Recipe

OK, if you want to try your hand an doing chili beans you can go HERE. I've also posted recipes to use them along with it. Happy Canning!

Fall canning and a small vent...

OK, it's been a day. Mom is canning chili beans today. SOOOOOOO much better than the store kind. I'll be posting the recipe later on. Anyway, I helped... :) I filled all 31 qts with the kidney beans. Yes you read that right, 31 qts.  Divide that by 7 and that's 4 canner's full plus 4. 

Next weekend I'll be canning chicken, chicken noodle soup, chicken stock. I'm going to be sick of chicken by Sunday. We'll also be canning some beef. At least it's one way to get the kitchen warm. 

OK on to my tiny little rant.

Here it is... I had these darling little bull calves. So I posted them on Craigslist because they were driving me batty! ARGH... Anyway, this guy replies and I call him and he says he'll take them. Fine and dandy... Well I had to run to town, so I told the family what the deal was and NOT to let them go with out cash. He was getting a dag gum good deal here. And I needed them gone... 5 less bottle twice a day, that's 5 gallons more milk in the tank everyday! woo hoo!!!!! It's a good woo hoo, not a sarcastic one. :)


I get home, he's here, I go out, mom is with him. Finally he says... well one of them gots scours, I told him he was fine this morning. He wanted me to take less, I said NO. That I had several other people who wanted them if he didn't and that he could take 4 at $85 each if he didn't want to take the one who he said was sick, or he didn't have to take any of them. It didn't make any difference to me. He decided to take the five at $325.00. I said a few other things also... but I'm going to keep this short if at all possible for me.


NOW this is a person who said "I KNOW cattle I've been around em my whole life." Beware of the MAN who says this. I just inwardly rolled my eyes. This showed when one baby calf jumped the same 18" piece of wood and got out 3 times. NOW me being me...I just let him keep doing this. AFTER all he KNEW cattle. I did have pity on the calf and closed the CATTLE PANEL that was 3' from the back of his trailer, funny thing is it stopped him, so we finally caught him. To top it off this guy was a *shudder* contractor!!!!!!!!!!!  A know it all contractor, "farmer", handy man, ... ugh...... I told him what all MY babies had  had. I won't miss the little fellers, mom on the other hand won't miss them, but feels sorry for them. ME I just don't want to be stuck with 20 BULLS like I was this year.  OH and has anyone EVER heard of "cutting" baby bull calves the day they are born? I think that's awful! It's it stress enough to be born then to have someone come and do that. Egads! I think that's awful, besides and not to be gross, but what are the dogs going to gorge themselves on in the Spring?! :)

I think this year, rather than being a disgruntled dairy farmer for Halloween, I'm going to be a contractor... after all I have a truck and a cell phone and I can bluff (or learn to... really I'm learning from the best, what with as many awful contractors I've come across) . That's scary isn't it. :)  

Random Pictures...

Let my people GO...

Proud Members of FREE the Little Goat's Society

Our southern view...

Random Fall color... 

The day of more than just one Title

It could have been the following yesterday:

Rain Drops, So many RAIN DROPS...

And the Thunder Rolls, thankfully the lightening didn't strike...

Over fields, and through the creek, to get back HOME... (on foot BTW) yes I ran the truck out of gas across the creek... Thankfully the creek wasn't to high for me to cross on foot, in sneakers, in almost darkness with NO flashlight, no rain coat, ugh...

WHATS for dinner....

Why won't the phone work?!?! It's because of all the rain...

Tractor tires and nails aren't a match...

Goats, it's a love, frustration kinda thing...

The Prodigal calf returns...

That's it I've HAD it with these bull calves, they are out of here!!!!

Rain...

We had one heavenly day of  NO rain, NO clouds (so to speak...OK so their were a few out there, but not like it's been for, ohhh...... WEEKS) the sun was shining, mud drying... sorta, and today the evil twin is back to haunt us. Yes, you guessed it... RAIN!!! blasted, horrible moisture in drop form.

I think it's time to build an ark, I really do. Sigh...

I wonder, can you get sea sick on land?

ARGH

OK, I'll say it. I'M NOT a fan of the CWT. It's not helping (OH forgive me according to Scoot Brown they have... a WHOLE whopping $0.66 per hundred. WOW and I thought it was because the GUVment was forcing the processors to pay more by bumping up the cheese prices).

THIS article made me mad, a little sick, and I wanted to cry. Good for me my tears are dried up for the moment. What gets me is the this journalist focused on the cow numbers. What about where most of the farms came from in this last go around? UMMM East of the Mississippi.  Oh well... why fight it...

Would you just LOOK at this weather forecast. Do I look like a duck here?!

Blah blah blah...

It's been raining... again. Short lived down pours, mist, sprinkles... MUD. And let me tell ya, this tisn't normal mud. This mud is slick, like satin. Your walking out on the pasture, you know where there is/was grass growing. And all of a sudden it will just.... s l i d e... *written in slow mo* . Ugh...

" Letting sleeping dogs lie "

I came in yesterday, and told mom that it makes me wonder why we do what we do. I would love to see the sun again. A few hours here and there just isn't enough. I think we are all fighting the down of dumps of mind, body and spirit. Oh for the sun to just shine.

Sunday Stills...

This is as good as it gets. If time allows I'll post some from the PS camera that's on another computer.

For more Sunday Stills... go HERE.

On of my Favorites...

Can cheese go bad?

My inquiring mind wants to know!

You see, mom, me, myself, and I went up to Tunas the other day. They had organic butter for 1.50 a pound if you bought a case. Which BTW is 15 pounds. So we bought one for us and picked up one for UL & AL. While there I also got some deli meat (two kinds of ham... how many ways can you smoke/cure a ham?) and some cheese sliced. OK so the marble (co-jack...mmmmmmmmm) was delicious and I think is gone. The cheddar, umm well I was the first one to take a taste... I was eating it with some pork rinds... (really a good combo... or peanut butter... OH stop!!! it's really good!)

Anyway something was off, so I tried a pork rind by it's self... nope it was fine. Tried the cheese...ick... so I tried another slice... ick again. Called over to mom "MOM would you taste this cheese?" her response was "Is it icky, because if it is I don't want to try it." me "I don't know if it's me or the cheese, please would you just try it?". She comes over to my little corner of the world, tries, makes a face and says "ick".

SO the Ick's have, I wonder if the dogs will like it? I've got a whole pound waiting for them to try. Now if they say  ICK  I KNOW I'm living in the Twilight Zone... *cue music*

Hopefully that song will be playing in you mind for a little while :)

It's Saturday y'all... the sun is trying to shine. I slept, I read my morning blog post, got my Mafia and Special Forces set for the day (Facebook users will understand... those who aren't on FB it's for us to know and you to find out!), and I'm in a weird mood today. And it's early yet... egads!!! The combination of sleep, clean hair, warm socks, unstuffy nose, and sunshine must be TOOOOO much for my psyche to handle. :) 

Just random shots...

It's to bad it's so fuzzy...  Oh well it's still pretty IMHO.

The NEW bright colors of the milk barn... Smiley face yellow and scrubs green.

I see you, but you can't see me.

Gwendolyn...

LOOK at those EARS! :) she's weighing it at a good 35 pounds... if that!

Velocity

She's twice the size of tiny girl above. But the same ears. :)

Gregory

Being shy... but the ears are there... short and sticky uppie.

The Homeless...

As I was reading this blog post, that I found from this blog. It started me thinking. I've never really came across a homeless person, in person. I've seen them, wondered about them and their lives. How things and life got them to where they are.Begging for money, food, etc.

There are those I've truly wondered about their sanity, and this is a good reason I keep out from a certain part in Springfield. When you see a person carrying on a conversation with no one and a dagger in their belt (not I'm not exaggerating)... umm that tends to scare me. Sorry just being honest.

Then I think of those who are taking advantage of the system, those that know how to "WORK" the system, then to those innocent little kids who I'm sure are cold, hungry, scared. I read some where the the homeless children out number homeless adults in this country.

Then this leads me to those who aren't homeless but have no money for food and the only way some children have a meal is at school. There is a school in Springfield that is now sending food home with these little kiddo's so they have food over the weekend. And wonder of wonder they are starting to learn, not being disruptive, and are healthier.

This then leads my mind to, why is food the first thing people cut back on when the money is tight. We wouldn't want to give up our fancy car for something that takes less gas, and money for insurance. We can't give up our entertainment money. But we will cut out cooking and buy frozen dinners. And when you think about it, how many people really COOK? I mean cook, not water and a mix then pour it up, or take out.

Why there isn't more out there to help people before they get to that point. And how do these CEO's of big companies that have shipped jobs overseas for their own gain, those mortgage companies that toss people out , the let the homes sit empty and going to pot.  How do these people sleep at night? And how do the attorneys for them sleep also? How do they justify things? If I hear one more person trying to say it's JUST business, it's not personal. ARGH... how do you tell little children this???

Rain Drops...

Well it was awfully nice while it lasted. Rain has moved in for another few days. Cloudy skies are again above us. How depressing this weather can be.

Another bull calf has landed. I think we are finally winding down on the cows and calves. At this rate I'll have the calves weaned by the New Year or shortly after, just in time for the new batch of calve to start and weaned just when the goats start kidding. :) Never a dull moment!

Well it's that time again. Chores in the rain... I don't think I'll sing about it though.

Update: As of 5:30PM skies have yet to clear, rain is still dripping from clouds, Opie has passed on to kitty heaven, and tomorrows high is going to be in the mid 40's. Like our mail man said today. It's going to be a long winter if the weather doesn't straighten out soon. 

Why...

Why:

Are baby calves so much more annoying in the evenings?

Do cats seem to go into hiding at night, but are crazy in the mornings?

Do the neighbors need to run up and down the road at night with squeaky wheels (or whatever was doing the squeaking), and make you worry about were your dog is because it sounded just like a dog in pain?

Do newborn baby calves get "Drunk" on colostrum and lie passed out and let you think they are dead until you come up on them and then come ALIVE?

Do the nights seem to go by so quickly and the days drag by so slow?

And lastly... why am I getting a headache?

Good night all... or Good Morning...  OR Good afternoon...which ever the case may be.

Good, bad, sad...

Good :

Sold my sewing machine today, FINALLY!!!!! I have entirely to many, so I'm not going to miss it at all, my faithful Bernina is by my side... now if I just knew how to work all the stuff that came with it.

All the calves are back on milk and not sick. YIPPEE SKIPPEE! FYI if your ever in a pinch (like when you forget to run to town for electrolytes),  You can use: 1t. salt, 1t. baking soda, and 1 c. light corn syrup and enough water to make a gallon. works great.. ALSO if you add Power Punch... it's kinda foams and goes wild... I love being a mad scientist. :)

Bad (not really, just very irked):

Am I the ONLY person who uses turn signals anymore? Am I the only one who pays attention to drivers around me and others? Why is it contractor are SOOOOOO much like weasels?

Sad :

We found out today that a dear friend had passed away, and no one even knew. She passed away on Sunday and was buried today and no one even bothered to let us know. It's a shock, and to be honest I'm a little ticked. At least she is in heaven, that we all know. She is with her family, is at peace and for that I'm thankful.

10 o'clock and all is well

At least I think so, hope so, am to tired not to believe so. What a day today was. Just when you think freaky things can't happen, they do.

Mom and I had no more than finished with chores and were sitting in the swing enjoying the nice weather, when Krissie comes up and says I need to get the tractor to get a steer (a VERY stupid steer I might add) out of the little (4x4x4) drain pit. Some how this extremely intelligent creature wouldn't go out the door, but thought it better to go into the pit, out the back door and into the drain pit. STUPID, Stupid, stupid! ARGH Long story short we (me, Krissie, and my grandmother) get him out, without the aid of the tractor. I would have done damage to him if I would have pulled him out rather than him settling down and thinking. After a little while he managed to stand up and hopped out. I'm sure he's a little tender and achey but OH WELL.

In the afternoon, I managed to get the yard mowed, cleaned out a flower garden (the frost the other night got the better part of the flowers :( ...) . then evening chores. OH and by the way... we have more than enough butternut squash... Any recipes for using it up? Not that I'm going to eat it mind you, but others will.

After that watching Tombstone. :) I do enjoy that movie... Your a daisy if you do... :) You tell I'm coming! and HELLS coming with me!!!! :)  

Sunday Stills

Calf Cuteness...

You knew I couldn't have a post with out at least ONE Jersey. :)

COLOR! :)

I couldn't help it on this last one... it just was so bright and colorful. For the longest  time in these parts, it's been NOTHING but rain, wind, and gloomy colorless days. And it's been COLD! These were from the archives, the one camera I have will NOT download to my laptop and the other that will, WELL I forgot to transfer them. Oh well so it goes...

From more Sunday Stills go HERE. :)

If you like...

Quilts... there is an online Quilt Festival going on HERE. It sure beats leaving the comfort of home, crowds, pushy people, and it can be done in the comfort of jammies :)

Good day

It's been a good day. The bank is going to work with us and so we won't be losing the cows and equipment. Yes it's been that bad round these parts, at least on this issue I can relax. I cried, I couldn't help it. It was just such a relief, well... a release of pent up frustrations and untold emotions.

I'll finally be able to keep my heifers and not have to keep selling them. Which is a blessing as we were needing to keep some back for once. Our numbers are getting low. It's time to start building our herd back up again. Now if thing will just start for the good with the house and such. We are all hoping and praying soon, very soon.

In other good news we had 2 heifers today!!!! Victoria had Velocity and Genevieve had Guenevere  (I think that's right if not OH well). Velocity is about twice the size of Guenevere, but tiny toes G. has a HUGE attitude problem. I just finally tubed her. There is no point in fighting with them when they have made up their mind. They can be such stubborn little creatures.

I had been hoping that Victoria's baby would have at least some white on it and that it would heifer, at least I got half of what I was hoping for. Why is it this cow can have bulls with tons of white on them and heifers with none? Maybe next time... :) MAYBE if I find a bull with white and they sell him as sexed we'll have a fair chance. That is if milk prices come up enough for such a splurge. ROFL!!!!!!!!

Night all and sweet dreams... I'll settle for just a good nights rest. :)

If I priced milk....

Tonight it would have sky rocketed. It's just been one of THOSE kind of days. I'm sure NONE of you ever have them :) .

Thanks to the goats (one goat actually... Tessie the devil spawn). They/she chewed the wires on the tractor for the lights to nothing. GRRRRR This of course means doing tractor chores in the evenings is a little more difficult. Let me tell you it's not fun being in the dark, with a nutty dry cow trying to bounce a big bale of hay of the spikes and into you, only to be blinded by the one light you do have right at the moment she decides to buck and jump like a calf.

Definitely not getting paid enough for this job tonight. :) To top it off, it's raining... again.

Random shots...

Get that bucket!

That's it... make it pay!

HI, I'm Twitter... can I get you next?!

Just because I like this one... It's the last of the 2009 roses.

It's dark out...

This is not normal for me to be up... I'm not a morning person, never have been, never will be... and just got the weather report... clouds and drizzle today, clouds tomorrow... Where has the sun gone, blue skies, warm fall breezes? DRYING OUT???

On good notes, the blower on the stove isn't acting up at the moment (the bushings are going out and it makes a HORRIBLE racket), the dryer is fixed, I did manage to sew a little yesterday (if I could just find my books I'd be halfway happy), I have plactic to do up the other windows (this could make a person depressed also), and I think I'm ready to go back to bed :)... only to get warm of course...

Well y'all I'm off into the wild blue yonder (where ever that might be). Toodles!!! and I promise to be in a better mood, IF the sun comes out today.

Question of the day....

Where in the world did I put my Dear Jane & Mountain Mist quilt books?! I neeeeeeeeeeeeed them.

A cold and misserable day...

The weather here has been more like November than October. The days are gloomy, peppered with rain, and wind. I can't remember the last time it was sunny and somewhat warm. It just makes the days long and depressing.Is it wrong to want some sun and warmth before winter takes over and Spring is seemingly to far away?

On a more chipper note, I have managed to get the one window taped up for the year. At least the living room is warmer than it was. I still have 3 or 4 more to get done. OK one wet and cold dog just came in and sat on my nice and toasty feet. Ranger I love ya, but was it really necessary to do that? Whatcha gonna do with a fat little dog who won't come into keep warm. :)

On the agenda for today, maintain a good mental status through chores, maybe sew a little... would bake a cake but we still don't have an oven. BUT we do have a dryer, my uncle fixed it, with help from yours truly. The belt had broken. In total is cost $94.14 in part. $20.00 for the belt, 27.00ish for a new lint filter, 18.00ish X 2 for little piece of felt. We all need to go into making 1x3 inch piece of felt with sticky stuff on one side for dryers... there's a goldmine just waiting for us! :)

Converstations...

My days always seem to start the same way, NO I'm not complaining, just stating the facts. I get up do my "thang" with FaceBook, check out my favorite blogs, get dressed, go out and the day begins. Or rather goes something like this:

Step out the door, go around the sleeping Kody (somehow even though he's deaf, he always manages to wake up). Then it's Kody NO, Kody I need to walk here, KODY PLEASE! Yes I love you too, now can I PLEASE walk so I can get to the barn?! Enter Annaliese "MOO MOOOOOOO MOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" I'm coming A (sorry not typing that name out over and over), Shut up A.  I mean it, if you do not shut that trap I'm going to hurt you, SHUT UP I"M COMING!!!!

Enter the goats, 12 at least little ones going " naaa naa naa naa" I'm coming babies, honest I am, Kody don't, A I'm coming. Next it's the cats, "Meow, meowwwww, MEOOOOOWWWWWWW"

So then it's "get out of the way, how can I feed you if your right there?!, A I'm coming. Babies, I know your hungry after all it's been a whole 10 hours since you were last fed. KODY leave that baby alone, now I mean it! (yes I tend to yell at a deaf dog... what of it?!). Now it's the baby calves time to chime into the madness.

And it goes something like this: A. if you don't stop I'm going to hurt you and I mean that, cats, I do declare if you do NOT get out of my way!!!!, baby calves, MOVE... would you just PLEASE move out of the way so I can walk, KODY!!!!!! ARGH!!!, goats... if you do NOT stay out of that grain I will hit (not to worry, I can't even get close... it's just hollow threats on my part), kids.... yes I KNOWWWW your hungry, I'm coming I promise, A. SHUT UP!!!!!...

By this time I've check out all the tails on the bottoms of little calves to see who gets milk or who needs meds and electrolytes. I retreat to the milk barn to pour up and start warming bottles for...16 bottle babies. Then it's back to the barn for round one of feeding calves. While there I feed the goats and water. Back to the barn for round 2 of bottles and to pour up more. I only have so many bottles and so many nipples.

Back in the barn...by now the calves have really come alive.... "Stop it, would you please just stop it, ALRIGHT that's does it! the next one to butt me in the backside is going to get it, I mean it! Your hurting me... would you not bite me. HELP!!!!!! I make my escape back TO the MB for the final round of bottles. And wonder what gross thing Kody and Ranger have now found, and are munching on. Get grain so A. and that bunch will be silent for a few moments. I can tell ya, A is not taking weaning well... I hope my sanity lasts longer than her incessant mooing...

Close up shop until evening... And go through it all over again.

Trying again... Sunday Stills

Not gonna talk about it...

Nope, I'm not going to talk about our President getting a Noble Peace Prize. I will say, did anyone notice the change of pictures on Yahoo yesterday? It went from Laughing/Happy to a Serious/Deep Thinking. OH BROTHER!!!

Anyway it's down right cold out this AM, dipped down into the mid 30's. NO NO NO, I'm not ready for winter. Someone please stop the progression of things. I've not yet gotten into the mind set of "Everyday is one day closer to Spring"...

OK so this blog post has been a work in progress. It's been one of those kinds of days. Yet again another Saturday has come and gone. Me, not sewing a stitch. I really don't know why I ever think I will. There is always more important things to do. And I know they need to be done, but with everything else it would be nice to have some joy. It would be nice to GIVE joy and happiness, without it being taken away. People really have no idea how they hurt others. Nor does it seem, they care. OH well, might at well be happy when your blue, me I'm navy blue.

BUT the sun has been shining, and the calves are doing well. And I might JUST might try and do Sunday Stills tomorrow. Tomorrow, Tomorrow, there's ALWAYS Tomorrow... it's only, a day a way.... EVERYBODY!!!!!!

I had a post...

It was all written out. And no I didn't lose it. I just decided what's the point of me spouting off? These people are going to think what they want, how they want, and it's OK for them to feel the way they do. BUT heaven forbid, someone having an opposing view. Now that's not right. ARGH!

AND for once it's not about farming... it's about home schooling. Yes, I'm pro home schooling, I was in fact home schooled. However, I'm not con public schools. IF your child excels in public school, GREAT! If you have morally good kids in public schools, again... GREAT! BUT don't berate those people who decided to home school for whatever reason they may have. And one more thing... neither side has just case to berate the other side. It's all because of something called FREEDOM. Don't we have more important things to be warring about than the whole schooling issues or the lack of schooling?

A fine day...

To paint... :-/ well it's needs to be done. Might as well just buckle down and get it done and over with before cold weather makes it nigh to impossible for the paint to dry. So right now every door and window (that will open) is open and drying out.

I don't mind painting as a general rule. But painting a milk barn with all of it'd corners, things to paint around, it's just a a blah ho hum job. I am however going to put some smiley faces out there is time. Might as well smile and be happy right? RIGHT! I love it when everyone agrees with me. :) Even if it's just those voices in my own head!!! tee hee...

No new babies... several in the oven. 2 with colds, weaning 6 or so. Goats are nuts!

Good Morning... I think

Well it's morning time again... I'm not awake, even though I've been "awake" for over an hour and a half now. Some storms were pushing in, and I just couldn't sleep. Sleep... Oh to sleep without thinking.

So anyway it rained, and hailed a tiny bit I think. I'm tired, cold, and grumpy (at least I'm one of the Seven Dwarfs this morning). Irked that I can't even bake my mom a birthday cake. I've not missed baking her a Red Velvet cake in years! And since we don't have an oven I can't BAKE one. ARGH!!!!! So I guess when we get an oven at some point I'll just do one then.

BTW mom Happy Birthday!!!! 143!!!!

And so there ya have it...I don't even remember it raining on her birthday. It's normally always sunny, warm,

blue skies, a lovely day. Hopefully the sun will come out and warm things up, SOON. 

Well it's time to get going... again. :) see ya later all!

It's be a

GORGEOUS day. Fixed a hose, painted some in the barn, warmed up in the sun, and have about had it with sub contractors. Why is it so difficult to get receipts for materials that have been bought? I don't know either...

So I'm going to pretend I'm Scarlett this afternoon and think about it tamarra... Now if there was only some one to do chores and sweep me off my feet  with a new truck, trailer, beautiful bovines and cash... LOTS of cash... yes my love can be bought! LOL OK day dreaming minute for the day is OVER. Reality is... I'm still not going to think about it until tamarra, chores are quickly coming upon us, and there is no such man in sight.

Tomorrow's potential episode... Oh Bother... It's raining. AGAIN.

Marching Days...

Well the end of the year is quickly getting here. I don't know where the days have seemed to go. But they are gone, winter is closing in on us and I'm not all that thrilled with the thought of rain, cold, snow, sleet, ice... Can we do a rewind?! I would have like to have been able to enjoy this year more. All in all I think I did as well as one can if they are dairying, have had contractor trouble, other stresses, cows calving late,... One good thing, at least I think, I have the calf scours and that who thing under control.

WHO knew giving 8-way blackleg at 2 days old and feeding 8.6 pound of milk per 100 pounds (note I give our babies a little more) would cause them to not get scours at all! out of 17 on the bottle now, 2 got scours and that was because they were on a cow and getting as much as they wanted, over loaded the the gut and the nasty bacteria grew uncontrollably. Lost one, saved the other. Both bulls. 15 calves NO scours or having to treat them for anything... it's gotta be a record!

On the agenda for today... POST OFFICE! It's a must. Now if I don't forget to go!

Sunday Stills... Happiness...

"Ranger"

In just being himself.

"Tempest"

While just a wee little thing. She still loves me... and this makes me happy.

David Austin roses... Now couldn't find happiness in this!

Just because... and not it's not blurry in the back... this was a second blossom and In didn't realize it until later.

And last but not least...

"Saratogo with baby"

For more Sundays Stills go here.

Ear Tags, Tube feeding, and new collars...

There are just days when I truly believe that if my head wasn't attached I would lose track of it. Time on the other hand I can't control.... and I seem to lose it before I know it. Just like today. I got out earlier than I have been getting out for chores, because one I was up and hadn't slept well at all! Two I wanted to get to the Post Office.

It seems like on these kind of days, I always change my routine up. First off I decided to switch the weaning calves feeding to mornings so I'm not fighting calves in the dark. Secondly... I wanted to get the calves ear tagged before I lost track of who they are. Which by the way has anyone notice the price of ear tags lately?!?! It's not like they are solid gold ya know!!!! $32.00 when they used to be $20.00 just a few years back. Anyway, all was on track until... there is always an UNTIL don'tcha know... dumb bull and cow decide to go walk about down the road. So we had to get them home, and then I remember I had to open the gate to the bottom so they would have something to eat for the day. Aren't I a sweetheart?!

To top off chores this morning, while tubing a bull calf the end came off (you know the tip so it won't go in their lungs) and was left inside of him. I'm hoping this won't kill him... I would fell bad if if did. Thought about calling the vets office to ask, but later thought that is just one stupid question I didn't feel like asking and them laughing... when you think about it, it is rather comical. In a twisted farming kinda way.

Came in and was getting my things ready to go for the post office. Changed clothes and off I went. However somewhere between here and there I forgot to go to the post office. My mind was on things like: collars for the Big Girls and Little Girls (goats), starter for the baby calves, cat food (we should buy stock in Purina, I personally feel we are keeping them afloat in what we spend on cat food and dog food alone), bleach, rose spray (didn't have any), and so forth and so on.

And to top off the trip home a pushy MAN in a FORD would NOT get off my tail. I just hate it when people get like that... I was going a little better than the limit. If they want to go and get a ticket FINE by me, but don't push me!

To top off the day, evening chores went OK, new collars on, all calves fed, no new babies (thank you Lord) and now for a relaxing evening. OH I even got to see the last show at EXPO! Yet again a Holstein won, IMHO she wasn't as nice as last years Holstein winner... now that was one Holstein I wouldn't mind having! :)

Men,Farm shows, and Fords...

First off I'm going to apologize in advance to men, people who love farm shows (which BTW is IMHO different than oh lets say Dairy farm shows.) and those men who drive Ford trucks.

Secondly... I will say this so this post won't sound like I'm bashing ALL men. There have got to be some good ones out there. Doesn't there??? Men are good for a few things... for instance: killing snakes (I can kill my own spiders), loading and unloading feed, and if I think of anything else I will add it later! :)

On will the show (vent)!

Today... All I wanted to do was go and get some GOOD apples. Crisp, sweet, little globes of juicy goodness. I had however forgotten than Farm Fest was going on down in Springfield. So mom said oh lets go, or go see the Saanen goats. I would have much rather seen the goats. I do not like FarmFest I'm just odd in that way. First of all it's geared towards hobby farmers, cattleman, backgrounders... etc and so forth and so on. They are also geared towards MEN. Personally I think there needs to be Farm events and shows geared towards women! Novel concept I know... I mean after all women are the the wave of the future in farming. Who do these companies think really "run" the farm for pity sakes!?!? Also there was hardly anything dealing with dairy farming there. No wonder with the prices how they are.

Sigh...ARGH.... Has anyone ever noticed how men go around in packs. I don't think there was one single man walking around today. Also not one single man (exhibitor) at our farm shows will hardly give a woman the time of day if I err we are interested in a product. In this way World Dairy Expo is SO much better. Not much, but some. I could stand at a booth or equipment dealer for a half hour and they would talk to every man that would stop and look and try to walk on rather than answer my questions. Granted I may not have the money (oh how I wish I did), but is this really any way to treat a potential costumer? This is why we do business only with those companies who do take the time to answer any number of questions I might have.

Thankfully they did have one thing for women today... OH I take that back... two. Mary Kay (so you can look GOOD while chasing down those calves who kick in the leg and head butt you.) and a vacuum sweeper! OH GOODY!!! This is for sweeping up all the dirt that makes it past the mud room... saving you time to go and put on that make-up to look good for chores! OH sweet magnolias how have we ever survived!... Yeah I know... so we took a side road of sarcasm. One needs to get off the beaten track and just wing it.

ON to Ford trucks or rather the men who drive them... what gives?! In the events of my life I have yet to met a man who drives a Ford who doesn't have an ego problem. That and they don't know how to drive and are RUDE! I mean... in less than a weeks time, I was in the same Lowes parking lot, SAME space (I have a favorite spot... I know I know weird) and would you believe that 2 different men in Ford trucks cut me off and the one made me back up so he could get in a parking space! I gave them both dirty looks. THEN today the same thing happened... several men, in all FORD trucks, cut in front of me in traffic or cut in so they could get out of the gates first. Men who drive Chevy's, GMC's, Dodges etc. are so much nicer and easier to deal with.

Also whatever happened to men being men? I mean real honest to goodness MEN, gentlemen, providers of the home.Where are they?

I'm tired... but I did get my apples! Cameo, Stellar Gold, and Red Delicious. I would love to try the Black something or others but the likely hood of getting back down there is slim to none. Oh well, need to be thankful for what I've got!

Everyday Life...

The everyday of life. Comes, goes, like clock work every 24 hours. Sleep, eat, do chores, run errands... and get ready to do it all over again the next day. Not that I mind. OK I do... it would be nice for something good to happen... NOT that having heifers isn't good. But I know what I mean. Really I'm not complaining... I'm just in a funk I suppose. Nothing seems right. If that makes any sense.

Two more babies have landed. One bull (no great surprise there as 69 I don't think has EVER had a heifer) and Jinger who just calved this year surprised us with a heifer! I'm thinking of naming her Jericho. Yeah I know it's more a masculine name but if we can have a cow named Travis (note: we bought her with that name) surely we can have one name Jericho.

Did manage to watch some of the Jersey, Milking Shorthorn, and Brown Swiss shoes at WDE. I didn't really agree with the Judge in the Swiss show. Oh course everyone is entitled to their opinion, I just don't happen to like frail looking Brown Swiss. Nor do I like frail looking Jerseys.... Some do.