Not Much

Not much happening here I don't think.

Usually if I start out with that phrase by the time I put everything down it seems like alot.

 

Sunday LN managed 5 hours of sewing .

2 little things need to be ripped and fixed, a dart that doesn't line up and a in-seam buttonhole size problem.

Sounds like won't be difficult and that's priceless.

Poncho is being pieced and should be finished next time around.

Pants will follow.

 

This weekend is 1st time heifers due date and I'm nervous.

We research the birth weighs of bulls we use but inevitably our shorthorn line has big calves.

Makes me nervous that I won't be around if there is an issue like last year with her sister's calf.

We managed to pull it but it took 4 of us helping in various places.

He survived and will be LN's steer this year.

Speaking of that we need a small dry spell to catch up on cattle washing and pen cleanings.

 

Yesterday S and I dehorned 3 kids.

We waited too long though and lil buggers didn't fit in box we use to hold them down.

I got a horn bud to the chin trying to control one of them.

We persevered and did it but will wait to see how successful in a few weeks if there is any re-growth.

It pays to adhere to dehorning at 10-14 days old for above reasons.

 

Friday R and I will band tails and sacks on lambs and ear tag them.

I need to check younger 3 ewes again and determine if they were bred.

 

LN's week so far and to go looks like this:

 

Monday night- indoor soccer game, she scored 4 out of 6 or 7 total goals

easy team , easy victory but still good deal

Tuesday- walk to and clean Mommom's house after school, no biggie

Wednesday- stay after school for honor society meeting, help shop for food for quarter auction after

Thursday - stay after for wrestling awards and test re-take, at home bake cake layers for contest

Friday- quarter auction, help set-up and work food booth with me, clean-up after

Saturday- finish cake, icing and decorating, have R come get her to be at contest with it by 10:30 till 2:30, doing foods judging while there and helping others as part of leadership,

I have to work till noon at store then go to contest at noon,

at 2:30 drive like bat out of hell for Phila. Union Soccer home opener at 4 pm

Sunday- soccer pract. 10-12, come home and pass out

 

I am tired already.

Sorry

Oops sorry it's been a while but stuff happens.

LN chose her pattern and material for her outfit due April 8th.

Houndstooth black and grey wool poncho and skinny leg black wool pants.

She'll wear grey boots with pants tucked in and red turtleneck , sleeves from elbows down will show through armholes providing only pop of color.

Should look pretty cool for sassy girl.

Pattern was pinned and cut for poncho.

Interfacing was handsewed on parts.

Darts were sewn.

Rest of pieces were prepped and started.

2nd day of sewing was today, progress is visible but not documented.

Sorry Charlie.

 

Field Hockey playoffs were played.

LN defended, coach apologized saying "your the one I trust back there", even stepping off court.

Legal as long as her stick stays in.

She frustrated this girl quite a few times.

 

She flew!

 

One of her favorite things to do.

 

 

 Girls "flies" from corner on penalty trying to beat opponent who has been served the ball.

On LN's team defending the corner shot 4 girls lined up , the one closest to goal gets to fly 1st.

LN 's job is to get there 1st and do a  1 handed block or mess up opponents shot.

They played 2 out of 3 possible games , losing 2nd in last few minutes.

Not bad for team with only 2 players with indoor FH experience and a few 1st time FH players at all.

 

This coming week is busy too.

Friday is 4-H exchange quarter auction. I am in charge of food booth.

Sometime maybe thursday a cake needs to be at least baked or at 0-dark thirty Saturday morning.

Icing can be arranged for early morning completion.

Saturday begins with 4-H Favorite Foods cooking contest and foods judging contest.

Saturday is also Philadelphia Union opening home game, we have tickets ;]

Honor society meeting, wrestling banquet, indoor soccer game, re test in language arts after school, etc, etc all have to be completed on week nights also.

Help me please!!!!!

 

 

 



Sunday Stuff

 

I'm heading out with LN this morning to a friends' house.

A has been LN's sewing mentor and guide for competition clothing for 2 years and this will begin her 3rd year and outfit.

A has 2 small children, 1 is 7 months and other is 18 months I believe.

Hoping to babysit some!

I love kids.

Today will be decision making hence all the wool material options.

LN wants to make a poncho, skinny leg pants and top of some sort.

 

Two possible options for poncho.

Crap picture I don't know why, it looked good on picasso and in camera?

Both were bought at an auction in large box of other wools for $2.00.

Like the price involved.

 

Brown tweed has flecks of orange, gold, yellow and green so lots of options

for complimentary fabric choices.

 

In other news I showed LN how to knit for few minutes and she took to it .

Knit herself a scarf she loves.

She had me rip apart the black and white variegated one like this.

She said it was too heavy, long and wide.

We will make 2 scarves out of the yarn this time, a bit narrower also.

Kids you just can't please them.

 

Her indoor field hockey team finished regular games in 2nd with only 1 loss.

Next weekend will be playoffs to championship.

Team has to play and win to advance.

No pressure though.

 

Tomorrow R has 2 wisdom tooth being extracted so I will be her chauffeur and nurse.

Maybe I'll make dinner for her husband and her while she whines rests.

It stinks to have procedure but is necessary.

I'll take my kindle, R loves to play on it.

Anything to numb the effects as she recovers.

Hay

 

S found some cow hay in round bales over in Maryland.

 Good thing too as with S2's additions to my small herd I need it.

At $40.00 a roll the arena cattle will go through a bale a week or 10 days.

He brought home 6 bales to get us a little closer to grass season.

 

S didn't want to store the bales too far away or in "his " shed since they were for cattle so

he dumped them alongside the arena fence with the tractor.

 

1 bale was put in the feeder right away.

The girls were happy to see it.

I couldn't get phone camera up in time to catch them before they trotted away.

 

Hay is the single biggest cost to feeding animals I think.

You can skip grain if they are in good shape and not needing milk production or body weight.

I only feed a handful daily to any animal to keep them coming around unless they are close to delivery or after delivery up until weaning time.

Hopefully I can get some cross fencing done in pasture field to try to preserve some grass during summer.

A modified rotational grazing I'm thinking I'll try out.

Can't hurt for sure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ouch

As LN trapped her 3 wk old feeder last night he decided to retaliate a but. He kicked back right as she approached him in chute. POP heard round the world as 2 little toes made contact with her knee. Ouch!

Seeds :`\

I may or may not have bought a "few" new seed packs.

I needed fresh seeds as I admit it has been several years and hot summers on the covered porch where the old seeds are stored since I have started seeds myself.

It's too easy to buy plants from all the greenhouses surrounding me.

Most are Amish families that we deliver feed to anyway so we don't have to make a special trip.

I give S a list of things I'm looking for and he delivers them back home to me.

This year I am buckling down and starting them myself.

I'm late too .

Should have already started at least 2 weeks ago.

Better late than never right?

Now to buy seed starting mix, clean up greenhouse,  see if heat works in greenhouse, fix broken window, refence garden, fix water pump at garden, haul water for seedlings till it's fixed.

All by this weekend is my goal.

Why am I still on here?

Fat Jack

Wonder if I can sell him since hay is getting short?

24th

 

My 1st born is 24 today.

 

 



 

She loves to show her shorthorns although she is personally shy and avoids the spot light.

 

 

She's darn pretty.

 

She can be very fun loving and spontaneous.

 

She 's a good older sister albeit a reluctant one.

 

She usually gets goofy with lil miss and they share similar taste in you-tubes and books.

Dumble Door, Ron Weesley?

 

She put herself through college with 1 semesters payment given my me.

She graduated on time despite semester off after crash that altered her life, health and personality.

 

She's a hardworker , just gets it done, no bitching, just muscle.

 

She's kinda in love with this cow.

 

She looks alot like me, has my body type and acts even closer.

God help her!

 

She helps out others without asking for praise.

 

I do believe she's a keeper.

Off to make her cake - Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake.

She rocks my world.

Good Start

What a way to start this soaking rainy day. 14# ewe lamb 45min at least later 9# ram I pulled on a upside down hoof and felt 1" inside found 2nd hoof pulled gently and upside down backwards boy showed up. Figures it was a goofy boy not knowing which way to join us. Oh my goodness sorry guys for wisecracking. Lambs are up and cleaned off and hunting milk duds ;) gym rescheduled for tomorrow morning glad I stayed just didn't feel best about no 2nd lamb. Easiest intervention I ve had this year and maybe unnecessary but over now. Think a nap is in order . Happy 24th to my oldest R. More on her later.

War Wound

I fell against a gate in the turmoil of slushy muddy ground when LN & I tried to catch her new feeder calf. I hit my elbow but didn't realize till later I had a war wound. Another badge of honor?

1st time

This was LN's 1st time walking her new feeder calf.

R & I walked him a bit Monday but LN was in school.

He is 3 weeks old.

His name is Diablo or Brutus depending on who you ask.

Pictures speak for themselves but I warn you ahead of viewing you may pee your pants laughing.

 

 

at a DEAD run away from that halter strangling his head

trying to reason with him

 



 

maybe if I scratch his ears?

 

Nope that don't help!

 

let me try to set him up lol

 

come on your mommy is up there, let's go

 

Mom he won't go - Mom she won't let me alone



Got Nada

I got nada or nothing inspiring to say.

Lemon Raspberry cake was a bust.
Not much flavor and texture was dense.
Back to drawing board.

 

Still going to gym 4 days a week for 1 1/2 hr workouts.

Still working out here 1 or 2 other days for at least an hour.

Still watching food choices and calories.

Still haven't felt "euphoria" other talk about and "extra energy" either I've been told about.

Still tired all the time and no my thyroid and everything else is fine I'm told.

Still not losing much.

Still pissed about that.

Still taking care of animals and kid.

 

Just wanna sleep and sleep but make myself get up at 6 am and stay up all day.

Just wanna read and knit and be left alone.

Not going to happen in this lifetime.

 

Recieved a new feeder calf from S2 for LN along with the annoying mama cow.

Have to take and post pictures but too tired.

Hate that mama cow alot.

She will not get with routine.

 

Probably will get new heifer from S2 this weekend.

He doesn't have pllace for her at his grandad's place yet so fostering her awhile.

Need to reintroduce the "downsizing" plan to R & S2 about animals here.

 

LN has a "boyfriend".

They only text and talk in school.

Issues need to be addressed about this situation beginning.

She's 13 and 1/2 and in 8th grade.

I am struggling here.

Her bro Z was a "man ho" at that age but it's different with her.

Am I sexist about it?

You betcha.

Different kid, different rules. 

 

OK so I had something but not much.

Gots the blogging blues...

Superbowl Sunday

On this superbowl Sunday LN & I decided to start cakes for 4-H favorite foods.

She has to decide and choose entry by 15th.

She made a Lemon Raspberry Cake to begin.

 

3 layers but very thin ones with raspberry jam and buttercream frosting between.

 

 

 

I put lasagna in crockpot and we'll take both to neighbors for the big game.

A group shows so she'll get some feedback on cake.

I don't think it'll work out.

The buttercream icing wasn't very spreadable after adding lemon juice at the end.

This recipe was adapted from a European site so the measurements were fun NOT.

We'll see how the group react.

There is a chocolate cake waiting to be tested as well this week.

 

Saturday was a indoor field hockey game against what we were told was toughest team.

LN's team won 6-3 so that was a relief.

I think the tougher team will be her 4--H friends on another team in 2 weeks.

 

That's 5'7" LN bend over like a crab walker.

She hurts my back just watching.

Get low girl!

 

I tried to take some pictures of the birds feeding after it snowed again Friday morning.

I didn't have the patience so most didn't turn out.

I liked the architecture of this one though.

 

 

I gave up and took this through the living room window.

 

 



6-No 7-Yes

At 6:00am no snow as was predicted by 3:00am.

At 7:00am snow falling and laying quickly and thickly.

 

Snow on Sheep

 

They don't care, just feed me is their thoughts.

 

Snow on Cows

 

Same thoughts plus - Put down camera woman!

 

Snow on fields

 

Not sure any thoughts there.

 

Snow on Pines

 

Sounds like a good book title.

 

Snow on Grape Arbor

 



                                                

Need to prune badly but I like the shade too.

Grapes are so-so with me in flavor.

 

No rest for the weary either.

 

 

LN had school at regular time.

She was not impressed.

If you aren't from here as this previous MD and some PA resident is

you don't understand it but the big DE shuts down at signs of any precipitation resembling snow. Panic mode ensues and grocery store are shelf barren.

Ahhhhhhhhh.....

 

Bye-Bye LN, have a good day.

Oh wait it's only half day for conferences for report cards.

 

Pretty hard to steer with my handlebar missing from wind storm yesterday ya know.

Hope you find it.

 

Hmmmm fence may need replaced from horse leaning not snow load.

 

 

Snow on fence post

 

Snow on gate

 

Not going to gym until later because trainer had issue but I are going!

Not looking forward to driving with panic stricken crazies in the inch of snow though just saying.

My thighs say I must, I must though.

So I go