A Very Full Day

Well, today we did yard work, hauled trash, fed livestock, shot some varmints, mowed the lawn, cleaned the house, did laundry, watched husband shoot a wharf rat, drove a neighbor to the car shop, picked veggies from our garden, replaced lights,  drove by the hay farmers, picked eggs, fed horses, visited with neighbor and made dinner. We are having guests over this weekend and hope to have a blast showing off our farm. Now we need to go outside and perform a rain dance since it has not rained in a long time. Yeah, I am as tired as our barn cat on the sofa.

Here be Turkey Lane

Our turkey poults are almost 1 month old and growing everyday. We bought bronze breasted poults from the local feed store. They are large but still baby chicks in the brain. But they keep up with our chickens and go after all the bugs. They are smart enough to stick together and return to the coop at dusk. They come when called and can fly a little. I think they are all females. We will try to buy a straight run of 5 more turkeys to get a male or Tom. We are hoping to breed them. A free range turkey is a happy turkey. Even if they do not breed successfully, they will be great to have for dinner.

Turtle Games

Here is a box turtle my neighbor moved out of her yard for safe keeping. The turtle wanted back into the yard post haste.

After a while my neighbor brought the turtle back into the yard. There might have been a nest the turtle needed to be in. The dog, Lucy, just wanted to play turtle hockey, which involves a lot of barking.

Lucy is getting instructions on the rules of the game.

Rules are thrown out and the barking commences along with more turtle hockey.

The umpire takes the turtle back to home plate and the visiting team was sent home. 

There be Big Spiders

In my garden I was visited by a very large mama spider and her babies on her back. Mama spider was about 3 inches across and could fit in the palm of my hand. I did not pick her up as she had baby spiders pouring off of her. Spiders are great to have around the garden as they eat pests. She drank some water and headed her own way.

Good Night Mr.Sendak

I grew up reading Where the Wild Things Are and In the Night Kitchen. I thought here is someone who

understands what it is like having a little brother around. The honesty and the imagination put on paper stuck in my mind as an adult artist. I hope I never grow up either and keep my inner child forever like Mr. Sendak.

He led the life he wanted as an artist. He was a free spirit I admire and hope to meet one day

on the other side, where the wild things are.

Summer Wedding Quilt

It has taken me almost a year to have time to sit down and work on a quilt. This one was hand quilted by a clients mother and it needed to be finished and bound. I had so much fun sitting down and focusing on completing a project with my hands again. Farming requires muscles, brains and lots of energy. Quilting requires focus and  artistic abilities, I miss using my talents. I think this project turned out nicely. Now I have to finish lining a coffin for another client, ah, life on the farm.

Feeding Cows and more

Our neighbors donkey and goats love to get their daily dose of grain. Opal, the donkey looks like she might have a baby soon. We also grain the cows to get them used to us. They come right up to us for feed now. I am more careful around the cows since my nose was broken.

Wedding Dressmaking

Last week I was asked to help a family put together a wedding dress for their youngest daughter. The mother is a very good seamstress, however she was stuck on some sewing options. The dress needed sleeves from one pattern, bodice from another and a skirt from another.We spent morning deciding and trying several fitting options.
The bride to be modeled several practice pieces and other dress options. There were several fittings and pins used to make it fit well.We went ahead and drew out new patterns on freezer paper, cut out the new drawn patterns from all the selected pieces and the Mother happily sewed them together very well. The final result was an ivory muslin top with 2 sleeve options. I left the bride to be with her choice there. The skirt will be sewn at a later date. It was such a pleasure working on a muslin summer weight wedding dress. The bride will be comfortable and cool in the outdoor summer weather. After the full day of dressmaking the family gave me a tour of their farm. It is called Peace Valley Poultry. They raise happy free range chickens and turkey on their green lush pastures. It was a busy and fun day of sewing and farm visiting.

Monty and Burns First Swim

Here are our two incubated duck hatchlings trying out water set up in my veggie garden. After this they joined the adult flock. Monty and Burns are still outsiders to the flock. But as they grow older the flock will show more interest. We still do not know if Monty or Burns are male or female. Either way they are happy to be ducks. They still follow me around when I wear the black muck boots around the farm. Incubating ducks leads to imprinting on humans. However, they are happiest with the flock in the pond.

Amish Draft Mare

We visited our local Amish craftsman last week. While picking up our bookcase he invited us to look at a mare he wants to sell. We would like to have a draft horse someday. He told us she was foundered and had bad teeth. He was having a hard time keeping weight on her. At twenty plus years old she has given him several foals. Her teeth were in a bad way and the front ones broken out. Also she has a serious crack in her left front hoof. We advised him to call a vet and a farrier to fix those two problems. But that is why he is selling her, it will cost money to do these things. As she can no longer plow, breed or be useful to him, she has to go. She will probably be sold at the local auction. We felt for the mare, but we are in no position to save another mare after the recent demise of our own mare from founder and choke. At least this mare is happy on his farm for now.

There be Red

Red strawberries, red rooster and our red tree all growing well on our farm. With all the green around the red stands out among them all. It is so nice to have four seasons. I love them all.

Nose on Mend

Here is my nose after the ENT doctor fixed it. We drive 2 hours away from the farm to see an ear, nose and throat specialist. After looking at my nose he said he was not going to hurt me, just take a look, "click" my nose was back into alignment. It hurt then I could breathe again. No surgery, just swelling and nose drool to deal with. I can't hit my nose for 2 weeks. So no "horsing" around. I look awful but am starting to feel better.

Ah life on the farm, never boring.

Nose Meets Gate, Gate Wins.

Ok, after a thrilling afternoon chasing cows for bull banding calves on a UTV the fun had to end. I broke the golden rule of cow herding, getting off my "horse". I got out the UTV to close the cow herd up in a smaller pen. The lead cow gave me a look at came at the gate. POW, I saw stars and felt wet on my face. I ran back to the vehicle and looked down and saw red. I saw the cows we caught run out of the pen as I felt the blood pool on my shirt. I was so mad at myself for getting hurt and losing the cows. But I was near help and they all came a running. My three cowboys took me home, got me off to the ER and took care of my livestock while I was away. The pain came in waves in the waiting room. But the local ER staff was great. I got x-rays and yup, my nose was broken through the top of my nose. My face swelled like a balloon and I had blood coming out of holes on my face and back of my throat. My husband stayed with me while we waited for the Doctor. He cleaned me up and said I need to see and ENT in a few days to fix my nose. The key is after the swelling goes down, then they can set my nose. So I look like a car crash and feel like a calf is lodged in my nose. I will live - but man it hurts.

And I have to sleep on my back.

This is my first time having a broken nose. Would I do it all over again - the cow herding, YES, except for the nose part. Herding cows was a blast on the UTV. And a cow can outrun those things, too. I learned a lot about cow herding. And I have a new appreciation for these cowboys who do this for a living.