I have been tagged by Vickismom. I have never been tagged before. Okay, here is what you do. At the end of the post, the player then tags 6 people and post their names. Then goes to their blog leaves a comment, letting them know they`ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you`ve posted your answers.
1. What was I doing 10 yrs ago?
I was taking care of a 4 mo old and an 8 yr old. Trying to get
things settle in our new house.
2. What are 5 things on my to-do list for today?
1. clean out barn stalls
2. finishing staking my tomato plants
3. get some pint jars ready to start canning some pickled
beets
4. feed animals
5. cook dinner
3. Snacks I enjoy
any thing chocolate or sweet
4. Things I would do if I were a billionaire.
I know my family would never have to worry about anything. I would make sure my parents and in-laws had enough money so they could retire. Give to some local churches. I would build a home big enough to take in lots kids. I have always wanted to have a big family.
Well thats my answers. I am going to go now and tag 6 people.
The locust shells are everywhere. My kids have had fun looking for them. The locust come out every 17 years and this is their year. You can hear them all day long.
This cherry tree is loaded. Hopefully we will be able to get some before the birds get them all.
I meant to post this one on my last post but ended up posting the same pic twice. Sorry about that.
Beets, carrots and onions. Please excuse the weeds again.
I will start off with my corn and beans. As you can see, my beans, have just been coming up here and there. I have resowed them and they are coming up nicely now. I redid a row and half, Saturday evening. I hope they come up. When my corn gets a little bigger, I am going to plant some beans in the rows with it. On the lower end, I have, sweet potato plants, cucumber, some tomatoes, sunflowers and crock neck squash, and watermelon.
I thought this would be a better pic of my beans. I have to finish fixing my things for the beans to run on. We have put electric fence around the garden this year. So far, so good. Now if I can get the little rabbit out.
This pic isn`t very good. It is of my tomatoes, cucumbers and sweet potato plants. Please, Please excuse the weeds. I worked some in it Saturday evening but just didn`t get it done. With everything that has been going on for the last three weeks, my animals and garden, hasn`t been getting the attention they needed. But my papaw needed me. Just the thought that we could have lots him. I will get everything done in time. I am just a little bit shamed of all the weeds. Oh well. You can only do what you can do.
My roma tomato plants. You can see my peas growing on the side of the fence. I am going to see if I can get them to run on the hog panels. I am going to stake the rest. I still need to pinch the suckers too. I started but didn`t have time to finish. Hopefully there will be no Cub scouts tonight and I can work on them. It was just to hot earlier today. If not, I will hit them thing in the morning.
Well I have a couple more pics I want to share with you all but I don`t have enough space. I will have to go in and delete some pics first. I have some pics of Locust shells. They are every where.
I just wanted to update everyone on my papaw. They have moved him into Rehab.. He is doing good. His face is bruised up and his neck too. His neck is swollen. He has some huge bruises on both of his arms. I didn`t get to make it to the hospital yesterday and I won`t able to go today. He was very sleepy on Thursday and very combative with the nurses. They kept trying to get him awake and he didn`t want to. I know I am very tired from all that has been going on the last three weeks. I feel like, I haven`t stopped. Hannah had a ball game today, but I told Sam that I wasn`t going. I just have a lot to do.
Beth graduated last night. I am so glad she is finally out of there. She graduated with honors. Now she is ready to start the next journey in her life.
Well, we have added to our critter list. My meat chicks came in May 19 and are growing. In a few weeks, they will be ready to butcher. We also have two turkeys. They are about 3 or 4 wks old. Not sure if they are toms or hens. I have some keets ordered. They should be here June 3. I also got 5 pullets, Golden Comets. Plus 3 new goats.
In the garden, things are coming up. Everything seems to be doing good except my beans. I am having trouble getting them to grow. I am going to out later and replant again. When my corn gets a little bigger, I am going to plant some in my corn. That way they will run up the corn stalks. Well guess that is about it.
It has been a while since I have had a chance to get on here. It has been a hectic time around here. My papaw hasn`t been doing well for the last couple of weeks. I have been taking care of him and running the kids to ball games and just keeping up with farm things.
Then on Sunday something really bad happen to my papaw. Sunday, we had a graduation party for my daughter Beth. Family and friends were here but my papaw did come out at first. He was really sleepy. Around 4pm, he finally came out for a bit. Then we got ready to go visit my grandmother grave. When we got back, he started having some chest pains. I couldn`t stay with him because I had to take Beth to the ER. My uncle was with him. She had fallen at work the weekend before and her arm was hurting her bad. She has a cracked elbow. We were only at the hospital about 2 hours. We were back by 10:30pm. Well at 11:34 pm,lifeline called and said my grandpa had fallen and needed help. He had fallen about a week and half ago but nothing serious, he just couldn`t get up. I thought maybe that was the case. I went over there but I had forgotten my key. I saw him laying on the floor in the kitchen. I told Sam go get my key. I yelled and told him I was coming and to hold on. Then I saw a HUGE puddle of blood. I freaked out. I ran back over to the house to tell Sam to get here with the key and good thing I did because he had the wrong set. I ran back over, got in the house, it was awful. There was blood everywhere. He had a huge cut on his forehead, one on his cheek. His whole face was covered with blood. I was so scared. I called my uncle and told him we would have to call an ambulance. Theygot him to the ER. As we were walking in someone asked if he was a victim of assault.
He ended up with a broken nose, thirty stitches, fifteen to his forehead and fifteen to his chin, two chipped verbrates. He face is swollen and bruised bad. Both of his arms are bruised up. Now he will have to live with someone. He will be living with my uncle.
We were at the hospital all night Sunday. I came home slept about 3 hours and when back up there until 9 last night. I was up there from 1pm-8pm today. I am ready for a hot shower and the bed.
It has been really hard on me. I keep feeling, I should have gotten to him sooner. He probably laid there 30 mins or long. The ER dr. said if we hadn`t found him when we did, he probably would have not made it. I know God had his hands on him, protecting him. It just breaks my heart knowing he is going though this. Please say a little prayer for him.
Quick update on the farm. I had to resow some of my beans. They just didn`t come up. The rest of my garden is doing really good. I got three more goats. Two half alpines and one full alpine. We took Hannah`s 4-h goat to its weigh in. She is 42 lbs. and doing good. So much other stuffing going on, I just can`t remember right now. I am going for now and read my emails and maybe some other blogs. I need to catch up and see what everyone has been up to.
• Monday, May 12, 2008 - update on garden and little other
Well I have just about finished with all my planting. I have some more tomato plants to plant and some flowers. That will finish me up. So far, this what I have gotten planted.
10 rows of sweet corn
5 1/2 rows of half-runner
1/2 row of Kentucky wonders
very small 1/2 row of peas
3 rows of sunflowers
1 ridge of carrots
2 ridges of beets
1 ridge of lettuce
45 strawberry plants
4 rows of onions
18 cabbage plants
12 broccoli
4 hills of butternut squash
4 hills of zucchini
small area of potatoes
2 super bush tomato plants
44 romas
2 hills of watermelons
5 or 6 hills of cucumbers
16 various hot pepper plants
8 bell pepper plants
I still have to plant.
8 Rutgers tomato plants
8 Morgan lifters
Hopefully I will get these out tomorrow.
We have decided to go ahead and put electric fence around the garden to keep the deer out. We will be doing that in the next week or so. We went yesterday to Tractor Supply and bought what we needed.
I ordered my meats chickens tonight. I guess they will be delivered sometime next week. Someone gave us a couple of guinea roosters but we didn`t see them today and I don`t know what happen to them. Hannah said she saw the horses chasing them yesterday evening. My grandpa said the would come back in. I hope. I am getting me a couple of alpine does this week. Maybe three if I can talk my hubby into it. The guy is only wanting 50.00 each for them. Now I just need to find a buck. I would like to go to the stockmarket but it is an hours drive and I just don`t have the time right now. I am sure I could get them cheaper. He said one of his big does only went for 26.00 and the babies went for 6-10 ea.. I could not believe that. It wasn`t even worth his time or gas to take them. Then he had to play 5.00 ea. to sell them. I guess, the markets are probably flooded with animals right now. Now would be the time to buy if some one could hold out until the prices go back up. Buy them cheap. Well it is late and I have to get up early. I have to get my grandpa up and dressed for his blood work appt. tomorrow. My uncle is picking him up at 8 in the morning.
• Tuesday, May 6, 2008 - A question for all the gardeners
I have been doing some research on the net on how to keep critters out of the garden. In the past, we would use sevins dust. I would like to find a more organic natural ways. I want to keep bugs, rabbits,raccoons and DEER out of the garden. One year, we were successful keep the deer out with orange construction tape and we used the liquid shock jugs from the pool. I will probably hang out the liquid shock jugs this year. But with my garden being bigger it might be experience buying the tape. Okay here is a list of things I found on the net. If anyone has used these and they really work please let me.
Making a garlic spray and applying to the plants. Several websites said deer and rabbits hate garlic.
Deer-off spray, it is all natural, I think, egg, chili pepper and garlic. Which I could make that up myself.
Coyote urine--keeps raccoons and deer away. Okay, my question, will it drawn in the coyotes. We do have them in our woods and I don`t really want them to come in close to the house at night.
Mix 1-2 tbsp. of liquid soap, ivory or irish spring to a quart of water. They said not to use detergent because it would just give the bugs a bath. To make sure it was soap.
Mix one egg slightly beaten to 1 quart of water and spray on plants. You have to reply after rain or every 4-5 days.
One lady said she used coyote urine, with tons of black and red pepper, garlic and curry powder. She said to first spray plants with water then apply. I don`t think you put the coyote urine on the plants tho.
Moth Balls.
Grated Ivory or Irish Spring soap around everything you want protected.
This one is a little gross sounding but this person said it worked for them. Soak rags in human urine and hang around your garden. Of course the human hair. That one has never worked for me.
One tip I found was, start doing something before your plants come up and don`t let the deer start making them a path.
I planted 10 rows of corn and 6 rows of beans yesterday. I went today and bought my tomato and some flower plants. Oh and some hot pepper plants. Now just got to get them in the ground.
Please I would love any ideas on keeping critters out of the garden.
Okay, its not new, just new to him. It will need a little work but it is in pretty good shape. I guess, as long as it gets the job done, that is all that matters. He just picked it up today and was already checking everything out on it. Ernie, our little dog was too. It is a corn picker. I wasn`t sure if everyone would know what it was.
I worked some more in the garden and if it doesn`t rain tomorrow I will be planting my corn and beans. I can`t wait.
We had chicken and dumplins, corn, green beans, and mashed potatoes for dinner today. I also made two loaves of white bread.
My dad and stepmom came in yesterday for a visit. It is a two hour drive from their house to here and she was so tired by the time she got here. She told the drs. she was not going back into the hospital anymore. She needs a liver transplant but she won`t be able to get one. Her body would just reject it. She has been through so much in the last year. In and out of the hospital. It is so sad to see her going through all this.
Well guess that is just about it for now.
My cousin Joyce lost her granddaughter Friday morning in a terrible car accident. There were four people in the car all four were ejected. Krista and J.R. were killed. Krista was my cousin. My cousin Joyce raised Krista since she was a baby. Krista`s mom was killed in a car accident too. My heart is really breaking for Joyce. Please just say a little prayer from Joyce and her family. The families of J.R. too. Krista was 31 and J.R. was 25.
I thought, I would pass on to everyone that I found Ball canning lids for a $1.00 box. I found them at the Dollar General Store. I also found the Ball bands and lids for $2.00 a box. I bought six boxes of the lids and 2 boxes of the bands and lids. I am going next week and buy up a bunch of them. I don`t want to wait up till canning time and then not be able to find them.
Thursday, we went to the feed store. On the way there, I noticed, all my neighbors garden spots. I had noticed they were bigger spots and some had even added more garden spots.
Hopefully Monday or Tuesday, I will plant my corn and beans.
Ok, we could not wait until Wednesday to pick up the pig. We went this evening an got him. He is white with a black head and one black spot on his back leg. He is about 10 weeks old. The kids are calling him Sir Hamelot or Hammy for short. The kids laugh all the way home. He smelled pretty bad. He was in a pet carrier between them. I was thinking what a great memory with them laughing because of the pig. I will post some pics of him later.
On Wednesday, I will be going and picking out a pig. This pig will be one that we will be raising to butch come this winter. I know, I said in the past I would not raise a pig again after our last experience. We are going to do things a lot different. I am not going to try to raise them. Just one to butch, thats all.
My mom and I were talking earlier today about how things are getting. The prices of everything. It is scary. By May, gas in our area will be 4.00 gal.. I went to the grocery store Friday, I think. I ended up spending 200.00. I just about fell over. I didn`t go where I usually go. I do shop at this store some but not all the time. I could not believe how much their prices had when up. I told Sam, I couldn`t afford to shop there anymore. I am starting to wonder if I shouldn`t just go ahead and make my garden bigger. I would need to go and purchase more seeds but I am thinking about it. Canning all I can. I have started buying my canning lids and I am going this pay day and buy a bunch more. Cause around canning time the lids get hard to find.
So with getting the pig and having a steer to butch that will help with the meat. Hopefully Sam will be able to get a couple of deer this year too. We will also eat squirrel and rabbit. I am going to order some meat chickens next month. I am so thankful I was raised on farm. I am thankful I live on a farm. It is hard work but I do have the land to live off of. I am also glad I married a farm boy. I really have to hand it to my hubby. He is working 7 days a week and keeping up with farm work too. He worked from 7-2 yesterday and came home ate dinner. Then we headed out and done work that needed to be done outside. We set fence post and ran fence wire. It was after 8 when we came in. I had to come before him before I stepped on a rusty old nail. Now my foot is sore.
After work today, he is going to get fertilizer for the hay fields. If it doesn`t rain this evening he will be spreading fertilizer. It will probably be after dark before he comes in.
I cleaned out the goat stall and prepare a stall for the pig. It will have to stay in the barn for a while until we get a lot build and a house for it. Well I need to go clean the kitchen and start dinner.
Okay, just one more pic to share. I am really excited and just had to show y'all. My uncle came down with his tractor and tiller and tilled my garden after he plowed it. Now I have two more small spot to finish working on and then the planting begins. I can`t wait. I know my beans and corn will be planted in here. I am not sure what else. Maybe my hot pepper plants.
• Wednesday, April 23, 2008 - Pics around the farm
I thought I would start off with a pic of my unlce Herb plowing my garden. I guess, he finally got his plow fixed. Yea! I don`t know what I would do if it wasn`t for him plowing my garden each year. Now it will have to be tilled. Then the planting can begin.
Here is one of my flower beds along side the house. I worked on this one last week. I am glad it is done. On the other end(can`t really see) is my flowers. The trees are rose of sharons. The rocks came from the farm. Which there are a lot of them back on the hills.
One of the wild cherry trees on the farm. It is next to the chicken coop.
Some of the apple trees in bloom. The picture really doesn`t do it justice. The are really pretty right now.
One of my flower pots. I am trying something new. I am not sure how this will turn out.
Here are my cabbage, lettuce and broccoli. Really can`t tell anything in this pic. Off to the side it my strawberry patch. The stake holding up my chicken wire is old tabacco sticks. I am not sure of the sp close enough I guess.
My grandmothers liliac brush. I love the smell of the flowers.
One of my purple flowering trees. I am not sure of the name. But is gets little purple flowers and they smell good. Oh yeah, somebody ran out of gas as they were mowing the grass. Yes, it would be me. I need to go put gas in it and get the grass cut.
A little closer look at my cabbage and broccoli plants. You can see a little bit of my ridge where my lettuce is sowed.
Another pic of my uncle plowing. My dhs old farm truck. Which won`t start. Some more apple trees. If I hadn`t ran out of gas, the grass would have been cut and y'all could have seen how pretty it looks around the tree. Our weed eater needs some works. So I haven`t gotten any of the weed eating done. It is driving me crazy.
Well guess that is all for now. I hope y'all enjoyed the seeing somethings on our farm.
• Tuesday, April 22, 2008 - Just a few little updates
Things have been a little busy here. Lots to do. I still haven`t got the garden plowed. My uncle came down to plow it for me Thursday and broke his plow. In my small garden spot, I do have my beets sowed and they are coming up. Onions are coming up. I have my carrots sowed but I haven`t notice them coming up. I hope they do. I only have one ridge sowed. Two ridges of beets. I have my cabbage plants out. I planted 18, 10 stonehead and 8 early flat dutch. 12 broccoli plants planted. A ridge of lettuce sowed. I have worked on my flower beds. I have put out some flowers out. I still have lots to do on them and I want to put some more flowers out but I will wait until after Mothers Day. Less chance of frost.
Everything is so pretty here on the farm. So green. The trees are in bloom. We have lots of dogwoods and red buds and they are blooming. Cherry trees are in bloom too. I love living on a farm. We live up a holler. It is all family here. The peace and quiet is so nice. We can hear the birds and the animals. You can hear the frogs out at night. I love being able to go out in the evening and sit on my side porch and enjoy it. I can sit and watch the birds, deer, squirrel, rabbits, and wild turkey to name a few. Every once and a while, I will see a coycote. You can just about here them everynight.
We have started working on getting the pool ready. I have been pumping the water off the top of the cover. It is just about done, then we will take the cover off and get it ready. The kids asked, if they could get in. I don`t think they realize just how cold it would be.
The new boer doe is doing good. She is growing. We are thinking about getting a couple more. Hannah is wanting to start raising them. I don`t think she has to sell her goat at the fair. I think she can keep her and enter her next year, as a breeder doe. I will have to check into that.
We have ball games all this week. Everynight. It is really hurting as far as getting done what I need to on the farm. Hannah is ready to quit. She is just not into like she was last year. Of course, Sammy loves it. If it was up to me I would let Hannah quit but I don`t think her daddy will. We have spent a lot of money on them this year for ball and he said she needs to play.
As far as schooling goes, we haven`t been doing as much. I have been letting them work on their 4-h and cub scout projects. Which they are getting Math and English. Science, health and history with the projects. I feel they are learning. Of course, lots of reading. We only have six weeks left. They are burned out and so am I.
On canning, I ended up with 14 quartsand 7 pints of pinto beans and 7 quarts of mixed beans. I still have some more to can. I have been working in kale. So far, I have 11 quart bags, I put in the freezer. More to work on. Well, guess that is about it.
My mamaws baby sister Opal passed away this afternoon. She had been sick for a long time. It is sad to know she is gone but I know she is no longer suffering. She has went to be with her other sisters and brothers. My great grandmother had 16 children. I think that leaves only 3 living. Ruth and Nanny are still living and they a twins. Jessie is still living but her twin died about 10 years ago. My great grandmother had three sets of twins.
Well Aunt Opal will be missed.
• Wednesday, April 16, 2008 - Wednesday on the farm
Just a quick update on what happen on the farm today and how my day went. My day started off with fixing breakfast for the kids. Then off to the barn we went. We started out cleaning out the Abgail(new boer doe) and I looked up and it was just me cleaning it out. Somehow my two little sweethearts took off back to the house to play. After I got the stall cleaned out and new sawdust down. I feed her and the pygmies.
I came back to the house and put a load of laundry into wash. I wanted to get the grass cut today. I told dh to put the battery charger on the lawnmower battery so it would be ready for me today. I went out to the garage and got on the lawnmower. The thing would not start. I called dh and told what I needed to do. After messing with it for about 15 mins., it finally started. I cut grass for the biggest part of the day. I didn`t do the hills, I will let hubby do those. I to big of a chicken.
I worked on a couple my of my flower beds. They were pretty bad. I moved some of my big rocks that I use as a border and changed the shape of one of my flower beds. I had a really small one I just got rid of.
I hung a load of laundry on the line. It was just so pretty out I had to get a least one load out today. I love the smell of my clothes after they have hung out on the line.
I was able to get some cleaning out side of the chicken coop. It was messed and piled up. It was driving me crazy. It looks so much better.
I did evening feeding. After that I went over to my grandpas. I ended up doing two haircuts. I cut my papaws and aunts hair. Then I helped my aunt give my grandpa his bath.
I still have some laundry to do and pack hubby for his fishing trip his is going on tomorrow. Well he just got home and brought food with him so I am going to eat.
• Monday, April 14, 2008 - Nothing much, just my day
Nothing much today. It is suppose to be in the late 20`s or early 30`s. I need to go out and cover up my strawberry plants just in case it frost tonight. I hope I don`t forget. I did get seven quarts of mixed dried beans canned and the chicken coop cleaned out. Couple loads of laundry. Schooling with the kids and a little bit of house cleaning. I guess today was just a pretty easy day. But the rest of the week is going to be busy.
I want to get some pie crust made up and put in the freezer. I am thinking about making a couple chocolate pies. I have plenty of eggs I need to use up. Well guess I don`t really have much to blog about. I am going to go and read some others.
• Friday, April 11, 2008 - A little bit of canning today
It has been raining just about all day. I have been inside and trying to catch up on somethings in the house. I have been doing some laundry. Mopped one of my floors. The biggest thing I have done today is canned and still canning dried pinto beans. I should have about 14 quarts and 7 pints if none breaks. I am planning on canning dried mix beans sometime this coming week. I also what to can some vegetable soup and chicken soup. I have a couple roosters, I plan on butchering and that is what I am going to make the soup out of. I will try and take some pics of canning the mix beans and post them.
In the garden, I was able to get a little more done but the rain hit us. I have started some seeds in pots (peppers). I was able to get a ridge of carrots and two ridges of beets. Three or four rows of onions. I still haven`t got my lettuce out. It was just getting really late on me Wednesday and I was making the ridge for the carrots as it was getting dark. It was almost 9pm before we came in from doing work outside. I didn`t get nothing done yesterday evening because the kids had ball practice. Some one said it is suppose to get cold this weekend. Yuk! Well better go, I have to get my pints in the canner.
• Wednesday, April 9, 2008 - Just some pics around the farm
Here is little Abgail. She is cute! Hannah is so excited to have her. Kelly Ann, the lady we bought her from, trimmed her hoofs and doctored them for us before we took her. Trimmed off the top of her horns. To sell at the fair the horns has to be able to fit in a 1/2 in. pvc pipe. A new rule this year. She has her scrapie tag #. She was born Jan. 18, 2008. She weighs 34 lbs. She has been dewormed and her vaccations. Sorry about the spelling.
This small bottom will be one of my garden spots. We use to raise a garden here years ago but turned it into a small fenced in area for the horses. I wanted to move my garden back to here this year. We haven`t been rotating our garden spots like we should. Now if Sam can just get it plowed and tilled. We had a couple days of nice weather and now it is raining today. Suppose to rain the next 3 or 4 days. It was like this last year, wet spring and dry summer. You can see some of our apple trees to the side. My strawberry plants. I still have some work to do. I have plenty of room to plant some other stuff on the both side of the fence. I am not sure what all I am going to plant. There are a couple of our apple trees in the background. Here are a couple of my Forsythias. They are really pretty this year.
I am a stay-at-home, Christian homeschooling mom. My husband and I have been married for 19 years. We have been blessed with three kids,ages 18, 10 and 8. We live on a family farm and have several animals. I`m just a simple farm gal, who loves her God, family, friends and life.
. My uncle came down to plow it for me Thursday and broke his plow. In my small garden spot, I do have my beets sowed and they are coming up. Onions are coming up. I have my carrots sowed but I haven`t notice them coming up. I hope they do. I only have one ridge sowed. Two ridges of beets. I have my cabbage plants out. I planted 18, 10 stonehead and 8 early flat dutch. 12 broccoli plants planted. A ridge of lettuce sowed. I have worked on my flower beds. I have put out some flowers out. I still have lots to do on them and I want to put some more flowers out but I will wait until after Mothers Day. Less chance of frost. 
This small bottom will be one of my garden spots. We use to raise a garden here years ago but turned it into a small fenced in area for the horses. I wanted to move my garden back to here this year. We haven`t been rotating our garden spots like we should. Now if Sam can just get it plowed and tilled. We had a couple days of nice weather and now it is raining today. Suppose to rain the next 3 or 4 days. It was like this last year, wet spring and dry summer. You can see some of our apple trees to the side.
My strawberry plants. I still have some work to do. I have plenty of room to plant some other stuff on the both side of the fence. I am not sure what all I am going to plant. There are a couple of our apple trees in the background.
Here are a couple of my Forsythias. They are really pretty this year. 