Coming Soon

HORSE SHOW TODAY

Otoelene is going to her first show today.  She'll be in a yearling hater class.

V will be showing Hank in 2 hunter classes and Lady will be along for the ride to keep Otoelene company. She will then be left at J's dads house since he's back from Florida.

Stay tuned for the results!

More Thistles

We are now on to trying to control thistles the old fashioned way.

 By chopping them.

 I had the hoe.

J had the maddock.  We had to walk in rows up and down the field chopping the thistles that were in our part of the grid.  I've been reading the Lincoln Rhyme's books by Jeffery Deaver and that's all I could think about "walking the grid".  I think I made more progress spraying but the effect is instantaneous with chopping.  There is never a lack of things to do here.

Trusses

The trusses for the barn arrived today.  They are 60' long.

 They got stuck at the bottom of the driveway at the mailbox.  I think it finally took the bulldozer to pull it out.

 They didn't have any trouble coming around the sharp turn in the drive.  J had told them to cut the walnut tree if need be but it wasn't even close there.

 He then couldn't pull up the grade to the cattle guard so bulldozer to the rescue again.

 No problem with the turn down to the barn.

 Then they had to decide which way to go.

 After a small conference it was decided to go the the right.

 Looks like a state highway project.  One working four watching.

 Finally, unloaded.

One more time with the bulldozer to get up out of the field and we're done. (with that part anyway)

Flowers

Just catching up on a few flower pictures from the yard.  Some aren't blooming right now, 

 like this poppy.

 The irises are also done.

 The clematis is still going strong.

And the Endless Summer Hydrangea is in full bloom.

Hay and Lightning

J is halfway through making hay.  He's finished the hay here and is getting ready to start at the other farm.

 The hay field out by the red barn yielded more than ever.  The sod also looks the best it ever has since we moved here.

 There was a tremendous thunderstorm yesterday.  J saw several lightning strikes.   Afterwards when J went to go feed the dogs, he saw smoke rising out of the hay field.

 One of  the bales of hay was on fire.

 It's been burning for almost 24 hours and after 1.2 inches of rain.  Fortunately, it's not near anything else.

Of course Oreo had to join me on the hike out there.

Thistles

Our farm is getting over run with thistles.  The goats eat some but not enough to keep them under control.  J usually bush hogs them in the summer but by the time he finishes with the hay and has time to bush hog, they have already bloomed.

 Our county has been giving away spray for multa flora rose control for several years.  Between the spraying and the goats we have gotten this invasive weed beat back.  So this year I decided to start spraying the thistles.

 Since we have this 4-wheeler now, we can mount the 15 gallon spray tank on the back.  It does take a little practice, gas with right hand, break with left hand and spray with both hands.

 I've been spot spraying for a month now.

It takes about 3 weeks for the thistle to die. First the top turns brown, then the whole plant turns yellow, then it shrivels up.  The problem with spot spraying is it's, well, spotty.  Also, since it takes 3 weeks for the plants to die, I have to remember where I've already sprayed.  I'm hoping to get the areas I see from the house good and maybe some paths through the worst of the other areas.  Maybe them the goats could get into them better.  It may take a few years, but for every one that I kill it's that many less seed for next year.

8th Grade Formal

E's 8th grade class had an end of year dance called the 8th grade formal.  We are referring to it as the 8th grade prom.  She spent the night before the dance with a friend, had her hair done before the dance then went home with a different friend to spend the night after the dance.  Consequently, we didn't get to see what she looked like except from a few pictures of dubious quality. 

 We didn't even find out she had a date for the dance until I saw the corsage in the refrigerator.  J made the shocking statement that he "sort of" approves of him.

 E with friend Jordan.

 E's hair from the side.

 This was the only almost full length picture she had.

And this is said corsage.  Her comment about the dance, "It was better than I thought it would be."