Sheering

The kids got their goats clipped this past weekend in preparations for the fair. They will be showing them tomorrow at 5:00. It is always such an exciting event. County level is fun because they are competing with friends and others that they know from school. State level is when it gets a little more intense as far as competition goes. We have until the middle of October to get them ready for state. Taylor's goat has been sick, we think he got bitten by a snake. I hope that he is better soon. Usually judges take into consideration if an animal has been injured in some way.

Bounty

I decided that I would use today to "salvage" what I could out of my tomato patch. I knew that there would still be some, but I was shocked by how many were hiding there. I let my garden just grow naturally, I didn't stake the vines at all and by early July, the grass and weeds had filled in around them as well. It isn't pretty to look at but it seems to have worked out very well. The best tomatoes were the ones that I found hiding in the shade of Bermuda grass patches, nice and protected from the glaring sun, and cushioned from the hard dry soil. I could feel my heart growing with joy and thanksgiving as my baskets became fuller and fuller. It always thrills me the little ways that God finds to bring happiness into my life. Now I better get busy putting these tomatoes in the freezer. I can taste the deer chili now...mmmmm.

softer side

Look what Kyle caught today. It was nice to see a softer side of him. He has always been such a sweetheart but with teenage hormones kicking in, it has been tough lately for him to always be sweet.

I hope the poor butterfly is ok after being handled by those hands. I love the picture...dont you?

Big Day

We had a big day on the farm today. Rodney cut the hay meadow on Thursday and it was ready to bale today. I got most of it tedded before the tedder broke, apparently it wasn't anything serious but we decided to let that be it for tedding. I started raking about 3:00 and raked until about 5:30. Rodney didn't even get baled what I raked and he said that the count on the baler was already 56. By my estimation, we should end up with about 150 rolls or more just out of that field.
When I got home, from raking, Rodney called and said there was a problem with the water at the chicken houses. So we had to deal with changing filters and such at the pump house this evening. I also sprayed round-up around the ponds and chicken houses today...all of this with it being 5000 degrees outside. When I was raking, I put a ziploc bag with ice in it under my hat...I poked a few holes in it so as the ice was melting that cold water was running down my neck and back keeping me nice and cool. I thought it was a pretty genious idea myself.
I am pretty tired and my head is starting to ache. But this evening, I was driving home in the dark on the four-wheeler, the air was nice and cool and all the way home I could smell that hypnotic fragrance of hay in the field. That made it all worth while. I wish that I could send all of you a big breeze filled with that fragrance.

Birds

The baby birds that reside in my fern are getting much bigger. There are three of them and they have traded in there down for a few tiny feathers. I love their little faces, they way they always look like they are little bit angry and put out with me. I have been trying to get a picture of the mother, but she is pretty illusive.

While we were out

While we were out yesterday, Charlotte decided to destroy a roll of toilet paper. I think that she gets a little restless when we are gone and takes it out on different things in the house. She ate my dictionary a few weeks a go, I thought that somehow this meant that she was smart, but I think it was only a puppy-chewing episode. She seemed very ashamed of herself, we are thinking of sending her to toilet-paper-eaters anonymous, possibly some therapy.

Projects

I have completed a couple of projects over the last two days. I made a coffee cup holder for my kitchen, it turned out really cute I think. Taylor and I have been trying to complete the decorating in her room. She wanted some words on her wall and after much consideration, she picked the phrase that you see. We had a lot of fun slinging the paint on the wall. I'll have to get some more pictures when the whole thing is done. It is a little messy right now.

New Toy

Well, Rodney went to Hope and got the new cutter today. He hooked it up as soon as he got back with it. It took a little while to figure out all the little gadgets on it, anything that was different from the old one, but he got it figured out and hit the hay field. He was like a kid with a new toy when I saw him last. I guess that makes it all worth it. I am happy that maybe for a few years I won't have to get a call from him with that dissapointed sounding voice telling me that he was "broke down" again. He keeps telling me that everything will be alright, not to worry, we'll figure it out...I guess I should listen to him and just let go of the worry. I'm sure it will be alright, we have survived a lot worse than this.

Big Day!!

Today was a monumental day on the farm. Kyle got to drive the tractor and ted the hay all by himself. Rodney drove him around the outer perimeter, then he let Kyle drive with him on the tractor for a little ways, then it was Kyle on his own! I was so nervous for him but I know that if he is going to learn, he has to get out there and do it. We had to adjust the tension on the seat because he weighs so little that the alarm kept going off. That really tickled me.

There is still a world of hay to cut and bale, and as things would have it, the cutter broke today. We have patched that poor thing a million times and were praying that it would make it through this season, but it looks like we are going to have to get a new one. Poor Rodney. He was down about the cutter, then we found out that his kitty (the Arkansas woodpile kitty), was badly injured. We think he got run over in the hay field or something. Rodney had to put him down, he was 14 years old. It has been one of those days here. We are all praying for Rodney. He somehow gets all of the "dirty" jobs around here. I don't know how he has the strength sometimes. We are all blessed to have him in our lives.

Baby Birds

I noticed a bird flying out of my fern every time I watered it. I decided to take a peek inside to check for a nest, and look what I found. I'm not sure what kind of bird it is, I think it is some sort of sparrow or finch. Anyway, aren't these the funniest little creatures?? I will be sure and take pictures as they grow. The fern is hanging on a metal pole so I think they are safe from the kitties...at least until they start to learn to fly. I love to find little surprises like this right in my own backyard.