Friday, JUly 12

Good morning all. Horseshoe, I'm so glad you and your family had a good vacation too. I hear that area of our nation is truely stunninly beautiful no matter when you visit there. We weren't that far from the mountains but never made it to them.
We got about an inch of rain last night. That will make so much difference in the production of the crops this year. The alfalfa is growing wonderfully and will be ready for a second cutting before long. I just wish we had a buyer for some of this hay already. If we had some livestock and a barn we could keep some of it ourselves. I remember those days well. Back then tho we had brome hay and it worked well for all the livestock. We ground several bales of hay with the corn, wheat, and suppliments to add bulk. We use to grind about a ton of corn and 800 pounds of wheat, milo, and oats with about 10 square bales of hay each month. No wonder I was able to control my weight back then and still eat like 3 people! I did my share of grain scooping, bale handling, etc. as there was only the children and I to do the work(Jack has been disabled and unable to do any 'heavy' manuel labor since about '70) .
Ruth, I'm glad you didn't try to do anything with the bulls that might have made you a target of their rage. We raised some Brown Swiss bulls from calfhood and I still had to watch them. One was super gentle and the children could have ridden him if they could have gotten on him but the second one was a much different story. The girls and I weren't even safe in the same pasture with him. Great blood lines tho so we tolerated him for a year or so until we got some daughters from him. I made sure I announced the dispositions of each when I took them to the local auction. The gentle one went to a farmer who needed a bull that was safe for his wife and children to handle. I don't remember where the other one went.
I read Lisa's posts with lots of memories. I remember when the children & I did much of the same kinds of activities and I still had energy left over sometimes. By the way, where do you get the rennet or starter for your goat cheese? I hope your little girl soon is able to help you, Lisa. If you will teach her just one weed at a time in the garden she will be able to help you there with no worry about the producing veggies being pulled. I did that with our children. The 5 of them each had one weed assigned to them when we weeded. They weren't to touch any other plants. That way we worked together, lots of work was accomplished in a short period of time and I could concentrate on picking, etc. They also learned to recognize weeds at an early age. Now we only have 3 real gardeners in the family. Me, the oldest(a son) and the youngest(a daughter). Kyle will help, but doesn't really like gardening. Sheila loves plants but hates the bugs & has lots of allergies to pollens & grasses, leaves, etc. so she stays out of the yard and garden. I don't really know where Byron stands on the subject but his wife seems to be doing most of the yard and garden work.
Shad is off to his mother's for the weekend. His younger sister had to have a campout this weekend for a Girl Scout badge and his mom was going along as his step-dad doesn't do that sort of thing. She really doesn't either but will for her children. They borrowed a couple tents and a sleeping bag from Shad's troop and Shad will supervise them.
Horseshoe, did you ever get the instructions on how to make that electic device Shad made a month or so ago? I keep forgetting to ask you about that. About that time we learned Shad's modem had quit so I didn't know if it was his last tramsmission or if you never got it. He has it on paper if we need to send it to you.
We had to order a tube for one of the tires on our 30 year old Troy Bilt tiller yesterday. We went to at least 5 places before we found a place that could get one for us. It's a 7" tire and they don't seem to make them anymore. I've no idea what it will cost but after 30 years we can spend some money on it. We rarely use it as it is too heavy for Jack or I either one to manage and the boys aren't always here. I really love my little Mantis and Jack uses the 5' field tiller when something really big is needed. But Kyle wants to use the Troy Bilt to work up the soil in the raised bed we moved over a foot or two a while back. I tried to tell him the Mantis would do the job but he doesn't like the Mantis as well.
Mary, I'm so thankful you are able to ride Breezy now without him getting lame each time. I pray for him often. and am believing for a total and permenant healing of his body. It sounds like you are really busy too.
KathyJo, I'll need to get more of the Damson plum starts. The geese decided they didn't like them in the pots I put them and kept pulling them our and tossing them as far as possible from the pot. I found a couple of them and put them in higher placed pots but they were too damaged. Randy deciced to get along with the 3 new geese after being in isolation all one night and part of the next day. Marsha took up with the Frank, Lilly & Marion quickly & that was a real slap in his face. Actually Marsha still would just as soon be with the duck hens most of the time. Funny thing happened with her tho. She had been laying an egg a day since she was about 4 months old but she stopped laying within 3 days of when we got Randy.
I guess I really should go get some work done. I work this evening so I don't want to get very tired before I have to go in.I think I could put down more bags and muclch tho with out exerting to much effort.
GOD bless and keep each and all of you. May you have many blessings to give thanks for today.
EvaMae