November and December Days

A coal train rumbles by on this frosty Sunday morning while the girls eat their hay breakfast.

(Sometimes the dates at the top correspond with the day[s] I start working on my blog. I tend to forget that this probably says Saturday, yet I posted it on Sunday. I started working on my Thanksgiving week one early in the week, but finished and posted it it late in the week. That's why the dates don't always correspond with what I write!) FYI :)

Another week has gone by already! I have been working more, so the time is flying it seems!
Cold, then a bit warmer, and then cold and the wind came along (again). That's what gets me--the wind! Argh! (I know, I know, winter is just getting started......HA)

It seems Kyle has been running late every morning this week. (OK, worse than normal!) ;-) Between school, his activities, and work, I think he's doing too much.....but what do I know--I'm just a mom! HA

I have to revise what I'd previously wrote......instead of Alaska, it looks like Jared will be headed to Ft. Bragg in North Carolina. He doesn't have his "official" paper(s) yet......time will tell when they make up their mind! (They check online for orders, and online orders keep changing.)

Patrick is coming down with "the crud". I had to stop and get him some more Gypsy Cold Care tea, and some juice after work Saturday....I'm not sure how the peanut clusters ended up in my basket.....HA. But they were good! :) :) :)

I get 3-4 eggs a day on average. Here I thought my Buff Orphington hen was laying the BIG dark brown egg, but I guess not. I'm still getting one, even tho she is gone. Not sure which hen is laying it! I did notice the eggs seem to be getting larger. I'd say they are extra large....amazing and awesome!!

Dolly was in heat Friday/Saturday. Saturday morning I watched her and Anna butting heats and being squirrely from the (nice warm) :) kitchen for awhile. Needless to say, I watched my back when doing chores. I don't need a 900+ pound cow mounting me.....yikes!

Normally Dolly isn't like that, but she did try once last year. I've been wary ever since then when she's in heat. Better safe than sorry! Amazing what hormones can do to an otherwise normally tame cow!

Oh, and a 450+ pound freaked out 8-month old heifer isn't going to care if you're in the way and they are scared. I moved a piece of tin from the (future) stanchion area when Anna was eating--big mistake. (I admit I'm far too complacent--I'm used to bomb-proof Dolly!)

Anna did make sure she didn't plow me over, but maybe that's just because I still had the "scary-monster-piece-of-tin", too. HA I don't think she appreciated me laughing at her, either......Dolly didn't bat an eye the whole time, she just kept eating her chow.

Knowing Dolly she was thinking: "Good, now I can eat HER food, too!!" Of course, she tried.....that cow has a one-track mind.....and no, I'm not sharing my peanut clusters with her!! ;-)

Thanksgiving--Highs and Lows

Farmer: "Hey! Drop that poison ivy!"
Cityite: "Tut, Tut! Calm yourself my good man--this wasn't picked on your land!"

As we try to save them from themselves.... :)
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Cold has come--bitter cold and frozen waterers already! (Except for the stock tank, it has a heater!) I have seen lots and lots of geese flying, too. Patrick and I saw a mess of them in a field on Monday. Part of the field was white and hundreds more were circling low to land. A neat sight, wish I would of had my camera!!



It has been a long week already. I got Jared a room reserved for Thanksgiving weekend (can't stay on the base) and am bummed he can't come home. I did send him the video game device he requested (I forgot what its called, Game Boy?? Its an older one......I can't keep 'em straight!!) along with a bunch of games, AND the charger. ;-) I had to send it to the motel because he still does not have an address!! Here is his "dressed up look" to go mingle and shop at a mall on Friday (he loves his bowties!!):



We also got news Tuesday (as we were trying to make some kind of travel arrangements for Jared to get home for Christmas) that he might get "orders" before Christmas and get shipped elsewhere. :( Oh joy, I don't want to buy plane/bus/whatever tickets and not have him even remotely near the starting point!! ACK! Plus he might not get his time off if he does go elsewhere. So now we play "the waiting game". (where's my grumpy-rolling-eyes smiley again??) I have requested time off work to drive and get him if needed. Might be a little hard if he ends up overseas!! :(

Things are interesting with having one vehicle for 3 people. Kyle has been riding the bus in the mornings, but usually has work or something after school so comes to my work and rides home with me.

I think the Chicken Hawk got my Buff Orphington hen. :( I had let them out Monday, and had to go to town. When I came back, she was laying in the trees, feathers all about. GRRRRR
So much for hatching some out come this spring! :( I will have to order some, or find someone who has some they are willing to part with.



Thanksgiving I worked and got to eat a (late but yummy!!) plate from the In-Laws. Patrick was busy Wednesday making his Pumpkin Pies, and Thursday morning made 40 (that meant 80 total!) Deviled Eggs to take. I can't believe he actually brought some back home, usually they are all gone. I asked him why, and he said: "That's because Casey (one of his nephews) wasn't there!!" HA
We will have our Thanksgiving on Monday when I have a day off and Kyle doesn't have to work.

I guess many got to talk to Casey and Jared via phone. I am hoping they both can make it for Christmas to the family gathering. That would be awesome!


Friday morning Kyle got Pat up early to go shopping. He knows better than to ask me, I ain't a-goin' out with the hoards: nope, no way!! Shopping isn't my forte' anyhow! (Unless its at the feedstore!) HA Pat likes to shop, so for years I've just given him a list of what I need. (It started out of necessity, he had the time, I didn't! And its just stuck!)



On Tuesday, a dear friend of many (milk cow folks) passed away. JerseyMike will be missed, and things like this make one reflect on them, and ones' self. It took a full day for it to sink in he was gone.....I was on autopilot helping others and answering questions and when things settled down, "it" started sinking in. Sigh. My heart goes out to Edith and family!