Tales of a tractor and the horrible hay bales

Tonight C went to karate with T, K & D, so I showered then went out to feed. Should have known not to shower before going outside! I decided to put hay out for the cows and 2-socks. That was when it all began! First I couldn't get the tractor to start, forgot to flip the kill switch, then it took 7 tries to get the bale to stay on the hay spike. After overcoming the obnoxious haybale, I tried to go through the gate by the chicken house and managed to drop the bale. Four more tries to get the bale on the spike, then I couldn't get the haybale past the chicken house. Leave it to me to not be able to go forward or back. I put the tractor in reverse and pushed the haybale back out of the way, then got the haybale back on the spike. Decided to take the hay in with the cows through another area of the panels, got through without dropping the bale finally!!! When I went for 2-socks hay, I began to think it was either Wacky Wednesday or Freaky Friday. Sure, I know it's Manic Monday. Have you ever tipped cows? Not me, although tonight I tipped not 1, but 2 haybales. Easier than it sounds if the grass is grown up into only one side of the bale. Not so easy to get the bale back to right. After deciding that sometimes being blonde is not to my advantage. Well, in the end 2-socks got his bale of hay and the cows got a second bale. (forgot to mention, I did tip 2 bales not one before figuring out how un-tip them) While in with cows I decided to pick up one of the old bales to put in with the pigs. Another fiasco in the making. Got the old bale on the spike and out of the garden where the cows are. Then I couldn't get the bale off of the spike. Yes, leave it to me to get the worlds smallest round bale stuck on the hay spike and not be able to remove it. Did finally get it off using a pile of loose hay from one of the tipped bales. Also forgot to close the pasture gate before 2-socks found it open and spent 20 minutes running around the back yard with me chasing him. Will add pictures soon.

Memories and pictures

There is nothing like getting pictures of great grandparents and other family members, that you had no idea even existed. Last Saturday, Mom called and asked me to bring my printer/scanner and laptop to the family reunion. Of course, I took them and was able to get scans of pages of old family photos and a few newspaper articles of interest. While scanning the pictures, the family history was read and memories of Great-grandma Trammell were told. I loved hearing all of the old tales and recollections of everyone present. I really think my love of driving fast comes from Great-grandma along with a stubborn streak wider than the Atlantic Ocean.

Saturday

Went shopping this morning for groceries. Strange how it takes 3 hours to go through Walmart and get everything on my list. Got home and spent 2 more hours making green bean casserole and marinated veggies for the family reunion. I finished the family reunion album tonight, then Mom calls and asks me to bring the scanner/printer/laptop to copy/scan pictures that others have brought with them. Looks like I will have lots of "new" pics to scrapbook.

September 1

New month and on a Friday, no less. I have spent all of August talking myself into going to karate then talking myself out of going an hour before time to leave. Talk about rollercoaster of motivation. I am going to take a private lesson and get back into the routine of going. I really do miss taking lessons and loved the way I felt when going.

Speaking of karate, D got his yellow belt last night! He skipped the yellow white belt and has already gotten 2 blue stripes on his yellow belt. WooHoo!!!!!!!!!!!!! K is on her way as well. We have to work on her forms and 1-steps, without us getting frustrated with one another. Beginning to believe that K has my get it right the first time or forget it attitude. Nothing like hearing "Mom, I'm not saying you are wrong, but Ms R showed us this way."

Sunday is the family reunion and I have nothing ready to take, must go shopping for groceries only tonight. I have started a family reunion scrapbook and need to work on it tomorrow. It spans from the early 80's to present, with multiple years missing. Really simple layouts with minimal embellishments.

Ever pet a dragonfly?

I can now say that I have actually pet a dragonfly! I was in the pasture with T and was looking behind the barn for more places the chickens are laying. I happened to notice this lovely blue dragonfly sitting on an ugly weed. I snapped a few shots then got down on one knee and the camera kept focusing in on the weeds not the dragonfly. So I go to manual focus and after several tries got the camera focused (not something easily done with eggs in one hand and the camera in the other) and noticed the dragonfly kept coming back and looking at me. Soon I had the camera only an inch from the dragonfly and it stayed, I put down the camera. Thinking the dragonfly would leave I reached up and touched its legs then down its back. So awesome! I have always loved dragonflies.

August

It's definitely August, K's birthday, my birthday, CK convention and school starting. Been slacking on karate, I have missed all of my lessons this month, so far. K started taking karate and totally dropped cheer after only one karate lesson. Talk about loving karate! We, the kiddo's and I, really do love karate. I have been looking high and low for karate scrapbook supplies and so far only Karen Foster has any decent supplies. Most of the places I have looked for the KF karate supplies have either been totally out or only have one or two pieces.

K turned 8 and got a 20" bike for her birthday. After hearing about how hard it was to ride in the grass for 3 years and taking the bikes to Grammy and Poppy's, K now thinks our yard is the greatest place to ride her bike. We have super cool ditches, obstacles, and other great things in the yard to ride around.

The CK convention was also wonderful. I took an album in a day class with Stacy Julian and came away with more than just an album. I had a aha! moment when learning about photo triage and storage. I really can scrapbook more than just events or moments. I can scrapbook about my memories and preserve the childhood memories my children are making. I am able to document more than just dates and times. I will document feelings and thoughts. On Friday, I had classes from Flair Designs and Junkitz. After the Junkitz classes, I dropped my stuff off at the truck and on the way back into the Renaissance I was stopped by Janna Warren of Junkitz for a small chat. Then I was off to the vendor fair and the backstage party with Stacy. When I got to the backstage party, Stacy pointed at me and said Carol K.... and chats with me just like she has known me forever. The crop at SSOK went wonderful as well. I went to the crop around 12 and noticed Billie's name on the table across from me, then called her and asked when she was coming to crop. She had forgotten that I had signed her up for the crop. Terri came over and sat while eating her lunch. We chatted for a while about Stacy's visit and how she was a positive influence in our lives and truly changed us for the better.

This week was also my birthday. I have been feeling down and in the dumps for a while and seem to be unable to shake it. For my birthday, Mom came over and helped the kids clean their rooms. Who would have thought, K likes to vacuum and C is a born organizer. C took all of her clothes and put them in the drawers. She has kept her room amazingly neat and tidy. I even bought each of the kids a waste basket and a small laundry basket. Thank Goodness, Mom didn't even offer to help with my room. Had enough of that as a kid myself.

Tonight was open house at the school. We took K & D to meet their teachers, find the classrooms and drop off supplies. While there we saw the councilor and asked about K's testing for gifted and talented. She took us to her office and said that she was very proud of K. K tested at 98% and an 134 IQ. Some areas she scored in the 10th grade level, one of those was vocabulary. Now K has the option of participating in G&T. I really hope that she does work on the year book and maybe the academic team (computer quizzing). I am so proud of my sweetie.

Looks like starting Monday, it's just me and C during the school day. One more year, then I'll have all three in school and won't know what to do with myself.

Wow, no wonder I don't blog very often.
Hands are starting to cramp, don't type this much on a regular basis.

Go hug someone you love!!!

Karate Part 2

Tonight was my second lesson and D had his second lesson last night. Looks like we are both going to love (and I mean LOVE) this martial art. I received my first stripe tonight and learned another kick. I now know how to do the low block, high block, inside block, front kick and step in front round house kick. And how to defend from front choke hold. I think I have finally talked K into trying out karate. She seems more interested in karate now that I have shown her some of the moves and told her that she would be in a different class than D. C is looking forward to when she gets to start karate and cannot seem to understand that she to young for taking lessons right now.

Karate

Had my first karate lesson tonight! Lucked out and was the only person in the class. I really appreciated the one on one instruction and fell like I learned alot. D has his second class tomorrow and is really looking forward to going to the lessons. Now I have to remember all of those moves and what they are called. Will be working on Tai Chi tomorrow to get my balance back and a little bit of yoga to work on stretching and balance. Looking like I may be back to riding 2-socks by next summer! Who knows I might even be back to wearing skirts by fall.

Friday starts a three day retreat at SSOK and I am realling looking forward to getting to scrap with my friends that I only get to see during crops. I have to work on organizing my scrap house for the next few days and getting my stuff ready to travel without taking everything I own!

I am taking two Big Picture Scrapbooking classes online dealling with organizing photos and supplies. So far I haven't really worked on the classes yet what I have read and listened to has made lots of sense. Now to work on doing the exercises!

Quilting has also started to take on more meaning for me and I hope with the scrap house I can devote some time to quilting and the fabric arts.

Happy Fathers Day

Today is Fathers Day and I seem to only blog on holidays! T got his gift Friday, got him a jig saw. He didn't seem really thrilled about it, but I think that eventually he will find uses for it.

The garden is growing gangbusters. Yesterday we picked a five gallon bucket of yellow straight neck and crook neck squash, zucchini, white scallop squash (aka alien squash)and 2 eggplants. Then dug half a five gallon bucket of new potatoes and I picked our first cabbage.

For supper we used my wonderfull, huge grill, grilled burgers, squash, eggplant. And made packets of new potatoes and put them on the grill to cook.

Today we're planning to have grilled marinated steaks, fresh grilled squash, german potato salad, grilled chicken, and marinated veggies.

Also, yesterday we had a little bit of a shower while we were eating. After the rain ended T came in and had us come outside to see the double rainbow. I took several pictures of them. I will upload them after I load them onto the computer.

Happy Memorial Day

Seems like forever since last blogging! So many things have happened.

Looks like I am no longer teaching at SSOK anymore. There was nothing said while I was there at a crop yet Sunday after NSD crop at the store, I got a *wonderful* email about how there wasn't enough money or time for the owner for me to teach in June or July. I really don't know what was said behind my back about me and I really don't care. What I didn't like and thought was really inconsiderate was not being told this to my face when I asked about classes on Saturday. No it would not have "ruined" my NSD, it would have shown that she did value "our friendship" unlike the email. I haven't cut off going to SSOK and I will be going next weekend for the all day crop. I really would have appreciated not being ignored and do prefer to be treated like the good customer I was. No longer will I shop at SSOK exclusively, anywhere is game. I don't want to wait an extra week to get new products that other LSS have now and I know HL will carry and have a 40-50% coupon.

To tell the truth, I have saved a lot of money not going to SSOK every week

Hopefully in the next month, I will be getting a scrap-studio. I really cannot wait

I have to admit I did splurge a little and got a new gas grill. Our old grill looked like it would explode any time and refused to use it. Since last Sunday, I have grilled marinated steaks and marinated pork chops. T cooked burgers on it last night. I had forgotten how wonderful burgers are off the grill. We're definitely taking it with us to Mom and Dad's on Sunday for Memorial Day weekend BBQ.

New Month and another ball game

Today is the first of May! The school year is almost over and summer is around the corner. Looking forward to going to the creek and camping. We finally started getting much needed rain and everything is soaked through and through.

Last Thursdays ball game was horrible!!!!!!!!!!!! There should be a ban on 8 pm games during school. It turned very cool and K must not have felt well. Poor thing was yelled at through most of the time she was there. The final straw was K crying for the third time and the coach telling her hubby "don't you talk to her!" as K walked past. Of course this went all kinds of wrong with me and made K cry even harder. I pulled her from the game right then. Now my mom thinks that we both over-reacted and K was responding to us. I don't think so. Kids shouldn't be yelled at during a game or practice. No one likes to feel like all they do is wrong, especially kids. Now I wonder what we need to do next year if Coach K doesn't end up coaching 8 and under.

Garden is looking good. Potatoes are thick and healthy, ready to bloom. Tomatoes are blooming, peas are up. We have watermellons and squash comming up. And if T doesn't quit muttering about the corn not being up, I may be tempted to till those rows under. (when it dries up - step in the garden now and sink to you hip)

Rain where have you been

I usually don't like storms, but today just getting the rain was made the storms worth while! Took a look at the garden after the first of the rain and we have corn coming up!

The area looks so nice and clean after the rain washed all of the dust away. To bad this won't do much to alieviate the drought.

Gardening

This evening we planted the corn, cantelope and watermellon. You know, I really don't like being told I don't know how to plant corn. Where is it written that each kernel of corn has to be planted two inches apart! I tend to plant things a little closer together. This hasn't been a problem before. It's not like there isn't enough fertilizer and compost in the garden, we did feed 3 horses in there the last 3 years!!!

Softball and Easter

Last night the game was close. The girls lost by 1 run, although the first half of the game they were ahead by 1 run. K struck out her first time at bat and on her second time at bat, she was hit in the face with the ball. No, she wasn't hurt, just a little shaken. Thank the Lord for the face mask they are required to wear. K just didn't seem all that into softball this year and I have been having a hard time getting excited about it as well. Apparently during practice K hasn't been having much fun. Even during the game last night, K was put in right field and saw no action. Talk about total boredom! At practice tonight, K didn't understand what the coach was wanting her to do so she was put in right field. K missed a ball that went past her, did't even move to get it, so the coach benched her. Thinking this is the last week for softball this year.

On the other hand, I think everything is ready for the Easter baskets. New outfits, some candy and a small toy. Even got eggs to color, have the ham thawing. Need to get sweet potatoes and find the squash casserole receipe. Looks like it's going to be a fun Easter.

Friends

Friendship is one of those oddly dynamic relationships that either evolve over time, wilt with lack of mutual respect or blow up like a roman candle on the Fourth of July. Over the years I have participated in all three kinds of friendship like most others have. I have also reevaluated what I really value in friendship. There is nothing like having a truly life-long friendship! I had friends who moved and never heard from again, yet there was one who was always on the edge of my thoughts. How strange that I had a dream a couple of years ago about her becoming a nurse, then her mom calls and we got together at my house. We still "talk" every so often, and I know I will never forget her. Some how it is really hard to "forget" someone you have known for 29+ years, although it is strange that sometimes I just "know" that we need to touch base with each other.

I wonder why sometimes a friendship is harder to maintain than it is really worth. Why would a "friend" walk in the same room as you and barely acknowledge your presence? Thinking it maybe time to start distancing this relationship. Seems that others know more about how the "friendship" is and how I feel about certain things than I do. Odd that I never knew these "friends" to psychic or mind readers before, or that I asked them to intrude within my relationship with mutual friends.

Beginning to really consider no longer teaching classes at my lss, I have way to many other things going on right now. As well as the conflict of interest thing with CTMH. Although I am looking forward to offering online directions for projects through my CTMH web site. Just email me to get added to the community, don't forget to request your sign in name and password.

Tonight is K's first softball game, hoping their team is ready. This is her first season without coach pitch. Will post later tonight or tomorrow with how the game went.

a day on the farm

Seems like the work is never done, whether you have 1/3 acre lot or 300 acres. We have 3 acres, yet have a garden more fitting to 30 acres. Imagine freshly tilled soil as large as most front yards of the average suburban home. I really love the smell of fresh dirt, then planting all of the seeds and covering them with bare feet. Yes, I really do garden bare foot.

This year I promised my Dad that if he fixed the tractor so we didn't end up having to get a newer one, I would purchase a tiller to go on the back. Well, he fixed the tractor (same one I have used and they have owned for 15+ years) and this week I had him pick up the tiller. No more tilling that 70' by 135' garden with the walk-behind tiller.

In March, Tim put out 25# of seed potatoes in the 8' by 16' raised bed and onions in one of the 8' square raised bed. Last week, we put out sugar snap peas in the big garden. Today, out went tomatoes, cabage, eggplant, peppers and brussel sprouts, all in the raised beds. By Easter, we are planning to have the corn, cukes, squash and okra planted in the garden and green beans planted in the last of the raised beds. Yesterday, I was asked why we put out a garden, wasn't it easier to go to the roadside stand or produce stands and get fresh veggies? Yes, it may be easier for some, but I like the idea of going out into the garden and picking fresh peas and eating them off the vine. Last year we grew "moons and stars" watermellons, devine food, especially picked and eaten still standing in the garden.

We bought 3 piggies yesterday. Our local pig farmer sold off all of her pigs last fall, so this year we had to find another farmer. We found the last pig farmer in our county and lucked out at not having to go to the sale barn for our pigs. Not that I really have any objections to the sale barn, it's just nice to have an idea of the conditions they are raised in.

On 2Peas someone had posted about why some scrappers have the need to have the stock of a small scrapbook store in their homes. I for one can relate to the feeling of having a store and not really using it as I should. Think I will challenge myself to use my stash more often and to scrap at home more. Not that scrapping at home should be that difficult, except I have to much stuff and not enough room or maybe not enough organizational knowledge.

Hopefully next post will be about how clean and organized my scraproom is! :)

Parent Teacher conferences

One thing about having school age children, every so often you get to find out how they really do when you are not around! This year D is in kindergarten, found out that he is reading at a 1st grade level, is doing great academically and socially. Last year he dealt with a bully most of the year. Finally he had enough and fought back, not that I encourage fighting. Some times showing a bully that you are no longer being pushed is all it takes. K is in the 2nd grade, reading in a 4th grade level, needs help on some math skills, and needs encouraging in responsibility (ie turning in work). Almost can not wait for C to go to school, but then again, I really can!!!!!!!!!!!!

After PT Conferences, we bought vegetable plants for the garden. Wouldn't you know, we ended up with 30 tomato plants, bell peppers, eggplant, watermelon, cantaloupe, cabbage, cauliflower and brussel sprouts. Then I added squash, bean, okra and radish seeds to the mix. Now we just have to plant it all and keep it alive.

Went scrapbooking tonight, couldn't seem to keep focused. I just ended up working out some ideas. Absolutely nothing spectacular :( Maybe I will do better tomorrow.

Cats, storms, stamping and scrapping.

Who could not love a face like this one? Miss Cassie is one of our outside cats. This photo was taken after our February snow. She has tendency to want to come inside when she is not supposed to, which is anytime Tim is home. Our other outside cat doesn't care to come inside and knows that Tim doesn't really like cats, especially inside the house. The kids, on the other hand, like the idea of all the cats being inside. I like this idea as well, if only I could get some help cleaning the litter box.

This evening was eventful, weather wise. Started out a beautiful day with the promise of lovely Oklahoma spring storms. As evening approached so did the big rolling clouds. We did see one wall cloud, luckily it went back up. Nothing much to see exept all the rain that we did NOT get.
Remember that school yard saying "rain, rain go away, come again another day," now I go arround saying "rain, rain don't go away, come today and tomorrow"!

After the weather cleared up and moved on East of us, the kids played outside. Then I had the bright idea to let 2-socks out in the yard. Forgot that 2-socks hadn't been in the yard since the ponies left. Leave it to 2-socks to run through the garden not once but twice, including through the recently sprouted potatoes and end up in the front yard with all three kids and Tim. Thank Goodness, Tim had the kids on the trampoline and 2-socks didn't go that far in to the front yard. Tim didn't even say anything about 2-socks running through the garden. I really need to do more scrapbook pages with my horse and critter stories, past and present.

On to scrapbooking and stamping! I recently started up with Close To My Heart. I love their stamps!!!! Nothing like having all of your stamps in a 6" x 6" envelope, add a block, some ink and you're ready to go. I have ordered cling vinyl and ez-mount for all of my wood mounted stamps to start taking them apart.

Back to CTMH, I went ahead and added a website to my growing list of achievements. It can be found here. It has an bulletin board, chat room and gallery. Send me an e-mail and I will add you to the community. I intend to add online classes for my CTMH customers and friends. I look forward to sharing scrapbooking and stamping with as many as I can.

I had not played with CTMH cardstock before and was leary of all cardstock except Bazzill. Yes, I will continue to use Bazzill, although now I will supplement with CTMH cardstock. I am loving the white core. Sand and tearing has never been so much fun. And those that know my scrapping style know I love to tear paper. Tearing will never go out of "style" for me!

Some how I never thought blogging would be for me, now lets see if I can keep this going.

Life

Life does happen, and sometimes it just gets better!