Learning and growing....

Each show she grows more confident.

She won second in her market class at a local show. 

Her Dad-Z is holding the banner.

Yes I know, he isn't smiling, he rarely does organically.

Above Sully, below Mike ;)

Lord knows what she is saying to Mike.

She is always observing and applying techniques. 

Couldn't ask for more, fake it till ya make it!

 

Doom and Gloom...

is all I hear about from most people these days.

I see it differently.

I guess I live simply so these "surging" prices I hear about haven't really affected me.

I already buy basics and do not "shop" alot.

If prices are too high I don't buy.

Deprived? 

I don't think so.

Utilities too high?

Do with less.

Someone I know is paying over $200.00 a month for TV/Cable.

They only watch it a few hours in the evening.

Why do we need the "Alexis" type gadgets taking up electric in every room and the garage 

for the convenience of saying

"set an alarm" or "play this" or "why is the earth round"?

What?

Do we need 400+ choices?

What is the harm in saying no?

Why do we think we need to keep everything the same way as before?

Why do we not want to change our habits to reflect life changes?

Why must there be ham at Easter, no matter the cost and a huge egg hunt?

Why must children have a hundred choices?

Adjust, adapt, change...

What is the worst that can happen? 

Deep into it

4-H Clothing project in full swing with Miss A.

Cutting slowly  on shirt material.

Shorts finished and looking cute.

Lined in seam pockets.

She said "I needed to get used to scissors/shears, but now they fit great".

  LN who is rarely seen here anymore, a PHD student in the wild or maybe just helping the BF check his trees growth for his research.

 

Some things...

have been accomplished in the last few weeks/months.

Miss A competed in her first cooking contest in 4-H.

She baked Double Chocolate Sourdough Muffins and entered them in the Beginner Bread.

She (2nd from left) won her division and received a small chopper for her prize.

I may have absconded with it ;)

In other news we took down more pines trees.

Two had bark off and dry, open gashes in them. Not rotten yet but headed there.

When Z dropped the top half he swayed with the trunk and I have may have had a mild stroke.

He never flinched.

Burnt 4 (some dropped last fall)  trees except large wet trunk pieces.

It may have been too windy and a spark may have singed off some of my hair, maybe.

My 2025 lambing season is finished.

I lost a ewe to severe prolapse with uterus bursting a month before due date.

Of the rest all went well.

Nice top line.

Last ewe finished the way God intended.

Outside, overnight, dried off and nursed lambs found in the early morning check.

The whites are so easy, just drop, clean and go on with it.

Two sets of triplets this year. 

Both sets are natural colored.

All doing well.

Extra bottles refused but always offered.

Snack time for Mama and ewe lamb.

Proper attire for early morning checks!

 

Gosh...

It's been awhile.

No excuses except...life.

It's moving on come hell or high water as they say.

This was in a book I was reading and seems appropriate.

Just hang on America another 2 weeks.

Then the real Sh*t Show will begin one way or another.

I am disappointed in some of my regularly read blogs and resulting comments.

Keep to yourself people.

No need to be ugly.

You are not going to change anyone's' mind at this point.

My oldest works and has for many years for our State Commissioners Office in Elections.

I'll help her out on Election day strictly for the money.

"I pity the fool" as Ali stated, that approaches me with nasty comments.

I am glad daily that I am for the most part a hermit.

I leave you with a pretty good job at horticulture from an 8 yr old.

Miss A made a holiday decoration for 4-H.

She is our future.

To me she hung the moon!

 

Over and Out...

2024 Blueberry harvest is in the books.

.....in the freezer actually!

4 bushes, 4 gallons plus fresh eating...

Not bad at all!

  I am grateful this drought and high heat waited till the berries matured.

I see many others are flooding and/or snowing in their states.

Here it is hotter than he*l.

I don't know who made God (or the gods depending on your believes) but please apologize or repent.

 

First one...

in the books!

Miss A showed in her first livestock show this weekend.

She did well.

She was the only one to enter the ring with no halter on her lamb.

That's a Grandma rule.

If you did the work at home you don't need a crutch in the ring.

The lamb was jumpy from standing around waiting but she successfully set her up.

Next show is in 3 weeks.

Practice, practice, practice...

Dad (Z on right) doesn't think she has lamb perfect but for the first time it's all good.

Onward and upward!

 

Small getaway and stuff

I impulsively took a 5 day getaway with friends about a month ago.

J and D are pseudo parents/family to me. 

You know, always there with advice, comfort, help, etc.

J drag races so off to Rockingham we went in the Motorhome.

J and his son J Jr were racing.

D and I were "crew".

D fed us so well I gained a few #s.

This is J's car at another track.

I only have videos from NC and I cant seem to post them on this computer.

Around the "homestead"....

Things are popping up. 

It is a process to get the results I had at the other place.

Some volunteers are much appreciated though.

Removing dead and dangerous trees resulted in dormant plants regenerating.

At Z's house ...

Grandma and A are still working on her lambs.

Her first solo show is next weekend.

Fingers crossed!

Friend

 brightens my day.

An instant friend R3 who I "met" and started working with during Covid floored me.

Turns out we sort of knew each other through our children in Elementary School.

I knew her son from my daughter talking about him and volunteering in their classroom.

She remembered me as the crazy Mom during field day tug of war screaming at her kid and mine as well as a neighbor boy to PULL .

We were the underdogs in size but I was trying to motivate those 3 as the biggest, tallest and strongest.

Physics said if they pulled and the anchor sat back hard they could win.

Guess what they did to the crowds surprise.

Maybe not in real life but it was a 5th grade triumph!! 

Ribbons and ice cream were awarded.

Anyhoo... we reconnected through work and she is the best and most creative person

even though we now work at different agencies within the State of DE 

we get together as often as possible.

R3 made me a thoughtful gift that choked me up.

I was going to take it home but I realized I only sleep there or I am outside.

It makes more sense to keep it where I can glance left and see it hanging with some of my favorite things.

It really is the small things in life that keep me going somedays.

Things to make you go hmmm....

SO much rain has fallen recently this tree committed suicide by wind.

Just gave up the ghost...

Same storm as above took the power for 4 hours.

Very peaceful...

Blast from the past!

Peep the girl in the striped shirt, yep that is yours truly in high school.

New larger garage door so my F250 fits inside the algae laden garage.

Makes the old door look sad doesn't it?

Possessed or just early morning shenanigans with Grandma?

You decide.

Monkey see, monkey do!

He loves to imitate his Dad and always wants pockets in his pants for his cause.

Otherwise rinse and repeat is my life at this stage.