Christ Has Risen

He is risen indeed. 

 

Thrifting Money Maker

I drove down to see Emily yesterday and go wedding dress shopping with her.  She said yes to a dress!  You will just have to wait until October to see that picture.  

While driving through town and seeing the sights we passed the town’s visitor center.  I exclaimed, “there was a penny smashing machine there!”  Emily didn’t know how I was able to spot it.  

We did not stop then, but went back after dinner out with Carol and Keiran at a local Tai restaurant.  I chose the white squirrel impression for my smashed penny.  This could be considered unmaking money.

Then today Emily and I hit the thrift stores to look for some frames for her artwork that she has been accumulating during her travels.  I managed to not buy anything but some light bulbs until I saw this wildflower book.  I already had a copy but I just couldn’t pass this one up. 

It was priced at $8.50.  But I knew to look for the payoff, 

The page of state flower stamps.  The value of the stamps is $14.50, so a definite money maker. 

First Issue

Seventeen calves in and we have had our first problem.  The weather has taken a turn for the worse, low 40’s and rain.

A heifer had a small weak calf this morning. It wasn’t able to get up or stand.  We had some powdered colostrum and tubed him with 1/2 a bag.. 

Joe carried him to a more level spot and we kept a close eye on him all day.  He got up shortly after we tube him with the colostrum and walked around a lot but I never saw him nurse. 

So this evening we mixed up the second 1/2 for the colostrum and got him to suck most of it from the bottle.  Then I tubed him with the rest.  Hopefully, that will give him enough strength to make it though the night and figure out where his next meal needs to come from. 
 

Glutton…

…for punishment. 

Mike was going to bring me a dump trailer load of mulch.  But when I priced it at Southern States where I usually get it I found it would be cheaper to get it from someone selling it off Facebook.   It was a tree company Virginia had used to remove some trees around her apartments.  They double grind the debris and let it sit a year.  The mulch is beautiful and was $150 for the load delivered. 

I started with the blackberries, 

And moved on to the peonies. I am working my way around the house.  This may take awhile. 
 

Sadie and Allie Weekend

I didn’t get them both at once, just one at a time.

Allie was first on Saturday.  She stayed with me while Virginia took Sadie to the library and did some errands. While I was reading a book to her she fell asleep and slept for 1 1/2 hours.  It seems like most of her time with me is spent sleeping.  She probably needs to catch up after being with Sadie so much.  

We did have some activity time.  And no, she is not levitating.  Check out the video for the full context. 

She is really getting strong.

I got Sadie today after her church for an Easter egg hunt and a potluck at my church.  She ended up with a basket full of eggs even after being somewhat sidetracked by just picking up purple ones at the start.

Then she won the drawing for her age group for the grand prize, a $30 gift card to Walmart.  She has no concept of was a gift card is but I told Virginia to get Sadie  and Allie something she ordinarily wouldn’t and to not just spent it on groceries.  Sadie did stand near the bunny for their picture with the winners.  She said it was just a costume.   On the way back to the car she said, “my neck is tired from looking for eggs!”

When we got home she wanted to open all of her eggs.

       It was quite the haul.  But then to take it home, she put everything back into the eggs again. 

The weather was nice enough to catch Otoelene and go for a ride.  She still has no fear which is starting to worry me a little.  I need to be able to teach her a healthy respect without making her scared.  It could be a fine line. 

But for now, everything is going well and Otoelene continues to be a dream with her.

At least as long and the treats keep coming. 

Then it was time to pick some flowers.

She really liked the Yoshino cherry trees.

Then she spent a relaxing 30 minutes in the swing, without having to take turns with Allie.  Allie, on the other hand got to go furniture shopping. 

Divide and conquer was the theme of the weekend.

Busy Day

I had lots of projects to work on today.  The weather has been dry but rain is in the forecast.  I thought it would be a good time to try to work up the garden.

But first, I had to clear it of the grapevines that I had pruned last month.  I didn't want to just throw them out with the other yard waste.  But they were too short to add to my round bale feeder grapevine art. 

 

So I just made a smaller grapevine wreath.  I actually made two, I just didn't get a picture of the other one yet. 

Once the garden was cleared off it was time to see if I could get the tiller to start. 

And I didn't have much trouble at all this year with it starting.  Looks like my fuel line repair from last year is still holding.  

Next came a load of dried manure from the barn.  I ended up using a garden fork to dig down deeper in rows, then I put the compost just in the rows where we will be planting.  I ran out of time and didn't finish the entire garden.  That will have to wait until later. 

We also got up 20 yearlings to work and haul to Joe's dad's house to turn out on pasture.  I asked Joe to take a picture of that but it somehow didn't happen.  Now the field that we took them off of might have a chance to recover some before we have to put the goats there in 2 weeks.  Kidding should start April 8th.

There was plenty to keep busy with today. 

First Day Of Spring +1

Since the first day od Spring was yesterday, I thought I would post some springy things. 

  

Our first heifer calved Monday, you can just see that cute white face down there.   I think I was making the heifer a little nervous so I didn’t want to get too close for a better picture.  Joe used a Hereford bull on the heifers this year.  So be expecting lots of white faces.  

And then how can we celebrate Spring without seeing some flowers.  I managed to keep Sadie from picking there by telling her that the bees needed them for their food.  

Looks like we made it through the winter and we are all ready for some warmer weather.

Lowe’s Kids Day, Picnic, And A Tick

Virginia was taking Sadie and Allie to Kids Day at Lowe’s on Saturday. She asked if I would come help.  I was in charge of helping Allie with her project and Virginia helped Sadie.

 Allie was scared of the hammer at first.  But with a little coaxing she became a hammering machine.  

The project was a bird feeder.  

I now have two new beautiful bird feeders in my tree.

                                             

We also enjoyed a picnic in the front yard in the afternoon.  Sadie wanted to play hid and seek and squished into all of the bushes in the yard. Then Sunday afternoon Virginia brought her back because she had a tick attached to her ear. 

Mike had already attempted the removal but part of the tick was left behind.  Luckily, they know a vet that doesn’t mind family emergencies and has a lot of experience removing ticks.  Sadie was a doll and earned an ice pop and piece of chocolate.  And in case you are curious, a tick needs to be attached for over 36 hours before it can transmit Lyme disease. 

Eastward Expansion

The forsythias are in full bloom and were spectacular with the morning sun shining through them.  

This is the prettiest they have been in a few years.  

Then I decided that I liked my rock garden so much that I wanted to extend it further to the East.  That part of the yard is pretty unusable for anything else much. 

So here is my first expansion rock.  As big as it is I hope it isn't my last.  It will be a struggle to get this one into place. 
 

Not A Tree This Time

Joe has been consistently having to repair fences.  But this time the fence was not damaged by a tree. 

It was smashed by a chimney. Bet you didn’t see that one coming.  

There is an old house on our farm up the road.  I thought the house would fall in not the chimney.  Oh well, now I have to think of a project that can use up a few bricks.  

And just kidding about not being a tree on the fence, because we had that today too. 

This one was in the hollow, another line fence, lots of multi flora rose bushes on the other side.  After fixing this this spot we walked the fence and found 4 more spots that needed to be fixed.  Joe had to go back to the house to get more supplies.  

While I was waiting I found some wildflowers blooming, a small bunch of phlox,

Spring Beauty, 

And a little different version of Spring Beauty, 

And one Blood Root popping up.  

At least the weather was nice and the ground dry.  

It’s probably just a matter of time before this one ends up on the fence.