Saturday Smiles

Who could resist smiling back at that big grin. This is Skyelor, out 13 year old grandson. He rarely smiles and I considered this picture a grand slam. I grin back at him every time I look at this picture.

We took Henry back today to be with his mama. She heard him holler for her before he even got out of the trailer and she came on the run. He is certainly old enough to be weaned but he did not think so. I did not plan on going with Bob but he wanted me to so the apples will have to wait for another day. Bob brought me in another bucket full. Apples coming out my ears.

Ditto has got into the hang of coming in when I call her as she has done for several years now. Amelia said, no you are not catching me............so.................I got a can with some grain and she came to a screeching halt and came to me at a trot. I had to laugh at her. She will get it. She was funny.

I went grocery shopping this evening earlier. I hate it but its necessary. Not a good evening to go shopping though. All the crazies of the area were there too.

Friday

The first basket of apples I picked today. I picked two more larger containers. Now I have to figure out what to do with them all. I have already put enough applesauce in the freezer for a couple or three years. I am going to put bags ready to make pie or apple crisp with.This is the biggest crop we have gotten off the tree. There probably is another container full where I can't get to them. The tree will need to be sprayed in the spring and we will have to figure out how to keep the yellow jackets out of the tree. Most of the damage on the apples are from those nasty critters.

Boy did Ditto and Amelia like being in the barn last night. Ditto came on the run when I called her this evening but I had to go get Amelia. When she remembered where we were going she came as fast as I could walk. I put the old girls out with the rest of the horses for the day. Ditto did fine but Abby was so mean to Amelia and finally Meli just went to her own corner of the pasture and stayed away. I won't do that to her again. Abby was even mean to her when I was trying to lead her out. She followed us kicking at her. I just can't subject that old pony to that kind of treatment.

Henry is still bawling his head off but its not quite as loud. He did quit when he was laying down and he didn't even do that yesterday. He is healing up just fine. More penicillin on Sunday and then he can either go back up to his mother or out to the pasture here.

It is supposed to be 15 degrees tonight. That is COLD. I hope my carrots wont be hurt. Forgot to go pull them until right now. Today I made a stew for dinner and the only thing I bought was the onion. I did not grow them. It was the last of the potatoes though. Did not have many.

Bob is blowing the pipes out of a mobile for a friend of ours. He has put it off and now it must be done. Its an older lady that has been like family to us. When Bob got over there, with the truck running he accidentally locked himself out and his tools were in the cab. I had to go take my key. I wasn't too happy about it but it gives me a big laugh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday Jadeyn Justine

Our beautiful Jade turned 12 today. She is a very social butterfly and going through the normal things a 6th. grade girl turning 12 goes thru. Her mother and sister took a balloon bouquet to her during her lunch time. She loved her. Her dad came and had cake and ice cream and brought her a beautiful coat for her birthday. He has not always been present for her and it meant alot to have him there this evening.

We put Henry back in the chute this afternoon to check his surgical procedure site considering the mess he was when we started. Actually, he is doing great. He got another cambiotic shot, actually 2 of them and a tetanus toxoid shot and an anti tetanus toxoid shot. He was really mad when we were trying to get him in the chute. He put his head down and got me right in the solar pl exes. I am a little sore but he was just scared. I would not have wanted to go back in there if I had had to have all that surgery done. It had to hurt. Saturday, he will get transported back to his mother. Our ears will be glad of that. He has not stopped bawling for his mom. I think his throat should be sore by now.

I felt terrific today. That is a first in over a month. I cleaned stalls. I played with Pepper and Rosie for a while. I put the hay and grain in the stalls so when the horses came in it was ready. I got the hay in the wheelbarrow for the two penned up horse and the donkeys. Bob fed them and I put the three horses in just before we left for Jades party. It felt so so so good to be outside and doing things. Hurrah.

My thinking day - I was thinking about the night Jade was born. What a pretty baby she was.

I was thinking about this past month and how nasty I have felt and so thankful that today was good. I thought about all the apples on the tree that need picked and processed. I was thinking about all the acorn squash and how I was going to keep them good until we eat them. I have enough Hubbard squash in the freezer to feed an army. I was thinking how good it was about all the things I have put in the freezer when I cooked too much that we have used this month when I was just not up to it. And most of all I thought how good it was to be outside.

Wednesday

This was the view out of my living room window this evening. I wish the camera could get it just as it was. Beautiful

Henry decided to get out somehow today. He is missing his mother and bawling for her. He is some swollen but seems ok. He will get another shot of penecillin and tentnus tomorrow. I hope he is still contained in his pen tomorrow morning when I get up.

Tomorrow Ditto and Amelia start coming in to their stalls for the night. It is supposed to go down into the high teens over the weekend. Ditto won't tolerate that so much. I need to find her blanket and see if we have one that will fit Amelia. Two old ladies needing special attention. I was over filling their water container and Ditto came and wanted hugs. So she got them. She is my special special horse friend.

Thankful Tuesday and some things gross

No pictures today. I left my camera in my vest pocket during our adventure today.

Starting yesterday, I had decided not to get up this week until this stuff in my head went away. Laugh Laugh Laugh joke joke joke. Bob called in the morning and told me he would need me to go to Walmart and get some batteries for the flashlights. AND one of our young critters up on pasture needed doctoring. He (Bob) had to work late and then we would go and our neighbor Shannon would go with us.

We went and the cows and their youngsters thought we were boogymen and could not get close nor get them to go to where we wanted. SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO this morning, Shannon and I took our horses, well I have a horse, she rides a mule, we went to get them all gathered. It did not take us long to get them thru the gate and into where we wanted them. We had put panels up last night so we just had to run them into there.

The one we needed got right in the trailer, Shannon shut the gate and then all we had to do was hook it back up. That went well and it was down the road toward home.

Now the gross part. The reason we needed to go get Henry was when they banded him to make a steer out of him they did not get it on correctly and his scrotum fell off and one testicle but the other was hanging there. We had to get him into the medicating chute and Shannon who is a vet tech finished castrating him. It was ugly and really gross. The surgery got done and he seems OK. I had to help her and I didn't like it too much. I have to go get tetanus shots for him. He got penicillin today.

And I am thankful, that it is over. And I am thankful that the two cowgirls were successful. Bob was shocked that we could do it by ourselves. Yea Shannon, Yea Me.

Sunday, October 4th.

This picture has nothing to do with our trip to Puyallup this weekend, however this is my sister in a sweatshirt she bought at the Unclaimed Baggage Store in Scottsboro, Alabama. Her family was watching UT play (University of Tennessee play) thus all the orange but she wore that for me. Bless her heart.

We did go to Puyallup this weekend for our brother in law, Jim Trotter's Memorial Service. It was nice enough. Not what I would have planned but it was what his children wanted and that is what was important. After the service we went up to Buckley and had an afternoon and evening with all his kids and their kids ect. It was good to see every one. On our way up there, this picture just screamed at me. I miss "my" mountain. Grew up with it in view all my life until we moved to Eastern Washington.

My past generations lived in Bonny Lake. Great Grandfather, that generation and some since I believe. My Grandmother Kephart was a Myers. I know this road is named for the family some time back. Bob had to make a quick turn in heavy traffic so I could get this picture. My maiden name was Myers.

I always get nostalgic when we go thru Puyallup. I loved the fair. It has turned into a gigantic fair now = 13 days I believe. I really always want to go every year but it has been a while. I think the last time was about 9 years ago. Bob won tickets to go see Reba McEntire at the fair and he did not want to go so Nikki and I went. We had a fun day and saw a nice show.

This is my Saturday Smile picture. Even if it is Sunday. This is on a trailer and is an advertisement for a haunted house. The workmanship is phenomenal. I think it was in Buckley. We were a little ahead of the rest of the family so we just drove around. We had not been up that way for many years. I just thought it was so cool.

This tree was in the parking lot of the church where the service was held. It was so vivid. I loved it.

This is our nephew William who lives in Rock Island, Illinois. I did not know I caught him with his mouth open. He is a very wonderful young man. His wife Pam is a Biochemist, smartest person I will ever know and he teaches math in a Junior College. We had not seen him for a very long time and it was good to see him and to talk to him.

This is our grand nephew Jason and his wife Christy. I included this picture because Christy is an awesome young woman. She has lost 215 pounds and still has many to go but she is commit ed to it. Nice kids.

We came home the "back way" because I90 was closed because of dust storms. We left the Interstate at George, went to Ephrata, Soap Lake and then to Odessa, Davenport and home. We got the back edge of the dust though and I will be blowing dirt out of my head for days.

Fast Eddie got out twice while we were gone so he was in a little pen. He is so cute. I think he goes on Craig's List Monday or Tuesday. I going to ask 100.00 for him. Then we may keep Chemmy for a while and see if he will carry a pack saddle. Yuma will but have never really ponied him and we want to do that.

It is good to be home and my very own bed is waiting........................

Thursday - Some thoughtful, some just stuff

Cheem Lasso

"Crooked Rope"

AKA Chemmy

He is really sweet. Today I put him in with Fast Eddie and Eddie did not like him too well at first. He is so fat he could not kick with both hind feet. It was kind of funny actually. But by the time they got fed they would eat together. Tomorrow Yuma goes in with them. Now isn't that going to be a kick.

He was a little sad today not understanding where he person was. The old guy had had him five years. I think he is nine. I love him.

Today my thoughts are of my sister who has decided not to see doctors anymore. I know she has not been treated well by them but I am so worried about her. She is so far away and I want to be with her. Or at least see her more often than I am able to now. Tears come easily thinking about her.

Today I was sad to see my boys leave. We had such fun and they were such help. We paid them but not near enough. I thought about the job opportunities that may be open to them.

Today I heard of another friend who lost her grandmother this week. Besides Andrea. I remember mine so clearly. As a kid I remember crawling into her feather bed with her. She lived with us from the time I was 11 months old so I never knew my Grandpa.

I thought today about summer and how quickly it went by. I hope winter goes as quickly.

So thats the way my thoughts have gone today. Tomorrow we leave for Puyallup to attend our brother in laws memorial service on Saturday. I will either post Sunday evening or Monday depending when we get home on Sunday.