Big Day... Finally?

LN stepped onto the varsity field last night in soccer.

It's been a struggle to say the least.

She attends the best public school in girls soccer in our state.

They are stacked deep in seniors and juniors with talent.

Basically they don't need her yet as a sophmore.

At any other public school in the state she would have been a starter as a freshman.

Nope that's not a Momma bragging just the facts backed up by lots of others comments also.

Next year the team will be rebuilding as 8 or 9 starters are seniors.

Coach must be scouting his replacements.

She was lucky to be called up 3 games ago but wasn't used till last night. 

She played JV for one game since it was played after varsity and he didn't use her.

Another game was varsity only and tough so he kept her on bench.

Last night she played half of JV and last 20 mins of varsity.

He used her as a defensive middy which impressed her and myself.

She's on cloud 9.

Good job kiddo.

Horrible pictures I know.

Bad Mom!

 I do not have any clear pictures because of dark with stadium lighting.

Guess I need to regroup on how to take pictures under those circumstances.

Otherwise in a JV game day before I had to laugh at my brute.

This girl was not happy with LN stealing her thunder .

So she jumped in the middle of LN's Koolaid as they say.

LN still cleared the ball so no harm even with the foul in her chest.

That could explain the mysterious need to double team her after that.

Hmm...

LN scored the only goal for a tie 1-1.

This charter school on paper was showing better than our high school team.

It was a good game , very physical to say the least.

Oh well....

Sorry but not sorry about posting so much soccer news.

It's my life right now.

3 games this week and 3 next week with a tournament next weekend.

Abruptly done after that expect for school playoffs which is still nerve racking.

Still trying to break lambs, walk pigs and break steer calf for next year.

R was helpful and as usual the cows all helped by gathering around to "protect" him from us.

The mini excavator pulled in the driveway at 8 am Saturday.

The huge quince bush and a rose of sharon were 1st.

Up and out!

Under the huge pine is where they  were.

Dog wood stump in right foreground, lilac area to left foreground.

Doesn't it open up the yard?

I'm not sure I like it but it's done.

He even picked up the mess and hauled it to the field burn pile.

That made me happy.

He took the lilac and butterfly bushes also but no pictures.

The lilac was the hardest to pull up.

The mildew was already starting on it and it was in the driveway customers use .

The dogwood made me sad but it was rotten to the core.

We already took half down last fall.

He just knocked it over.

It was filled with bugs and worms.

A foot piece of the stump on one side was only solid part left.

Now to plant grass or flowers in the carnage left behind.

Accused

This nut case hacked my phone and took major selfies.

I forgave her cause she walked pigs and sheep with me . We caught calf and "walked" him also. He was not impressed. 

It Takes Two Baby...

Who remembers that song ?

Well today it took 2 push mowers to get my hayfield/lawn/yard mowed.

I bought my red push mower in September of last year. I mowed twice. I ran it out of gas like I was told too. Put new gas in this week and oil . Pulled and pulled till my back gave out. Nada! Use ether which started it but then shut right off. 

I have no patience.

None at all not even a scrap!

I borrowed my son's mower which works.

This guilted S into having his friend come fix mine. Hey whatever works :-/ It would seem gas that stayed in the carburetor (about a tablespoon) over winter clogged the one hole it shouldn't have. 

I swear the "modern" mowers are too high tech. Give me a mower I can take apart and work on not sealed in plastic and only technician can fix. Thankfully Mr.B can fix anything. S never tried which ... better I keep my trap shut on that.

Could be why I have no patience left.

Could be...

Mowing is done.

Z and his gf's Dad are coming to tear out big bushes Saturday. My yard will be a mess but it needs done. The quince attacks everyone and the lilac is growing into the road. I've tried to pull it with the tractor but chains slip off. The excavator will dig it up. The quince is just a weed trap for ink berries. Time to clean out and up.

New things

New things are so scarey!!!

I took down the corrugated side wall in the sheep pen and put up their jump board.

#3 is confused.

What is this barrier?

Oh I see !

We got this.

Jumping over obstacles builders leg muscles. 

Hogs are enjoying their treasure hunt through soft ground.

It's been 2 weeks since we brought them home. I think shipping fever may be kicking in. A few heavy coughs began yesterday in one and today another has coughed a few times. They are eating well , pooping well, tails are up so I'll wait and see a few days before worrying.

Firecracker says hi !

Complete...

Over , done, complete, the lady of a certain size has sung!

Fashion Revue is over!!!!

This is the Honor Court of our county.

LN also was on the State Honor Court.

Pictures loaded willy nilly so imagine they are in order ;]`

                  LN didn't want to go on stage with all 6 coat buttons and 3 snaps and 1 hook and eye 
                                               fastened so that is why her coat is half done up.

Think her hair is long enough?

I love the back with one half pleat or folded pleat. I'm not sure the right terminology.

So icon of the era her pattern was original to.

1967

All fastened and buttoned up with her long, long, long ponytail.

Dress picture doesn't show the color well, sorry.

A long day but successful one even though stressful.

Her award for county Honor Court was gift card to fabric store.

Ironic but so welcome!

We were back home about 10:00 pm.

Changed shoes, grabbed hoodies and went to barn.

R left at 5:00 am to drive to Ohio to feeder pig auction.

She was back in Delaware by 8:00 pm.

The 2-3 we were figuring on turned into 4 we found in the pen.

Oh well now each girl has 2.

More pens , more manure, more cleaning...

More "Fun" right? 

More on these guys/girls later...

Good Night Ya'll 

We are never...

LN said "we are never doing that again". What is that? That is not stripping every pen after fair and butchering appts in the fall. We never did and we paid the price today.

With no steer or heifer to break and no hogs over winter these pens were ignored. The manure solidified to the cement and mats. We beat the shovels to get what we could chisel up. Lots of wheelbarrow loads of hard crusty flakes.

Tomorrow R is driving to Ohio to an auction to buy pigs for her and her sis. LN will be at fashion revue all afternoon and evening. The day will begin with fashion and end with pigs.

This required a clean out, new shavings, and rearranging pens.

With no steers we are going to add seperate hog pens in the steer area which has concrete which hogs can't destroy as quickly. The headgate needed moved which meant mats had to come up which meant water trough needed unhooked which meant.... on and on and on.

Feed pans needed lowered. She is handy with pliers and wrenches.

Music played so she was mostly cheerful.

I got my 10,000 plus steps in so I was mostly cheerful too.

What a life!

Hard decisions...

Yesterday was day for hard decisions.

Time for some lambs to go to auction to catch Greek Easter market.

An old ewe went along because her lambs were smallest and she only has one side of her udder working.

That worked out well as I led her by halter and most of lambs trotted right behind into the trailer.

LN sorted 4 off and kept rest to decide which to show. Those 4 weighed 50#, 60#, 65# and 66# at 10 weeks. The ones we kept are meatier and bigger.

Since we were loading up I sent the demonic bull calf as well.

He didn't load as slick. I cornered him and he jumped the 4 ft tall fence right before the trailer.

I regrouped and tied his Momma and Aunt against that part which is the lowest. The rest of fence is 5 ft. An extra gate and a few smacks and he jumped in.

I dropped the ball on breaking him and I never cut/banded him either.

He weighed 675# at almost 7 months. 

If he was cut and broke I'd have kept him for meat but not to be.

The market was still up and I was happy with the prices.

I'm not happy that it'll all go to Uncle Sam for taxes.

A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do!

1st glimpse

This is LN's dress before it was completed.

Just a few things needed finished.

The hem changed, chain stitching lining to dress, hook and eye, etc.

 

She's a ham for sure.

The coat was not photographed but I'll share after Saturdays contest.

I'm nervous as I can pick out the things I'd have her do a bit differently but it's all fine.

A learning thing for sure.

My kid always chooses a challenging pattern/s and we have to figure it out.

She keeps me younger than I am but always challenging me.

Hard to believe she thinks this dress makes her look fat.

 

 

At ease without posing.

I'd love to look this "fat".

It's the media I swear giving her these ideas.

The Kardashians and Fashion police touting the unrealistic images to girls her age.

She knows she's fit just wishes she was a rail I guess.

Don't we all?

I think she looks adorable and youthful like she should.

What do I know I'm just her Mama.

 



Tuesday Teasers....

Tuesday teased us with warm weather.

Regular chores were accomplished.

Windows and storms were opened.

Screen put back in front storm door.

Lambs sorted for tomorrow's sale group.

Calf was petted.

Fabric was sorted for fair projects.

Some vacuuming was completed.

Dishes were washed (finally).

Sheets were swapped for summer weight set.

Tons of little things I'm forgetting.

                  Howdy Ya'll

A model was born!!!!

Not at all.

LN was trying to teach an old dog how to pose because I always make her delete pics of me.

Not my forte for sure.

I look like my tata's are gone (and I'm constipated).

Unfortunately they are still getting in my way a lot (and I'm not).

Didn't you need to know that?

Tuesday Teasers...

Surprise Sorta...

I knew Miss Diamond was due on the 31st of March.

I knew she had not delivered.

LN and I knew Saturday was the full moon and traditionally it's a birth day.

We left at 6 am for a soccer tournament in PA.

I fed before I left. Diamond came to feed but left when I put her hay out. Her tail was raised and she was restless so I asked S to keep an eye on her.

While we were gone....

S sent me this picture.

Bull calf born about 1:30 pm.

This was from 9:30pm last night when LN and I got back from soccer.

This is from this morning before S2 and I relieved him of his family jewels. 

He'll be fine. 

Hopefully a good steer will grow.

Happy Easter Ya'll !!!

Goody

S must have noticed hay loft was emptier than we needed for customers. He bought a load. 

Yeah me... so lucky I get to unload and stack hay bales.

Ain't life a hoot and a half?

I love this old barn.

The south side has the original boards with air gaps. This is the loft over the hogs and steer pens.

The main part back upper wall. It needs to be sided but I don't want to. That's the original 1915 drop down door with hay pulley. Hope she holds on a few more years. Siding has no character or soul.

This is the inside wall of the loft.

The red is so saturated it's not showing up in this picture.

I love this old barn!

Another day cometh....

Feeling philosophical as I feed with the sunrise. 

Nothing profound to spout though ;).

I borrowed this to make me seem intelligent.

I agree wholeheartedly !

Off to dentist for cavity. Seriously nuts at my age. Dentist said not my fault because the bottom of a 30 yr filling collapsed and formed a cavity as a result.

Not cool aging process! Not cool!

After that I'm going to hairdresser.

Another byproduct of aging.