Keeping busy

Working on a wool piece while LN has travel soccer practice.

Brought kindle, cross stitch and knitting too.

Just in case...

LN's been busy working on her 4-H fashion revue outfit. 

No shot of her in it just yet.

Vintage pattern in one size only equals a ton of alterations and headaches.

We are down to the wire now. Garments are due Monday by noon. 

Dress needs hem and 2 decorative buttons.

Coat needs more...

That's her coat with fancy lining above . We needed to remove 5" at her waistline to achieve the "look". That means she has sewn (and some resewn too) over 20 darts at this point.

Seems to fit better so lots of hand sewing and finishes to complete. 

She's has about 30 hours in it so far just by herself. That doesn't count her mentors help or my part.

Geeze ....

I love my kid. 

Women of a Certain Age ONLY

If you are a guy look away STOP reading.

You were warned!

If you are a women of a certain age and not bothered by bodily functions read on.

I want a number from you , nothing more unless you NEED to share.

How old before it ends?

Seriously I'm 51 and regular as rain at heavy (always have) flooding T.O.M. visits.

On The Rag - sounds lovely

My Courses- love this name

The curse - yea it is

Period - of what? How freaking long of a period?

Stop already...

Unless I can get pregnant (wouldn't that be a hoot) it's not necessary.

 

So give me numbers but remember...

I HAVE REACHED MY LIMIT!

I can find out where you live if you tell me it lasts much longer!

Saw this...

I saw this on Instagram this morning and had to laugh.

So true and they really do work you out.

I slept in an hour and skipped gym this morning. Don't worry though I worked out.

This stinky, nasty , several solid inches of ammonia producing manure took 13 wheelbarrow trips to clean out sheep pen.

Yuck it smelled rank.

All done just as rain began so ewes can dirty it up again.

Only few more weeks before weaning then ewes are out of here and moved to different lot.

Market lambs that we keep don't make as much manure buildup thank goodness.

The corrugated walls come off for summer air flow also which helps the stink.

Fed the 2 barn cats in the loft as I fetched straw bale for bedding. It was dark at the top is steps but Fat Jack the orange one and Cinder don't mind a bit.

Hay loft for selling to customers is almost empty. It doesn't bode well for our store. We need to find a load or two to tide us over till hay season rolls around.

Should I share?

1st guess what?

It's snowing.

Shocking I know but there you go....

It is turning to rain soon so only black ice to worry over tonight no accumulation of snow.

 

Otherwise not sure if I should share this.

If your a bleeding heart and spoil your kids don't read on.

 

My child is mad at me today.

I walked in her room before school and took her tablet and gave her till next week with her phone.

Phone may be needed to record a class if she takes my advice.

She has 2- B's and 1-C and that doesn't fly with me.

I B is 2 pts from A and other is 4 pts.

Totally unacceptable and she knows this.

C is so far away I'm livid.

Disclaimer - all 3 are AP or class grade above her and she is a year younger than 95% of her current class year.

Still not acceptable.

Small things and inconsistencies are the issue mostly.

Other issue is C class is lecture style and she isn't adapting to college style.

Still no excuse.

Suggestions have been made and ignored so restrictions are in place.

She wants to go to college away from home.

MONEY

I do NOT believe in funding my kids college if they don't do their job in high school.

Their job is to maintain A's and take AP classes to earn credits and scholarships.

One reason she excels in 4-H and sports as well as community service.

They are all building blocks for her character but also stepping stones to scholarships for college.

That is her job.

Same as other 2.

R paid for all college except $500.00 for books one semester.

She stayed at home because that was her choice.

She has her bachelors and is manager of retail store and has money saved for a house.

Z, no college for him, not a fit.

That's fine too but he bought a house at 23 with no help.

It was a goal from 18 and he achieved it.

He has held a fulltime job sometimes 2 since high school and is starting a power washing business.

Now it's LN's turn to shine.

She is a great kid don't get me wrong.

Just needs a reality check before she gets too sloppy.

I told her I love her but I'm not playing.

Go to school and complain your Mamma's a Bitch to your friends but get grades back on point.

NOW!

 

Seriously not writing this for affirmations or accusations.

This is my beliefs and I'm stubborn as hell.

My kids and I may be crass, uncouth and socially unacceptable most of the time but

we sure as hell earn our way. 

I'd rather have tough kids that don't always like me than entitled ones.

 

 

Those predawn...

Those predawn texts that say "I'm on my way Madre" from R. Time to start breeding regiment for her one cow. Pulled stimulation shot as she arrives. Shot given, cidr in place.

Might as well feed since sun is beginning to lighten the sky.

Frost not on the pumpkin but on everything else like the sheep bucket.

It's a balmy 29*.

S bought 20 bales of sheep hay. Might as well unload it before R leaves to shower for work from here. I'm halfway from her house to her job.

Done with a small audience.

Aww pre sunrise...

Left some jeans and shirts on the line last night. It was windy so I'll pause and unwrap and rearrange the frosty things.

Head to barn where lamb creep needs filled up. Mouse (horse) waits quietly for breakfast. 

Back to house to make sure LN is headed for on time bus departure. Listen to the sisters laugh and talk as sun starts coming in the window.

Those predawn texts though...

I may have...

I may have gotta carried away a smidge.

I started out just raking under the clothes line. Some long grape tendrils kept catching the rake near the arbor.

So ...

I murdered the 3 vines.

The arbor was put up for me. I wanted grape vines to crawl all over it for shade and maybe a hidey hole for kids to use their imaginations. Not for grapes to eat or use.

Others had different ideas. I did hang LN's swing from one end years ago. But otherwise every time others went under it they complained about vines sticking down in their way or just flat snapped off anything they felt like. It has become a pass through walkway to arena and where I started parking some years ago because my spot was taken over by "treasures" ie: junk. Whole other story...

Now no one can complain.

If they come back, good. If not, fine too.

Now about the blisters I have from yanking and breaking vines?

Monday Musings

Don't have an egg bucket and no Carhartt vest on?

Hoody egg basket....

It's 45* and climbing . I had to shed that hoody fast. After gym workout my body temp stays up most of the day.

Lambs are stuffing their faces with creep and hay. Won't be long till reckoning time.

Tails are shrinking. Soon time to decide who gets to stay and who goes to auction along with 2 older ewes .

Coming to water regular as well. All good signs. Starting to smell tails and nut decay, normal as well.

Thursday we start a cow on breeding regiment. 2 others due on 31st so time to start watching closer.

I was able to unhook small electric waterer for chickens and put 5 gal one back in. Thankfully sparrows/starlings are not eating all their feed and browsing in hedgerows again. Makes chores less aggravating.

Now for mud detour and garden prep hopefully soon.

That is all ;)

Personal Hell ...

We buy our corn in bulk to resale. The truck comes and blows in in upstairs bins in the barn shown here behind the straw pile. When the bins stop gravity flow running they need cleaned out.

Bins are easily 8 ft tall , 4 ft wide.

I'm 5'1', S is 6' 1".

S built the bins (there are 4) before I arrived . About 25 yrs ago I believe.

Again I'm 5'1".

They need cleaned out because they are flat floored. I draw (always) the short straw. No pun intended, seriously none?

He wants to start under the eve of the barn. I have to figure how to stretch 4' across to opening and balance on 1/2" board nailed to sides of bin. Miss the rafters with my head and cobwebs, well you know.

It's freaking dark and creepy down here.

Don't the 1/2 " rails look comforting?

No they are not ! He built them couple ft off the bottom. Sides are slick so I use a bucket with a haystring attached. Climb in it and to steps and up pulling the bucket with me.

4 bins cleaned out.

20- 100# bags bagged out.

Shower time.

Gone

Snows gone , heated buckets and troughs turned off.

Mud prevails!

S is headed to Pennsylvania to pick up potatoes to sell. St. Patty's Day is when Amish like to get their gardens started. The ice and snow might push that back a bit but the bags of spuds can acclimate to our temperatures while waiting .

I vow to do a better job in the garden this year!

I mean it!

Dirty jobs

I've put it off tooooo long.

The lambs are almost 8 weeks old.
Time for tails and nuts to be banded.

The tails are already showing a lot of manure build up.

That is the reason their tails come off.

They are more upset at being put on halters and restrained.

The bands I'm sure pinch but to a tee all the ewe lambs were running around as soon as they were released from the evil torture device known as halters.

The 3 boys laid down a minute or two after their bands were put on their sacs.

Actually they are funny.

They fall down and lay out like their dead.

After a minute or so they jump up and realize they are still alive.

Hopefully within a week I'll see major shrinkage.

I have had issues with old bands in the past popping off and causing infections so I keep a close eye

on everyone.

This cold weather will be nice with no flies to investigate the decaying flesh.

A vet friend told me after 3 days I can cut off the tails but I never do.

I allow the process to finish and the dog to tote a tail onto the porch.

They are really dirty jobs but necessary for their health.

 

The snow has melted except in big piles we shoved the driveway accumulation into.

Now the sucking mud has to be dealt with.

 

I wonder if Lestoil can save these?