a very happy 4th

Our 4th of July celebration actually began the night before... my sister Rachel, her hubby John and little Naomi, moved into our back camp for their week of vacation. It is so much fun having them in our "back yard"... and was a perfect way to begin the holiday!!!! I am so very grateful that I live in the United States and am very thankful to the folks who keep our country safe!!!!















Once everyone was settled, we fired up the "cooker" and had a feast of s'mores!!! Abby didn't need to have her marshmallow cooked... or add the chocolate or graham.... just "plain" was good enough to her!!!!









But the "older kids" (including me) had to do them right... my goodness, they were yummy, and I fear that I had way too many!!!!










We celebrate the "real" 4th with a big cookout that included family and friends!!! It was such a wonderful day and again, I am truly blessed to have such a great family and the joy of being all together with everyone.....














We had.......





lots of good food!!!!











and many dogs (10 all total)....

babies!!!!

and kids!!!!

and of course, lots of swimming in the lake!!!!

Last year, it was rainy and cold... I remember we sat around the cooker wrapped in quilts... so this year, the warm temps and sunny day made everything "perfect"

and it is my sincere hope that all of you enjoyed your day as well...

Happy 4th!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

missed the date..

Well, we had hoped that the fourth would have been our move in date. That didn't happen.. but we aren't too many weeks away, and the work in the house is going very well. We will definitely be in by the end of this month, just don't know exactly when. All the hard wood floors are done and they are beautiful, Ed is working on the baseboard trim now. That, along with trimming out the last of the windows and my painting.. will finish the rooms quickly.





Brother in law, John, is doing an amazing job with the stairs (plus he has also done several other jobs as well for us) and has "volunteered" to do whatever else might need to be done so we can get in. Here the railings are being put into place....










And then, with the help from my little niece, Naomi... he is getting ready to do the ballesters. I understand that there are 60 ballesters in all, and guess what.... they all need to be painted!!!! I think I am getting tired of this "painting job" that I have been "assigned" to do!!!!!















By the way, I could hardly bear to take these pictures, seeing John and Naomi so close to the edge!!!! (I have trouble walking in the hallway!!!) But they "worked" together, and both seem totally at ease with it.....








And, the carpets are in!!!! They really made a huge difference in all the bedrooms...


Abby has brown to match her pink walls...









Sadie has a dark green - matching her green walls....












And we have... well.. NOT the color that I ordered!!! I had ordered "garnet".... I wasn't there when the carpet came off the truck (had to wait for an repair man at the camp), and it was 3/4 installed when I got back to the farm. Ed came down and said, "I like the color you picked, but I didn't know it was a grey"... I told him I didn't order "grey".. I ordered kind of a "cranberry"... so, up the stairs I went and said to the installer... "that' not the right color". Poor guy, he about passed out. He called the owner (who is Steve, the guy that put down the hard wood) and told him we had a "problem". Well, what happened is the word "garnet" got mixed up and became "granite" some where in the ordering or shipping process. Steve was (is) very upset about the whole thing. But, Ed and I talked, he really likes this color, and it matches fine with the wall color... I haven't bought any curtains...so, guess we decided to just go with it. Steve still wants to find out where the mess up happened, and will more than likely "do something" for us.... so, one little glitch that we'll just go with. It's only carpet, and actually, it is beginning to grow on me.

That's been the only "big mistake" that has been made in the whole building process, so I feel pretty luck about that. We're going to take some time "off" over the fourth (next blog) and enjoy the time with family and friends, but it's straight on work from here until we begin the move!!!!

6/24/10 - got chicks?

Yup... we do. Even though it's been "more than crazy" around here. I am taking those moments to enjoy some of the reasons why we have made this move in our lives. And today's enjoyment, our arrival of chicks. I ordered six Araucana chickens, mainly because they are the ones that lay the colored eggs - a light blue to greenish tinted eggs. I just thought they would be kind of neat to have around the farm.






I really didn't know much about the "breed", but have found out that they really are good for free ranging, which despite the pit falls of that, we allow our birds to do. They also come in a variety of different colors themselves, and tend to be quite independent. They certainly are cute as chicks, and we know this stage won't last that long.





Now, if you can count this pile, I told you that I ordered six chicks, and there certainly is more than that here. Well... turns out there were some guinea keets that "needed a home as well", and I just couldn't resist. I have no idea what it "is" about the guinea hens, except that I am in love with them. Since we lost Mrs. G and now only have Mr. G and "Little G" (two cockerels) I am yet again trying my luck with getting a hen or two. Course we won't know for a while "what we got"... (my luck it will probably be more cockerels).. but here they are. And anyone that knows my Ed... knows just have excited he is to have more guinea hens on the farm (NOT).....

On news of the house... the wood floors are now all in place, the vinyl is down in both the upstairs bathrooms... and carpet is on the way. We probably won't make our move in date of July 4th, but all in all, we aren't too far off track. So, just plugging along in that department....

We did however, need to get the cable, computer and phone moved around. After leaving the big camp, we decided it was just easier to get the service up and running at the farm house. This is what our "computer room" looks like for the moment... in the basement of the house. But, it works!!!!! Eventually it will all be moved to the "office" (when we get that room done)... but I am happy just to be on line and blogging when I can find a minute to do it.

It's a mess at the moment, but everything here has a place in the house. Just need to get those places made.....

poor Beeker- BAD Camille!!!

She isn't so happy about showing it off, but you might notice that little Beeker is sporting a very bald area... thanks to Camille!!!

I'm not too sure exactly what happened. I was at the farm yesterday - answering yet MORE questions - when Camille snuck out of the house. I don't usually worry too much about that, because she never "goes" anywhere, but when she didn't return I went and called for her.





Sure enough, she came running back from the barn. When we arrived I asked her "what were you up to" but she never took the time to answer my question.

Later in the day I went up to the barn and found white feathers EVERYWHERE!!! I suddenly got a very sick feeling and ran into the "chicken stall", there was little Beeker on her nest. She was sitting so still that I wondered for a moment if she were still alive. She was, but when I picked her up, I saw this huge bald spot... guess now I know what Camille was up to.

So.. needless to say, Miss Camille will no longer be a welcomed guest in the barn, and poor little Beeker will probably need the entire summer growing these feathers back... "bad dog Camille!!!"

CRAZY-BUSY week

Since moving out of the big camp, it seems that life has taken off at a rate of a thousand miles per hour. Everything has to be done NOW, decisions made NOW, "now, now, now". There are days when I don't know if I am "a foot or horseback".. and quite honestly, I just want to be done with everything. The big camp must be ready for renters, so my dear friend Kim has come to the rescue on that one.. helping us get it clean and "vacation ready". I do what I can to keep up with her, plus try and see what needs to be "replaced, or redone" before people arrive. The farm house has needed a long list of "last minute decisions" made. So when I am not at camp, I am running down there to try and answer all those questions. Plus there is still a "ton" of painting work that I must get to at the house, and try and catch up in that department. Then hay arrived, so that needed our attention.. and there is still my "regular life".. dog classes to teach, laundry to do, my own animals need my attention.. my FAMILY needs my attention.. and here I am.. trying to keep in all in line. I keep reminding myself that in a month all this "foolishness" will come to an end, and I can breath then... but until that time... it's go-go-go GO!!!!







I did get those beautiful strawberries, cut and frozen. Plus we had a few "desserts" from them, and if time doesn't get by on me too quick, I would like another morning in the berry patch. The chickens certainly appreciated those berry tops and I took the time to sit and watch them enjoying their treats. I do need that "sit out time" and take it where and when I can.






Steve is working quick on the flooring.. carpets and vinyl for the upstairs will arrive any day now. I wished that I had all the painting done upstairs, so I don't have to work around this new "flooring", but that's simply not going to happen, and so I will just need to be very careful.









The living room is done, which is great, because we needed to get Titus moved out of the big camp. There was no sense (and actually no place for him) to go other than the farm house. So, Steve made a point of getting "his area" done, and we could get him moved.








Maybe not the most handsome bird.. but I have to say this "turkey vulture" was worth taking the picture. He was one big bird and actually caught me by surprise.







So, on Sunday, Kas and Nate arrived to help out where they could. Mainly we needed the lawns done again (THANK YOU NATE!!!) We needed to move Titus... and then all the computer and phone had to go, because the cable folk were coming to finish up the farm house on Monday. They also brought our big freezer up from our old house, so, that meant moving all our turkeys (we still have nine from last year) and then the small freezer that was at camp, was taken back so Kass has a nice smaller freezer for her things. Needless to say, this was a whole day's project!!!

And for the last time (and you are all knowing how I feel about the "last of anything" right now).. Titus's tank was put into the back of the gator.. and driven down to the farm..

And settled in.. he gets the title "first resident" in the house. (Actually he earned that last summer when we moved him into the basement). But this is it, this is where he will be now!!!!

And "brother-in-law" John has totally taken over the stair project. I am amazed at his talent on doing these stairs, and I will tell you all... I will never look at stairs again and not appreciate all the work that goes into them.

Stop a moment when you are about to climb some steps and really take a look at them. If done right, there is a ton of work right at the base of your feet.

So, the blogs will come when I steal a few quiet moments to myself, but I still have one more week of this warp speed life that I have chosen to manage. My dream of living on a farm was to change my pace of life and try something new at an age where I have the "freedom" to do so. Can't say that is exactly the way it's going, but it will... and another day zooms by, I hope I am getting closer to that dream.

last load of hay....

It would seem that "hay season" came at the "worst time" for us this year. With everything that is going on, it all comes to a screeching halt when Father calls and says the hay is ready. I have to admit, when I'm right in the middle of something that must be put down, it's a pain.. but once I get on the field, I will say... it's a whole different world and I am happy to be a part of it. This year, we brought in 415 bales, the smallest load we have bought since being here. But, I am still in very good shape from last year, and have decided that I just didn't need as much hay this year.



We are very fortunate, because Father has such a good group of guys that help him hay every year. They are his sons, and then some of the firefighters. What makes it so nice for us, is they are all more than willing to come and help us bring it into the barn. I hope they all know just how much I appreciate their help.. after a long day of haying, to then come and bring it in... well, I am just so appreciative. I need to come up with a "thank you" and am thinking a cookout here at the farm (once we are settled) might be a nice way.






"Miss Fox" (we think she's a she - but don't know that for sure)... showed up again. She really isn't one bit afraid, and runs after the tractors, grabbing up mice. She looks pretty healthy and certainly knows where that "easy meal" can be found.








couple of the "young guys" riding the drag and grabbing up the bales. It's so great to see that there is another generation that is interested in this "business"....










All loaded up.. taking a little break before heading for home. This is the last of this year's load, and what a great feeling knowing it's all tuck in and ready for next winter.

And as always, the "famous" last bale... seems like these days, and I am always looking for that "last one".....

berries....

the past couple of years, I have missed out on "berry season".. so when I saw the ads for "strawberries", I thought.. this year I am going to take the time to go and pick. I love berry picking, and then freezing those beauties to pull out on a cold winter day and have the taste of summer. Take a look at this year's harvest.. they are as good as they look, and I think that I will probably take another morning to go out and get some more!!!! Yummy!!!!





Sporting her very fine "berry hat" Abbie was all set to go and see what this was all about!! Next year, she'll be harder to watch with all those wonderful berries, but might as well learn this young!!









The fun part was, both my sister Rachel, and my Kassy had the week off from work. So, we all went together.. Rachel and Naomi.. Sadie and Abbie.. Kas and I. We had a great time just being together and doing something that we all enjoy.










Now, since she just turned four on Monday, Naomi was quite certain that the "best" berries would be found in row # 4.. and off she went, basket in hand to find her treasures.....


















I think she hit the jackpot!!!
She certainly found the biggest berry out of any of us. She was pretty proud to have this, and quickly gobbled it down after this photo!!!!









It didn't take baby Abbie too long to figure this out as well. I love how she is sneaking into Mom's box when she's not looking.....













Success!!! a berry just for her!!!












After that, she was off to find her own. I bet she's pretty happy that she has the crawling thing down. She was scooting up and down the rows and we had to really keep an eye on her. No telling how many berries she actually ate!!!










"Berries?? what berries?? how did you know that I ate berries?"