Still Clearing Tornado Damage...

Kubota is wonderful and so is Den. Do you know how long it would take me and my sisters to do this with clippers and shovels?? We are still using the clippers and burning as we go. Marcy is planting winter greens whenever we get a spot cleared. If they all grow, we will be able to feed Izard County.

Football season is full force and that is rough on a grandmother. I know the football is shaped different, that if Andrew has the ball and is running that is good and if people are piled in top that is bad. This is his touchdown. Talking about a grandma yelling, my hands and throat were sore after this game.

Picking up walnuts every day. Feed sacks, boxes, buckets are everywhere and I have not made a dent. Should be one more main fall and the walnuts will be through.

I guess my main thought for the day is work is easy if you have the right tools

Rain, wonderful rain

Hay time has been a blast this year! During our second cutting of hay, Den was attacked by yellow jackets. We did go to the hospital not so much the stings but because of chest pains. He received a clean bill of health.

Next came raking, which ran pretty smoothly.

Baling was a different story. Den hit a limb, the bearings went out and the knives bent. The part search was on. We have a square baler cause it is easier for us both to handle.

Farming and working full time is lots of fun. A week later we found the part and back in operation. The weather was kind to us by not raining and not over drying the hay.

We called in our resources, daughters, son-in-law, nephew and grandson. The Polaris blew a tire and we are pulling the hay trailer with the tractor. Three evenings later we are finished as we can be.

Half of the barn roof is still gone from the tornado so we had to stack selectively to find a dry spot.

The rain has come and it was much needed. I am grateful it held until the hay was in. That was the longest dry spell we have had this year so Someone was helping us with our hay.

The days are shorter, the nights are cooler. We will be using the hay before long, I fear.

Fall is in the air...

The last few mornings have been cool but hopefully we are far from a killing frost. The garden is still producing okra and a few cucumbers.

The chestnuts are falling along with the walnuts, persimmons and pecans. Marcy has planted winter greens where we cleared for two purposes, food and erosion control.

Do not know if someone will be buying walnuts this year or not. That was always my spending money growing up. We had to pick them up anyway and if we sold them we got some pocket change. I am not so eager this year to pick them up since I am a year older and a year stiffer. Bev and I picked several feed sacks full this afternoon.

Last year we got forty dollars for a bed load. It did fill up all the equipment with gas...last year!

Things NOT To Do While Wearing Flip Flops...

My husband said I could write a book about things you should not do while wearing fipflops or thong sandals.

Here are just a few of the many I have experienced:

Do not wear flip flops while trimming horses' hooves.
Do not wear flip flops while burning brush piles.
Do not wear flip flops while using a plumb bob.

Do not wear flip flops while sorting roofing tin.

Do not wear flip flops when walking under the chestnut tree.

Do not wear flip flops when close to Prickley Pear Cactus.

Do not wear flip flops when working with large rocks.

Use your imagination. I now wear boots.

Another Day, Another Dollar

This was something I heard my Dad say a lot. I sometime feel it applies to today's finances as well as the Great Depression.
Getting ready to go to work this time of year is very hard for me. I want to stay home and stay outside. I love this weather.
We have certainly had plenty of rain this year but September has been dry. We have been busy getting the last cutting of hay in the barn. Also keep trying to get windfall cleaned up and normal maintenance. I love it all but never seems to be enough hours in the day.
The animals are feeling the fall in the air. Everyone is more active and a tad more ornery. The weather does that to me too!
The end of the garden is close. My sister had been canning everything she can get her hands on. Even Princess is enjoying the garden.