Not much...

Just do not have much to share or say.

Staying busy chauffeuring LN to everything but that's normal.

She's been nominated for a community service contest Prudential Ins. runs.

Busy doing the application with her.

Fall is here so there's lots to do.

I need to wash windows in the house, they are nasty.

Not today with 40 mph winds though.

Turned on the furnace for this weekends cold temps and wind.

Not my choice S chose to do it.

I would have sucked it up some more till next week when mild temps reappears.

Metaphor for my life I think.

Not my choice, suck it up till it gets better.

I'm thinking I need a new one.

I'll put it on the list.

Have a pork loin in the crockpot so it should smell homey in here soon.

I'll add lemon pepper to it and make sides later.

Sunday supper is always filling if I can manage it with the crockpot.

Too many games scheduled that make hands on an issue.

Todays games were cancelled due to heavy downpours yesterday.

Good thing though as LN went to FFA convention last week.

This means a week of makeup work due and 4-H work to complete quickly.
Stove issues seem {fingers crossed, maybe toes too} to be resolved with the help of S's friend
 who actually does know it all.
He bought new part but it was defective, went for 2nd version of same part and installed it.
Adjusted flame and lp/propane choices which seems to have done fixed it up.

Always something though.

Happy November 1 ya'll!

 



Wednesday Randomness...

For 2 weeks I have not had an oven.

I turned it on 1 night, it started clicking like it was lighting but never did light.

I lite it by hand and it kept going out.

For 1 week I haven't had a stove top because of the ongoing oven repairs

I have used the crockpot and microwave when I've been home to cook that is.

Today S's friend B the master of all he sees is supposed to fix it.

B ask me to take the stove top off so he could see better the ignition  and gas lines.

Oh yea and to clean it up to.

{embarrassed}

Oh well I now know how to strip the gas stove down completely.

I've never messed with gas cause it's scary.

Not anymore now I know how to pull the burners and lines apart and put them back together.

This was info I didn't need but ....I have it.

 

Ln's field hockey season came to an abrupt halt last night.

I walked across the field with a food and drink bag for her after her game.

It was an away game about an hour from home and she rides the bus back.

She had a spectacular game and although her team tied she killed it on the field personally.

Her coach sees me and casually says, " I'm going to miss her now that she's done".

She let me take LN home so she got a real meal and started homework in the truck.

I thought she had her last game against a difficult team Thursday which she'd play and

another game next Thursday that she'd miss because of FFA convention in Kentucky.

Nope the Thursday team rescheduled to next week.

I'm a little let down but she has to be at convention to participate in livestock judging as her team won the state contest.

She leaves Monday after school and comes back next weekend.

Down time for Mama!

I have lots that needs my attention so no issues there.

 

A good think happened a little while ago.

A man came to the house that I knew but hadn't seen in a few years.

He asked for S who wasn't home.

He said he needed to apologize to him for being rude.

Apparently he snapped at S at an auction last week when S didn't sell a row he wanted to bid on something in but moved to a different row.

He said, " I apologize that is not my nature and I've felt bad about it ever since".

I said I'm sure S {who can be "difficult" when he's auctioneering and acts superior a lot}

 had it coming.

The man replied, "Still I apologize because I shouldn't have snapped back".

That made me almost cry that someone felt bad about his actions.

It takes a big person to admit their mistakes.

A rare occurrence in my world for sure.

Friday Funday ???

Today S & I tackled a sheep hay storage area.

I have been using a hut that sat on the ground but it was a back breaker

as my 5'8" child demonstrates.

 

We bought 3 huts at a auction.

They are roughly 8' x 8' square.

One we resold, one we have in the sheep pasture for it's intended purpose and

one I use for storage near the sheep's feeding area outside.

So.....

 

First step was taking all the crapola that was around the hut and dispose or put it away.

 

 

Next we picked a spot in the corner that is beside sheep and backs up to arena fence where cows are.

Then S in his kindness allowed me to dig and set all 4 posts.

That was so sweet!

It was easy with the recent rain and I only have to dig down 2 ft.

 

We attached 2x6 boards for the hut to set down on and 2x2 boards to attach tin to later.

 



 

We picked up the hut with a chain and maneuvered it into position.

We lowered it and miraculously it set down on boards with only a little pushing around.

A lot of bolts and screws later and tada.

 

A storage hut for hay!

It started to rain so the tin will be attached to the bottom walls later.

S wants to close in the front with a recycled storm door and plywood.

It faces east and normally is fine left open.

I'll think on it.

I think trying to toss bales in a normal size door will be a pain.

We'll see.....

 



Tiny Skull

I took the hay wagon we get bean fodder on out of the arena today.

As I hooked it up I saw this tiny skull left on display.

The wagon pin shows you the size. 

Hmmm....

Little tiny reminder of a life.....

Smiling :)

I received a nice surprise late last week.

It is a neat fall mug coaster in a Log Cabin pattern from MamaPea from A Homegrown Journal blog.

Just what the Doctor ordered!!!

A little pick me up cause I matter gift!

So thoughtful and cute with the leaf note and harvest backing.

LN examined the stitching MamaPea!

Your binding stitches are so even she says.

Thanks for making my week!

Stuffings ....

Z turned 24 on the 24th.

On the 19th he went to settlement on his 1st home.

I'm so proud of him.

Me and LN went food shopping with him yesterday to begin to fill up his pantry and fridge.

His birthday present he liked.

I love him.

He's taught me a lot by challenging everything I thought I knew about being a parent.

We crossed into the dark side more times than I can count but we are out the other side and it's a great feeling.

I say we because if I had parented him different and better earlier he wouldn't have had such a long haul.

He taught me how out of the box some kids are and it's normal.

I have been repeatedly told if I "disciplined" him more he would have been "a good kid".

Bull Snarkies!!!!

He needed me to NOT discipline him but learn how to understand then deal with him .

I love him just as he is.

He s my happy and he has my soul.

Each of my 3 have a piece of me and I connect with each in a different way.

It's the right way to parent.

LN has the benefit of my experience with Z so I hopefully choose the way she needs as my parenting choices with her.

LN want feeling well yesterday when she woke up.

After spending time with her bro and them hanging up on me she felt much better.

I picked up LN's hog from butcher along with our quarter of her steer.

Let's just say I have a full chest freezer.

And 2 full refrigerator freezers.

And a full half chest freezer.

And I gave Z some for his new house stock up.

And I'm thawing some to lighten the load and to make meatballs for supper.

I use 3 kinds of meat to mix them up.

Lamb and beef or venison burger and sausage ...

That's 3# out of the freezers.

A drop in the bucket so to speak but a start.

As busy as LN's schedule is I don't cook as often as I want during her fall and spring seasons.

Come winter I make up for it though.

 

Today is nascar race day in Dover DE.

I live just west of there about 10 miles.

I need to take LN to her travel soccer game directly behind the track .

Hopefully we get there early for 9:00am game and get out of there before too much craziness ensues.

7

7 yrs ago tonight ...

Everyone be safe ....

Busy Bee

Each night is consumed with activities for LN.

Still more she has to pull away from.

Popular kid gets grumpy about it but when asked what she wants to quit?

She freaks out and says none of it.

She is finally getting a rhythm to her school life.

Each morning she packs a bag for her practice after school field hockey.

Then she packs her travel soccer bag if its Mon or Wed for her practices after field hockey.

Monday is within a half hour but Wednesday is an hour away.

 

I pack her food and she eats in my truck and sometimes does homework also.

Home after practices she showers, eats more, homework and crashes.

Next day rinse and repeat.

Weirdly now after a few weeks of this she's actually thriving and looking happy.

Game days are Tuesday and Wednesday for field hockey with some Saturdays thrown in.

Travel soccer games are split of Saturdays and Sundays.

4-H jumps in when ever we can make it.

Otherwise calf is doing well.

Very independent little dude....

Flies still are horrible but weather is changing.

Ram is leaving girls alone so I hope he did his business well.

My son Z is settling on his 1st home this Friday.

I'm proud of him doing this at 23.

I think I'll go shopping and fill him up on pantry items and groceries.

Good housewarming gift????

I'll try to update as I can .

I think I have some free time in Dec 2018.

 

Wonderbar...

Yesterday the neighboring farmer cut enough corn silage to make an opening. 

What was he up too?

Well making an opening directly across from my driveway so he can pile chicken poop.

Yippee skippy!

Oh well it is price of living in the country.

Piling it all winter though is smelly right across from our house . 

Circle ...

The circle of life is coming back around.

This morning before taking LN to school we loaded her last steer to head to the butcher shop. After changing into workout clothes I walked to my truck with LN and saw this....

Cow - Gemstone was due in a coue of days. Shorthorns don't have large bags so looking at that doesn't give me much help. It seems Gem popped out a bull calf near dawn with no issues. I found him curled up near momma clean and dry. 

Flies are killing the cows this week with highs near 95* all week.

This afternoon I went looking for calf and momma just to check in while the water trough was filling up.

I saw all 3 cows laying together . I walked around Gem and saw nothing. The hunt was on for calf.

You see him?

Now?

Getting warmer...

I found him tucked away about 200' away from momma. She came over as I rubbed him while he was curled up. I haven't seen him nurse but he goes hunting so I'm confident he s ok. He went up and down the 200' arena several times and is panting but that's to be expected in this nasty weather.

A very nice surprise this morning.