put those two heads together and usually it's an insane successful combination.
Ever wonder how ingenuity can come together to get the job done? Look no further! Let me just say though, this stove is a heavy son of a gun! I mean like, 400 lbs. heavy. I'd like to say 500 lbs. but that's probably pushing it. Honestly, I am a fairly strong person being able to lift 120 lb. alfalfa bales and move them around short distances and these small squares we deal with here in Kansas (55-70) lbs. make me feel like the Incredible Hulk! This stove...not so much! We tried lifting it, the correct way of course, straight from the ground. Yeeeeeah, not gonna happen! So, we think, okay maybe we can 'scaffold' it up. Seems logical right? As we were already late getting on the road, we didn't actually build scaffolding, wejerry rigged improvised and...well, I'll let you see the rest.
Let me interject briefly to say that this is about the time Jeremiah mentions that perhaps we should remove the ash pan! I mean, REALLY? THE ASH PAN!?!?! He says, "Weight is weight". I roll my eyes. Meanwhile, there are probably over a dozen fire bricks in the dag'on thing that we didn't think to remove!!! But, don't forget the ash pan!!!
Drum roll please....
So, needless to say we got that heavy son of a gun in there but let me tell you, it didn't come without a massive load of adrenaline from me to get it to the bumper, some tears, a lot stress and I am sure maybe even some whining and complaining questioningour his sanity and the method. After all, anyone who knows Jeremiah, knows 'he can read the water' (I'll tell you about that story later). I saw this going very badly! Jeremiah said he was quite surprised though as there hadn't been as much carrying on on my part as he would guessed there would be before we started. Thanks a lot, Honey! Wouldn't you question when it took 4 grown men to get it up on the truck the 1st time!?!? Getting it off is the easy part, gravity helps there. It kinda hinders going the opposite way, as I am sure you can imagine.
At any rate, we did it. It wasn't nearly as bad after all. It did take about an hour though but it's delivered and I am relieved it got there in one piece! Nice little stove it is. 'Thomas' is still workin' away for now and we have plans to add a 'room to room' fan and see if that doesn't solve the bubble issue with the un-moveable heat in the living room.
Jeremiah and I thought surely the 'cherry picker' (engine hoist) would work fantastically to get the wood stove into the truck so we could deliver it to its new home in northern Kansas. Surely it would have if the kids hadn't bled off the fluid some time ago. Now the seals are probably bad and it 'bleeds' off every time it's jacked up so that wasn't going to be of any help. What's a person to do? Well, first you need hard headed ever so optimistic and unwilling to give up man, key Jeremiah, and his willing
Ever wonder how ingenuity can come together to get the job done? Look no further! Let me just say though, this stove is a heavy son of a gun! I mean like, 400 lbs. heavy. I'd like to say 500 lbs. but that's probably pushing it. Honestly, I am a fairly strong person being able to lift 120 lb. alfalfa bales and move them around short distances and these small squares we deal with here in Kansas (55-70) lbs. make me feel like the Incredible Hulk! This stove...not so much! We tried lifting it, the correct way of course, straight from the ground. Yeeeeeah, not gonna happen! So, we think, okay maybe we can 'scaffold' it up. Seems logical right? As we were already late getting on the road, we didn't actually build scaffolding, we
 | ||
| Exhibit A: 1' off the ground. Mind you, this was after about 6 lifts to scoot bricks to get it up on these logs in the first place! |
 |
| Exhibit B: Notice optimistic man in background carrying bricks. |
 |
| Exhibit C: almost ready for another set of logs all the way around! |
Let me interject briefly to say that this is about the time Jeremiah mentions that perhaps we should remove the ash pan! I mean, REALLY? THE ASH PAN!?!?! He says, "Weight is weight". I roll my eyes. Meanwhile, there are probably over a dozen fire bricks in the dag'on thing that we didn't think to remove!!! But, don't forget the ash pan!!!
 |
| Exhibit D: Jeremiah: "All right, Honey, are you ready for the lift and shift?" Me: "Um no!" |
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| Exhibit E: I am thinking, "Fabulous, NOW WHAT!?!?!" |
Drum roll please....
 |
| TA DA!!!!!! |
So, needless to say we got that heavy son of a gun in there but let me tell you, it didn't come without a massive load of adrenaline from me to get it to the bumper, some tears, a lot stress and I am sure maybe even some whining and complaining questioning
At any rate, we did it. It wasn't nearly as bad after all. It did take about an hour though but it's delivered and I am relieved it got there in one piece! Nice little stove it is. 'Thomas' is still workin' away for now and we have plans to add a 'room to room' fan and see if that doesn't solve the bubble issue with the un-moveable heat in the living room.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Halloween 2011
Drew's costume ended up being the highlight of my week! I lost a bid on eBay for a Captain America costume because I was running errands. But I stopped at Target for blue pants and a blue hoody, sewed a white star on the front and an 'A' on the hood and he was happy as pig in a wallow! We picked up a white 5 gallon plastic bucket lid from the farm store and I sprayed it and used foam pieces to decorate the rest. Jeremiah pop-riveted a handle on and away we went. Drew refused to wear his normal black gym shoes but opted instead of black loafers. I guess he wanted to be a dressy Captain America, whatever. If he was happy, I was...happy.
Jeremiah was the scariest of all, a welding instructor. I know right?
I spent the afternoon with the kids at school doing crafts and handing out treats. That evening we went to the zoo here in Hutch. It's nice because there's a definite start and a define stop so no whining about not getting enough or wanting to go further and we get to see the animals too. It's not a big zoo but for their age, it's safe (no cars or questionable Reeses Peanut Butter Cups) and perfect really.
So anyway, there you have it.
Monday, August 1, 2011
A year's progress
August 1. We're coming close to marking a year's worth of life in Kansas, in this house. How it has flown! Just yesterday I could have sworn I was taking photos of Jeremiah on the tractor cutting the brush down in the pastures readying it for the goats. Just yesterday I could have sworn I was sending the children off the bus for school. Just yesterday I could have sworn I was making Halloween costumes, baking pie for Thanksgiving and decorating the Christmas tree, passing out Valentine's pencils at school, making sure the kids were wearing green on March 17th, attending preschool graduation and looking forward to summer vacation, finally, and warm weather.
And now here we are, nearing the end of summer vacation sweating and wishing for this horrid heat and drought to end and wondering what on earth this winter could possibly have in store for us. I almost feel jipped, though those cold stormy winter nights will have us wishing for 110 degrees once again.
There is still lots to do before winter. We haven't gathered a stick of firewood, although what we have accomplished has been great! Both basement rooms are, for the most part, complete. Both rooms are lacking baseboards and molding but the back storage room is now a lovely sewing room, cozy and quaint. The front room is now the family room but in the near future we'd like to take out the staircase and reconfigure it so access to the basement is from the living room and not the door laden hallway. The concrete floor is painted, I did that last summer when we moved in but after a cold winter, we've decided that concrete is not the way to go. We bought laminate flooring that we did install in the sewing room and once we have redone the staircase, we'll lay the flooring there.
Both of the kid's bedrooms have been painted and one of these days I'll get around to making curtains. My living room is finally less cluttered and it makes for a wonderful respite away from the noise of the TV and children for the adults. We had company for the past week and a half and boy was it nice to be able to retire and talk at a normal level. Jeremiah scraped the ceiling about 2 weeks ago but I ran out of time so the paint was put on hold. The work on the house seems slow in ways but I do believe we've made great strides.
Jeremiah has installed quite a few new doors throughout the house. The previous owners really REALLY liked dark wood and flat cream walls. To be perfectly honest with you, I hate it! We are replacing all the doors in the house with 6 panel "off the shelf" doors. The dark wood doors took paint fine but after seeing what the hallway could look like with new doors, we decided against any more door priming and painting! Boy do the new doors really make it look completely different!
Jeremiah wanted to do some demo over Thanksgiving, mainly the kitchen, but we're excited about company coming to visit and demolition of the kitchen is now on hold. I'd love to rip the bathrooms apart, but all in due time.
We put up a pool a couple of weeks ago just so the kids would have more to do than sitting inside. It's heck when the inside is all there is because it's so hot out! While the cousins were here, we had all 5 kids remove the bricks from along side the outside perimeter of the shop. They were allowing water to flow underneath the sill and eventually it would have rotted it out. Jeremiah needs to get up on the roof of the shop with someone (who, I don't know because I am deathly afraid of heights and so was his brother who was just here). There are opaque center panels that allow light to shine in but they were installed incorrectly and the roof is leaking. They need to be removed, cleaned of the silicone caulking and reinstalled correctly then re-rivited. I am hoping the offer of a good free meal will get someone over here to help out.
We're finished with the fencing, did I tell you? When we arrived home from Ca. we finished up the 770' west stretch and, minus a gate in the NW corner where we own a 30' easement to Willison Rd., we're done! Even managed to get some cross fencing up for the buck's pasture. Although, it won't do a bit of good because there isn'tcrap
I am planning for November breeding of the goats for April babies. I learned my lesson and will NOT be kidding anywhere near February or March if I can at all help it! There are a few goats who will go off to auction in a couple of weeks. The price of beef is falling because of the lack of summer grass to feed them and the certain lack of hay available this winter. It's more cost effective for us to buy half a cow to stick in the deep freeze right now.
Can I tell you how many loads of hay we've gone and gotten? Do let me tell you. Load 1 and 2 consisted of large round bales of alfalfa and grass hay. Three of them are in the barn, 3 of them are outside. The round bales, if set correctly, normally shed water and snow pretty well. There is an outside layer of about an inch that is usually no good but it protects the inner hay quite well. There is also a netting they use to keep it all tight (baling netting) that also helps shed moisture. Load 3 of 100 bales of grass hay went to the neighbors. We bucked all that by hand. Load 4 of 100 bales of grass hay was delivered on our way back down from picking it up to some people east by about half an hour, we bucked that by hand too. Load 5 and 6 consisted of 100 bales of the finest alfalfa Kansas has to offer-every bit of that went into our barn- and 120 bales of grass hay of which 58 went into our barn, 60 was delivered right down the road and 2 went to someone using it just for their county fair heifer and steer project.
I still do not feel we have enough stored as of right now. The last thing I want is to get the goats through and run out at the last minute. If I am hoarding, so be it. We have plans to make another trip up for hay at the end of the week, all of which is being delivered down the road to the same person who bought half of the last load of grass hay. I have 280 bales on hold with the grass hay grower and 100 bales of alfalfa on hold with the alfalfa grower of his 4th cutting this year. I am to call him back towards the end of August. Of those 280 bales of grass hay alone, 140 bales are spoken by the guy down the road and then the rest are mine.
With, let's see...140 grass hay, 200 alfalfa, 58 bales of grass hay already in the barn and 6 round bales, I'd say we're probably good!
This may all sound pretty boring I suppose, but it's our life. We look forward to kidding next year, though many of the does will be bred to Andy, our spotted buck, as the economy is still bad and spots sell. He's nothing to scoff at for sure but now that I have the breeding stock I want, I can focus on building up the herd and that will mean cuts next year. I can only hope we get the rain necessary to keep the pasture green and growing! That seems like such a long way off and to be perfectly honest, after this horrible summer we've had, looking ahead to another winter is not really something that brings warm fuzzies to mind!Another year older and Another year wiser though and it should be a bit easier on us!
Jeremiah has gone back to work. He was supposed to be in Kansas City this week for the annual teacher's conference but was able to forgo that to take another class putting him one step closer to a pay raise and his Masters. I too have thought about going back to school now that the kids will be in school full time but I think I will ride out the Fall semester and perhaps apply in the Spring. Business is going great guns and with as busy as we've been this summer, I'd really like to get better organized before taking on one more thing.
We've put off Jeremiah taking the classes for his CWI (Certified Welding Inspectors license). Someday...just not today. That seems to be the motto these days. We'll get there. We're forever reminding ourselves that Rome wasn't built in a day.
At any rate, I suppose I've gone on long enough. All I ever seem to have time for anymore is updates. I have photos of the 4H show over the weekend that I promise to post. 4H was another stressful venture that I think we'll have a better understanding of this coming year!
And now here we are, nearing the end of summer vacation sweating and wishing for this horrid heat and drought to end and wondering what on earth this winter could possibly have in store for us. I almost feel jipped, though those cold stormy winter nights will have us wishing for 110 degrees once again.
There is still lots to do before winter. We haven't gathered a stick of firewood, although what we have accomplished has been great! Both basement rooms are, for the most part, complete. Both rooms are lacking baseboards and molding but the back storage room is now a lovely sewing room, cozy and quaint. The front room is now the family room but in the near future we'd like to take out the staircase and reconfigure it so access to the basement is from the living room and not the door laden hallway. The concrete floor is painted, I did that last summer when we moved in but after a cold winter, we've decided that concrete is not the way to go. We bought laminate flooring that we did install in the sewing room and once we have redone the staircase, we'll lay the flooring there.
Both of the kid's bedrooms have been painted and one of these days I'll get around to making curtains. My living room is finally less cluttered and it makes for a wonderful respite away from the noise of the TV and children for the adults. We had company for the past week and a half and boy was it nice to be able to retire and talk at a normal level. Jeremiah scraped the ceiling about 2 weeks ago but I ran out of time so the paint was put on hold. The work on the house seems slow in ways but I do believe we've made great strides.
Jeremiah has installed quite a few new doors throughout the house. The previous owners really REALLY liked dark wood and flat cream walls. To be perfectly honest with you, I hate it! We are replacing all the doors in the house with 6 panel "off the shelf" doors. The dark wood doors took paint fine but after seeing what the hallway could look like with new doors, we decided against any more door priming and painting! Boy do the new doors really make it look completely different!
Jeremiah wanted to do some demo over Thanksgiving, mainly the kitchen, but we're excited about company coming to visit and demolition of the kitchen is now on hold. I'd love to rip the bathrooms apart, but all in due time.
We put up a pool a couple of weeks ago just so the kids would have more to do than sitting inside. It's heck when the inside is all there is because it's so hot out! While the cousins were here, we had all 5 kids remove the bricks from along side the outside perimeter of the shop. They were allowing water to flow underneath the sill and eventually it would have rotted it out. Jeremiah needs to get up on the roof of the shop with someone (who, I don't know because I am deathly afraid of heights and so was his brother who was just here). There are opaque center panels that allow light to shine in but they were installed incorrectly and the roof is leaking. They need to be removed, cleaned of the silicone caulking and reinstalled correctly then re-rivited. I am hoping the offer of a good free meal will get someone over here to help out.
We're finished with the fencing, did I tell you? When we arrived home from Ca. we finished up the 770' west stretch and, minus a gate in the NW corner where we own a 30' easement to Willison Rd., we're done! Even managed to get some cross fencing up for the buck's pasture. Although, it won't do a bit of good because there isn't
I am planning for November breeding of the goats for April babies. I learned my lesson and will NOT be kidding anywhere near February or March if I can at all help it! There are a few goats who will go off to auction in a couple of weeks. The price of beef is falling because of the lack of summer grass to feed them and the certain lack of hay available this winter. It's more cost effective for us to buy half a cow to stick in the deep freeze right now.
Can I tell you how many loads of hay we've gone and gotten? Do let me tell you. Load 1 and 2 consisted of large round bales of alfalfa and grass hay. Three of them are in the barn, 3 of them are outside. The round bales, if set correctly, normally shed water and snow pretty well. There is an outside layer of about an inch that is usually no good but it protects the inner hay quite well. There is also a netting they use to keep it all tight (baling netting) that also helps shed moisture. Load 3 of 100 bales of grass hay went to the neighbors. We bucked all that by hand. Load 4 of 100 bales of grass hay was delivered on our way back down from picking it up to some people east by about half an hour, we bucked that by hand too. Load 5 and 6 consisted of 100 bales of the finest alfalfa Kansas has to offer-every bit of that went into our barn- and 120 bales of grass hay of which 58 went into our barn, 60 was delivered right down the road and 2 went to someone using it just for their county fair heifer and steer project.
I still do not feel we have enough stored as of right now. The last thing I want is to get the goats through and run out at the last minute. If I am hoarding, so be it. We have plans to make another trip up for hay at the end of the week, all of which is being delivered down the road to the same person who bought half of the last load of grass hay. I have 280 bales on hold with the grass hay grower and 100 bales of alfalfa on hold with the alfalfa grower of his 4th cutting this year. I am to call him back towards the end of August. Of those 280 bales of grass hay alone, 140 bales are spoken by the guy down the road and then the rest are mine.
With, let's see...140 grass hay, 200 alfalfa, 58 bales of grass hay already in the barn and 6 round bales, I'd say we're probably good!
This may all sound pretty boring I suppose, but it's our life. We look forward to kidding next year, though many of the does will be bred to Andy, our spotted buck, as the economy is still bad and spots sell. He's nothing to scoff at for sure but now that I have the breeding stock I want, I can focus on building up the herd and that will mean cuts next year. I can only hope we get the rain necessary to keep the pasture green and growing! That seems like such a long way off and to be perfectly honest, after this horrible summer we've had, looking ahead to another winter is not really something that brings warm fuzzies to mind!
Jeremiah has gone back to work. He was supposed to be in Kansas City this week for the annual teacher's conference but was able to forgo that to take another class putting him one step closer to a pay raise and his Masters. I too have thought about going back to school now that the kids will be in school full time but I think I will ride out the Fall semester and perhaps apply in the Spring. Business is going great guns and with as busy as we've been this summer, I'd really like to get better organized before taking on one more thing.
We've put off Jeremiah taking the classes for his CWI (Certified Welding Inspectors license). Someday...just not today. That seems to be the motto these days. We'll get there. We're forever reminding ourselves that Rome wasn't built in a day.
At any rate, I suppose I've gone on long enough. All I ever seem to have time for anymore is updates. I have photos of the 4H show over the weekend that I promise to post. 4H was another stressful venture that I think we'll have a better understanding of this coming year!
Saturday, July 9, 2011
July Hollow Update
We've hit the ground running since returning from vacation. Yes, the dog was happy to see us. The goats we hauled back with us from Ca. made it fine and are settling in. Ann took no time at all to establish herself as herd queen and is quite happy to eat anything green, herbaceous and delicious. Iris, on the other hand, is more picky but sweet just the same.
We're in a major drought this year. Hay prices have gone sky high and we're hauling in hay from 100 miles away, 2 1/2 ton at a time. We'll need to make a few more trips north to bring enough down for the next year. It's not just that prices are sky high within the few surrounding counties, there won't be enough to go around either. Most hay fields aren't artificially irrigated, in case you were wondering, so whatever grows off of what falls from the sky is it. Fortunately for us, it's cheaper up north AND more abundant, so providing we've got the time to go up, we should be just fine.
We've got visiting friends with us. Because we've pulled all the posts and fence line from the west side of the property we've got the neighbor's two paint horses here. We could easily have the lines back up in a day but ran out of time Wednesday evening to get the lines up. We weren't around Friday and so today may be the day. It's either all or nothing as I would hate to get one or two up to have the horses get caught in them. To be perfectly honest, putting up the fence line is the quick and easy part! Taking it all down and cleaning the fence line beforehand is what takes the time! The goats haven't minded the horses and visa versa but I did lock the goats in the "main pen" so I could be sure they weren't visiting the neighbor's. I don't mind if the horses are over here but I don't need the goats getting into mischief over there.
It's been so hot which only adds to the misery of having no rain too. I try to get out as soon as the sun's up but getting back on Central time has been difficult. It also stays light out here until nearly 10 o'clock and working in the evenings is nice and cool. Jeremiah's a night owl anyway. I am not, but have been working well into the dark to maximize the time we can work.
Other than that, the kids are fine. We're preparing for the county fair in which Rachel has a few entries. I suppose I also need to think about getting the paperwork in for the state fair as well. Jeremiah goes back to work in a few weeks. His classroom and shop are being painted right now so he's back to square one (as in, the same place he was last year with his shop in total disarray). The summer sure is flying by!
We're in a major drought this year. Hay prices have gone sky high and we're hauling in hay from 100 miles away, 2 1/2 ton at a time. We'll need to make a few more trips north to bring enough down for the next year. It's not just that prices are sky high within the few surrounding counties, there won't be enough to go around either. Most hay fields aren't artificially irrigated, in case you were wondering, so whatever grows off of what falls from the sky is it. Fortunately for us, it's cheaper up north AND more abundant, so providing we've got the time to go up, we should be just fine.
We've got visiting friends with us. Because we've pulled all the posts and fence line from the west side of the property we've got the neighbor's two paint horses here. We could easily have the lines back up in a day but ran out of time Wednesday evening to get the lines up. We weren't around Friday and so today may be the day. It's either all or nothing as I would hate to get one or two up to have the horses get caught in them. To be perfectly honest, putting up the fence line is the quick and easy part! Taking it all down and cleaning the fence line beforehand is what takes the time! The goats haven't minded the horses and visa versa but I did lock the goats in the "main pen" so I could be sure they weren't visiting the neighbor's. I don't mind if the horses are over here but I don't need the goats getting into mischief over there.
It's been so hot which only adds to the misery of having no rain too. I try to get out as soon as the sun's up but getting back on Central time has been difficult. It also stays light out here until nearly 10 o'clock and working in the evenings is nice and cool. Jeremiah's a night owl anyway. I am not, but have been working well into the dark to maximize the time we can work.
Other than that, the kids are fine. We're preparing for the county fair in which Rachel has a few entries. I suppose I also need to think about getting the paperwork in for the state fair as well. Jeremiah goes back to work in a few weeks. His classroom and shop are being painted right now so he's back to square one (as in, the same place he was last year with his shop in total disarray). The summer sure is flying by!
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Leaving Full
What a weekend! What a week leading up to this weekend. We are all exhausted, sun burned but exhilarated and proud. Friday night was the youth only show that started strictly with showmanship, which is the judge judging you and not your goat, although you do take a goat into the ring. We left at 1 to get to the fair ground early by 2 to get our pens and get them set up. We only took the truck that night with Cheedoe and Dawn. Saturday was the "open" show where any age can show so the mix of ages was nice.
I started clipping on Wednesday! The temps have been something awful here and I've been show clipping in the early mornings and late evenings partly because of the heat, partly because I have some darker goats and wanted to give them a few days for their hair to grow in just a tiny bit so they didn't look patchy and partly because the clippers get hot and I need the break. Everyone was cranky so short stints made them easier to work with. I was still clipping Saturday morning at 6 AM!
Our first show out as a family and we had quite an assortment of placings. Cheedoe, who is quite a nice junior doe, looked horrible once clipped and I don't mean in confirmation. She has lovely Nubian attributes but her coloring underneath, in my opinion, just made her show awfully. That's it, it's as simple as coloring making her look not as nice as the others, or at least that's my opinion.. It could have been my clip job for sure but she's so many different colors in all the "wrong" spots and had I known, I would have left her un-clipped or left her really long anyway! I almost hated to take her and she showed at the back of her class each time. It's just not her fault.
Rachel made our hearts burst with pride. Jeremiah and I were at opposite sides of the ring and both of us were nearly moved to tears watching her in that show ring like she'd done it a million times before. Every thing we'd worked on she followed to a "t" from the way she payed attention to the judge and moved when the judge moved, walked with confidence and set the goat up. She was just awesome.
Friday night the judge made a mistake in thinking Rachel had gone the wrong way in a showmanship class when she hadn't. She was at the top of her game that night! I cannot tell you the utter disappointment to be called out like that by the judge and I had half a mind to say something, as in interrupting the judge right then and there. While the lesson from the judge to be learned was that you always go in a clockwise rotation around the judge the real lesson that we reminded her of was that people make mistakes and as long as Rachel knew the truth it was okay and she did. It was still a hard pride pill to swallow though for a while when it hadn't been her at all!
I was not showing my best being totally exhausted and a nervous wreck about a late start on Saturday morning, helping the kids get ready and making sure everyone knew which goats we up next. I don't do well in the heat, couple that with a soda I shouldn't have had, not enough sleep, dirt and it makes for a participant who should have handed it over and under the right circumstances, would have gladly.
Saturday brought hot temps, cranky goats and exhausted participants and show goers alike. Rachel showed Dawn for her junior class. Dawn didn't want to walk, wanted to lay down and just quit and did. Rachel, being a bit nervous to begin with and is somewhat of a child who wants to blend in, became overwhelmed when the crowd began laughing (not at her, at the fact that animals are animals and in the middle of the show decided enough was enough, she just wanted to be a goat, lay down and chew her cud). Rachel, partly thinking they were laughing at her and partly just plain frustrated, broke down and began to cry. Daddy and mommy to the rescue with a few encouraging words from us and the judge and she pulled herself up by her boot straps and drove on to come in 2nd in a class of over 20 (where Jeremiah and my juniors placed 5&6th I believe) and went on to show Dawn yet again just a short while later with Apricot (dry (not in milk and not bred) yearling) and I in the class for Grand and Reserve Grand (which we didn't win but still we made it).
Her perseverance was testament to the whole weekend, truly. Saturday morning after such a long week for me with the kids home full time from school, trying to get goats clipped along with all the usual chores and regular work and all the work Rachel, Drew and I had done with the goats, I really just wanted to fall back to sleep at 5 AM when the alarm went off. I wanted to call it quits at 6 AM while shaving udders and knowing I'd run out of time before I could get it done. But in my heart, as a mother and teacher and leader, I knew despite my desire to want to give in and give up, it wouldn't be fair to the children nor would it show them what we try to instill in them. And with a grateful heart, it brings me to tears to think of her strength and will in mirroring us as a family all weekend.
After a disappointing morning with our yearling milkers placing at the end of their class, we went out on a high with our juniors doing very well and Moon (our yearling buck we brought from Ca.) taking Reserve Grand Champion behind an 8 year old La Mancha. There was lots of gushing over him by quite a few folks including the judge. I don't take the credit, I give that all to his breeder and Jeremiah did a better job of showing him than I would have. Moon seems to like him better anyway- must be a guy thing- and I was just a wreck at that point anyway- completely overheated and spent. Jeremiah-being the ever patient man he is and probably wondering why on earth he was showing dairy goats of all things instead of 4 wheeling or something more manly- admonished that while they may be dairy goats, it was an event the whole family could participate in and if we weren't at a goat show, we'd be at home working on something around the farm for the goats. So, you see, one may as well have fun with it.
Our yearling milkers had nowhere near the (udder) capacity as every one else. I couldn't believe the size of these yearlings for one and for two the size of their udders. Mine were not full by any stretch. We did not get home until nearly 11 PM and because my kids are dam raised, they had been drinking up until 11 PM Friday night when we got home from the youth show. I don't like to "over udder" anyway but they weren't as full as they should have been and I know that. There's a lot to take into consideration on the milkers for sure and circumstances are circumstances.
We were happy to be home Saturday evening. I was happy to get the goats back home. King, our LGD, was overjoyed to have his goats back home and we were glad to take a shower! I didn't mention yet that King was so upset about us leaving with half the herd he jumped over the back fence and chased us half way down 4th street! I had to run him all the way back home-just another thing that made me want to call it quits.
But anyway, a very good time was had by all despite. Not wanting to forget Drew who, by his own admonition, wasn't ready for showing yet, was as good as gold all weekend. I was expecting him to be bored and cranky and let that be known by acting out but he was just as involved as everyone else minus being in the show ring. The toys and coloring books didn't even make it out of the truck and his "shell" of shyness an unsure-ness has either broken or was temporarily put to the side because he sat and talked with folks he didn't know and chatted and stepped up to the plate and did what was asked of him happily. This goat showing thing, while it may not be Jeremiah's cup of tea, sure did bring a lot of positives to our already close family this weekend.
Sunday will be spent relaxing! We're tired. I'll try to get some photos up.
I started clipping on Wednesday! The temps have been something awful here and I've been show clipping in the early mornings and late evenings partly because of the heat, partly because I have some darker goats and wanted to give them a few days for their hair to grow in just a tiny bit so they didn't look patchy and partly because the clippers get hot and I need the break. Everyone was cranky so short stints made them easier to work with. I was still clipping Saturday morning at 6 AM!
Our first show out as a family and we had quite an assortment of placings. Cheedoe, who is quite a nice junior doe, looked horrible once clipped and I don't mean in confirmation. She has lovely Nubian attributes but her coloring underneath, in my opinion, just made her show awfully. That's it, it's as simple as coloring making her look not as nice as the others, or at least that's my opinion.. It could have been my clip job for sure but she's so many different colors in all the "wrong" spots and had I known, I would have left her un-clipped or left her really long anyway! I almost hated to take her and she showed at the back of her class each time. It's just not her fault.
Rachel made our hearts burst with pride. Jeremiah and I were at opposite sides of the ring and both of us were nearly moved to tears watching her in that show ring like she'd done it a million times before. Every thing we'd worked on she followed to a "t" from the way she payed attention to the judge and moved when the judge moved, walked with confidence and set the goat up. She was just awesome.
Friday night the judge made a mistake in thinking Rachel had gone the wrong way in a showmanship class when she hadn't. She was at the top of her game that night! I cannot tell you the utter disappointment to be called out like that by the judge and I had half a mind to say something, as in interrupting the judge right then and there. While the lesson from the judge to be learned was that you always go in a clockwise rotation around the judge the real lesson that we reminded her of was that people make mistakes and as long as Rachel knew the truth it was okay and she did. It was still a hard pride pill to swallow though for a while when it hadn't been her at all!
I was not showing my best being totally exhausted and a nervous wreck about a late start on Saturday morning, helping the kids get ready and making sure everyone knew which goats we up next. I don't do well in the heat, couple that with a soda I shouldn't have had, not enough sleep, dirt and it makes for a participant who should have handed it over and under the right circumstances, would have gladly.
Saturday brought hot temps, cranky goats and exhausted participants and show goers alike. Rachel showed Dawn for her junior class. Dawn didn't want to walk, wanted to lay down and just quit and did. Rachel, being a bit nervous to begin with and is somewhat of a child who wants to blend in, became overwhelmed when the crowd began laughing (not at her, at the fact that animals are animals and in the middle of the show decided enough was enough, she just wanted to be a goat, lay down and chew her cud). Rachel, partly thinking they were laughing at her and partly just plain frustrated, broke down and began to cry. Daddy and mommy to the rescue with a few encouraging words from us and the judge and she pulled herself up by her boot straps and drove on to come in 2nd in a class of over 20 (where Jeremiah and my juniors placed 5&6th I believe) and went on to show Dawn yet again just a short while later with Apricot (dry (not in milk and not bred) yearling) and I in the class for Grand and Reserve Grand (which we didn't win but still we made it).
Her perseverance was testament to the whole weekend, truly. Saturday morning after such a long week for me with the kids home full time from school, trying to get goats clipped along with all the usual chores and regular work and all the work Rachel, Drew and I had done with the goats, I really just wanted to fall back to sleep at 5 AM when the alarm went off. I wanted to call it quits at 6 AM while shaving udders and knowing I'd run out of time before I could get it done. But in my heart, as a mother and teacher and leader, I knew despite my desire to want to give in and give up, it wouldn't be fair to the children nor would it show them what we try to instill in them. And with a grateful heart, it brings me to tears to think of her strength and will in mirroring us as a family all weekend.
After a disappointing morning with our yearling milkers placing at the end of their class, we went out on a high with our juniors doing very well and Moon (our yearling buck we brought from Ca.) taking Reserve Grand Champion behind an 8 year old La Mancha. There was lots of gushing over him by quite a few folks including the judge. I don't take the credit, I give that all to his breeder and Jeremiah did a better job of showing him than I would have. Moon seems to like him better anyway- must be a guy thing- and I was just a wreck at that point anyway- completely overheated and spent. Jeremiah-being the ever patient man he is and probably wondering why on earth he was showing dairy goats of all things instead of 4 wheeling or something more manly- admonished that while they may be dairy goats, it was an event the whole family could participate in and if we weren't at a goat show, we'd be at home working on something around the farm for the goats. So, you see, one may as well have fun with it.
Our yearling milkers had nowhere near the (udder) capacity as every one else. I couldn't believe the size of these yearlings for one and for two the size of their udders. Mine were not full by any stretch. We did not get home until nearly 11 PM and because my kids are dam raised, they had been drinking up until 11 PM Friday night when we got home from the youth show. I don't like to "over udder" anyway but they weren't as full as they should have been and I know that. There's a lot to take into consideration on the milkers for sure and circumstances are circumstances.
We were happy to be home Saturday evening. I was happy to get the goats back home. King, our LGD, was overjoyed to have his goats back home and we were glad to take a shower! I didn't mention yet that King was so upset about us leaving with half the herd he jumped over the back fence and chased us half way down 4th street! I had to run him all the way back home-just another thing that made me want to call it quits.
But anyway, a very good time was had by all despite. Not wanting to forget Drew who, by his own admonition, wasn't ready for showing yet, was as good as gold all weekend. I was expecting him to be bored and cranky and let that be known by acting out but he was just as involved as everyone else minus being in the show ring. The toys and coloring books didn't even make it out of the truck and his "shell" of shyness an unsure-ness has either broken or was temporarily put to the side because he sat and talked with folks he didn't know and chatted and stepped up to the plate and did what was asked of him happily. This goat showing thing, while it may not be Jeremiah's cup of tea, sure did bring a lot of positives to our already close family this weekend.
Sunday will be spent relaxing! We're tired. I'll try to get some photos up.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Gunpowder and Lead Continued...
I have just a second to jot down why King wasn't at the fence when the coyote episode lead to Jeremiah being outside in his underwear holding a loaded shotgun in freezing temps the other morning.
The day before when Jeremiah was leaving for work we saw King up near the road. This time of year without leaves on the trees, we can see much of the road. Jeremiah said the dog was up near the road and of course I freaked out and sternly told him to come to which he obliged but somewhat unhappily.
I've come to learn that LGD's have a mind of their own, or at least this one does. Not that most animals don't but I've been told LGD's can be somewhat stubborn and take a firmer hand but that's part of why they are so smart, at least with King. He's obedient, though somewhat unhappily at times. Butters was just an idiot. Not that we didn't love him and not that he wasn't a kind idiot, we tried and tried to get him to stop running, in the end, that was just Butters. But aside from that and back to my story, I called King back and Jeremiah said he had a bloody paw. By the looks of things, I figured he was eating on something.
Sure enough, no sooner than I put him in the garage to deal with the morning, Jeremiah called from the road in the car to say a deer had been hit and was laying in the ditch. That's not uncommon at all. Uncommon thus far to have one hit in the front yard, but dead animals are a pretty common site along the road.
At any rate, I knew if I put him back in the goat pen he'd just get back out so what's a girl to do but drag the dead deer carcass to him? So, that's what I did and he was happy. If you'll remember right, King needed a new home, which is how he came to us, because at his last owners he was visiting the meat locker in town. I had gotten him a bone a couple of days before but why would a bone be good enough when he had a whole damn deer at his disposal?
That was the night of the "Gunpowder and Lead" episode. I drug the deer into an "open" pen so that he could chew on it without the goats getting to it. It wasn't that I thought they'd gnaw on it, I just didn't want them to see their fellow kind lying dead and disemboweled. Sorry, maybe that's too much information.
I know what some of you are thinking, you're letting the same dog who is eating on a deer live amongst your goats??? Well, yes, yes I am. What can I say? Obviously he knows the difference and it's not like he went out and killed the deer. He was just getting some good eats.
And some of you may also be thinking, "OH LORD, SHE DRUG A DEAD DEER TO THE BACK FOR HER DOG TO CHEW ON??" Yes, I did that too. What else was I supposed to do? I wasn't about to bury it. It's good meat, our dog wanted it, and it's not like I killed it! So, why be wasteful!? Perhaps I'll need to flip the "Trashy People Live Here" sign back because we were doing so good for so long. What, with me hanging laundry to dry on an actual clothes line instead of our cattle panel back yard fence-never mind that it's sunk into the loamy soil so far that the jeans drag on the ground and the fact my boys still pee in the yard and now we had a whole dead deer I pilfered off the road and drug into the back yard for dog food!
Now that that's out of the way- I had shut the gate partially enough to the (renamed "dead deer") pen so the goats probably wouldn't spend the time trying to squeeze though but the dog could. It ended up that he got locked into that pen and so the morning of the coyote sighting the poor guy was locked up and best I can figure he knew where his carcass was, he couldn't get out so why bother barking? I don't know if that's true. I do know he coudn't get out. I know I didn't hear him and I know that's why he didn't come when I called. Maybe he thought he was in trouble and should mind his P's and Q's. I can't say for sure. Hell, maybe he was way out back, I don't know. What I do know is he was locked in that pen when Jeremiah and I went out once we were dressed.
What I can say is that yes, he's naughty for getting out to get the deer, but we can't stop that. Seriously, we really can't. Even if we put up a block wall around the whole entire property, he'd get out. It scares me that he goes up to the road but I can only hope that he has enough good sense, and he seems to, to stay the hell off of it. If not, what else can we do? Chain him? What good is he then and what kind of life is that? So, in the end King will do what he wants. He knows where he lives, he's not a jumpety dog who runs everywhere he goes and so we hope for the best. It's not as if he spends every night out...he's just curious and while he has gotten out of the pen, it's normally because we're on the other side and he just wants to be with someone other than goats who have disdain for him and babies that like to jump on him. Do you blame him?
Anyway, I can say without a shadow of a doubt he's a good protector. We've had coyotes here every night/morning and he's sent them on their way. Jeremiah has gone out a number of mornings to do some population control only for them to be gone by the time he was dressed and ready to go because of King. A couple days ago the dang deer smelled so bad Jeremiah and I drug it out of the pen to the back 40, hauled the trailer out there and have plans to do a steak out. I think the trailer has kind of thwarted our efforts because I haven't heard coyotes in a few mornings until this morning when I got Jeremiah up again at about 4:30 AM to go out with the gun but King had chased them off, literally. He got out of the pen and chased them somewhere out back. They were close this morning again too. By the sound of it, probably out back by the deer carcass so not as near as the back yard like the other day but still, they don't need to be here. They can go eat someone elses cats...or goats.
All of this sounds like we're on high alert with these darn coyotes. To be honest, since getting King I haven't felt at all afraid for the goats...well, except the one morning when I was woken from a sound sleep and can't hear my dog! He's there and he does his job well..except when he's not and he isn't...you know? I know I can count on King...except when I can't :o)...unlike all the other stupid dogs in the neighborhood, to alert me when something's there because he only barks when something is. Or at least I assume. While the other dogs are yapping away, he's gone quiet. He knows. And while I don't have a problem initiating some population control on the coyote population, I also don't feel we have to either because the goats are safe. So, at least for today, the coyotes will live another day.
Yesterday morning around about 7:45 while I was in the milk room he started in barking and running to the east fence, I looked out and saw 4 deer jumping across the pasture to the north. So pretty much, he hates coyotes and deer. He knows the difference too between domestic dog and coyote...it's uncanny.
So, that's that. We're back to being trashy, our dog does well when he's not locked up with a carcass and being outside in your underwear before it's light out and freezing makes for a good story.
The end.
The day before when Jeremiah was leaving for work we saw King up near the road. This time of year without leaves on the trees, we can see much of the road. Jeremiah said the dog was up near the road and of course I freaked out and sternly told him to come to which he obliged but somewhat unhappily.
I've come to learn that LGD's have a mind of their own, or at least this one does. Not that most animals don't but I've been told LGD's can be somewhat stubborn and take a firmer hand but that's part of why they are so smart, at least with King. He's obedient, though somewhat unhappily at times. Butters was just an idiot. Not that we didn't love him and not that he wasn't a kind idiot, we tried and tried to get him to stop running, in the end, that was just Butters. But aside from that and back to my story, I called King back and Jeremiah said he had a bloody paw. By the looks of things, I figured he was eating on something.
Sure enough, no sooner than I put him in the garage to deal with the morning, Jeremiah called from the road in the car to say a deer had been hit and was laying in the ditch. That's not uncommon at all. Uncommon thus far to have one hit in the front yard, but dead animals are a pretty common site along the road.
At any rate, I knew if I put him back in the goat pen he'd just get back out so what's a girl to do but drag the dead deer carcass to him? So, that's what I did and he was happy. If you'll remember right, King needed a new home, which is how he came to us, because at his last owners he was visiting the meat locker in town. I had gotten him a bone a couple of days before but why would a bone be good enough when he had a whole damn deer at his disposal?
That was the night of the "Gunpowder and Lead" episode. I drug the deer into an "open" pen so that he could chew on it without the goats getting to it. It wasn't that I thought they'd gnaw on it, I just didn't want them to see their fellow kind lying dead and disemboweled. Sorry, maybe that's too much information.
I know what some of you are thinking, you're letting the same dog who is eating on a deer live amongst your goats??? Well, yes, yes I am. What can I say? Obviously he knows the difference and it's not like he went out and killed the deer. He was just getting some good eats.
And some of you may also be thinking, "OH LORD, SHE DRUG A DEAD DEER TO THE BACK FOR HER DOG TO CHEW ON??" Yes, I did that too. What else was I supposed to do? I wasn't about to bury it. It's good meat, our dog wanted it, and it's not like I killed it! So, why be wasteful!? Perhaps I'll need to flip the "Trashy People Live Here" sign back because we were doing so good for so long. What, with me hanging laundry to dry on an actual clothes line instead of our cattle panel back yard fence-never mind that it's sunk into the loamy soil so far that the jeans drag on the ground and the fact my boys still pee in the yard and now we had a whole dead deer I pilfered off the road and drug into the back yard for dog food!
Now that that's out of the way- I had shut the gate partially enough to the (renamed "dead deer") pen so the goats probably wouldn't spend the time trying to squeeze though but the dog could. It ended up that he got locked into that pen and so the morning of the coyote sighting the poor guy was locked up and best I can figure he knew where his carcass was, he couldn't get out so why bother barking? I don't know if that's true. I do know he coudn't get out. I know I didn't hear him and I know that's why he didn't come when I called. Maybe he thought he was in trouble and should mind his P's and Q's. I can't say for sure. Hell, maybe he was way out back, I don't know. What I do know is he was locked in that pen when Jeremiah and I went out once we were dressed.
What I can say is that yes, he's naughty for getting out to get the deer, but we can't stop that. Seriously, we really can't. Even if we put up a block wall around the whole entire property, he'd get out. It scares me that he goes up to the road but I can only hope that he has enough good sense, and he seems to, to stay the hell off of it. If not, what else can we do? Chain him? What good is he then and what kind of life is that? So, in the end King will do what he wants. He knows where he lives, he's not a jumpety dog who runs everywhere he goes and so we hope for the best. It's not as if he spends every night out...he's just curious and while he has gotten out of the pen, it's normally because we're on the other side and he just wants to be with someone other than goats who have disdain for him and babies that like to jump on him. Do you blame him?
Anyway, I can say without a shadow of a doubt he's a good protector. We've had coyotes here every night/morning and he's sent them on their way. Jeremiah has gone out a number of mornings to do some population control only for them to be gone by the time he was dressed and ready to go because of King. A couple days ago the dang deer smelled so bad Jeremiah and I drug it out of the pen to the back 40, hauled the trailer out there and have plans to do a steak out. I think the trailer has kind of thwarted our efforts because I haven't heard coyotes in a few mornings until this morning when I got Jeremiah up again at about 4:30 AM to go out with the gun but King had chased them off, literally. He got out of the pen and chased them somewhere out back. They were close this morning again too. By the sound of it, probably out back by the deer carcass so not as near as the back yard like the other day but still, they don't need to be here. They can go eat someone elses cats...or goats.
All of this sounds like we're on high alert with these darn coyotes. To be honest, since getting King I haven't felt at all afraid for the goats...well, except the one morning when I was woken from a sound sleep and can't hear my dog! He's there and he does his job well..except when he's not and he isn't...you know? I know I can count on King...except when I can't :o)...unlike all the other stupid dogs in the neighborhood, to alert me when something's there because he only barks when something is. Or at least I assume. While the other dogs are yapping away, he's gone quiet. He knows. And while I don't have a problem initiating some population control on the coyote population, I also don't feel we have to either because the goats are safe. So, at least for today, the coyotes will live another day.
Yesterday morning around about 7:45 while I was in the milk room he started in barking and running to the east fence, I looked out and saw 4 deer jumping across the pasture to the north. So pretty much, he hates coyotes and deer. He knows the difference too between domestic dog and coyote...it's uncanny.
So, that's that. We're back to being trashy, our dog does well when he's not locked up with a carcass and being outside in your underwear before it's light out and freezing makes for a good story.
The end.
Monday, March 21, 2011
I need beer
It's Spring Break. Friday afternoon we spent the afternoon and evening fence supply shopping. In true fashion, we've been to town twice now and will have to make a few other trips yet.
We've decided to play it safe and do about a 520' pasture on the east side of the property instead of going hog wild and trying the whole thing. To be honest, taking down the fencing proved to be more work than I imagined but yesterday, in the lovely 70 degree sun, we were able to remove approximately 1,000 feet of 4 strand twisted wire. Our neighbor came over to remove and cut back some trees on his side and he used his tractor to remove quite a few rotten posts and incorrectly place (for our application) t posts.
Because we don't have an auger and because we don't want to dig post holes by hand, we're going with a t post and "Wedge loc" application. Our neighbor is skeptical but I've done about as much research as a person can do on the Wedge Loc system and it all seems sound. The only cynical information is from people who haven't used it themselves and the positives are from people who have used it. We've put up double "H" brace corner braces in about 15 minutes including getting the posts pounded in, try doing that with wood. While the whole system, quite honestly, is actually more expensive than traditional wood, the ease of use far outweighs the cost.
I've got some photos of a completed brace I'll show you later on.
We wanted to get to stringing today but odd jobs took a bunch of time. Tomorrow AM we'll get started stringing the fence line and providing nothing else comes up, I should have a completed pasture by noon. The neighbor's skeptical about that too. High tensile is not typical so explaining its ease of application is a bit difficult but once it's up, I'll win 'em over.
The grass is greening up here. We had rain on Saturday but it's been in the 80's yesterday and today...too hot in fact but I'll take it over negatives and snow.
About the title... Kansas is a dry state on Sundays. We learned the hard way that if you run out of beer on Saturday night, you had better make it to the liquor store/grocery store before midnight if you're going to need beer on Sunday (or have a really generous neighbor). While we didn't run out of beer on Saturday and while we're not huge beer drinkers, when a person wants a beer, they're sure nice to have around! We were at Walmart a few weeks ago on a Sunday. We drug a 12 pack up to the front to be asked/told by the cashier, "You know I can't sell you this right?". Jeremiah's response was, "Yeah, we knew that but we just like dragging beer through the whole store!". He didn't really say it out loud. Anyway, so yeah, no liquor on Sundays.
Course, Sunday is when we started on the fence and I cannot tell you how many times Jeremiah wished he had a beer! I felt like hitting him with a rock...or a t post. Finally, he conned the neighbor into getting us a couple nice cold ones from his fridge. He was happy to oblige and personally I felt like Andy Dufresne and his prison buddies in Shawshank Redemption out there drinking ice cold beer after a hard day's work.
We've decided to play it safe and do about a 520' pasture on the east side of the property instead of going hog wild and trying the whole thing. To be honest, taking down the fencing proved to be more work than I imagined but yesterday, in the lovely 70 degree sun, we were able to remove approximately 1,000 feet of 4 strand twisted wire. Our neighbor came over to remove and cut back some trees on his side and he used his tractor to remove quite a few rotten posts and incorrectly place (for our application) t posts.
Because we don't have an auger and because we don't want to dig post holes by hand, we're going with a t post and "Wedge loc" application. Our neighbor is skeptical but I've done about as much research as a person can do on the Wedge Loc system and it all seems sound. The only cynical information is from people who haven't used it themselves and the positives are from people who have used it. We've put up double "H" brace corner braces in about 15 minutes including getting the posts pounded in, try doing that with wood. While the whole system, quite honestly, is actually more expensive than traditional wood, the ease of use far outweighs the cost.
I've got some photos of a completed brace I'll show you later on.
We wanted to get to stringing today but odd jobs took a bunch of time. Tomorrow AM we'll get started stringing the fence line and providing nothing else comes up, I should have a completed pasture by noon. The neighbor's skeptical about that too. High tensile is not typical so explaining its ease of application is a bit difficult but once it's up, I'll win 'em over.
The grass is greening up here. We had rain on Saturday but it's been in the 80's yesterday and today...too hot in fact but I'll take it over negatives and snow.
About the title... Kansas is a dry state on Sundays. We learned the hard way that if you run out of beer on Saturday night, you had better make it to the liquor store/grocery store before midnight if you're going to need beer on Sunday (or have a really generous neighbor). While we didn't run out of beer on Saturday and while we're not huge beer drinkers, when a person wants a beer, they're sure nice to have around! We were at Walmart a few weeks ago on a Sunday. We drug a 12 pack up to the front to be asked/told by the cashier, "You know I can't sell you this right?". Jeremiah's response was, "Yeah, we knew that but we just like dragging beer through the whole store!". He didn't really say it out loud. Anyway, so yeah, no liquor on Sundays.
Course, Sunday is when we started on the fence and I cannot tell you how many times Jeremiah wished he had a beer! I felt like hitting him with a rock...or a t post. Finally, he conned the neighbor into getting us a couple nice cold ones from his fridge. He was happy to oblige and personally I felt like Andy Dufresne and his prison buddies in Shawshank Redemption out there drinking ice cold beer after a hard day's work.
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| He really does love them!!! |
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| The first brace goes in! |
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Meet Sgt. Sexy...
...and his wife,
See what Sgt. Sexy does on his day off for the
Abominable! I mean, Admirable!
Snow Much Fun
It's been a week since the dreaded white crap was here. Happy to report, it's nearly gone with the gorgeous temps. we've had! It's the perfect time to post about it!
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Ax Man
Alternately titled: Rome wasn't built in a day.
We spent yesterday cutting down and chopping up trees. Winter's coming. I don't know when it'll be here, I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop but so far we've had some really lovely fall weather. Maybe this is normal, obviously we've not been here long enough to know but from what I understand the warmish temps we've been having is a bit unusual. I'll take what we can get!
This property has been slightly neglected for a really long time when it come to trees and brush. I'd like to go out on a limb and say the majority of it's been very neglected but it's understandable...there's a lot here!
There is years and years and years worth of wood to be burned just laying around. We cut and stacked about a cord yesterday (Saturday) and today we're cutting down bush trees. The goat girls are gorging themselves!
It will take years and years to get all the underbrush cleaned up...that and many weekends with a chipper shredder. Rome wasn't built in a day!
We spent yesterday cutting down and chopping up trees. Winter's coming. I don't know when it'll be here, I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop but so far we've had some really lovely fall weather. Maybe this is normal, obviously we've not been here long enough to know but from what I understand the warmish temps we've been having is a bit unusual. I'll take what we can get!
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There is years and years and years worth of wood to be burned just laying around. We cut and stacked about a cord yesterday (Saturday) and today we're cutting down bush trees. The goat girls are gorging themselves!
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Thursday, October 7, 2010
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