Life is Returning to Normal a Little Bit at a Time!

       Good morning, hope all is well out there in blogger land. Calving has pretty well come to a stand still,one or two every couple of days, but not the way it was a couple of weeks ago. I was working on the cattle books yesterday and realised that the bulls had done a fairly good job last year as we had ninety one calves in a month. Not bad, boys!
       I am starting to feel human again,and able to interact with other human beings with out putting both my feet in my mouth at the same time, or just having incredible crap come out of my mouth unless I was on guard all the time.( well I guess there is still some of that going on). Amazing what a full night's sleep does for a person.
     I have been trying to read everybody's posts just to keep up with what is happening, but have not left many comments as brain was not functioning that well, enjoyed seeing the pictures from Julia's retreat, beautiful work and really fascinating wish I was closer,looks like it would be fun. Knit wit's projects are inspiring also, great work girls. Thank you to all the bloggers I read, really brightens my days and are inspirational. Thank you for all the comments, and the thoughts on the chairs, have decided to leave them as they are for now, just a good cleaning and oiling and they look pretty good. Thank you Nezzy for the birthday wishes for Mom, we had a really nice time and some good laughs remembering old times and such. While I was up there I discovered an new favourite store, Mom was telling me about it before I went up, so we went and had a visit. My wallet was a little lighter when we came out, but was it ever cool, fabric, yarn,patterns,new ideas and just an all around wonderful place, can't wait to visit again.
 Well I guess I had better get back to work,as Fuzzy will be back shortly to move cows and calves, no church today,so I guess my prayers and worship will be with the cows and the great outdoors, they don't get its Sunday. Take Care and God Bless, hope to get back to posting on a regular basis now.





My new herd marker!

New Finds,New Calves,New Plants Things Are A Happening!

 

 Hi Everybody, Hope all is well with you! Things are a starting to pop around here from cows to seeds yah! Tuesday saw the start of calving here, with one of the commercial cows being the first to start, she had a real nice little heifer calf  and such a good Momma she did not want us near for a while. Last night brought the second one, a bull calf this time, who needed a little help making his entrance, followed by another cutie this afternoon.They are all so cute and black, hoping the purebred Herefords start soon, with their pure white heads, and white socks. The blacks are cute with their long eyelashes and coats that look like velvet. What am I saying I love'm all. This morning we tagged and tattooed the first two and I got some pictures, the little fella was in the calving barn and we had put momma out , so I got down in the straw to get a picture and the sweetie came on over to check out what was going on so I got a real close up. The little miss was just in the shed with momma so did not get to close.
    Back up at the house the plants are starting to pop, so the greenhouses around might not see much of me this year if things keep growing and survive my care when we really get busy with calving. Thought I would share some pictures of these too.
   About a week ago was talking to one of Fuzzy's cousins, and she asked if I wanted some old chairs that where from some of the family as she had enough and knew I appreciated the old treasures. My response was yes, could I buy them from her and she said she just wanted to get rid of them, I was very happy to take them of her hands, love them. Now here is where I would like some input, do I just re glue them and do any other repairs that are needed or repair them and refinish them or I even have a hard time saying this, paint them. Please let me know what you think, having a hard time deciding , but am leaning towards just fixing them up.
   I am off to the great white north this weekend to see my Mom for her 85th birthday, and take sometime checking out the consignment shops up there as it is something we both enjoy and she does not get to go much now. We should have a lot of fun, I'll  come home after church on Sunday as Fuzzy will be on his own calving, so don't want to be gone to long.
   Hope everyone has a great weekend! I'm off to check cows, see ya later!

March - Lamb or Lion? Here it looks like Lion!

     Well maybe a baby lion! We got snow yesterday and this morning, strong winds today. They tell me the highway is icy, but after the beautiful winter we have had how can one complain, and being March it will be over soon.(I hope)
     Thanks for the great comments on my last post, nice to hear other peoples view.
I have got some plants up and almost ready for transplanting into bigger flats, yes I started them to early but I had the bug, and they will be fine as I will get the fan on them for a while everyday and do some pinching. I started more today, and will get another bunch going in two weeks, so great seeing them grow, and to play in the dirt.
   Well I guess you could say we are ready for calving to start, checked the list and I think we have everything ready,maybe could do more baking and get some more soup made for the freezer but other than that  we are ready , I think.  The calving cupboard is stocked with extra flashlight batteries,o.b.gloves,tags and marker, tattoo ink,powdered colostrum,bottles and nipples if needed. The shop fridge has fresh bottle of selenium for the babies to give them a little shot to help their immune systems,calving chains are all washed and disinfected in case someone needs a little help.The Vicar stopped for a visit the other day and asked if I was done nesting, and I guess I must have looked at him strange,so he explained  that I was like a expectant mom getting everything ready for the impending birth, had to laugh as he was right, I have been cleaning organising,cooking and baking,stocking up on things so I won't have to worry about that during calving  I have learnt my lesson well after one year when I was still working in town, and did not have everything ready early.Fuzzy had a surprise one morning and needed things to work on the little surprise, and we had more that day too. He called me at work about 7or 8 times wondering where things were,I was quite busy that day with patrons and finally lost patience  and responded to the last phone call that I would get my special glasses out that could see from town to our house into the cupboards and find what he wanted,well that did not go over really well, but the customers had a good laugh,and there were no more calls that day. I learned my lesson well as I got a frosty reception when I got home. Don't make the same mistake twice around here, if you can help it. We have been bringing in a few girls into the yard everyday so the pens are starting to reach there limit, like to let them have lots of room to exercise and be comfortable when they are close to delivery.After they calve we will rotate them with ones that have not calved yet. With the cows though you sometimes get it wrong and haven't brought the right ones in, but we have things set up pretty well in case we have to get somebody in quick.  I laugh as some of the older girls are looking to come in as they think it is pretty nice even though they may not be ready to calve for about three weeks, funny girls. We are doing the walk  four times a day now but when things get rolling it will be every three hours or less depending on the weather. I usually take the night shift , its so peaceful, but sometimes quite busy
   Fuzzy has had time this winter, with it being mild to get more welding done and has made more gates in the alleyways, makes it so much nicer to move the cattle from one area to the other, so much less stressful for them and us. He has also been working on my big rototiller so it will be ready for spring. I cannot wait to play in the dirt and get gardening.
    Well I hope all is well with you and that you have a great weekend. God bless! I'm off to check cows.

The Lego Birthday Cake

       Hello again, yesterday I was telling you about our little man's birthday cake. Well because I had neglected to have my phone charged I could not show you the pictures of the cake and our little man at his party with his dudes last Friday. I am a proud Momma and Granny so I have to share with everybody.Last Thursday night Thumper asked if I wanted to come and play, and of course I did, I got to help put Lego man together,and she finished him Friday morning with the fondant. Oh how I like to play with my girls.

     Mr. Lego man started of with a rice treat body supported with wooded skewers and toothpicks. Thumper let him sit over night and then covered him with fondant. Her Lego blocks were made from cake and marshmallows. The t-shirts you see in the foreground were a project that Thumper thought the boys would enjoy doing.Oh yeah took them all of five minutes and then they were on the run again.There are times when I wished God had blessed us with sons and then there are times, like birthday parties for six year old boys, I am glad and thankful he did not. They are cute and wonderful but I am not up to the noise anymore.  I do love little boys! I just like little girl parties better!

Happy Valentine's Day!

      Here is hoping you are all having a happy valentine's day! Wow, hard to believe we are half way through another month of 2012. Yesterday was our youngest grandson's sixth birthday, he is growing up so fast and has went from everything having to be John Deere green or he would not wear it, to liking other colours, plus the only toys worth while being farm related to Lego Lego Lego, and he got lots of Lego for his birthday. He was one very happy young man. His Momma even made him a Lego man cake surrounded by cake made to look like Lego.
    I have brought up the trays for starting my plants from the green house today, stopped and thought how nice it was in there and for a minute thought of reorganising it, I decided it could wait until we are calving and I am waiting for some cow to do her thing. So now they are  soaking in a javex solution before I plant them up, hoping it is not the wrong time of the moon, but oh well I'm in the mood so I will get some going today. I am going to try some yellow tomatoes this year, as Fuzzy had trouble with the acid last fall( might not have been that he ate about 6 or 7 everyday last fall) these are to be low acid so we will see if they help or if he even likes them. I also found a purple pepper that I am going to try, they are supposed to turn red when they are ripe, always fun to try something new.
   I am continuing to declutter, but have to take time outs as it is against my usual method of keeping most stuff as I may need it for something or someone else in the circle might need it, and usually after I have made the ultimate sacrifice of getting rid of something, I needed it.
   I would like to thank the people who have been sharing their comments with me it is nice to know someone out there is reading this, if you have any helpful suggestions or ideas, critics are always welcome. I am enjoying reading other blogs and looking forward to reading more, nice to see how others lives are going, and their projects.
   I hope you all have a wonderful week and a great weekend. Take care and God bless!

Thirty One Years, And They Said It Would Not Last, Just Stars In Her Eyes

   I meant Fuzzy for the first time when I was seventeen, it was in a wash rack at the fall provincial livestock show. Nice guy but I was more into cattle and horses,and rodeo at the time, and I was jail bait in his eyes. One year and a half of another one, the story changed somewhat and we started hanging around together when we saw each other at the cattle shows. Things got a little more serious when he came up north for my 19th birthday at the end of May, and the following February 7th, we got married.
   It was a cold but sunny Saturday up home, busy day as the wedding did not take place until 7:00pm friends and family were stopping in and last minute things to do the day flew by and it was time to go to the church. Now my Dad was having a little trouble that day I am not sure why but he just was not himself to the point he did not even warm the car to make the drive to the church. So there was one very cold bride by the time we got to the church,and my Mom had always told my sister and I that if we got the cold shivers running down are backs when we walked down the isle to turn and run not look back. Well Lordy how could you tell when you were already and ice cube from the car ride there.
    The church was  aglow with candle light, so beautiful. Two of the bridesmaids were a little nervous as was I so in my mind, humour was the only way to handle the situation, made a joke wondering which one of them would be the first to trip down the isle, which eased our tension until my sister told us to behave, it was a time to be serious. they headed  down the isle and then it was Dad and my turn, everyone rose and began to stare at my feet,yes I was wearing my Tony Lamas(I have worn western boots most of my life) and thanks to one of my aunts they were manure free. My brother in law had said he would give me a hundred dollars if I would do it, had already planned on it, so was the easiest money I ever made. Fuzzy was there waiting on me ( thank goodness)I could focus on him to get down that isle. As he took my hand and I went to step toward to the Reverend, Dad stepped on my train, nothing ripped but in my mind I thought it was going to, me being me I wheeled around and there were a few who thought I might deck my Dad, the thought had slightly crossed my mind but I did my usual, DAD  as quietly as I could, and realised Mom was right when she was creating my beautiful dress that I maybe should not have a 5 ft. train when I was only that tall myself,Dad might trip on it, no Mom he won't do that! ( Moms are almost always right) The ceremony was beautiful and I was married to my best friend and the future was ours.
 After the church we went back to the house for pictures and then to the hall for a night of speeches,toasts, food, dancing, laughter and  much celebration.
 That was thirty one years ago,we have had good times and bad, drought,flooding  and numerous other things but there is no one I would have gone through it all with but Fuzzy. He holds me up when I have not much left, he teases me until I laugh and straightens me out when I do something stupid but I always know he loves me and he will always be at my side. We have been blessed with two wonderful  daughters, one amazing son in law, and three special grandchildren,and Boo's boyfriend , Life is good! Here is to the next 31 years hope we make it and that I still have a few stars still left in my eyes.
  Love You Fuzzy My Friend!

      Wow its melting, beautiful night out just came in from  the porch swing and a cup of tea,amazing weather.
       Tomorrow we are bringing the main cow herd home from the other yard,it is a month later than last year as the weather has be so kind to the cows and the feed. We keep the main herd over there as a form of manure management,and bring them home now to get them ready for calving,which will start the beginning of March. Last year bringing them home was a piece of cake,as all four miles of road we bring them down had snowbanks  on either side of the road, now these girls are usually looking for a short cut but no one even tried,kinda took the fun out of it but it was a smooth trip all the way.This year it may be a different story, barely any snow, you just know somebody is going to make a brake for it. The weather man is calling for a good day so it will be great no matter what the girls try.
    Thumper and her husband have calved out about twenty girls and have had three sets of twins. The grandchildren are having fun naming all of them, the boys get to name the bull calves and our princess names the heifer calves, by the time Momma and Daddy are done I imagine they will have run out of names.Thumper and Hubby are just getting started.
   This weekend is the Lieutenant Governor's Winter Fest, in the big city, and we are planning on going,yeah! There are pavilions all over town from the different countries,Fuzzy has been telling everyone he is taking me on a trip around the world in two days for our winter holiday! Last year we did the British Isles and this year we will try for many more, but I really have to go back to Scotland and Ireland had a blast last year!
     I said I would share more of my fascinators so I'll put some more up now, after Sunday I can store them away, we are having a special service in honour of the Queen accession to the throne which took place sixty years ago on Monday. The official celebrations do not take place until June but the Vicar wants to have the service now on the anniversary of the death of King George The VI and the accession to the throne of his daughter. We will wear our head wear to church that day, Her Majesty won't be there so we can wear fascinators, apparently you are not to wear fascinators in the Queen's presence any longer.
   So here we go, on with the show!Oh and please let me know what you think!