Merry Christmas

LN gave me the sweetest lamp.

R, S2, Z, R2 and Miss A all spoiled me also.

A new Kindle Fire and a rolling cooler for sheep shows along with some new duds

were gifted to me.

Enchiladas and stuffed jalapeño poppers were consumed last night before

our giftmageddon commenced.

Miss A was happy to open all the gifts for everyone.

No pictures were taken because we were enjoying the moment.

Ole aging brittle skin ???

   Monday I slipped on 150 yr old steps at my sons.

There is a picture but I will spare you.

Split my arm to the bone at my elbow exposing my plate already holding my bone together.

The tetanus shot and alcohol cleansing hurt worse than the resulting stitches.

My head cracked the wall and the resulting headache makes continuous sleep illusive.

A few days before this R2 gave me this tea tumbler with a sweet note.

Made me feel better and after all it was my clumsiness that felled me like a sequoia.

I was read too and nursed by the best 3 yr old.

She even cleaned up the blood I spilled.

She said, "My Mommy doesn't like messes Grandma".

Opps, my bad.

This changed my plans to have all sheep sheared by Thanksgiving.

They will get done after I yank the stitches next week. 

Thanksgiving was fattening and gluttonous by all accounts .

Too much prepping, cooking and cleaning up for how long it lasts.

I was at my oldest R's home and went outside to cool off.

They had it so hot with the wood stove and all the heat in the kitchen.

Some wind and 40* helped me cool off.

I came back and found this...

I should know better than to leave my phone unsupervised.

Hot messes both of them.

10 years apart in age but ya would never guess.

It is time

All this fluffiness is going bye-bye.

These 2 ewes started out the year much darker but have sun faded.

Time to prepare for lambing so off it goes.

Still the friendliest ewe I have currently.

Over the next week or so granddaughter sitting permitting I'll be shearing.

Almost rhymed it all.

Proud Mama Bear

This past weekend was the Homecoming/Parents weekend at LN's college.

She had her science poster that culminated all her summer internship work.

Let's just say I am a proud Mama Bear.

She knows her stuff and is confident in talking to professors and the crowd explaining her results.

The person she was partnered with rode her coattails through the whole project.

Not my assessment but the other dozen people working in the same lab on other projects.

Now she has a dilemma.

The professor would like her to continue however if she does the other person will also.

He knows she will carry him again.

She does not want that again.

This research has the ability to have her published by next year.

So..... what to do???

She can't say anything to the professor or she seems petty and not a "team" player.

But if she bows out she loses so much in recognition she is due.

The professor she worked with in Arizona immediately figured it out but he doesn't control it.

Too many real world decisions for a girl trying to expand her mind.

Last show

LN and I went to her last sheep show of the show season for 2019.

It was only 20 mi from home at our DE State Fairgrounds.

I hauled sheep down Friday morning and helped friend fit them.

LN came down after classes Friday night.

It was a pretty successful show for LN to end on.

She won Overall Sheep Showman on a whim.

Her ewe was stellar in the individual class but was a jacka*s in the overall class.

She pulled it off in the end by the skin of her teeth.

She did well in her AOB White Wool classes winning Champion Ewe and Champion Ram.

Her Natural Lincolns did well also.

 Some girls showing other breeds also helped her out showing her second lamb and group classes.

The late spring ewe LN is holding gave her a workout also.

She is going to be a strong mature ewe.

She is worth the aggravation since she is a showy ewe naturally.

The ending charm was winning the Delaware Bred and Owned Ram.

I do not have a picture of that one as I was busy getting her ewe ready for her next class.

The bred and owned ram lamb has only been showed once before as he had problems.

He is our youngest Border Leicester born in April of this year.

He decided to army crawl under an old truck frame we use to hold feed.

The opening was 8 in off the ground and 12 in wide.

I worked forever getting him free.

We had to shear him down as he had grease and aluminum imbedded everywhere about 8 weeks ago.

We pulled him from shows because of it.

For him to regrow a nice enough fleece to win was the cherry on the sundae.

All and all a nice fun filled weekend.

LN worked on her arm long length of homework for her college classes

between prepping and showing.

Down and Dirty trip home for her.

Till later...

Selfie time....

While I was helping a friend look for new fall clothes this happened....

Miss A was looking at photos on my phone to occupy herself but....

3 yr olds know how to take selfies I guess.

I found this when I was at home that night.

This chick cracks me up.

Watching her grow is one of my favorite things.

Preschool has began 2 days a week.

She is so excited and looks so angelic.

I see so much of her Daddy in her.

I always felt if my kids looked or acted like their dad it was a good thing.

No one could deny that they were my kids.

I gave birth to them at home so no swapping them out.

But dads do not get that instant connection.

Some visual tie in or attitude or habit tie in is necessary to connect them.

This chick though has the best and the worse of her papa.

God bless her soul and God bless him!

He is going to need it.

He says smugly, "I have already done it all so she won't get anything past me".

HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

I told his school officials one of the many times I attended a "meeting" with them

"He either did it, thought of it, instigated it or planned it".

I can not wait for payback.

I will be sitting back with a jumbo size bowl of popcorn just observing.

That being said I wouldn't swap him or her for anything else.

I believe if I am honest my Dad felt the same way about me.

Karma....

Weekend of sheep showing fun with my kid ...

I wondered off Thursday to the Maryland State Fair with 10 sheep.

Wondered being a relative term when driving 695 near Baltimore is concerned for this chick.

OMG those people are nutso.

I am a country road girl forever!

However there are things you do for your younguns and this qualified.

LN came down Friday from college (only an hour or so away) and stayed till Sunday morning.

Sunday she went back to get homework done for Monday classes as they didn't have holiday.

She felt bad but fitted and showed with a sinus headache and congestion.

Thankfully our good friend and fitter helped us out as always.

Miss B is the best!

Steady as a rock and a great rapport with LN which is fun to watch.

Good weekend for our homegrown Lincoln Longwool ewe lamb.

She garnered a Champion Lincoln Ewe ribbon and a handpainted trinket box.

Sorry for poor quality picture and lamb not being set up but barn is hard to get good pics.

LN and her friend helping were begin to walk away when I yelled at them to pose.

Otherwise she had a few 1st and some 2nd and below.

She stayed in top 5 most of the show between her Lincolns and Border Leicesters.

Not a bad weekend overall.

I showed our sheep in 2 classes which was horrendous as I have anxiety about it.

Sweating and jittery but I did it.

Later I helped some others show by setting feet.

I survived but just barely.

The weather was fall like with some breeze and sun but not too hot maybe low 80's.

Last year was over 100* so this year was a blessing.

As we were released Monday the thunderstorms ahead of hurricane Dorian arrived.

I stayed put till most of it was through.

Home about 1-2 hours later than normal but less stressful on driving.

 I was driving against the flow of holiday weekend goers returning to their homes.

Always a good time spent with my kiddo and friends on the show circuit.

Now is the time...

for all good men to come to the aid of their country.

Remember that?

People of a certain age should.

It is the phrase that supposedly taught hand/letter placement on a typewriter.

Isn't that a blast from a previous era...?

It is also the time to preserve food for the year.

The waste corn trailer was delivered yesterday by a friend.

Much sorting and picking through the waste occurred in the heat but under a shade tree.

4 milk crates were stuffed.

A few hours were spent watching/listening to mindless dribble on the idiot box.

Corn was thereby shucked.

I covered the corn with wet towels and aluminum foil and refrigerated overnight.

This morning I cut the corn off the cob with my high tech board with a nail in it.

Much corn juice and mess flew everywhere.

The empty cobs were artfully arranged in the tub while I counted my success.

132 ears of goodness were utilized.

This will help me decide if I want to rinse and repeat this process.

They were dumped along with the shucked husk and silks back onto the waste wagon.

Blanching commenced.

2 cups of corn were bagged, air removed , bag sealed and flattened for easy freezing.

38 bags were frozen with extra kept out for supper usage.

LN will take some to college when next she visits for some "real" food to cook in her apartment.

She will also take some of the peas I froze this spring.

The all important dish washing was completed along with wiping down counters and cabinets.

The stove was divested of all the corn smush and mess.

Last but not least and with no picture to prove it the floor was washed of the ensuing stickiness.

Job complete for the moment.

Time to decide if I want to do this again next week.

With only 2 of us home now I need to cook less quantity but it's a hard thing to institute.

This may be it.

Except green beans which will be on the waste truck soon.

I lub , lub, lub me some beans.

That time again is it?

Hmmm... it does not seem possible in this heat.

It is time to start the breeding process.

I threw the rams and ewes together in the beginning of August.

So far there is marking harness color on 2 ewes in the pen of 4 Lincoln Longwools.

Nothing in the Border Leicester pen yet.

The 1st Lincoln marked would been Jan 4th lambs if successful.

Cheerio the ewe is still being showed through the fall but will stay with her "baby Daddy" between shows to double check the success.

It is her 1st time being with Mike so let's hope.

This was Cheerio and LN last month at our fair.

She's antsy to show so hopefully motherhood will calm her a bit.

Some do calm down , others ram up their ants in the pants attitudes.

The heat is supposed to moderate in a few days with only 80's vs. 90"s during days.

Nights will be in high 60's which is better than high 70's also.

Breeding needs cooler weather to progress.

The fall shows begin shortly as well.

MD State Fair

Big E

KILE

DE EXPO

Here we go.

A load of waste corn just showed up in the heat.

Guess it's time to sweat my behind of and pick out ears to process.

Oh joy!

Still dog days but not much longer ...

I am excited for fall weather.

Menopause and heat are a horrible combo.

I feel as if I am cooking from the inside out and sweat with any movement.

Such is life for women of a certain age though.

OBX, NC was relaxing and enjoyable.

A whole lot of sleeping, reading, eating and sunbaking went on.

One day we ferried to Orcacoke island to look around.

Ate lunch at Jason's , had fresh tuna salad sandwiches that were awesome.

Stopped for coffee for Miss B and LN and at a bookstore.

I never say no when my offspring wants a book.

I may have bought one as well ;-}

Sunset off the sound was prettier than this picture shows.

Calm and peaceful...

The ocean never fails to relax me even with wind constantly blowing.

The tide was high each afternoon so had to plan accordingly.

Such were the problems in my life that week.

I did miss my flock and took awhile to straighten out the chaos of being gone.

No matter how much I prepare someone looses their minds.

A bad case of the runs is being treated and a few not interested in grain.

Nothing a few scratches didn't help.

Back to real world now.

Haircuts/color, dentist, truck servicing, college last min prep.

LN will depart Sunday for another year.

She's excited.

Me not so much.

I am excited to watch her grow and mature as the big, bad world grabs her.

A college beau is a draw for her as well.

Glad to have her with me and see her enjoy our girls week trip.

Hope she is never too old for a dino tire swing.