Annual cattle drive at the FD's

Today was the annual cattle drive at the Farmer Daughter's. However, no horses were used this time. They set up a pen in the pasture and the guy who owns the land put some hay in it and when the cows went in there he closed the gate. They took four trailers down there and loaded the cattle and when they got back to the FD's we seperated her cows from theirs.

These are Brad's and his brother's cows.

These are the FD's cows.

This is a little bull calf. He really is a pretty color. I tried to get his face, but he wasn't having any of it and kept running away.

These are the cows that she kept at her place all summer. She is going to keep all of them there from now on and rotate pasture to save time and money.

This is her bull. His name is "Red Bull". He is a very handsome boy. He is a yearling.

This her newest horse. A three year old Clydesdale mare. We just found out about her today. Big horse. The FD plans to have her trained to drive.

This is her other new horse. Another miniature to be Barbie's friend. He' pretty shy.

This is the FD's last tom turkey, the other one is in my freezer. The hen kept following me around and while I was repairing the electric plug on the grain bin auger motor she kept tasting my shirt. Bite and pull, bite and pull. Finally I had to give her a good push with my boot to get her away. What a Turkey!

Baby piggies!

A duck and pig parade.

Gramma and the FD's good friend Stephanie. Stephanie has been staying with the FD and helping her with a lot of stuff. She also slipped on some rocks and hurt herself bad enough so she couldn't go back to work. So she quit. Bruised her ribs, but she's getting better. Thanks Steph. If they look cold it's because they are. Rained all day and was windy and only in the forties. I bbq'd some pork chops and Gramma made chili, so everyone ate well. The last cattle drive forever. Or not. Who knows? Not me.

We Survived

Well the grandkids came on Saturday morning and stayed overnight. We didn't go fishing cause it was real windy and I was having bad day with my back. But we still had fun. We fed animals, gathered eggs and played games. We went grocery shopping, (Some fun huh?) we watched movies and the kids each had a handheld game that they played. I made carmel corn from Mrs. Smith's recipe and it turned out yummy.

I didn't get pics of the kids, (I need a smaller camera) but Gramma did and she's going to post them on her blog. Bubba had a couple of nose bleeds (Air is pretty dry) and he fell off the stool in the bathroom while washing his hands and pulled the towel bar off the wall, but he didn't get hurt, so it's all good. Sent them to bed and they went right to sleep without a peep. When Mary got up in the morning she came to me and said, "I've got some good news!" I asked what it was and she said "Russell didn't fall out of bed!" So it was a good night also. We'll have to do it again. I think they had fun.

Strange stuff

Here are some gourds that Gramma got for the table decor. I think they might be from Mars or some place weird.

Here is a tree out behind the house.

Started growing one way and then changed it's mind and went back the other way.

Here's a rock I found in the driveway the other day. It's an agate in the middle of some quartz. Should be interesting after it's polished.

Here's the strangest thing of all, Grampa! I had four chickens eating from my hand today. First time that's happened.

This isn't strange, just a pic of the new deer stand. It's sitting in amongst our maples, deer trails right next to it. Hopefully it will be a good one. Tomorrow the Berg kids come to spend the day and stay overnight. Yikes! Hopefully we'll all survive. They don't know what an Ogre Grampa really is. I think I'll make Bayou Mommy's carmel corn tonight so we have some homemade snacks. Maybe tomorrow we can go fishing.

Cats VS Chickens and who's a Redneck

A very interesting thing happened today. I have been building another deer stand and since I was working on the chicken coop I had my saw horses and skillsaw in the barn. So I've been walking between the shed and the barn and as I got close to the barn I noticed Simone and Sparkle staring intently at the tire on the wheelbarrow.

Here is Simone.

Here is Sparkle. (Isn't she cute?) Well when I got close I saw a small mouse trying to hide next to the tire. Suddenly the mouse took off. Sparkle jumped and the mouse ran and Simone grabbed it. She shook it, dropped it, poked it, and did it again several times while Sparkle watched. Finally she picked it up pointed her nose to the sky and swallowed it whole. Wow! I guess I read somewhere that chickens would eat small rodents, but seeing it was a little amazing. No wonder eggs are full of protein. Yummo!

Here is a picture of a sophisticated Redneck deck chair. If it was a regular Redneck deck chair there would be two beers and a shotgun.

Ingrid and coop

I thought I'd give you a little update on our chubby horse.

This is a picture from last summer.

This is what she looks like now.  She has lost over 40 pounds so far. She's looking pretty good.

This is the grazing muzzle she has to wear now whenever she is in the paddock. She can still eat a little with it on but not enough to hurt her. She doesn't like it, but she's getting used to it. Next week I'm gonna try to get our hay tested for sugar, so until then and maybe after we have to soak her hay and feed her twice a day. Next year I will cut hay in August and early in the morning to cut down on the sugar content and then have it tested. She is walking good now and yesterday Gramma saw her trotting, so we can start an exercise program now. Now for the coop news. I got the coop done enough to lock the chickens in, so yesterday they spent all day in there. Wow! Mad chickens! I did'nt think we would get any eggs, but all four Wellsummers laid eggs in the new nest box. Yay! Simone spent all day pacing back and forth and pecking at the door. We let thm out at 4:30 and put them to bed at 7:30. Today we were gone in the morning and got back at about 2:00. I went down there at 3:00 and no eggs in the nest box, but Simone laid one on the floor by the waterer. Goofy chickens.              

More fall colors, chicken coop and deer ticks

This morning Gramma and I drove to the lake to see the colors.

I took a few more pics and Gramma took some too.

She's posting hers on her blog, so be sure to check it out cause her camera takes better pictures.

Hey, here she is enjoying the day. Silly Gramma.

I started another addition on the coop.

There will be six nesting boxes. I had to take off the old box, so there has been some "Chicken Trauma". Not too bad though except Alice laid an egg in the middle of the barn floor once and I almost stepped on it. They were pretty upset with me and kept scolding me at first, but now have come to grips with it I guess. When I get it done I'm going to lock them in for few days until the they get used to it. "Ticks". When Gramma and I got home I went out in the woods to look for maple trees to tap. Last year I think I tapped 11 trees, but I didn't write it down so I'm not sure. Well I found enough to put in 23 taps. Some trees are big enough for two. I took a can of orange paint and marked them and I marked three on the gps cause they are deep in the thick stuff. I'll try to cut a trail to these in the spring. I took a shotgun with me cause grouse and turkey Season is open. I jumped a grouse and two woodcock but it was in the "Bamboo" and I didn't have a chance. When I got back in the house I found a deer tick on my neck. Not attached. Then I found two more on my shirt. So strip down, check everywhere, check all clothes, throw clothes in wash and throw Grampa in shower. First time I've ever had a deer tick. First time I've ever seen one. Don't like it. Gotta be sure to spray my clothes before I go out in the woods. Bummer.

Quite a day

Yesterday when I collected eggs I found a huge egg where Simone lays hers.

The egg on the left is from the day before. So I figured it must be a double-yolker.

Yup. The one from today was back to normal. But before I got to eat breakfast I saw a coyote out in the field.

Bingo. One less chicken killer. They have been howling every night lately and spooking the dogs, and yesterday a huge male ran through the back yard, but he was gone before I could get a shot.

 I went over to the FD's after breakfast to help her with some stuff and when we fed the pigs we discovered some brand new piglets. Born last night.

We found five. Baby piggies are so cute. This is the first litter for this sow, so hopefully it will go well for her. So it was full and exciting day for the Old Farmer and turkey season is open, so I hope to get out with the old Remington soon. Stay tuned.