Family

makes good neighbors when they help build a new porch.  One set of steps done, one to go.  Marcy is glad.  The boards are straight the tags are crooked.

Waiting for warmer temperatures to finish.

The Sign

When we first moved to the farm we raised miniature horses.  My sister, Beverly, and I had cleaned and repaired the barn from one end to the other.  I gave tours to groups at no charge. I was just proud of what we had accomplished and wanted to share with the world.

During the repairs we found many pieces of our family history had been destroyed just by storing them so many years in a barn.  I took the pieces, and, yes, I knew the story for every piece and made a sign.  I had a piece of something that belonged to every member of the family generations past.

 I even had t-shirts made. Front

and back. (Raindrops on the shirt not stains)

After the tornado the barn and the sign (and many other things) had much damage.  This past month I tried to resurrect my sign.  Too much destroyed so I began anew.  Different pieces but the same purpose...to share the name we chose.

All that remained of the original sign was part of an F so I began there.

I gathered pieces of this and that and pieced them together to recreate my original sign.  It's not the same but we are labeled again.

Some may wonder why At The Farm.  Before we moved here someone would ask, Where's Dad? Where's Hubby?  At The Farm was always the answer so with my horses' registration I used At The Farm as the suffix instead of the standard prefix in a farm/ranch name.  

The first filly born here was Angel's Trumpet At The Farm and the first colt was named Walking Small At The Farm...see where I'm going besides in circles?

When my sister, Beverly, said I should blog the name came naturally...At The Farm.

Although we are no longer a horse ranch nor a cattle ranch the name remains mainly because of my blog.  Presenting the new old sign and it's new location...Ta daaaaa!

She Has A Good Eye...

My oldest sister, Marcy, is the photographer.  Most of the photos you see are by her.  One thing you rarely get to see is a picture of Marcy. 

On my morning walk, we met and I got a chance to take some pictures of this wonderful sister of mine.

Marcy is an animal, farm, flower lover.  She is the who preserves all the food that is grown here and, man, can she cook!  Marcy is our matriarch.

 Marcy is a retired school teacher and has a home At The Farm next door to us.  She also, in her spare time, cares for my youngest grandson while my youngest daughter is attending nursing school.

She is the spoiler of children, adults and animals alike.  We all know who feeds us!

Marcy could not get away from the horses.

They all wanted loving...

and apple, pear and peach peelings,

and corn on the cob,

and corn fodder.

I distracted the horses

so Marcy could continue

her morning walk.

'Twas Four Days 'Til Christmas...

At The Farm,
I was dreaming,
Then heard the alarm!

Git up, sleepy head!
You have four days to go
Family to be fed
Start where, I don't know!

I sprang from my bed,
And fell to the floor,
Had tripped on the clothes
Left by my door!

Ran to kitchen,
With less than delight,
I cried as I saw an amazing site,
The sink brimmed with dishes from last night!

My floor was all dirty,
From farm boot steps,
There were mounds of sand,
Dropped and just left.

The clothing all piled
From ceiling to floor
My hopes for completion
Flew out the door!

Just then I heard
A knock at the door
My sister, Beverly
Wait, there's more!

Armed with a broom
Vacuum and mop.
Let's get this place cleaned.
Chop! Chop!

Sand disappeared,
The dishes did too,
The clothes were all folded
Then she was through!

Wait just a minute,
My presents are wrapped
How does she does that
Without even a nap?

Now we sit
With our feet propped up,
Holding hot cocoa
Steaming from the cup.

Gotta go now, Gail
Got things to do
The Pinto roaring loudly
And the cows mooed.

I heard Bev exclaim
As she drove outta site,
That's the last time I'm cleaning
We're going to fight.

A smile lit her eyes
As away she did drive
You know I'm just kidding
You've just have to try.

Written by Gail In A Holiday Funk

Memory Lane

My sister, Beverly and I have been walking down memory lane today.
Beverly inspired me and gave me a Christmas present early....she helped clean the kitchen and dining room. How sweet can she be? I can see the top of the dining room table and can walk without my socks pulling off, all my dishes are clean AND put away! The rats have been kicked out and the spiders are packing up since their food is gone. I saw one staring at me with this hateful look as he carried his suitcase out the door. I said sorry guys you gotta go, this is my Christmas present and you're not part of it. One spider was crying...from all eight of his little eyes!

I thought we cleaned this table! Where did this serving of Santas come from? I had everything off that table! This is a small peek at my dining room. I forgot a before picture but you really did not need to see that!

Another angle of the Serving of Santas. That is not dirt on the table. Dad's job after he got Alzheimer's, was cleaning the table and he did...constantly. This is another beautiful table he and Mom made from trees At The Farm. Dad would rub the knots in the wood with his finger nails for hours. This is the result. The dining table is thick enough I could sand it but it's Daddy's table and I want it to stay the same.
I'm just a silly sentimental spider missing fool!

Princess Is The Only Goat...

and I believe I can safely say there will be no more. Remember the old saying, no such thing as a free animal! Princess is half Boer and something else. She is small because she was the third of triplets. Her mamma said two is all I want. Since her siblings were twice the size of Princess the owner started bottle feeding. Then he graciously gave the goat and the bottle to Marcy. The baby bottle he was using said "I'm a little Princess" thus her name.
This goat is every where! She has a chainlink fence six feet tall...she climbs out. Wish I hadn't brought her home to my sister, wish we didn't have her. We cannot eat her so I will just keep complaining. Princess guards the yard with the dogs, runs the cats from their food, and plays chase. If it is there, she will climb it. What can I do? Look at that face.