Here are some of the pictures from Thanksgiving...We enjoyed the day a lot.  It is always good to visit with family.  We had several people missing from our midst this year...hope they had a wonderful day where ever their travels took them.  

       The rain of the last couple of days has made it icky and dreary   to get out and do chores...so we've been doing the minimum. 

I finally got the pheasants   and quail out to a new pen yesterday and took a quick peak in on them today.  The pheasants are fairly skittish, and the quail are quite friendly...I'm housing them together at present.  They have a large pen and seem to be getting along fine. 

     Big mama has settled in with the rest of the goats.  We gave her and Ms. Freckles a wormer shot before turning them out.  They both look like they need to gain a little weight...course I like my animals filled out a bit.  They seem to be making their way okay with the other goats, at least Big Mama is ... Freckles and Buttons are seperated for the time being... Hoping I can tame the little one a little before she gets out with the big herd.

    Buck the rabbit has settled in...   there was a little hair slinging in the rabbit hutch...but all seemed calm today...the girls sticking to their side of the pen and him to his.  He did come out to eat a bit of fresh hay this afternoon.

    Hey...I see sun rays peeking in finally for  moment...the skies are still covered with blankets of grey clouds even though we aren't presently getting any rain...

   Richie saw a fox out night before last...getting too close to the hen house...Miss  Scarlett has her job cut out as guard dog!

    We've got a fire burning in the fireplace and are just taking a relaxing Sunday afternoon before the hustle and bustle of the next few days as December rolls in tomorrow.    

     It was the Friday after Thanksgiving when all the shoppers head out to the malls and stores to do their Christmas shopping.   I hadn't one desire to dredge out into the rain to shop.  It was a lazy rainy afternoon, when my sweetie said, " Isn't the small animal auction tonight...Do you want to ride over and see if they have any baby moos?"  My reply: " Can we take the trailer?"   I grabbed the map out the glove box and off we rode in the drizzly rain to "SHOP".   Where else would the farmer girl and her sweetie like to shop...but at the small animal auction. 

    We took a different route to the auction barn this time.  It was good roads, but they were a little winding at places...large hills, but not mountains... Soon we were there and a little early, so we grabbed a burger...and then tried to remember the way to the barn.  HUMMM... later that evening we realize if we had turned back right we would have been right there... but in the foggy drizzly rain...we went left...and went the long way around...but we had plenty of time ... and I had wonderful company...

    Upon arrival, we checked to see that our number was still good to make bids, and then went straight away to check out tonight's stock... (Hummm... we were looking for a bourbon red tom, always looking for peafowl, and a couple of calves, as well as, anything that strikes our eye as a good addition to our homestead).  There were only a couple of toms, Royal Palms, so we didn't need those, there were three young turkeys that I took an interest in...a bronze of some sort...two peafowl... a hen and a peacock....there were a few pheasants...lots of roosters (we have too many of those at present), pigeons, and a few rabbits... not a whole lot, but a couple of interesting things... We went out to survey the larger animals... immediately I see a doe goat with a kid... they were going as a pair...they had a pen of pygmy goats, and the next stall had one bull calf...the only one there... he was mostly white, with some black specs...probably a Holstein mix of some sort...and a few goats... I picked out a couple I thought I might like to add to the herd and we went in to make our bids. 

       They were finishing up a miscellaneous auction when we got back into the barn... we picked up a couple of tarps and a big plastic shovel (I'd  broken mine this summer).  Then the goats were auctioned off.  They began with the pygmies.  There were a couple of good looking ones, and a couple that looked sadly undernourished and perhaps wormy...but we run a larger goat stock on our farm so we waited.  Then the first lady came up...I'm calling her "Big Momma" , she was black and white and had long horns.  I know she is a mature goat, but she looked in good health, as well as, like she was with kids.  A perfect match for our billy Wild Bill too...So I began to bid and soon had secured her as a new goat for our heard.  Richie eyeing me and recording my spending on his note paper beside me...Next another black and white doe came up...but I was quickly out bid.  She was a bit younger, so I guess people were willing to pay more...and since I didn't "need" her...Someone else took her home...

      A few more came on the block...there were some nice big goats of some sort, I don't know their breed, they were a creamy tan color and large...they went from $80-$120...a little more than I wanted to spend today...finally the last doe came up.  It was the one with the kid.  I really wanted to take her home so I continued to bid...rationalizing to myself I was getting two nannies for my $80.  I think I'm naming them Freckles and Button (cause she's cute as a little button!).

     Next came the sheep...(Richie's eyeing me... he knows I want a couple...I'm looking for the young ones, I actually want a couple of lambs to raise up)... They all look healthy and fat.  Some have their wool, and some look like they'd been shorn.  There was one big black and brown one...But it was older and again they were going anywhere from 90-120 dollars... a little more than I wanted to spend on that...so I bid on a  few of the younger ones...I had made up my mind to stop at $35...and they sold for $36 every time...but I have no idea how high the other bidder would have gone... Still they were were a little older than what I wanted...so all in all it is best to wait.

    Then came some Lamas... and yes, I think they are cool too... last year they were selling really cheap and I almost bid on one.  The first one up was really tame and beautiful... She went for $150.  Next came a couple of bucks that were scared and jumping at then fence panel.  They went for a little less, and although they were interesting, I was saving my green backs for a calf this time. 

    Finally the one little bull calf came up.  Bids were flying everywhere.  Evidently, there were several bidders who were determined to take a calf home.  I felt the price was high, and Richie agreed.  We'll just have to wait a little longer.  It went for $60.  Last year we paid $28 for ours, even some Angus mix calves didn't go for $50.  It was clearly a price driven by supply and demand.

    The birds and rabbits came next.  I teased Richie and asked him if he wanted to bid on some roosters...(last year we took a lot of young chicks home and ended up with a lot of roosters, in fact they might have been all roosters...(laughing here)...but most of the birds tonight were grown, so we didn't get any roosters.  I did get two yellow gold pheasants, some quail, and one gray buck rabbit.  There was another pretty ring neck pheasant with a beautiful head color...but I was out bid on him...maybe next time.  The two peafowl (3 year olds) quickly went out of my price range for today too.  After all  I already had several treasures to take home to the homestead. 

      It was a pleasant evening.   No one was too rowdy, no one upset.  A great small auction.   I'd liked to have seen a few more animals to choose from, but it made it so we were heading home a little sooner (about a 2 hour drive).

      As I read the paper (actually heard it on the news yesterday), I was appalled at the violence that occurred in the shopping world yesterday.  Do we really need stuff bad enough to trample on someone at Walmart????  America, this is truly sad!!  I can not imagine how the people who were involved can even get up on Christmas morning and enjoy their findings...

      As for me...I'm sticking to the auction barn and staying away from those bargins out there!  Sorry kids...just socks and underwear in your stocking again this year...and you can come enjoy hearing the pheasants coo...they have such lovely songs out on the porch this morning (a safe place until the rain stops and I find them a new home.) You can play with the new baby kid too...

         Happy Thanksgiving!  We had a wonderfully pleasant day with family.  It is always good to get together and see how much all the little ones have grown.  The food was too good...and I ate too much...I hardly had room for dessert, but I managed to squeeze in one piece of pecan pie.  The weather turned out pleasant, and we were even able to get outside for a few minutes in the evening. 

      Fall is here, the leaves have fallen...we've a bit of raking to do during the next week...or at least vacuuming them with the mower.   The turkeys were happy with extra seeds today.  Gobble, gobble, gobble, Happy Thanksgiving day.

     Miss Scarlett and the Kitties have enjoyed some extra table scraps...I told her I was saving the ham bone until tomorrow...she'd had way too much.  She seemed extra frisky today, wanting people to throw her bird for her.  She sends a bark to Clay...

     I was glad Carole Ann was able to enjoy the day with us.  Seems just like yesterday she and Clay were my little ones...now all grown up.   I really hope she and Bob will move back closer one day...but it looks as their path will take them further in miles for the time being... I am thankful for the moments they can spare.... we have Lindi still here...soon to begin high school...It was good that she and Carole could spend some time karaokeing today....Children really do grow up too fast...but then again you want them to grow and be independent and strong, and to make their own way in life...Mama's miss them though...(just a little sentimental here tonight)

       Tomorrow starts the big cooking day   to get all the favorite Thanksgiving foods ready for the feast.  We will start with the favorites....desserts!... Yum...  

       Clay's asked for a couple of recipes since he's away from home this year...so I've started a recipe page and hope to add more so that the chillin' will have some of the old recipes we've used for years in the family... I know I wish I could go back and ask my grandma some of her secrets  ...cause no one can cook like grandma... Maybe it's just all the years of practice...

     So check out the recipe page for dressing, and corn squash dressing (casserole)... they are both good with some cranberry sauce....

http://www.patefarms.com/Recipes.html

      Well old Patefarm turkeys 

         So far here's the list...

Ginger and Richie are fixing...Turkey  , (remember the turkeys are safe...I bought one at sames....gobble, gobble) Ham, rolls, peas and okra from this summer's garden, greens from the fall garden, and chicken and dumplings...and a sweet potatoe souflle... and a carrot cake...

  Lindi is making pumpkin pie...

Lynn is fixing...dressing and gravy... deviled eggs, maybe cornbread...pecan pie...bringing some onions...and tomatoes...and tea....  

If you want something besides tea... then you might want to bring it...we live mostly on diet coke around here...

Amber is fixing a fruit salad...

Carole's bringing some cookies...

I hope we hit everyone's favorite...it you don't see it listed then bring it...(Lindi said she wishes someone would bring mac and cheese.) That's why I wanted everyone to list their favorite foods... What ever anyone  brings...I'm sure it will add to a wonderful meal.  

Can't wait to see the family here on Thursday... Add to the tag board if you'd like...and check there for updates...

Oh and Clay   you will be here in our thoughts...have a great Irish Thanksgiving....  

     The days are ticking down to the big Thanksgiving feast.   

  It is always enjoyable to get together with family and friends for a bountiful meal.  But as we come into this week, we set aside a time to offer prayers of Thanksgiving...We are thankful for our God, for the gift of his son to us, for our family, for friends, for our home, for good food on the table, clothes to wear, shoes on our feet...and a warm place to sleep.  But we too are thankful for the aches, pains, hardships, we've been through...and some are still there each day, for we know we are not alone in our steps of life.  Each and every experience helps to form the person whom we are.  Those hardships help to form our future choices, decisions, and discernment's of situations.  Just being thankful that we don't have to walk alone...but there is a God who walks every step with us...and even carries us when we think the burdens are too much.  But also, thankful for family and friends who are there too...We have so many blessings....and we are  very Thankful!  The hard times help us appreciate the good times even more...I am so Thankful!  

     Soon we will move on into the season of Christmas...have you made your wish list?  

           ...as I was cleaning cob webs the past couple of days in preparation of the season of family visits...I was making a mental list...what can we give for Christmas...some ideas...1) help a neighbor or older family member with a chore they can't quite get to anymore...example.: just notice their leaves need raking and grab some friends and make a surprise party  ...2) take time to clean out your closets...Clothes you no  longer wear, extra sheets, blankets, and spreads...donate them to a second hand store...someone else could use them, and as Americans, typically we have too much. 3) help a parent with young children get ready for the holiday...could you help run an errand or read a few favorite Christmas stories while mom   has a few minutes to do some other preps...4) write a card to a soldier...maybe even get together a little care package...5) invite someone who doesn't have family locally to share in a holiday meal...6) call a friend or family member you haven't spoken to in a while just to say hello...

    I'm sure there are many more ideas... so blog back and share your ideas on how we can extend the real meaning of giving at Christmas...with out spending lots of dollars... With the economy stressing the purse strings, perhaps we can reach with in each other to help pass the spirit of giving forward to those around us... After all Christmas began with the greatest gift of all, Christ. 

      Christmas is more than the boxes, and bows... the tinsle and trees... it's the gifts that come from the heart.    

Still counting the days til Thanksgiving... and was hoping we'd get a few more hits with items people enjoy at Thanksgiving...but I guess no one has time to blog back...except Clay and Lynn... Thanks!

   We've been trying to tidy up the house a little... Clay...I finally cleaned your room!  Yikes...just a few pet spiders in there... I thought you didn't like spiders...but you had a nice web over at the fireplace...anyway... they'll at least have to start their webs over...as Mom has attacked!

  Some of the turkeys gobbled today... There were about four Toms in the Royal Palm/ Blue Slate pen...just singing their Thanksgiving song... It was fun to gobble at them and try to make them gobble back... and their feathers are so pretty when they strut.  I still don't think they are quite large enough for Thanksgiving...and it is a shame...because I know I am going to end up with too many Toms!

   We finally made chicken and dumplings last week out of a couple of our extra roosters... boy was it yummy on those cold days...nothing like good country cooking that sticks to your ribs.

    Surprisingly we are still getting several eggs each day.  Last year, we had to buy eggs to have enough to cook the holiday meal, but so far we seem to be getting at least 8-10 eggs a day...I guess some of my new stock is making up the difference. 

    Well... I'm going to settle back and watch the Indiana Jones DVD...I picked up about a month ago and still haven't had an evening long enough to sit back and watch it before bed time...

     Just thinking about Thanksgiving...I'm gaining a little winter's fat...

     Can't wait for some pumpkin pie and whipped cream, pecan pie, carrot cake...hummmm does that count as a vegetable????....maybe some sweet potato casserole with pecan and brown sugar topping...  ????

    Maybe some greens, or peas and okra...

   What are your favorite Thanksgiving must haves????

Blog us back and let us know....

      November is here...and Thanksgiving Day is just right around the corner...although, truly...I am very thankful for each day and the blessings that we enjoy...as well as the little bumps that make all the blessings even sweeter....

     We like to share our home with family and friends when we can....Thanksgiving and Christmas give us some times when our extended families can come together...forget the daily routines and struggles and just say hello for a few minutes and share a meal together... Thanksgiving will soon be here and one of those times we can enjoy part of our extended family together.

    We like to make a reminder card...so everyone will remember our new family tradition of coming over for Thanksgiving dinner...and since we'd hatched a couple of turkeys this year... I thought..hey...why don't we take a Thanksgiving picture and make a little Thanksgiving Card to send to the family...

    We didn't get it done last week...and so we decided to take the picture today...Lindi was here too, so she could be in it...we doned our overalls...put out a couple of hay bales...caught a turkey...(GP)...grabbed a smile or two and got ready for the picture...

    Now ... all in all GP was a co-operative photo subject...We really hadn't picked (her? him?) up since it was a young poult...She looked dutifully at the camera and said...Chirp...chirp...We were having such a fun time...

    So we proceeded to get a few pics...Scarlett who manages to get in every other photo op around the farm...just wouldn't come over and get in the great turkey picture...it was almost as if she was saying..."Well you turkeys can get your picture made if you want...but I'm no turkey..."  Hey Scarlett...be nice...Clay want a picture of you...Finally we got her to come over just with the turkey to get a picture for Clay...

   We took several poses just to pic out the right one...finally...I said..let me just get one of Daddy and Lindi together... Lindi says I'll hold GP....  Then right after the first picture...I say..."Let me take another one..." Well all is well until the turkey perks up and then lifts her tail....you just don't want a turkey lifting their tail while you are holding them...  Yep ...she got them both.... so much for every one's clean overalls...and we hadn't even had them on long enough to do any chores!  

   Well I thought I had escaped the turkey poop...but that's when I called Scarlett one last time to come get her picture made....I took ole GP back and she and Scarlett posed together.....and well....I sat in the turkey poop....3 pairs of overalls heading to the wash now...

    How did a turkey get named GP any way...well we had two little hatchlings...one was a Royal Palm...so we called it RP...course Richie thought I was naming it after him RP...and so he named the other one GP...after me... Well RP didn't make it...and so we just have GP....course now I have about six Royal Palms...and I can always go back and name them RP again!...We never have named those...

     Well GP is safe for now since we only have one bourbon red turkey...and I want to have a pair...

     But she came close to becoming a real Thanksgiving Turkey....

      Rio...the Rio Grande Turkey is definitely a Tom...he was strutting today...

    and I think I can get a couple of pairs out of my Royal Palms,

and l pair out of the blue slates.... I think there are 3 blue slate toms...but they won't be big enough by Thanksgiving....

P.S. ....  here's the real story!  GP

I sit down in my comfortable recliner, fire up the ole' laptop and start checking out all the blog site.  I start off with checking out our site to see if anyone has posted a comment.  Then it is over to check on Clay's site to see if anything there.  And then I check out the old Sis's site.   Well I am going through this routine and noone has taken the time to post on our blogs........  So over to Clay's blog.     Nothing new there for the last two weeks.....Last but not least over to chick out the old sis at the chickenyard.com and nothing.....  nothing at all.....  Noone wants to blog...   What about all the people out in cyberworld who log on and have the same routine as I.  We all need to stand up and insist that blogs are kept up to date.  What does everyone think we are supposed to do with all the blog sites and nothing....  just keep opening up windows to the screens and what do we get.... nothing.    That is so boring .  So  from now on all you bloggers out there in blogger land,

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the bands of bloggers which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of cyberland and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all bloggers are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Blogs are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the reader, That wheneverthe blogger themselves should become destructive of these ends, it is the right of the reader to alter or abolish it, and to institute a new blog, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that blogs long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and Bloggism usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute , it is their right, it is their duty, to throw out such Blogs, and to provide new Blogs for their future security.

And we the readers do hereby assert our rights as the core reason and purpose in the necessity of posting on the blogashere,  that if the blogger themselves do not take upon themselves the necessity and the importance and the utmost responsiblity to maintain an updated log and to provide for the further needs and the readership, that we the readers do hereby and fortever assert that we the combined masses in need of our daily reading, will and by the powers granted to each other by our ability and our natural and God given reading abilities do hereby forever and always maintain the necessary and absolute right to cast out, delete, and/or forever banish your blog site from within the blogashere forever and a day.

So There.....   

     Going out to the garden and picking fresh tender baby greens and putting them on to simmer....led to thoughts of ...what would be good with those greens... ??????  

    The first thing to come to mind was...cornbread... a big pone of cornbread...buttermilk cornbread baked crispy and golden...warmly melting butter when sliced out of the oven...

    ....perhaps a beef roast, some carrots, new potatoes,.. and onions of course....So I grabbed a nice shoulder roast out of the freezer and threw it into the slow cooker to simmer over night... getting up this morning to add in the carrots, potatoes, more onions, and a couple of small zucchini sliced across the top...tasting the seasoning...adding a little more salt...

 A little too much broth in the pot...  

                                .... so I took some out and made some rice with the broth I had taken from the roast....

                        Grabbed some fresh farm eggs...and put them on to boil...for some deviled eggs...

....before I knew it we had a whole smorgasbord of country treats to eat after church this afternoon... and yes...it was scrumdelicious....  

    I called momma and daddy and asked them to join us for lunch...tomorrow is momma's birthday...so it gave us a chance to celebrate a little early when I had had time to enjoy cooking...Happy birthday Gran...tomorrow....  

      Richie worked some more on his truck this afternoon... and I read the Sunday paper...and then went out to check on all the animals...making sure they had fresh water...and their evening rations.   I eyed  a bunch of muscadines...that are starting to turn...If frost comes Monday night as predicted we might not get a last taste...but they sure were pretty to look at just the same...green, round..., turning purple slowly as they hung tightly in their bunch...

     I pulled a couple of carrots from the garden for the bunnies    ... one was so huge I couldn't pull it up... I got a little hand spade and tried to dig it up...I bent the shovel...and the tip of the carrot broke off into the ground... but I did manage to get it up for the bun buns...

     Definitely adding working on the carrot patch to my list of spring chores to get ready for planting... The few carrots that made it this year are awesome this fall.  I can't believe how well they've done...

    I walked by the green beans and grabbed a few last stragglers there too... they too will be gone once Jack Frost rears his cold head... and then I picked some green tomatoes to bring into the house...and let ripen...something keeps pecking them as soon as they even give a hint of ripening... and I think this is the only way we'll get another one this fall is to just to pick them green...especially with cold weather looming around the corner...and they sure are good in Richie's wonderful omelets... I will just be salivating waiting for spring and a fresh tomato again...(Add to the list...get tomatoes going early in the green house!!!!)....

    We're not self sufficient... and my gardening needs a lot of improving before I want to have to depend upon it for my survival...but we could have put our whole meal together from our efforts this year...we grew onions, garlic, potatoes, carrots, the beef, the eggs, the pickles....We even grew a little corn (but didn't make corn meal...lol)... and I don't think I'm going to try to grow rice... but it feels good to eat from the harvest of your garden...All of these are from the blessings the good Lord shares with us all...the rain, the sunshine....the warm days...the joy of working together to see things grow....We are so thankful.

     Wow...this week has flown by... I didn't realize  that I hadn't written since last Sunday...and here it is Saturday again... A beautiful cool fall Saturday afternoon.  It's been a relaxing day just to catch up on the things around the farm at our leisure... I moseyed out to the big garden and picked a bucket full of greens...turnips, kale, mustard, and more turnips....broke off the small roots and threw them to the guineas...walked over and pulled up some volunteer corn and gave the goats a yummy treat...finally meandered toward the house to prepare the luscious tender green leaves for the cook pot... I washed them four times to make sure they were nice and clean and popped them on the stove to simmer...I haven't seasoned them yet... just letting them shrink down while I write a little about our day.

     Richie's out working on one of his trucks  ...and the tractor  ...speaking of the tractor...that gets me back to the title of the blog...Don't follow too close.... We went over to pick up a tractor Richie and his buddy share...(it lives a rough life)...once again the bucket had most of the bolts broken on it and Richie needs to use it this week on a pool he's building...so the tractor trailer was not there, but we had brought one of our other trailers to haul it... a little smaller, but strong enough to do the job.   ...it had taken Richie three days to get the tractor ready to load...it was out of hydraulic fluid...a hose busted... he had to put the bucket together enough so he could get the tractor to pick it up and load it ...oh and then one day...he left the tether straps at home...any way we went to pick it up this morning....so he could bring it home and do some much needed maintenance on it...

    Well after a little coaxing, he got it on the trailer, strapped it up and we started toward home cautiously....well...first off we didn't make it out of the driveway.   The winding curves and steep entrance to the road way was a bit much for the truck pulling the heavy load at a creeping speed...so we backed the trailer back down the winding narrow wooded gravel driveway so we could approach the road with a bit more speed and make it up the hill... oops...did I say we....Richie did all that careful backing while I closed my eyes and hoped we didn't tumble down the side ravine...I'm timid that way...but it doesn't raise even a hair with my sweet love...he patiently backed as easily as if he was driving forward...I did talk sweetly to the truck...saying...you can do it big trucky...you can pull us up the hill oh wonderful F250...and she did with ease when given a little speed to climb the graveled hill with her load....much pleased with her trucky self and of being given a chance to pull a real load instead of only driving the farmer lady to work at school!

     So now we are on the highway and heading toward the farm...well almost... dear trucky...had beeped and flashed her light that she need petrol  ....so we stopped and quenched her thirst and then headed homeward at a slow and cautious pace. (Quinching her thirst is why big F250 mainly gets to cart the farmer lady back and forth to work along with an occasional run for animal feed.)  We tried to be courteous and pull over when we noticed traffic behind us... but all in all the roads weren't too crowded...

    Soon we were at a turn, and even going slowly, we had almost missed it so we turned a little sharp...bang...one of the straps unhooked and the tractor bounced ...and my love immediately stopped.  Luckily we were going slowly and the tractor didn't come all the way off the trailer...but it hadn't been super easy to load...and we were off the main road...but if we couldn't get it back on the trailer...it might not drive the rest of the way home...the hydraulic fluid was leaking badly...

    Va-room....cranks right up...back in place in one try...refasten the tie downs....make sure the brake is on.... slowly head toward home...no more sharp turns...We are on the last leg of the journey home when a car pulls right up behind us...we are on a narrow county road with no good place to pull over...she stays right up under the back of the tractor...we can't even see the front of her car...

     I wanted to yell  ...hey lady...do you know this tractor has already tried to come off the trailer once??? You shouldn't follow people so close...we slowed down even more to try an allow her to pass, but she kept the nose of the car in tight...We are being cautious...we had , double checked the tie downs, we had checked the brake...We wished she would pass!!!!!...we continued on our journey...finally she decided to pass us on the bridge none the less...Richie pulled us to the side as much as he could so she could get by on her hurried way...

    So this is a reminder to all...  don't follow too close...if the driver ahead can't see your headlights, and they have to stop suddenly...you are going to crash into the back of them...  

    And if someone is carrying heavy equipment, or a big load...don't go there either  , because, even though caution has been used...accidents do happen and you don't want a tractor crashing into your vehicle...out of control...and if you crash into it...you might even cause it to come loose and smash you...Oh...and log trucks... Those logs can kill you if you run up into them...Stay back a couple of car lengths...it could save your life!!!!

      Please Slow Down...Be Careful... use caution when you are driving!

Luckily nothing bad happened today.  We are certainly thankful.  Following close is just an invitation for something to happen...and it won't save you a lot of time... probably not even a minute to your destination....

      Well the temperature has cooled a bit...we took the fans out of the windows and closed them for the morning air was a bit on the chilly side...(idea...maybe some hammie  chili for supper?)...the leaves have almost all fallen from the tree on the west side of the house...but the leaves are still full on the trees on the east side?...Wonder why? just an observation.  

     We've sold all but two of our young billy goats...   and then hens have all decided fall and winter is a'comin and it's not longer time to hatch little ones...the guinea finally gave up her nest...and we'll have to toss the eggs before they are good and rotten and Miss Scarlett brings one up by the back porch...peu!.  I don't know if she got any little ones to hatch...for I haven't seen any running around.  Something may have spooked her...or she may have just given up...

   The last of the garden is dying down and the greens are dong well...hopefully we'll pick a little mess to cook this week.  The garlic looks like it is sprouting up...it's my first time planting this much and in the fall...so we will see what happens. 

   It's a peaceful fall afternoon.  Some friends stopped by to take the granddaughter to see the farm animals...the goat bells jingle in the distance, I talked with Clay a bit on the computer...he's still having a blast in Ireland.  ..more goat bells, and an occasional bleat. 

    The horses had their winter coats coming on strong as we fed them this morning...they seemed frisky in the cool air.   Ready to eat and run in the pastures.   

    Just thankful for another day God has made for us to enjoy.

Delicious!

http://picasaweb.google.com/patefarms/HammieBurgers#5257927169904221858

The Butcher has called and Ginger took out time from being sickly and ran into town to pick up a deep freezer  to put all the meat in.   I unloaded it off the truck and stuck it on the back porch and it is getting cold as we speak.  Yeah you got that right, we are real country now, we have a deep freeze on the back porch.  I will be picking up all the meat tomorrow afternoon and bringing it home and loading up the freezer and then we are going to fire up the ole' grill and cook ole Hammie up.   Yum Yum  I can't wait to taste how that ole spoiled cow turns out.  Well anyway, I let Sunday slip up on me and someone who has her own B-day today forgot to remind me that it was the 12th.  I didn't realize what the day was until I was writing a check on Monday and I asked the cashier the day and she said it was the 13th.  Drats, rats, and bats!  I forgot to call my momma on her B-day so I called her yesterday evening and told her I am guilty of letting the day slip up on me.  In fact Ginger and I were just talking about  it last week and said I would have to... not forget it.  Shows how much good it does to remind myself.  My mind is PPPPPPPPPPPPPhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      Hummmm... I haven't blogged for a few days...I'm not sure what all has been going on around the farm...all I know is I have been sneezing my head off, blowing my nose, and then...it all settled into a horrific cough!  My chest hurts from all the hacking! I definitely have had the blahs!  I've either been in bed trying to sleep it off, or on the couch lazing it off... but definitely had the yucks...feeling lousy...and no fun to be around. 

     Poor Richie has had all the chores... and has gotten little sleep due to my constant hacking...Thankfully it's a little better today... and the nose has stopped running...he's assured me he's fed my turkeys...the hungry bunch ...and checked on all the chickies, goats, and horses... no big events have happened in my "absence".    I've drank hot tea, lemon, and honey all day...trying to sooth the beastly cough... 

    It all started Saturday morning... I thought...just the fall flowers sending their pollen my way....but no stopping it with my normal regimen of antihistamines and daily dose of honey....it has seemed to get worse and worse... I tried to work on Monday, luckily it was a teacher training day... and I mostly had to sit and listen in workshops and work quietly in my room... my fever started coming back after lunch so I headed home and went to sleep  hoping a good dose of rest would head things off...but I still felt lousy the next morning and knew I'd never make it teaching all day... being as I couldn't make it through breakfast without going and laying down because of the sudden cold sweats and chills hitting me...a cold had definitely settled in. 

     So rest I have done, feeling a little better today...no fever...no runny nose...just the hacky cough.  I've stripped the bed and thrown it into a hot washer...kill those feel bad germs... and plan to try a day of work tomorrow.  Luckily I have a good class this year...and I hope they've held up the fort with their routines and hard work while I've been out.  I know there will be a stack of papers to check...but, slowly, I'll catch up and we'll keep rolling on the learning path....although, I think this cough may linger a while...

    I searched for home remedies for cough a while ago... everyone supports hot tea, lemon, and honey... and extra vitamin C...  There was one with cayenne pepper and ginger root with honey and lemon... maybe I should try that...only that'd mean I'd have to run out to the store... and I cherish being at home too much...probably will need to run stock up on cough drops again to make it through the next couple of days...

    So why do I share my misery in this blog??? Pity party I guess... Actually hoping the rest of the world is fairing much better... You know it's just no fun being miserable.... It certainly makes you appreciate the times when  one is feeling better.  So seize the day... and be glad things are not worse (lecturing myself!).  It makes you appreciate the days you can get up and go to work...to be able to check on all my critters... to not feel as a burden, but as a help mate...

    Seize the day at hand, be thankful for your blessings,  even the sneezey, runny nose coughy ones... better get back to resting...cough , cough, cough...


  

      Ok....so today I started off my day checking on a pool job and it was wet as could be so I brought my help over to unload the hay from the trailer we had parked under the barn on Saturday.  As he was started unloading and putting it away in the barn, I headed off into the house to make a few phone calls. About the time I was about to head out to help with the unloading, Kevin comes to the back door and asks if I have the bee sting stuff I use when the honey bees get me.  I said sure and then he said there was a yellow jacket nest in the hay.   Hmmmmm???...that seems like a strange place for yellow jackets but he was standing there  applying bee sting meds to about a dozen stings so there must be yellow jackets somewhere there in the barn area.  Well, I start looking for the Benadryl because when asked Kevin if he's ever been stung before he says he has never been stung before and as a precaution I wanted him to take some Benadryl. (Ginger's rubbing off on me...watching out for allergic reactions...LOL) Well Kevin was being Wimpy and he didn't want to work anymore today, so, I dropped him off at his mamma's and then I headed off to try and salvage the rest of the day.  

       I got back here and first things first grabbed my bee suit and put it on and headed over to the barn,  as I reached where he was stacking the hay, I grabbed a couple of bales and no bees.....   Hmmmm???... so, I started checking out the ground beside the stack and WATCH OUT!!! .... for out comes the troops.  About a hundred million yellow jackets swarmed out and I laughed .....  Ha  Ha....   you can't get me I am in my bee suit. (I think I saw a few sneer...and buzz, buzz...ha...buzz back) Zing!  Zap!....  About that time, a sharp sting down my boot ,... then another on my side......  ahhhhh !!!! they have penetrated my suit. RETREAT!!!  So ...I headed away from the swarm and swatting and squishing all the yellow jackets on me I can find...I started un-suiting and getting the bees out from under my suit. ... By this time they have stung me about 10 times.   So I go get a gas can and then suit back up and go pour it down their little hole.   Ha !Ha! take that you little dastardly creatures!!!   But I guess, I'll wait a little longer to unload the rest of the hay!!!

        Trying to get a little work accomplished, I left the barn and  I went and  started to work on the log splitter.  Piddle, piddle, work...work...piddle... A little later, a couple stopped by to check out our goats for sale.  They said they would come back tomorrow to get old Monty.  His little boy was having a b-day party on Saturday and they wanted to throw a BBQ for about 40 people.  He asked if Monty would feed that many...... I don't know. We just grow 'em...we really haven't cooked one ourselves...  But he looks like he would feed plenty. He's a good size goat.  That's about all I was able to do.  

     A wasted day all in all.   Until now when Ginger comes home and now everything is perfect.   See YA!!!

     Wow!  We have just flown right into fall and October is here...how did that happen so fast!  The children in my first grade class have been keeping  weather log of temperature, rain fall, and wind conditions each day.  We take the morning temperature and the afternoon temperature.  We've been watching the mornings get a little cooler, but we still have nice warm afternoons.  We had one shocker last week when it dipped into the 40's for the morning ... a peek a cooler weather.  We also observed, that we have not had rainfall for about 20 days!  I was asking questions, trying to lead them a little a little in making some observations over last week's data.  When I questioned them about what they could say about the rain fall we'd been having, one darling piped in..."What rainfall?...Farmer Pate's going to have to get out the sprinkler on her garden of turnip greens..." and then added a precocious little giggle... little do they know...I have some turnip seeds for them to plant in science this coming week... so then they too will have to water their turnips!...

     I came home early...(which means I didn't put in my regular overtime at school...LOL)... and decided to tackle the much needed grass cutting here at home... Well, I slipped on my trusty jeans, filled up the mower with the liquid gold, cranked her up... and set about...making a dust bowl... I cut the grass and stirred up the dust everywhere... I was covered from head to toe with dust by the time I finished my mowing task of the evening.  I think the blades are way too dull... and kind of beat up too...(some one's been hitting rocks from time to time)... time for some new ones to get ready for the next season of mowing.  Somehow even with the dull blades...I managed to hack off the top layer of tall grass around the yards.

    Everything is quiet... no cows escaping...have to miss that old moo...the hamburger still isn't back yet... can't wait to fire up the grill....

      Today was the day.... the butcher came and picked up ol' Hammie...He's off to make hamburgers now.  No more cow chasing...no more mooing "feed me"...now he's going to feed us.  I bet you're gonna taste good Hammie boy.

       We'll have to start looking for a new calf to raise up for next year.  But no playing chase with them.

    I'm gonna miss the moo....but I am relieved because he was becoming much too dangerous to have around, and I was afraid someone would get hurt....and getting out and running around at midnight was not a good thing either.

     Richie watched the whole process, but I was home sick (nothing too serious...just laryngitis, but a terrible thing for a first grade teacher who loves to talk), so I stayed inside.  I remember the process from when I was a kid growing up.  In fact it was the same butcher who came to get Hammie.

     They'll age the meat a little, and then cut it up for us.  We should get the meat back in a couple of weeks.   Can't wait to fire of the grill!