Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Catching Up!

I'm sorry I have been missing in action.  There has been a lot going on here.  Michael was off for a long stretch and we were busy getting things done.  I hope to get back on here regularly.  Our camera is all but dead.  It comes on about 25% of the time or less and then sometimes it won't take a picture.  I love to take pictures and they often give me blog ideas.  :)  

I have shown our turkeys in the field.  Here is one on the Thanksgiving table.  We provide the turkeys for the big family meal, but they are cooked by others. Michael's parents use cheesecloth on the bird and baste it faithfully.  Here is the bird they cooked.  YUM!!!

Michael's Dad made the comment he has been carving turkeys for 50 years.  He was passing the knife on this year and Michael stepped up to the plate. 

There is always plenty of food.  Some in the family have a gluten sensitivity and so there are some dishes that we have a gluten free version as well.  The red cranberry jello salad is my Mom's recipe.  It is not very healthy, but everyone loves it and it brings back special memories to me. 
The food was wonderful and the family time was very good. 


Star is still with us, but is slowing down each day.  She is eating less and less.  She still has a heart to play and to go out and do chores with us, but her body does not allow her to go far.  I have to admit that I spent a good deal of the day yesterday in tears.  She has been such a faithful companion and friend.  It is hard to see her go down hill and know that soon she won't be with us.  I took these pictures yesterday.  


Life has slowed down on the farm for the winter.  There are fewer outside chores for which I am thankful.  We had the three cows pregnancy checked.  Only Honey is pregnant.  Clover has a date with the butcher.  She is only 4 years old and has given us one calf.  She is cantankerous and we tried AI (artificial insemination) and had her with a bull and she is still open.  The vet gets a kick out of our "geriatric animals".  He just can't get over Buttercup and what good shape she is in at 16 years old.  He checked Star for us as well.  She has tumors that are spreading.  He told us things to watch for that would show she was in pain and that it was time to do something.  Even though she is slowing down he commented on how good her coat and teeth were for her age.    

My Dad and his wife made it back to Florida safe and sound.  He had a bad croup like cough and they did not leave as scheduled.  He seems to be doing better.  Josh & Brittany are moving to Florida.  We will miss them, but encourage them to go where God leads. 
We are currently looking for a truck.  We have our eye on a couple on eBay, but would love to find something local.  Josh was always very gracious and let us use his truck when we needed it.  That will no longer be an option for us.  We are not overly picky, but need a long bed, at least 3/4 ton and four wheel drive.  We would like a diesel, but are not saying that part is a need.  

I am sorry I missed Count Your Blessings Monday this week.  I have plenty of blessings, I just never got to that.  

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Turkey Day at the Farm

We raise pastured turkeys each year for Thanksgiving Day.  We like to process them on the Tuesday of Thanksgiving week so that people can have a fresh turkey if they so desire.  It is always a busy day, but one we enjoy.  We get to see old friends and make new friends as people come to get their turkey.  This year was no exception.  

At one point, we had about 5 different people show up right around the same time to get their turkeys.  I run the register and the scale and Michael brings out the birds.  He was busy bringing several out and I was waiting on people when I heard a commotion outside.  Someone came in and told me that one of my sheep were out.  The odd part of that statement was that they were talking about one sheep.  Usually when mine get out, it is close to ALL the sheep, not just one.  When Michael arrived with the next bird, I told him that a sheep was out.  He went outside and came back in and told me it was not our sheep.  It was a large white sheep with a halter on.  What is even funnier was about a month ago he had told me about seeing this same sheep running with a dog (following the dog, not being chased) down a state highway near our house.  The sheep was very friendly and even tried to get into one of our customer's vehicle.  It would not be caught though.  We were going to put him in a fenced area and try to find the owner.  The next day we got a phone call from two people asking if one of our sheep were out.  This same sheep was hanging out in our farmer neighbor's field.  :)  I sure hope he is found by his owners.  
Today is Thanksgiving Day.  A day that is set aside to give thanks to God Almighty for all the blessings He has bestowed on us.  Many of these we take for granted.  I woke up this morning and I can breath and see and hear.  I am surrounded by the stark beauty in nature that clothes the land around us in it's late Autumn cloak.  My husband is here with me.  Star is still with us and hanging in there.  She may not be with us long, but we are grateful for each day we have her.  I am grateful for God giving me a son and for the wife that God gave to him.  I am grateful for extended families and that most of them are still here on the earth to enjoy.  I am mostly grateful for the fact that even though I deserve death for my sins, that God gave me a way through His perfect Son, Jesus Christ to live eternally with Him.  
Happy Thanksgiving from our home to yours.  May the Lord richly bless you all in this coming year and may He draw you closer to Him.

Monday, November 21, 2011

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Happy Birthday Mom!!




Here is an opportunity for all of us to give thanks unto the Lord for a blessing in our lives. If you would like to take part great. If not that is OK too. If you would like to share your blessing, just leave it in the comments. If you want to use the picture above and list a blessing on your own site, then leave a URL to your site in the comments. There is no pressure here. I just know that I am incredibly blessed and I would like to share that and give thanks to Him who all blessing come from. This is a way that we can encourage one another. I know that I am often encouraged when someone shares a blessing with me. I think that many times we forget that it is a blessing to be able to breath, to get out of bed, to hold a baby... Share your blessings with us. We can share so many other things.... special gifts, recipes, let's take the time to share how God has blessed us!!

Today, I am thankful for the Mom I had.  She would have been 80 years old today.  She loved her family and loved to have fun.  I miss her fiercely still.

This is my family growing up. 

This is my Mom holding me. 



This is my Mom and her older sister.  This was just less than a year before she died.  
 This always cracked me up.  She LOVED her gameboy.  She played Dr. Mario.  :)
The gameboy was hers, but Dad played his fair share too.  :)
 Happy Birthday, Mom!!!!  I love you and miss you so much!

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Our Faithful Companion

We have a 14 year old Australian Shepherd which has been the best dog ever. Many of those of you who know us, know Star. We almost lost her last year right before Christmas do to an infection. She is not doing well at all right now. Not sure exactly what is the problem. Michael is wondering if she will make it through the week. Pray that we have wisdom to know what to do with her. We do not want her days to end in pain and suffering.

Here is one of my favorite pictures of her.  She LOVES to play ball. 


The picture above is several years old. This picture I took just last week.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

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Monday, November 14, 2011

Count Your Blessings Monday!!




Here is an opportunity for all of us to give thanks unto the Lord for a blessing in our lives. If you would like to take part great. If not that is OK too. If you would like to share your blessing, just leave it in the comments. If you want to use the picture above and list a blessing on your own site, then leave a URL to your site in the comments. There is no pressure here. I just know that I am incredibly blessed and I would like to share that and give thanks to Him who all blessing come from. This is a way that we can encourage one another. I know that I am often encouraged when someone shares a blessing with me. I think that many times we forget that it is a blessing to be able to breath, to get out of bed, to hold a baby... Share your blessings with us. We can share so many other things.... special gifts, recipes, let's take the time to share how God has blessed us!!

Today, I am thankful for family.  We often take them for granted.  Yesterday morning we had a good time of fellowship with our church family.  After we got home, I left to go and see my brand new Great-Nephew, Lane.
Isn't he adorable.  I did not get to see his big sister, Lexi.  She was napping.  New babies are a big deal and I am always thrilled to get to hold them when they are tiny.  I had a nice visit with Carli, my niece.  Her brother, Scott also came by so I was able to visit with him a while too.  I don't often get to see him.  

I left there and went to visit my Dad.  He had surgery just over a week ago.  The skin over his eyes had sagged enough that it affected his sight.  They removed some skin and tightened the area up.  He had bruising around his eyes, but he said it was much better than before. 

We milked the cow last night and were putting her away.  She ran out under the fence and would not come to us.  We called the Wonderful Neighbors who are very much family to us and they sent out the cow patrol.  Michael is always the strategist when he is here.  He told us all where to stand and what to do and the cow went right in.  :) 

What are YOU thankful for?

Thursday, November 10, 2011

One Last Hurrah!!

We are saying goodbye to the Autumn season.  It is by far my very favorite.  Most of the leaves are gone now, except for a few trees that finish losing their leaves in the winter storms.  Here is what it looks like around here right now.  

My husband always wanted a Bradford Pear tree.  They are an ornamental pear, so they do not actually bear fruit.  They are usually the first tree to bloom in the Spring and the last tree to blaze up in the Autumn.  Here is the Bradford Pear in our front yard.  :)
  I thought I would share a picture with you of our woodpile blessing!!!
 

Monday, November 07, 2011

Count Your Blessings Monday!!




Here is an opportunity for all of us to give thanks unto the Lord for a blessing in our lives. If you would like to take part great. If not that is OK too. If you would like to share your blessing, just leave it in the comments. If you want to use the picture above and list a blessing on your own site, then leave a URL to your site in the comments. There is no pressure here. I just know that I am incredibly blessed and I would like to share that and give thanks to Him who all blessing come from. This is a way that we can encourage one another. I know that I am often encouraged when someone shares a blessing with me. I think that many times we forget that it is a blessing to be able to breath, to get out of bed, to hold a baby... Share your blessings with us. We can share so many other things.... special gifts, recipes, let's take the time to share how God has blessed us!!

Today, I am thankful for pictures.  :)  Each year for Christmas, I do a photo calendar for Michael's parents and for the last 2 years, my Dad and his wife.  It is so fun to look back over time as you search for the right pictures to put on the calendar.  So many fun memories and time spent as a family.  This year on my side I get to add my brand new Great-nephew.  Some years somebody is missing as far as the birthdays listed.  It is a reminder of how large our families are and how few we have lost at this point.  That is a HUGE blessing.

These make a great gift by the way.  They are easy to do and they often give out coupons that make them very reasonable to buy.  We have tried Snapfish and Shutterfly over the years and like them both.  Last year, I tried Picaboo and theirs were so much nicer that we went with them this year again.  They have you download a program that allows you to set up your book or calendar on your computer.  Once you are happy with it, you can upload it through their program very easily.  You can share your book or calendar on line.  Also, if you use my link for Picaboo and join, then I get a $10 credit.

What are YOU thankful for? 

Saturday, November 05, 2011

Blessings Abound!!

Blessings have been abounding around here as of late.  God is so good to us. 

Michael hurt his left arm when he was exercising about a week and a half ago.  It has really bothered him and limited what he has been able to do.  We heat with wood and he has been having to make sure their was wood split or at least in the right size to go in to the stove.  He has done a wonderful job, but it has been painful.  He has not complained once.  He was able to go and see his brother yesterday.  His brother is a massage therapist.  He worked on the arm for an hour and told Michael to take it easy and let the arm rest for a few days.  He also said that his arm would be really sore today.  A couple of the men at church along with some of the younger "men" were going to be cutting wood today and they asked Michael to join them.  He thanked them for the invitation but told him that with his arm, he would have to wait until the next time they went.  Those wonderful men brought us two huge loads of wood.  They stayed and split it and even stacked it for us.  Michael helped them in the stacking and did what he could, but we were TOTALLY blessed by these guys.  It is hard to be on the receiving end and it is very humbling.  I thank God for these men and ask God to bless them mightily!!!

Then today, my niece had her baby.  She had a little boy who still has no name.  He is absolutely precious and I can't wait until I can snuggle him.  :)  
This is him getting ready to meet his big sister!!

Tuesday, November 01, 2011

God's Awesome Handiwork

There was another beautiful sky last night. It had the weird Autumn lighting. The first pictures are looking out my back door. I then went out the front door and took a picture toward the pasture. It is hard to believe it is the same sky.