Farm weekend

It is finally feeling like we have some spring weather on the way. We've had a lot of rain over the past month, and just when all the mud and yuck seems to be drying up.. another batch of rain puts us right back into mud season. But I have to say, when the sun is out and with all that wet... things seem to grow right before your eyes...

But, then we got slammed.. summer showed up... one week we still had the wood stove chugging and the next, it was in the 90's... since I am not a hot weather fan, even when we are suppose to have it.. I was not a happy camper. However, at Mom's two little boys greatly enjoyed ice cream under the big maple tree.... 

In fact, we all enjoyed ice cream.. and a good visit.... 

Abi was able to come and spend the night over the weekend. I am trying to get her interested in doing things with the horses. She likes them well enough, but hasn't been bitten by that "all little girls love horses" bug. Still though, she did ask if we could hitch Mocha and could she try to do some driving work. Course I jumped on that, and we had Mocha hitched in a moment.  They did fairly well... Mocha is pretty willing and only did a little testing with Abi, but I was right there to push her threw. I'm not sure what Abi thought... perhaps Mocha seemed a little slow, but who knows where this may go.

They sure do look cute together...

We had to run some errands.. grain and the like, and came across a motorcycle run. So, we stopped to watch the bikes go threw.... and then onto the grain shop.


As we arrived at the store, I noticed they were having "farm day"... where different vendors set up their wares that are farm related. I was so excited to see that guinea hens were advertised and went right over to see what they had. I've been looking all spring for some hens to go with my flock of boys... trouble is with guineas, is that you can seldom just buy one or the other, you usually have to buy a batch and hope for the best. And no one, with the huge tick issue we have now, is willing to sell off their adult birds. 

As luck would have it, the vendor with the guineas had already packed up and left... but one of the other vendor folks knew him and gave me his phone number, telling me that he did have adult birds for sale. As we were walking away, the guinea man called the other man, and since he learned I wanted to buy some birds, he came back. 

He had a number of babies... and three adult hens... I took those adults (who thankfully were fairly priced) and looked at the babies. I told him I didn't want to risk buying babies because I only wanted hens... but he assured me he could tell the difference. I found it hard to believe, but told him I would take the chance on him knowing these were all hens and bought four little babies. I also told him that if there are any boys in this batch of "all girls" I'd be calling him up.. and he told me to do so. 

We'll see if they are all hens... for now, they're just cute little balls of fluff.... The hens are nice, lighter in color than I like (darker is better for hiding from the hawks).. but I'm just so happy to have some hens. We have them in the coop right now and I will probably keep them penned for a bit so they will stay around the farm. I can't wait for the boys to figure out they are there, and it will be nice to have an even flock again.

The other big event of the weekend was Abi's color run at her school. They do this as a fund raiser for the playground equipment. We all went to watch her run. I brought Shadow along as a good training event. He loved being with all the kids and around the people. As a typical service puppy in training, he took everything in stride.

Abi was so happy to see all of there.... 

it was hard to get a photo of her zooming by... she did 3 laps around the soccer field... we thought she did a pretty good job...

Kass was able to get the boys packed up, and picked up Mom so they all got to see Abi run as well. Reagan said next year, he wants to run!!!

Shadow checking out the dancing man.... that's the thing about public outings, you never know what will be around as a training experience... I think he would have loved to run over and jump on this thing.... he certainly was not afraid....

After the run, we all went out to breakfast. I love breakfast out, and what fun to do it with all the family. Reagan had his usual line up of trucks.....

Shadow was a good boy and tucked under the table and was quiet and out of the way while we ate...

Back on the farm... spring has its own amount of work that must get down. Last haying season, we had a wheel on the hay wagon seize up. Since we were leaving for our trip, Ed did not have the time to see what was going on with it. Now that hay season could be just a few weeks out (depending on the weather), he needed to take a look at those wheels and figure out what is going here. 

As he pretty much thought, it was a barron on one wheel, but since he has it up, he has decided to do them all. Not a bad project, just a project that needs to get done.... so this is now on "the list".....

Abi loves playing around the barn... so she and I spent some more time up there. She loves holding the little chicken (who lives with the bunny) and wanted to be sure I got their photo..

and so ... I did...

Farm weekends are just the best, especially with family.... I treasure them

Mother's day

Happy Mother's Day.. this wet and rainy day... it's been a very wet spring. We have the deck all set up for summer use, I was hoping that we might even use it today... Sadie, Jessie and Abi are joining us for a Mother's day breakfast, but it looks like it's an inside day. No great matter, just being with my family.. seeing my beautiful daughters and grands will be good enough...

Ed made us all a great breakfast.. with all the trimmings....it was so good, and then later we went down to my Mom's and met up with the rest of the family

Kass, Nate, and the boys joined us at Mom's... it was (again) suppose to be an outdoor event, but "cook-ins" can be just as fun...

Because it was so cold and raw... Mom had her fireplace going.. it felt good, and we were all happy to sit around it and have a good visit. With such busy families, its nice to catch up on all the news and find out what my sisters and nieces have been up to.

Reagan had to do his "construction" inside...

Rachel tried to get Calvin walking.. even giving him something to hang onto and push...

But, Cal is going to do things his way... and when he throws a smile like this at you... well... you just go along with it...

Nap time.....

It's hard to get a four generation picture.... I had to "fight" to make this one happen... but it's too important not to do it...

After a day of good eats and visiting we went home via the ocean.I do love my farm, but I also miss just being able to drive by the sea. It was putting on quite the show today....

And on this Mother's day.. I just had to show off this photo... it was taken at Rachel's wedding so many years ago.... how blessed we are that we are together as a family... and with so many "new" members that have joined us over the years....

It was a great Mother's day, and I am so blessed to have such beautiful children in my life, not just today... but everyday....

hanging out at college...

Once again, Livy and I were invited to be at the UNH study buddies event. Basically we hang out at one of the campus libraries and as the students arrive or leave they get to have a little cuddle time with the dogs. 

a therapy dog test....

Livy and I were invited once again to be the " neutral" dog at the therapy dog test. She's a great little neutral dog and when it's time, she just walks across the room with hardly a look at the dog who is testing.

And that's super important today, because as it turns out Belinda and little bits are taking their test. I know that "b" had been super nervous about this test...but I also know they'll be great and when they entered the room and littlebits just sat like this...they would pass with flying colors.

Walking threw the crowd...distractions with medical equipment...neutral dog....no problem.

All obedience commands were stellar.....

And though I wasn't able to capture the final exercises..little bits not only passed, but she did it with a perfect score.

Another new pet partners therapy dog team...ready to bring smiles to many people...congrats you two!!!!

check in with Shadow...

beezy weekend!!!!