The Old Barn

It was there when Dad was young and he said it was over a hundred years old then. You can see the marks the hand axes made as they cut the log into a square timber for the barn. Each piece was cut to fit together like a puzzle, no nails needed because each added weight held it together more tightly.

It is sad to see it dying though it has taken more than a hundred years, there are only a few pieces left from the ravages of time.

The barn was used when he was a child but as long as I can remember it has only been a shadow of what had been. With Daddy's stories, I can hear the axes and the shouts of men as they raised the barn, timber by timber.

It is sad to see it go, now covered with mosses and lichen with insects eating the meal within the last logs. It is good to know, it shall feed the earth again from where the first tree was cut.

Farm Labor Of Love

Farming has to be a labor of love, otherwise, we could not keep on keeping one. The trees still fallen from the tornado and new ones from the ice storm were gathered today.

The cows did not care.

The horses could reach the new tender grass where the limbs had been. They grazed happily and waited for each branch to be moved.

The pile was large since Kubota King had started it. Old, old black walnut limbs were stacked and burned.

The Burn Queen got to drive the Kubota! Bev did a fine job with it, enjoying the power of more than hand clippers. Today she did not protest the size of the fire, just enjoyed the gathering, the cleaning and the burning.

The finished product: ground cleared, wood to ashes feeding the ground. We were proud of the day's work.

The Eyes Have It

I went for a walkAnd the horses came to greet me in all their winter glory.
Their coats were shedding and needed a good brush...

but their eyes told me all I needed to know.

Bev Is Always Right

Remember my puppy urgings? It is just something about puppies that fill this hole I get sometimes. I was looking at different breeds and drooling and dreaming of a new puppy. Voiced my needs to wise sister, Bev, and she said so outside and pick one. So I have.

Seymour Freckles At The Farm is simply Seymour to us.

Sey is a Chocolate(mmmm!) and white Cocker Spaniel, CKC, so you in the dog world know that means almost nothing. July 2005 Marcy, Andrew and I were returning from a vacation in Springfield, Missouri. I saw a sign that said Puppies for sale. I said Marcy let's just look. So we turned and followed the signs.

We pulled into a farm yard with two or three kennels. We got out to look. All puppies were gone except two cockers. A large lively black and tan and a quiet shy parti-color cocker. You guessed it, the shy parti-color was my Seymour. I did not ask the registration until I had fallen in love with Sey, then it was too late.

We happily departed with Seymour in arms and finished the long trip home. Sey did not get sick, he did not whine, only cuddled and slept.

I guess you are wondering about the name...I bought him in Seymour, Missouri, he had freckles and my horse farm was At The Farm so that is the name that went on the papers.

We arrived, I ,happy as a lark, with my new puppy. My youngest daughter, Andrew's mother was living with us at the time. It was over, I no longer had a puppy. I had to go off to work and Maria took care of the puppy. Ruined him, I think. She taught him to talk! So every time he saw you, it was whiny talk. We did not get to bond.

Now, four years later, I have picked my puppy again...no additional costs. I do know you can teach old dogs new tricks so I have no worries. Sey is a laid back male, still a little shy with strangers. He loves to hunt and helps with the horses. I have stopped his talking, thank goodness, that was driving me crazy!

Next shall come his hair cut. Under all that fur is a beautiful cocker waiting to break out.

And on these cold nights, when I have that hole can be only be filled with a puppy I shall invite my Sey in to lay at my feet, quietly, and just let me love him.

The Multi-Blogger Hits Again

I really try to just do one post a day but sometimes they just fall out of me onto the screen and I hit post before I realize I have already done it before and before...

The weather is not a good topic right now for many folks. Some are in high water and some in deep s---.  Snow above us, tornadoes below us and in between rain. If the front moves, just a little, we could have any of these. My bones say rain and lots of it.

I have decided to share Marcy's pictures to start your day with lots of spring flowers. She has a new camera and is loving it.

No matter what kind of weather you are having, grab a chair and enjoy Marcy's view of spring.

Things Were Bugging Me

So I spent my lunch time taking photos. Teeny tiny photos, playing with my micro setting. Best time I had all day!

I was looking for my four leaf clover and for some answers on how to leave burnout behind and enjoy work again.

You could literally have blown me away today, I was that fragile.

The rocks turned into mountains. I let my imagination go. I saw a Hershey's Kiss and a Texas Longhorn in the tiny rocks.

I even saw beauty in the trash! Could you tell this is a piece of gum someone kindly left for me.

I took a picture of my sticker on my car and found that I had taken a picture of myself...see the ID badge reflected in the window?

Oh, the day was long but lunch time went by quickly. Today I looked for beauty in the small things and found God's blessings everywhere.

Sky Watch and Green

I Am Burnt Out

What do you do when you have worked for the same company for thirty-four years and the thought of going to work another day is so discouraging that you want to puke?

I know, I have a job, and I am grateful but I am hanging onto the end of my rope.

Just the thought of one more day, cheerily serving the people, has me in a deep depression.

I have the opportunity to retire but thanks to my PPM(excuse me: piss poor management) I will retire a pauper.

Is it better to leave and trust that God will cover me or stay for money and go insane?

These are my questions. I need answers, please.

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words

The Horses Knew...

The storm was coming.
They ran and ran.

If you want to know the weather, watch the horses.

Charme, on the other hand, stayed calm through it all.

That's my girl!!

One Post Wednesday

We have had a coyote problem lately. We have not resorted to this solution...yet.

They haven't moved into the livestock but it makes you wonder. Calving time would be a great opportunity to come closer.

Our dogs protest to the coyotes' nightly run, which to me seems to be getting closer, but they are smart enough not to leave the yard.

As a child, my dad collected a bounty on each pair of coyote ears he could turn in. We may have to reintroduce that bounty.

Sharing Photos

Children and Dogs

How would the day be complete without dogs and children?

The Roof Trick

I knew I would be photographed so I carefully applied makeup, styled my hair and wore the most slimming clothes I could find. I was going to be ready for the Marcy camera...not! I was dressed to work and work we did.

I am preparing to repair the shop lean to roof that has been flopping tin for weeks. Got the drill, got the screws, up in the bucket I go.

Ooops! Forgot the hammer.

New hammer hander tool, hubby had fun with this!

Hubby decides to join me!

Andrew letting us down and up and down...

Notice the laughter on Andrew's face and I may be wrong, but I think that is hand signals from hubby.

Sunday Labor!!!

Before...

After

God knows that a farm family has to labor seven days a week. We sure would like to rest on that seventh day but we can't seem to fit that in right now.

Today was wonderful because we had help! Not just Bev, Marcy and I slowly clipping, piling and burning twigs...we had Kubota King and chainsaws and mules and someone to operate each one.


Checking out the job, how to do this without damage.

We got one big limb off the house without tearing anything up. Removed several limbs by the old house. Fire wood cut up, limbs burned and places cleaned...not many, but we made a big showing.

One more pecan limb to be cut up and saved for cooking with flavor!