tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41960658411960986372024-03-13T11:19:48.720-07:00My Barefoot FarmSam I Amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14751570832134924744noreply@blogger.comBlogger462125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4196065841196098637.post-72193450301668150202018-03-22T08:42:00.004-07:002018-03-22T08:42:24.765-07:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">I have moved!!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://mybarefootfarm.com/">Come visit me at my new and improved blog!</a></span></div>
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Sam I Amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14751570832134924744noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4196065841196098637.post-48658976399985919492017-08-03T08:44:00.000-07:002017-08-03T13:47:05.889-07:00The Abscess<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The weeks and weeks of rain paid off with a nice cutting of hay. I hope to be mob grazing next year with movable fencing and then keep standing hay for winter. This year, though, we needed to get some hay put up for winter food for cattle and sheep.</div>
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It is always nice to get the field cut. It looks tidy and trim. I am hoping we get some good rain the next few weeks so that it will grow nice and tall before the first frost in October.</div>
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Molly has yet to fully recover from foot rot. Her back foot is still bothering her so I had the vet come out and tend to it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMUal33QAJZNSgrZELRRaA1I_IwLzzbgQjpFizpCFgZ4IhmNCI4X2kIjIqGbCzCTL6o4Q2hnABqZCZIHQEpdqvUnACiTUw8cfP7PiBRsC5GmpCEk96c_8M99bY4ZGfA-_R2KE36TJRJdMF/s1600/IMG_0849.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMUal33QAJZNSgrZELRRaA1I_IwLzzbgQjpFizpCFgZ4IhmNCI4X2kIjIqGbCzCTL6o4Q2hnABqZCZIHQEpdqvUnACiTUw8cfP7PiBRsC5GmpCEk96c_8M99bY4ZGfA-_R2KE36TJRJdMF/s640/IMG_0849.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Cows are not like horses in that they do not volunteer to have their feet held up and inspected. We got Molly into the milking stanchion to feed her grain and then proceeded to tie her back foot and pull it up and out with a rope so the vet could look at it.</div>
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He cleaned it all out of muck and then saw the issue. She did have a considerable abscess on the bottom. He slit it open and was able to get a fair amount of thick pus out.</div>
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She is still not walking very well, although some swelling has gone down. We gave her another antibiotic shot last night, hoping to see more rapid improvement in a day or so.</div>
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In the meantime, I am keeping her close so I can watch her and feed her.</div>
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I have 4 cows I am sending to a neighbors farm to be bred by his beef bull soon. While sorting out those 4 cows, I noticed one had a huge and hard udder. </div>
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Annabelle has been dry for several months, but I brought her in to see if it was a milk issue.</div>
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I was not an udder full of milk, but it was swollen and very hard, so I had the vet check her out too.</div>
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It was an abscess as well, so he slit and drained the huge volume of pus. I do not know how she got this infection, as it could have come from a simple poke by a twig. It was gross though and I am sure she feels better with it drained.</div>
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I am also keeping her close to watch her and make sure it keeps draining some. </div>
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Meanwhile, Indiana and Willow got to spend a night with their grandparents. I was in charge of their chores and discovered one of Indy's pigeons had escaped. I tried for two days to catch her but failed. Luckily nothing got her during the day or night, and Indiana was able to catch her. </div>
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Finally, I am slowly getting my homeschool books and activities and schedule figured out. One activity Rose wanted to do was sew a quilt for her bed.</div>
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I found a free pattern that is quite simple and pretty and then we ordered her fabric. She has it sorted out and should be ready to start sewing this weekend. The pattern uses pre-cut fabrics known as a Layer Cake. I am excited to see her finished quilt top!</div>
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Also, in preparation for the school year, I am decluttering and deep cleaning the house....room by room. It will take me an entire month, but so far I have deep cleaned one bathroom and the laundry room. I focus better when the house is clean, and I know the days will get more hectic as the wedding of Journee and Jared gets near. Like I said, one room at a time. I have a list of all the rooms and I mark them off as I finish them. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Happy Thursday Ya'll!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Peace,</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Sam</span></div>
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Sam I Amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14751570832134924744noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4196065841196098637.post-25580311501413340332017-07-23T13:03:00.001-07:002017-07-23T13:03:36.761-07:00Rain. More Rain.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This image sums up my life right now. Demanding baby, demanding farm. Exhausted me.<br />
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"Nap when the baby naps" is the most often heard term a mom will hear when raising babies, but the reality is that meals must be cooked, other children must be cared for and the laundry must be washed. Add to this list the farm must be managed and you have my situation today.<br />
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This post is not to complain about all the many chores and demands, but to rather explain that there are days when the farming gets tough.</div>
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We have had lots of rain this year, which is a stark change from the horrible drought we suffered last year. The hay is thick and the grass recovers quickly. It has been so nice.</div>
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Except it has been hard on my herd of cattle. Although the cows have lots of dry pasture to stand in and graze, they tend to stand in water. When it rains inches upon inches within a few days, the ground becomes very wet. </div>
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I knew that the wet ground could be an issue for my sheep and horse, but it seems the cows have suffered most. We have been battling hoof rot over here.</div>
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4 cows had hooves that were swollen and sore. A call to the vet confirmed the issue and we began treatment right away.</div>
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This girl, Ivy, had the skin break open above her hoof and there was a ulcer type of sore. We managed to get copper sulfate on the wound daily and it has healed up nicely.</div>
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My girl Molly, however, had the worst case with all four of her feet swollen. After several treatments she now has only her back feet swollen, but one back foot is so bad that she will not put much weight on it. </div>
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So we are still giving her medicine for pain. We are also feeding her grain to get some weight back on her, since she has lost many pounds. Poor Molly!</div>
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This morning she had a little puss oozing out from her foot, so I am hoping it will drain and start to heal.</div>
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I have been bringing cheddars out from the cave and this one is particularly yummy. I had run out of cheesecloth, so instead of wrapping it with lard and cloth I rubbed it down in olive oil and Thai Spices that I purchased from a local spice company. The results are delicious, and this 7 pound wheel is nearly gone! </div>
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The baby turned 9 months old last week. He is crawling every where and getting into anything within his reach. It always amazes me how quickly a baby can move and get into things.<br />
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It has been super hot every day here, with high humidity. The result is a heat index of 100 and greater. The only way to spend the day is in air conditioning or in the pool. Even the pool feels like bath water, but it is still refreshing. </div>
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ome homeschooling supplies are starting to trickle in from various suppliers. My main focus this year is STEM, and I have purchased a couple of robotics sets. The kids are excited to get started. </div>
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You might have noticed the blog look differently, thanks to photo bucket. I have been working on fixing broken widgets and expired photo bucket photos. Thanks for sticking around while I clean house here.</div>
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In the meantime, send good thoughts this way for my cattle and I will post updates!</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Peace.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Sam</span></div>
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Sam I Amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14751570832134924744noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4196065841196098637.post-30613645774813133552017-07-10T16:06:00.000-07:002017-07-10T16:06:37.358-07:00J and J<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Well, it happened. </div>
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My oldest is engaged. </div>
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Journee and Jared started dating back in March when his mom and I introduced them. We knew they would hit it off!</div>
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They are the cutest couple around these parts.</div>
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Now, after a proposal at the Tennessee Aquarium, we are planning a mid October wedding!<br />
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I could not have dreamed up a better guy for this girl. I just love him.<br />
The entire family adores him.<br />
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He's a cross fit guy and loves dogs.<br />
She's an ER nurse and loves dogs.<br />
So now we plan a farm wedding in 3 months' time.<br />
No worries.<br />
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Young love.<br />
Let's all hang on to that.<br />
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Sam I Amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14751570832134924744noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4196065841196098637.post-80498590563368554282017-06-14T08:02:00.001-07:002017-06-14T08:02:46.981-07:00Fleeting Moments and TraditionsFleeting moments.<div>
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That is what we have when we raise children.</div>
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Days that seem so long and difficult are really just moments that are gone with the blink of our eyes.</div>
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You feel like you are going to be in the thick of it forever, but actually it ends too soon.</div>
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You wake up and the kids are grown up.<br />
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What of traditions? What will your children relish and remember most of those days?</div>
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Will it be the clean house? The new car? The organized closets?<br />
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They will cherish and carry with them the <b>traditions.</b><br />
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It will be the birthday meals and the games played outside in the summer.<br />
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It will be the blueberry picking and the lightening bug catching.<br />
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It will be the Harry Potter movie marathons with popcorn and smoked gouda and frosty punch.<br />
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It will be the swim days and the times the baby belly laughed while getting lotion on after his bath.<br />
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It will all the times crafts were done together at the kitchen table. It will be the chores done side by side as a family.<br />
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It's the family cookouts and days spent visiting.<br />
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Traditions are not elaborate schemes carefully put together. It is the small and repetitive occurrences that make your family a <i>family.</i></div>
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It's the chance to snuggle the youngest sibling while he sleeps.<br />
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It's those <i>fleeting moments. </i></div>
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Hang on to those. Hold on <i>real tight</i>. It's those moments you will carry with you always.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Happy Wednesday Ya'll.</span></div>
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Sam I Amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14751570832134924744noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4196065841196098637.post-27033197623409541422017-05-30T11:27:00.002-07:002017-05-30T11:27:52.673-07:00This Past WeekAlthough the calender disagrees, it is officially summer over here. The weather has been mid 80's and we are getting quite a few pop up storms and heavy rain showers every week. Thankful for the rain.<br />
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The main pasture is ready to be cut for hay, we are just waiting for a dry spell of a few days. We have a farmer friend up the road who always cuts and bales the hay. Thankful for him and everything helps us do.</div>
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The beehives have built up quickly and we put a third hive body on each hive two days ago. Early spring and a heavy nectar flow all contributed to their quick build up. Hopefully they will continue to thrive here in my new blueberry orchard.</div>
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Here are a few pictures from the week that I snapped and want to share, a glimpse into my week here.</div>
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Devin helped me build dice for a yard Yahtzee game. Have you seen them on Pinterest? He used a drill press to make the dice holes. I painted them in black and then sanded and used poly on them. I made a set for us and a set for my sister. We played it yesterday and it was fun!</div>
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I have been sorting and washing Flickas's fleece. I am planning to lock spin it all and knit something with the yarn. Stayed tuned :-)<br />
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I have had several days with none of my teens here to help. I have been getting up early to take care of the chickens and pigeons and ducks first. I then come inside for coffee before going back out to milk. Two mornings ago I came in to find Rose feeding the baby chocolate pudding! You can say he was very happy!<br />
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My milking chores happened with the baby on my back. I like taking him outside so he can get some fresh air, sunshine and some experience with livestock. The milk cows are gentle and he really likes to be around them. My legs got a good workout too because I cannot bend over with Ace on my back. I must squat! My thighs were a tad sore after several days of squatting with that heavy baby on my back.<br />
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Devin's little dog, Luna, likes to jump on the bed and sit next to the baby. The baby likes to try and roll over to pull on Luna's fur. I like to take pictures of them together and send them to Devin when he is at work.<br />
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I bought two hanging ferns for my front porch this year and both have nests. Finches have taken up residence in both ferns. One has eggs that just hatched while the other just starting laying eggs.<br />
I carefully take the plants down every other day and water them..and take a quick look at the developments.<br />
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Quinn is so busy with school and work that I literally only see her about an hour a week. She was off Memorial Day so I was able to catch up with her some. I also snapped a picture of her with the baby since I seem to have pictures of everyone holding him except her.<br />
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We went to my sister's house on Memorial Day to cook out and swim. It was the first time the baby has been in the pool. Indiana held him and he liked it until we put him in a baby float. Next time we will just hold him.<br />
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I hope everyone had a great long weekend!</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Happy Tuesday Ya'll!</span></div>
Sam I Amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14751570832134924744noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4196065841196098637.post-67094782544819103482017-05-23T11:09:00.000-07:002017-05-23T11:09:16.842-07:00All the FleeceAll the fleece. I want all the long and curly fleece I can get.<br />
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When I bought my Cotswold sheep I was introduced to the beauty of long wool with curly flocks. It was only a matter of time that I dive into the most luxurious of the long wools.</div>
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We took a semi-short drive to North Carolina yesterday to pick up the newest additions to my wooly family.</div>
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Teeswater Sheep.</div>
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This is my new ewe named Cracker Jack.<br />
She is very sweet and has a beautiful soft fleece. She was shorn in Feb, so you can see how much she has grown already.<br />
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This is the baby whether to Cracker Jack. His name is Sparrow. Born in Feb, he is already full of soft fleece and is very sweet.<br />
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We also got this little girl lamb.<br />
Her name is Dani.<br />
Also born in Feb, she is just as sweet and beautiful. She does have a pinch of Cotswold her in her as well.<br />
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Then I needed to buy a ram and lucked upon the most beautiful Teeswater ram around!<br />
His name is Hercules and he is a beauty.<br />
I plan to breed all of my ewes to him this fall.<br />
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When we got them all home, we put the mama and the babies in one paddock and we put Hercules in with my other sheep.<br />
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He is quite happy to be with my Wensleydales and Cotswolds, and they can all get to know the newest ewe and babies through a fence. I didn't want to risk my Cotwolds picking on those sweet lambs.<br />
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I have been working on some lock spinning and knitting with curly locks from my Wensleydales. I hope to have a nice project finished soon for a show and tell.<br />
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Until then, we have expanded the flock and it promises to be a rewarding decision!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Happy Tuesday Ya'll!</span><br />
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Sam I Amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14751570832134924744noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4196065841196098637.post-4793894629021057802017-05-21T18:36:00.003-07:002017-05-21T18:36:54.126-07:00What Just Happened?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It happens.</div>
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It starts when you are fixing dinner, doing laundry, reading story books and preparing for the next days' activities. It just happens so quickly.</div>
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Your kids grow up. Just like that, in the midst of living life. They are graduating from school and starting their own journey.</div>
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When they are babies you can't even imagine what this day would be like because it cannot be tied to any ONE day. It is the accumulation of many days, many years.</div>
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Journee graduated from nursing school and landed a full time job in the emergency room. She still has her nursing boards to take, but the girl is done. Homeschooled from the start, never a day in public school, and she did just fine. </div>
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I am still amazed at everything she has accomplished in her young life, not just academically, but personally and spiritually. She has a strong work ethic, a loyalty to others and a sensitive heart. </div>
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Quinn graduated high school. She was also educated at home and finished high school with dual enrollment. This kid has been able to combine her art skills and math skills to jumpstart her goal of earning a degree in mechanical engineering. She works full time as an intern and has classes at night.</div>
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I rarely see her around here anymore because she is grown. She's independent. She's a hard worker. </div>
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She also amazes me in her growth and accomplishments.</div>
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This last month has been very busy for me with farming and with graduation celebrations. When I am able to slow down I can't help but ask myself, "What just happened?"</div>
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One day you are reading bedtime stories and the next you are celebrating graduations. </div>
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It happens.</div>
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Life goes on and I am grateful for all of these milestones in my life.</div>
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I am also exceedingly grateful to farm. We are currently busy with pastured chickens and honeybees, both are doing really well. </div>
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I have been making cheddar wheels like crazy thanks to an abundance of milk. My cheese cave is housing 10 wheels and each wheel is about 7-8 pounds.</div>
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Tomorrow I will drive to pick up more fiber sheep. Tees water sheep.</div>
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I have longed for this breed for a few years and now I will have them . I spent a few hours this weekend lock spinning my curly Wensleydale fleece into a beautiful yarn. I am excited for more curly lock sheep.</div>
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The farm is growing and that is reason enough to be optimistic, even when things happen, like children growing up.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Congratulations to all of the new graduates in 2017!!</span></div>
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Sam I Amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14751570832134924744noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4196065841196098637.post-186185613998259102017-04-25T10:08:00.002-07:002017-04-25T10:08:10.779-07:00Mama TiredThe last 3 weeks have been exhausting for me. <b>Literally. Exhausting.</b><br />
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Aside from the typical spring farm chores, I have spent a good deal of my energy cleaning up the front porch and attempting to sort fiber projects.</div>
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The porch is clean and ready for some serious and not so serious conversations and board games and the occasional reminiscing of happy memories.</div>
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New laying hens are officially moved into the egg mobile and the meat chicks are about to move to pasture.</div>
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We have cows happily grazing long blades of grass, a summer pasture area planted and wildflowers in the ground for the honey bees.</div>
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Did I mention that I am exhausted? This sweet baby has not been sleeping well which means I don't sleep hardly at all. I am typically a very upbeat and optimistic person but there is no tired like <i><b>mama tired.</b></i></div>
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Mama tired makes you see your home as total disarray and forces you to question your very being. Isolation makes it all seem worse too. <i>Why </i>am I doing this again? What <i>was</i> the point of farming?</div>
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Mama tired. It literally drains the life and motivation from you. </div>
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There was a short break in the mama tired yesterday evening. It was a reminder to "hang on."</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj47UcUoKyaLQxItjexFxODl7mV95fhvH4fj9qKAXCW4TObIIaaUpJHzkCeewS34aGtAOYWbXMvTLC2WEdwvYMBWyKoQIBPSzEAajJO3KBTjDxj0IUJMhsK2JFTRvDBg-DKxcZlxNpRnT0W/s1600/IMG_0041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj47UcUoKyaLQxItjexFxODl7mV95fhvH4fj9qKAXCW4TObIIaaUpJHzkCeewS34aGtAOYWbXMvTLC2WEdwvYMBWyKoQIBPSzEAajJO3KBTjDxj0IUJMhsK2JFTRvDBg-DKxcZlxNpRnT0W/s640/IMG_0041.jpg" width="478" /></a></div>
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There was, after a few days of heavy rain, a beautiful reminder that the sun <b>will</b> come out and the rain <b>will</b> dry up.</div>
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<i>Why am I doing all of this?</i></div>
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Maybe because this boy and his siblings love it and need it. Maybe because being able to walk the land and raise animals is something we all need, really.</div>
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For just a few minutes the mama tired left me and I was able to appreciate the joy and beauty of family and farm.</div>
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Perhaps like me you are frustrated and weepy and ready to quit. Perhaps you too are exhausted. </div>
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Mama tired.</div>
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Go ahead and cry and validate your sorrow, frustration and pain. You <i>ARE</i> exhausted. </div>
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This life is not easy.</div>
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This life, however, is worth it.</div>
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Hang on.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Peace,</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Sami</span></div>
Sam I Amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14751570832134924744noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4196065841196098637.post-55089900816871504882017-04-04T06:03:00.000-07:002017-04-04T06:03:41.820-07:00Junior BeekeepersWhen the girls were younger they would suit up and inspect beehives with me. In fact, Indiana has done quite a bit with me as far as maintaining hives.<br />
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The last few years have been difficult for me in terms of keeping viable hives. Bees die off, disappear, become weak, etc. Beekeeping has been much more of a challenge than it was in years past. Last summer my only hive vanished, after being robust for many months.<br />
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It is easy to come discouraged, especially when beekeeping costs a good bit of money, but since I have been covering many bugs as part of the entomology class I wrote for the younger set, I felt I needed to include honeybees.<br />
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So when I ordered 3 packages of bees and they arrived, I suited the three young ones up!<br />
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The kids painted the hives several weeks ago and helped set them up near the new blueberry patch.<br />
All we needed to do was install the packages.<br />
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Of course the kids really enjoyed looking at the queen bees.<br />
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They each had the job of holding the queen cage until ready to place her cage inside the hive.<br />
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We were successful in getting the packages installed and the bees have been productive and busy ever since. We also started a small notebook for keeping notes on each hive, a smart practice for any beekeeper.<br />
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Three days later we suited up again to see how the queen was doing, and we discovered she was released in all three hives.<br />
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The kids are keeping the cages as a keepsake.<br />
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Let the beekeeping fun begin!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Happy Tuesday Ya'll!</span><br />
<br />Sam I Amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14751570832134924744noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4196065841196098637.post-4087899886342137102017-03-30T06:35:00.000-07:002017-03-30T06:35:29.801-07:00NaviWe got a new critter last week.<br />
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Meet Navi.</div>
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Willow's pet bunny dies last year and she has missed having a soft lovie in her arms.</div>
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We searched and found a Holland Lop breeder close by, and Willow started earning and saving her money.</div>
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She is a perfectly sweet bunny.</div>
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Everyone loved bringing her home.</div>
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Willow loves having a new soft friend to cuddle.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Happy Thursday Ya'll!</span></div>
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Sam I Amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14751570832134924744noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4196065841196098637.post-69390772141713836462017-03-22T05:56:00.002-07:002017-03-22T05:56:58.129-07:00Spring DoozyThe only thing I dislike about spring are the wild storms that come through. Last night we had a doozy blow in, and although there were no tornados, it left its fair share of damage.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We stood on the porch watching the chicken tractor closely because we had 45 pullets in it when we heard a loud crash.<br />
This huge tree fell on the metal carport we use to park the tractor.<br />
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This morning I had a chance to assess the damage. The tractor seems fine but the carport is trashed.</div>
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I have already had a conversation with my insurance agent.</div>
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The tree fell just enough to damage our wooden storage shed too. </div>
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I know we are actually lucky that no people were hurt and that we never lost our power. </div>
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Now to do chores and see how best to repair the chicken tractor.</div>
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I really thought it was going to blow away during the storm. I am grateful it did not, but I do need to repair it the best I can today.</div>
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Hoping everyone is safe after last night's spring doozy!</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Happy Wednesday Ya'll!</span></div>
Sam I Amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14751570832134924744noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4196065841196098637.post-73321671766683175202017-03-16T08:09:00.000-07:002017-03-16T08:09:02.883-07:00Doing the Best I Can<i>If I was a busy person a year ago I can honestly say that I feel busier these days but with less to show for it, except this little guy counts for 99% of my time.</i><br />
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*Ace is wearing a sweet beanie knitted by my good friend Martha. It's made from angora yarn she spun from her bunnies.*</div>
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I had honestly forgotten how much time babies consume, and this guy is no different. Warm weather is on its way though and Baby Bear loves to be outside. The last 2 weeks have been busy here as we start the post winter, clean the crap from the yard and get ready for baby animals process.</div>
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We sent the remaining of our pigs to process and then started the much needed clean up of fencing. These pigs challenged fencing every single day. We had a mess of barbed wire and pallets. </div>
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Once the pigs left we spent a day pulling up electric wire fencing from the woods and pulling up pallets. We plan to clean it all up and allow it to recover. We will not run pigs again until fall so that will give it time to recover and us time to run new electric wire.</div>
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We did have sad news when we discovered a heifer, who was due in April, had miscarried her calf.</div>
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Of course these things always happen in the dark, so finding her dead baby was nearly impossible. We discovered the heifer, Chance, with membranes dangling when we took hay out for the cows. </div>
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Because I feared she might have a calf inside we called the vet, only the vet was on vacation. I was able to call another vet out and he confirmed she had miscarried. </div>
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We gave her a shot of lutalyse to try and get the membranes expelled.</div>
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I was disappointed that we did not get a live calf but happy Chance was okay.</div>
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The next day we did find her dead fetus in the 20 acre field we rent. On the upside, she is milking well.</div>
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Her membranes finally expelled after 5 very smelly days.</div>
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The day after Chance lost her calf I woke up and decided to move Molly closer to the house. Molly was due any day and I was worried she might suffer same fate as Chance. </div>
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I was happy to walk out and find Molly had calved during the early morning hours. She had a healthy bull calf, a wagyu cross, at her side.</div>
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We did move them both closer to the house, but Molly has been a great mama cow and her calf is doing great.</div>
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This is the first official start to my beef herd.</div>
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Between these happenings we had two birthdays to celebrate!</div>
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Quinn turned 19 years old! </div>
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Indiana turned 17 years old!</div>
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We celebrated with a huge family dinner/party.</div>
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This week I am finally catching up and taking a deep breath. I am getting our lives back on a routine, no thanks to the daylight savings time change, and I actually went grocery shopping yesterday.</div>
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I cleaned out my fridge and was feeling good about my day yesterday. Have you ever just really felt like you had it all together as a mom? That was me yesterday......until this happened.</div>
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That is Zeb wearing overalls that are about 3 sizes too small. He refused to take them off too. </div>
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When my girls were all little I was really good about keeping their clothes folded and tucked neatly in their drawers, and I was always good about switching out clothes seasonally and taking out clothes they had outgrown.</div>
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I don't know what happened when I had the boys. I honestly try not to enter their rooms for fear I will see something that needs purging or cleaning. Apparently I am past due needing to remove clothes they have outgrown.</div>
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<b>Mom fail.</b></div>
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I redeemed myself by ordering both boys a new pair of overalls though.</div>
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Thank you Amazon Prime.</div>
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*Valentine soaking up some sun*</div>
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It has been freezing cold here the last few days, but I am confident spring warmth will return soon, hopefully, because we are very low on hay. </div>
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The cows are starting to shed their winter coats and the grass is really trying to grow.</div>
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Just a few more good days working outside and I think the yard will look decent again :-)</div>
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Now to spend the remainder of my day tending to this guy.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Happy Thursday Ya'll!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Sami</span></div>
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Sam I Amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14751570832134924744noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4196065841196098637.post-70732572469174841032017-02-24T06:33:00.000-08:002017-02-24T06:33:13.579-08:00Bee PrepMonday was the perfect weather for some outside work that needed to be completed.<br />
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I have three packages of honey bees arriving from a local beekeeper in April. I have plenty of equipment but, like everything on a farm, they needed some upkeep before the bees arrive.</div>
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Since I am including honeybees in my bug curriculum this year for the younger kids and because I want the kids to grow up with a strong knowledge of beekeeping, I enlisted their help with equipment preparations.</div>
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The boxes all needed a good scraping and cleaning up and a fresh coat of paint.</div>
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I have always used white paint in the past, but the children and I thought this was a year for color.</div>
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The boys put on large, old shirts to protect their nicer clothes and went to town painting the boxes.</div>
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Earlier in the day we went to a local store and I let them pick out 3 colors.</div>
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It was all fun and games until Luna and Kid starting chasing each other. Luna got green paint on her head and backside. We rinsed it off and then she rolled in dirt. Dogs!</div>
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It was a great day for the baby to be outside too. He did nap between tasks :-) Actually the sunshine was a great immune system booster for everyone.</div>
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The next day we gathered the equipment, added new frames, and set up our new bee yard near the blueberry bushes.</div>
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This are will be expanded some, and we will be fencing it with a permanent fence to keep the cows out. </div>
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All of the kids help set the hives up and I was happy to be working outside with my crew.</div>
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Today we gathered all of the bee suits and washed them. This weekend I will gather and organize gloves and veils. I do need to order some new gloves for the boys still.</div>
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We also decided to set up 2 nuts around the property in hopes of attracting a swarm. We bought a paste called Bee Charmer as a lure for the frames. Every day the boys go check the "bee traps" in hopes that we get a swarm. I really hope we do because it would thrill the kids to watch! IO am thinking n early spring might set off early swarms. It was a nice 77 degrees today!</div>
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Finally, the German Shepherd baby starts her obedience training in a week. I am excited to see where this dog goes in life. For now, she is the best companion a baby could ask for :-)</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Happy Friday Ya'l!!</span></div>
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Sam I Amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14751570832134924744noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4196065841196098637.post-47179120037243748762017-02-21T12:12:00.000-08:002017-02-21T12:12:17.681-08:00Heart DayI meant to post about Valentine's Day but got busy with farm stuff and forgot.<br />
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We are not huge Valentine's Day fans. We can take it or leave it, and personally I think it's a made up holiday to sell candy and cards and flowers. The last thing I want my kids consuming during flu season is tons of sugar, but we did spend the day doing some crafts and hosting a get together.</div>
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I always pull my favorite storybook out for some readings as soon as we get into the month of February.</div>
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I have looked high and low for other books for Valentine's Day but most of the books are just silly. This book, however, is perfect.</div>
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We decided to make our own heart rain clouds.</div>
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Tissue paper crumbled up and glued to the back of a cardboard cloud shape.</div>
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Some hearts cut from paper and taped to dollar store string was easy enough too.</div>
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Soon we had heart clouds decorating the kitchen.</div>
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The kids also chose Valentines to make for their homeschool co-op classes. They spent an entire day crafting them and hand writing on them for a co-op party. Sadly, the co-op was canceled because so many kids were sick with the flu.</div>
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We wanted to still have a Valentine hang out though, so we invited some friends over for treats and some outside playtime. Because the flu has been rampant we served kefir and yogurt smoothies and lower sugar queen cakes. We also had hummus and fresh veggies.</div>
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Perfect Valentine's Day? Absolutely!</div>
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Another Heart Day in the books! Now bring on spring!</div>
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Sam I Amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14751570832134924744noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4196065841196098637.post-59126623094381233802017-02-19T09:59:00.000-08:002017-02-19T09:59:13.889-08:00The Atlanta Farm StoreThis week I was able to venture out with some fellow lady farmer friends to Atlanta (with my baby in tow, of course.)<br />
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What is there to see in Atlanta? Well, lots of things, but we specifically wanted to visit <a href="http://www.traderjoes.com/">Trader Joe's,</a> the <a href="http://www.dekalbfarmersmarket.com/">Dekalb Farmers Market</a> and <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/">IKEA</a>. </div>
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We started the morning with a good breakfast at Cracker Barrel and then made our way south about an hour.</div>
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Trader Joe's is a store I really wish we had up here, of course I bought nothing but sweet foods so maybe I should rethink that desire. </div>
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By far my favorite item there is the large container of ginger snap cookies. A friend this summer introduced me to the delicious cookies and I have craved them since! I bought 2.</div>
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The Dekalb Market was a new experience for all three of us ladies. It was very large and very crowded. It is a hot spot for any ingredient needed for any international dish. It was a treat to shop there, and I came home with some blue cheese, goat cheese and dark chocolate covered cashews. These are the main 3 food groups, by the way. </div>
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Of course there is no store that can quite compare to IKEA. </div>
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What happens when you send farm girls into IKEA? Well, we find uses for several items.</div>
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For example, this kitchen model would be great for processing chickens outside. Granted a lady or two looked at us like we were crazy while we discussed how useful this would be, <i>but it would be nice.</i></div>
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If you are looking for a simple set up to process birds for your own freezer, check out IKEA. I think this set was $112.</div>
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The absolute best purchase of the day, however, was the milking stool. Who knew IKEA sold milking stools?</div>
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It was such a fabulous buy that we both, Laura and I, bought one. It came in several colors, but we both loved the pink.</div>
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It really spruces up the barn, right?</div>
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So if you are in the market for some farming essentials, don't forget to check out the nearest IKEA.</div>
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We had so much fun, and Ace was a fantastic passenger, that we are already planning another trip in a couple months.</div>
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Speaking of Ace, the boy is 4 months old today. He weighs in at 17.2 ! </div>
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It's a nice day here and will be spring like all week. I am hoping we can get some outside chores done!</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Happy Sunday Ya'll!</span></div>
Sam I Amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14751570832134924744noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4196065841196098637.post-4876527305459746732017-02-15T13:09:00.000-08:002017-02-15T13:09:09.808-08:00Tis the Season<span style="font-size: large;">New chicks arrived today!</span><div>
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Last year, because of my pregnancy and morning sickness, we did not order baby chicks. I honestly have missed having the little balls of fluff.</div>
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I ordered pullets to replenish my flock of laying hens. I only got 50 total: 25 each of Welsummers and Buff Orpingtons. Later in the spring I will order meat birds so we can run 2 batches this year.</div>
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Since I really didn't feel like keeping a make shift brood box in my kitchen this time, we finally forked out the money for an actual brooder.</div>
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We plan to move it to the garage once we get past freezing night time temps, but it has been super handy. Although the company says day old chicks can walk on the wire floor, they seemed wobbly this morning when I put them inside. I decided a couple of days with paper on bottom would be simple. </div>
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It also has food troughs on the outside, but again I felt it was easiest to use a feeder inside for a day or two. </div>
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The pictures show it with half the top cover removed. It all gets closed up and has slats to vent on the sides. It really is a great to have the chicks warm and cozy inside.</div>
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This weekend I plan to get bee boxes cleaned and ready for new packages.</div>
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Yes, tis the season of spring!!!!</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Happy Wednesday Ya'll!</span></div>
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Sam I Amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14751570832134924744noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4196065841196098637.post-69490012626880838142017-02-08T06:35:00.001-08:002017-02-08T06:35:34.195-08:00Re Usable Food WrapsI have a love-hate relationship with paper towels. I love how convenient they are, but I hate the waste and expense.<br />
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Several years ago I stopped buying and using throw away towels and started using cheap wash cloths. I bought a bundle of wash cloths and keep them in a basket inside a deep kitchen drawer. They have been easy to use and wash.</div>
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Lately, though, they have needed some replacing. They are very worn out. Well I got the grand idea of making some "paper towels" from fabric this time.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJD4__JQCNZaqO9Kekl3cmYw3Q7jYZ-YCJwiAWkvaWCj50-9HOo2FnWNMua6e0qPUaBjsBtWIUeqtfwosccpR8LkBW92Xc2Qt7Y_Xi4ne5on4Wqe0baG3zRJIYcZtggLEfEI-bv_bSQ11i/s1600/IMG_6488.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJD4__JQCNZaqO9Kekl3cmYw3Q7jYZ-YCJwiAWkvaWCj50-9HOo2FnWNMua6e0qPUaBjsBtWIUeqtfwosccpR8LkBW92Xc2Qt7Y_Xi4ne5on4Wqe0baG3zRJIYcZtggLEfEI-bv_bSQ11i/s640/IMG_6488.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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I bought some yardage of diaper fabric and used my serger to go around the edges. I absolutely love these towels! I cut them to be the size of a real paper towel too, so they are a nice size. I was able to make 25 from 5 yards of fabric. I plan to buy more fabric and make another 25.</div>
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I really need to make some baby wipes too!</div>
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This project got me thinking about other throw away items I could start eliminating from my house.</div>
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Enter reusable plastic wrap.</div>
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There are a few companies that sell fabric soaked with beeswax that can be used to cover dishes and food, etc.</div>
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I thought this was a perfect opportunity to go through my own fabric stash and make my own.</div>
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The results are fabulous! I spent some time online and decided to add tree rosin and jojoba oil to my beeswax mixture. </div>
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It did take me a few tries to get the right balance of wax in the fabric, but they do work!</div>
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I made some sizes in 13"x13", 10"x10" and 7"x7". I also made one that is 15"x13".</div>
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I was able to pull some really pretty fabrics from my quilt fabric stash and used some fat quarters that have been sitting around fro years.</div>
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My first use was to wrap up some left over egg rolls.</div>
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The wraps can be used in place of plastic wraps. They are not water proof, so wet foods are not good for the wraps. They do allow the foods to "breathe", so food will dry out in the wraps eventually.</div>
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To clean the wraps I just rinse them with cool water. If they must be soap washed always use a gentle soap like Bronner's Castile soaps. </div>
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I am going to keep using them and if they remain fabulous I will make some to sell at a farm day this summer. </div>
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In the meantime, if you want to make some yourself, just look through Pinterest. There are several tutorials. I read through several before deciding how to make mine.</div>
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Next I plan to make reusable sandwich wraps. I will post an update once I finish sewing them.</div>
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What else can we reuse and recycle?</div>
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Here's an updated picture of Bucky Bear.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Happy Wednesday Ya'll!</span></div>
Sam I Amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14751570832134924744noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4196065841196098637.post-23492524048695324752017-02-01T13:58:00.000-08:002017-02-01T13:58:39.794-08:00Kids and the KidGotta admit it!<br />
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Georgia has atypical winters. One day it is cold as ice and the next day we are wearing shorts.</div>
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This week has been a short wearing week. In fact, my pasture wasn't this green back in the summer, thanks to the drought.</div>
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I took the baby on a walk to the mailbox this afternoon, carrying him in the Ergo he got for Christmas. We stopped to snap a picture of Hilda the pig grazing in the pasture, which gets greener by the day.</div>
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The boys took advantage of the warm weather too by playing outside the entire week.</div>
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Today Devin took a hose to drain water off the swimming pool cover. What happened next was a delight to both boys and Kid, the German Shepherd pup.</div>
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The water draining off created the perfect scenario of mud piles and a small mud pile dam. </div>
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I include Kid because she has become a close companion to the kids, especially the boys. The boys cannot go outside without Kid, unless we want to hear her whimper wild inside the house.</div>
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She loves to watch over them and play with them too, especially when water or sticks are involved.</div>
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The kids have been watching a show on Netflix called Most Deadliest Animals and they had sharks on there last night. I am going to assume that is the reason the boys built a shark pond.</div>
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We will soak up the warmth while we can because it is just the start of February.</div>
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In a few days this water could be ice. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Happy February Ya'll!!</span></div>
Sam I Amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14751570832134924744noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4196065841196098637.post-49919620008430286352017-01-26T10:50:00.000-08:002017-01-26T10:50:12.280-08:00Family Field TripDevin is home for a nice stretch so we decided to visit a museum nearby.<br />
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The Tellus Science Museum in Cartersville, GA.<br />
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We pass this place when drive to Atlanta and I had always wondered what was inside. I decided that a visit was in order!<br />
Yesterday's family field trip proved that this is a rather fun museum.</div>
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Excuse the blurry pictures, but it wasn't until we left that I saw my lens was on the wrong setting for indoors.<br />
At any rate, we were able to see some wonderful dinosaur models. We also got to see real fossils from the era.<br />
There was another exhibit with minerals and gems that the boys especially loved. Those kids love rocks.<br />
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There was a model of a mammoth skeleton that I especially liked. It's cool to see how large the things were up close.<br />
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There was also an exhibit with old cars and space shuttles. We even saw a display to scale of the Kitty Hawk.<br />
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Looking inside a real Mig fighter jet showed us how many switches and gears those jets use! I honestly don't know how pilots fit in such small spaces or learn everything on the jets.<br />
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Of course there were some awesome rock specimens outside available for climbing and photo taking too. It gave us some fresh air before going back inside for a planetarium show.<br />
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The kid also got to pan for gem stones (pretty rocks) as part of the ticket price. They each came home with a small bag of treasures.<br />
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They also came home with shark teeth that they dug from the archeology dig exhibit.<br />
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We missed Quinn. She had to work and missed out on the trip. We brought her a gift from the gift shop though.<br />
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After the fun day, we stopped at Steak and Shake for dinner, something we rarely do with this large family.<br />
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I bought a year pass, so I plan to go back throughout the year. They are building a solar house for display, and they also have an observatory for use on certain nights.<br />
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We did take a couple pictures of me and the baby, so we have proof we were there too...and I brought home a shark too as well :-)!!<br />
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This was a fun school day and a short break from farm life!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Happy Thursday Ya'll!!</span><br />
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Sam I Amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14751570832134924744noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4196065841196098637.post-40504637905476953502017-01-19T08:04:00.000-08:002017-01-19T08:04:32.561-08:00Baby Season<b><i>There are seasons in our life. </i></b><div>
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Here I am in the midst of baby season once again. It had been 6 years since I had a demanding baby to care for all day.</div>
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Here I am holding and rocking and nursing a baby, all while trying to cook and clean and care for a household.</div>
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This season makes me <i>slow down.</i></div>
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All of you moms out there know what I mean. </div>
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When you have little babies and toddlers you must put aside some of the projects and some of the goals to an organized house. </div>
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Your priorities turn from a date night out to keeping the laundry from taking over. Your house is messy. Dishes sit in the sink half the day. Furniture stays dusty. Bathrooms are a disaster.</div>
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I've been doing this for over 20 years now. There are days and years that are easier than others. Days when I can sew or knit and days when the floors get mopped and picture books get put back on the shelf. Then there are days I can only accomplish a day of fussy baby holding.</div>
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Today this new baby turns 3 months old. It has been almost a year since I had a positive pregnancy test.</div>
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It has been almost a year when I started praying for this baby. After 2 miscarriages I was certain this one would end tragically too. When I saw those 2 pink lines I prayed he would get here. </div>
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Every. Single. Day.</div>
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The morning sickness was almost unbearable, and the fatigue was paralyzing. Hormones and emotions were all over the map. Every single day was a day closer to him being in my arms.</div>
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This season in life. It is by far the shortest of seasons and yet the sweetest.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It's truly a miracle.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Happy Miracle Day!</span></div>
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Sam I Amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14751570832134924744noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4196065841196098637.post-70338204305464379682017-01-14T06:32:00.000-08:002017-01-14T06:32:02.315-08:00Mid January Catch UpA week ago it was below freezing for the high and we had a dusting of snow.<br />
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Today it will reach 68 degrees, and I slept with the windows open last night.</div>
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Winter in Georgia.</div>
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Our elderly weimaraner has pneumonia, thanks to age and extreme temp changes. We called the vet and gave her the appropriate medicines. Today she is acting her normal self again.</div>
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Last weeks cold weather required extra hay for the cows, however Devin wasn't here to get hay from the barn. Luckily I had several friends offer to help.</div>
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This week Devin gave me a lesson in how to drive the tractor and use the hay spike.</div>
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I can add this to my list of things I can now do on my own, and hopefully we will have enough hay to get through winter. The weather looks to be warm over the next 10 days and that will help.</div>
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Zeb bought a racing dominos set with his Christmas money. This set has 1000 pieces and I confess we had fun playing with it over several days. Hands on learning!</div>
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We cleared the dining table off and let these dominoes stay out. We all took turns building configurations to knock down. I imagine this will be up there with wooden building blocks as a toy that is enjoyed for many, many years.</div>
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I've knitted many things but never socks. I have always wanted to learn sock knitting.</div>
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I love sock yarns! This year I decided to take an online sock knitting class and Journee is joining me. This will either be a really fun class or a frustrating nightmare.</div>
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Stayed tuned for verdict.</div>
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I have taken classes before on Craftsy before and enjoyed them. The instructor for this class seems really good too, so I am betting it is a good class.</div>
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Today is my day to finally get my house and projects in order. I chuckle at that statement, but I really still feel disorganized and fog brained since having the baby.</div>
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Maybe today I will get everything back in order......just maybe. Maybe not.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Happy Saturday Ya'll!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Sami</span></div>
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Sam I Amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14751570832134924744noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4196065841196098637.post-3023244112264930052017-01-09T10:02:00.000-08:002017-01-09T10:02:16.299-08:002017<span style="font-size: x-large;"> Happy New Year!</span><div>
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Normally I am diving head first into a new year with goals and plans out the wadzoo.</div>
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Right now I am hoping for a 3 hour stretch of sleep at night. New babies are needy and demanding and hungry and fickle. So this is my reality at the moment. Don't get me wrong, for I am super happy to have this little angel, but I must dampen my usual enthusiasm for accomplishing lots until he is less needy.</div>
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Today the younger kids and I did attend a meeting for a new home school co-op. I decided to enroll them because they honestly do not get out of the house much. When I had just the 3-4 oldest girls I had them in music classes and play groups and art...lots of activities.</div>
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I do not wish to be that busy with outside activities, but one day a week is perfect for my young crew. They are super excited to start too!</div>
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We had a huge cold snap over the weekend in which we became snowed in with a little less than a half inch of snow. That's the South for you. It was very cold, though, not above freezing for a few days.</div>
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I needed more hay for the cows, but Devin was out of town. Fortunately I had several friend offer to come fetch hay with the tractor. My goal this week is to have Devin show me how to get the hay myself. A HUGE THANK YOU to Larry for helping me out and to all the many people who checked on me to see if I needed help.</div>
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I am currently looking at ordering new pullet babies for eggs this summer, and we plan to run at least 2 batches of pastured chickens. I was hoping to have a nice brooder built, but it might be project for me and the girls to tackle. I just don't feel like having rubbermaid boxes as brooders placed all through my kitchen this year. Time to upgrade.</div>
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I have several farm projects to tackle before spring which includes pregnancy checking cattle, finishing orchard/garden area and deciding/buying temporary fencing to move cattle with on property.</div>
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But today I am going to hold my needy little earthling and maybe warm up a cup of coffee. Dinner is staying warm in the Instant Pot and the kids are playing downstairs. </div>
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It is a new year, and I hope 2017 is a blessed and prosperous one for everyone!</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Blessings,</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Sami</span></div>
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Sam I Amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14751570832134924744noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4196065841196098637.post-79714917680402863032016-12-13T10:10:00.000-08:002016-12-13T10:12:19.430-08:00Glorious Under PressureWhere has the year gone?<br />
It is almost Christmas and I have <strike>prepared</strike> panicked. The tree is up. That is about it.<br />
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We finally got lots of rain and cold weather. Cold weather means worrying and fretting over livestock and stacking firewood.<br />
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The boys spent a good week playing on top of the firewood pile until we decided it really needed to be stacked neatly under the pool deck.<br />
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We started on a nice sunny day and finished on a cool day that was going to be freezing by nightfall.<br />
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We function gloriously under pressure.<br />
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Of course the cattle, who are roaming our yard, peaked at us curiously from afar. Cows always make me laugh with their curiosity. If we are out working on any project, they are right there watching.<br />
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This is Molly and Brownie. Brownie is ready for processing but the processors here are all swamped with work. Getting an appointment has been challenging. Until that time, he and the other 2 steers will continue to free range, despite the lower than usually supply of hay. I think we will be okay, but I hope for an early and luscious spring.<br />
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Journee finished a rather nice art project last week too.<br />
She collected some beautiful fall leaves form my mother's yard. The leaves were soaked in a mixture of 1 part vegetable glycerin and 2 parts water.<br />
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She let the leaves soak for 3 days and then set them on a towel to dry for a day. The leaves were pliable and held their color.<br />
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She painted a canvas and then glued the leaves to the canvas in a leaf pattern.<br />
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The result is a beautiful piece and a reminder of how lovely fall can be here in North Georgia.<br />
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We found a nice place in the kitchen to hang it up. We are not sure how long the leaves will hold up, since this is a first time project for us. I am sure we will do it again next year, and I expect it will turn into a project for several kids since they all loved watching her create it.<br />
Journee has already come up with some ideas to expand the project.<br />
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This weekend I am hoping to get some baking done. If not, I will get lots of baby holding done. Either way it will be a win/win.<br />
How are your Christmas preparations going?<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Happy Tuesday Ya'll!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Peace,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Sami</span><br />
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<br />Sam I Amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14751570832134924744noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4196065841196098637.post-20321797388773373512016-12-02T06:28:00.000-08:002016-12-02T06:28:20.318-08:00I'm a Little Redneck* Disclaimer: This post is not meant as an insult to my family or friends. It's written with nothing but pure affection.*<br />
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At one time we lived in a quaint and lovely neighborhood. There were sidewalks and the mailboxes has pretty, glowing gas lights.<br />
There were block parties and impromptu cookouts with neighbors.<br />
We had perfectly lined flower beds all around the house, and I would plant seasonal flowers every where.<br />
At one time....<br />
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Now I have this kind of yard.<br />
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This is not a Gentleman's Farm.<br />
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I am not complaining, mind you, that we are out here on a farm, but this week has really shown the stark difference in our life style now. The neighborhood life had a way of hiding our <b><i>red neck</i></b>.<br />
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So this week my young pigs escaped their fencing...again. They have been escape artists <a href="http://mybarefootfarm.blogspot.com/2016/10/before-baby-arrived.html">since we brought them home.</a> We have never had issues with keeping pigs within electric fencing, but these guys refuse to stay put.<br />
They escaped a few times so we finally just let them roam the property until Devin arrived home from work. Yes, these things always happen when he is out of town. At any rate, for two days I had pigs enthusiastically rooting up all of the mulch from around the swim pool.<br />
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Then several times I would here Hilda, the pet pig, squeal. I would run outside and catch those pigs biting and chasing poor fat Hilda. She doesn't move quickly enough to get away from those young ones, so I would proceed to run outside, wearing pajama bottoms and slippers, carrying a metal rod so I could beat the pigs off Hilda. Add to this picture that I always had the baby in a sling while screaming at those bully pigs and you have there my reality show moment. Redneck at its finest.<br />
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Devin got home and because we are <strike>redneck</strike> <strike>frugal</strike> environmentalists, we recycled wood pallets into a fence.<br />
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Who needs a t-post driver when you have a tractor bucket? Now that is actually just working smarter, not harder.<br />
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Now those little pigs have two layers of fencing to keep them contained.<br />
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Of course I really want these pigs out in the woods, but unless they respect electric fencing, they will have to remain in this lot. One day at a time will have to be my motto with these guys.<br />
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The very next day we got rain. Lots of rain. We were over 20 inches short in rain for the year and there have been numerous wildfires in the area. The rain was very much needed.<br />
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According to my <strike>redneck</strike> poor man's rain gauge, we got about 3 inches.<br />
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Yeah there are days when I miss my perfectly pretty yard and all the amenities of a subdivision, but I do love this farm life too.<br />
I embrace the redneck, really, because it means I can improvise. I can be creative. I can be frugal. I can get the job done, no matter what.<br />
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And those pallets were slated for the dump, so we really did recycle and that makes my Inner Hippie happy.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Happy Friday Ya'll!!!!!!</span><br />
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<br />Sam I Amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14751570832134924744noreply@blogger.com4