Journal 7/29/09

Short note today. All animals are doing well except my mom’s dog Buster… she has been sick for some time. She coughs all the time and is having a difficult time breathing. I got 8 eggs and 2/3^rds gallon of milk this morning and worked with the puppies. Nothing from the garden. Tomatoes are still not up and it is raining.

Took my mom to the doctor. She will be having thyroid surgery on Monday, and tonight she decided tomorrow to have Buster put down so she isn’t suffering. She asked if I could go with her and started to cry. It’s an emotional time here. Yahweh keep us and support us during this time.

Farm Journal 7/28/09

Another late morning and another busy day going to town. I arrived home last night after 10:30 and didn’t get to sleep ’til after 11… needless to say, getting up early didn’t happen! I went out to milk and the dogs were out waiting for me. Notsumi (Japanese for Summer), a Great Pyranese, Anatolian Shepherd cross, is about 5 months old and was a rescue dog my son, Ricky, picked up. She is very skiddish and needs lots of TLC. Ziva is almost a year old and is my daughter Shelly’s dog. She is a Pit Bull, Bull Mastiff mix with a wonderful disposition. We hope to teach her to be a companion dog for Shelly. Egypt is a Lab, Chow, ??? mix and was left here by someone that can’t keep her right now… She is around 2 and is very shy. Bones and Spunky are about 4 months old and some kind of Terrier mix. Bones is my brother Kevin’s dog and Bones’ sister Spunky belongs to my Dad. Two other doggies that don’t meet me are my Mom’s dog, Buster, and my Dad’s other dog Bandit who are both very old.

It is a rainy day today and cool. We got 11 eggs and another spaghetti squash. Shemayim gave 2/3 gallon this morning. Another busy day and rain… the tomatoes are rotting on the ground! I can’t get out there today… Praying that they will be ok ’til I can get them propped up… I will try to get some done tomorrow morning.

This week has been very difficult so far and it looks busy the whole week. Yesterday I had to take Grandpa to the doctor and run errands. Today I had to take Shelly to the Dr, get a prescription, run to the bank, library, meet with Dad and when I got home I had visitors. Made dinner and then crashed into the chair at 6:40 pm. Tomorrow I will be going to take my mom to a doctor’s appointment and help a friend with a health issue. The 5^th day this week will have to be preparation day because the 6^th day I will be with Shelly in B-ham all day having tests done. I look forward to Sabbath!

Farm Journal 7/27/09

This morning I woke up late and didn’t make it out to do chores ’til 7:15. It was overcast and about 78 degrees. All the puppies went with me to milk. I spent a few minutes convincing Notsumi (Ricky’s dog) that I was a friend – once she relaxed we all went out to the barn for some warm milk!As I was milking I noticed a hen with 5 chicks in the barn – no one had told me we had new chicks. Later, when I asked about the chicks, Dad (my dear husband) said there were 2 batches. I didn’t see the younger batch. The calf was working on tearing down the barn wall, while I worked the milking machine (which is in need of repair). We really need to get the barn fixed too – soon before it falls in on our heads. I was thinking about finding an ‘Old Timer’ that could tell us how to fix it and supervise while we do the work. Would be nice! We got 2/3 gal of milk from Shemayim. 31 is dried off for calving next month.

I gathered eggs and fed the hens. There were only 2 eggs in the nestboxes. I checked in the house to find 7 more on the floor. The hens don’t like to lay in an empty nest and it was definitely empty. I added straw to their boxes.

The water troughs were low so I filled them and moved the horses to the back yard to help with the unmown grass. They love to be in the back yard with the different weeds and things to get into! A mama and daddy Cardinal were helping themselves to the chicken feed while I waited for the troughs to fill.

I decided to pick some of the weeds that I couldn’t identify and take them to the extension office today while I was in town with Grandpa for a doctor’s appointment. I know there are many of them that are medicinal or edible. While I was searching for odd plants and weeds I headed out to the garden – not really sure what I would find (I’ve been in Atlanta for 3 weeks helping a friend). Well, the tomatoes that my dear husband said didn’t need to be propped yet (because they are still short due to planting late) were sprawled out on the ground heavy with tomatoes! I definitely need to get them up, but today was not to be the day. I found two overgrown spaghetti squash, 3 beautifully bright yellow summer squash, 1 crookneck squash, and Italian cucumber and a table cucumber to pick. The cabbage is heading nicely. I have several volunteer corn stalks near the chicken house.

I had to take Grandpa Buster to get some lab work, so I quickly poured the milk through the strainer into the bottle, got a quick shower, grabbed my basket of weeds, a couple mylar bags and O2 absorbers for a friend and headed out the door.

I arrived home, finally, just before 4 pm, exhausted from the running of the day. I hate going to town… by the time I get home I am through! My day was still ahead of me, the tomatoes needed to be propped, dinner made… I needed to be propped and someone else better make dinner! Dad arrived home and started dinner for me. My neighbor came by needing a ride to the ER. The tomatoes will have to wait ’til another day.

Horses

While I was in Atlanta for the past 3 weeks helping out a friend, I found myself missing the farm. It wasn’t just because I was in a concrete jungle and the air was yuck . It wasn’t just because I had no fur babies to hang out with or that I had to eat unnatural foods at the cafeteria. It wasn’t just because there were too many cars and people… it was all this and more…

I missed the sights, sounds, and smells of the farm. Seeing the geese in the pasture, at the pond, the horses getting frisky in the field, the sound of the roosters in the early morning giving us the wake up call and the mama cows bawling when it is feeding time and we aren’t out there. I missed the buzzing of the bees when I check the hives, their wings keeping the hive temperature just right and the silly puppies pouncing about the back yard. I missed the smell of fresh mown lawn, dirt and even the manure. I missed the routine of the chores and spending time with Yahweh each morning thanking Him for all that he has put in my charge. But the thing I missed most was the musky, sweet smell of the horses.

Our Farm

Well, here is our first post about our farm… this blog will be our farm journal and most things will be boring to most people, I will try to share some of the old farm stories that I remember along the way so it isn’t too boring for you!

I hope you enjoy reading about our busy little place the Father has given us.