Louisiana

I took a trip this month with Betsy May & Reuben back to Louisiana. We stayed with my brother Ed and his wife Mitzi. We had a really good time visiting with the folks, playing pool, walking and of course eating good southern food.

Digger - a real good dog.

The Pool King

Mitzi taught a few pool pointers to the Bets and Reuben.

Dad walking Sandy - another good dog.

Love those country roads. The other nice part of the trip was the warm weather! '70 - '80's when we were there and no rain.

The second part of the trip Bets, Reuben & I drove to St. Joseph - the town where the kids got their start - as one of our old neighbors, Mrs. Ratcliff told them.

We went to church - the church my Dad was priest of after he left Panama.

The kids spent their time with their Dad - and I stayed with the sweetest Ladies of St. Joe. We played Scrabble, "Golf" & "Oh Heck" (two card games) and just had a great time talking, laughing and reminiscing.

One other cool thing - I drove the kids on the Levee - I used to drive it with my Dad's Chevy, but this time it was my Mom's Honda.

The "Good-bye Shots"

We had a great time - see you next year Mom & Dad!

Farm Fall Exercise Program

With the changing of warm weather to cold I start to contemplate on how I am going to get my needed exercise. It's not so easy since I rebel going outside when it is cold. My latest idea is "Goat Walking"

I figure if I convince myself that the goats really need to go for walks and wouldn't it be fun to walk with the goats that I may actually bother to put all the layers of clothes on that I need to stay warm and venture out.
Arlene joined me on my first "Goat Walk"

It is fun, and I have done it since Arlene left, with Keith, though I haven't done it enough for it to qualify as a "program" - but it's sunny outside today, maybe I will go out with the goats...does anyone want to join me....any old time?

Nomadic Comfort

Check out our brother Richard's web site - Nomadic Comfort.
(click on "nomadic comfort" to take you to the website)

Amy, Kevin, Tyler, Susan, Arlene and Spaeztle are on the front page photo!!

It's all about a new type of tent he has created (with his friend John) based on Yurts

It's a very cool site, we would like it even if it wasn't owned by our brother. :-)

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October Brings....

Maintenance and Repairs

Farmer Keith has been getting ready for the winter,

the irrigation pipes & valves are drained (he still needs to pack 'em in),

he replaced the missing pieces of tin on the roof of the barns and tacked down the loose ones,

and shored up the splitting beam of this barn.

Fishing

We heard thru the grapevine (my knitting group) that the Hatchery was having some free fishing days. No license required and no limits, becausethey had too many trout in the pond - so Keith and our neighbor Dave went-a-fishing and came home with 20 trout each!

Grand kids

Amy, Kevin, Tyler & Susie came back for another visit! We had such a good time, it's so special to be able to see the grand kids so often!

They had fun playing with homemade play dough,

Tyler made a hamburger

Yummy!

We went to the Library for Story Time with Esther!

and did the Fire Interpretive Trail that is in Town.

Lots of fun, even with it being dampish and coolish out!
and of course there was plenty of coloring.

SNOW!

October 13th we had our first snow fall for the season,

and it was still on the ground the next morning.

Time to put a log on the fire.

Kevin helped Keith cut some wood out of the forest (logs that had already fallen)

Turkey Egg!

Thursday morning I found our first turkey egg, she even laid it in the room where the nest boxes are. It wasn't in the nest box, but at least it was in the room. I haven't found another since, but I keep looking.

Chicken egg on left, turkey on right.

We haven't eaten it yet, perhaps tomorrow - we'll let you know how it tastes.

Breeding
.......... on purpose!

Accidental breeding is much easier than this arrange stuff, let me tell you.

The first couple of weeks of October it was "Goat Rodeo" every day! Every morning we would find one or two of the baby goats out of their pen ("Turkey Gulch") We had no idea where their escape route was (still don't). Then Keith & I would begin the "chase, grab, leap, carry" dance. We are getting better at it. By the end of that week all 5 kidds were moved into "Fletchers Field" with the Big Girls.

Then it was time to try breeding - I separated the two males, putting Sparky in the Manger and closing Valentino out - where he had the outside area(The Dude Ranch) and Sparky the Manger to do the deed with Tuffy.

Well Tuffy couldn't concentrate with Valentino on the outside - as you can see in this video.

Towards evening time we look out towards the Manger and see that Sparky is in the field and Tuffy is hanging by the gate of Fletchers Field. Valentino was still in the Manger. Those two boys had busted the wooden gate!

We figure we had to give Valentino a girl. Keith chased Valentino out of the Manger, back into "The Dude Ranch", and repaired the wooden gate. I caught Tuffy, put the leash on her and walked her in front of Sparky and he followed us right back into the Manger. Meanwhile Valentino was on the rocks just outside "The Dude Ranch". He wouldn't let me come near him, so instead I put Ella May on a leash and pranced her in front of Valentino, he followed her like a dog on a hot scent, to Turkey's Gulch I lead the two love birds.

and all is well with the couple in the Manger .

The first few days there was quite a bit of activity. I saw mostly snorts, chasing, tails and tongues wagging, but no actual "deed" going on, and the girls would run up to me seeming to ask with hurt in their eyes, "why are you doing this to us?" I just apologized to them over and over.

But lately all is calm in both camps, so tomorrow I'm putting the girls back in "Fletchers Field" with the other gals and I'll move Sparky to "Turkey Gulch" with Valentino and the turkeys for the winter, since we can maintain heated water there and we can't in the Manger.

We just have to wait and see if anything happened between the males and females. I don't think they make a pee stick for goats....

Breakfast Time on The Farm

I think breakfast is the best time on the Farm.

When I walk out the door, the turkeys & cats come running down the "road" to greet me. The roosters and girl goats of "Fletcher's Field" run down to meet me also, acting like it's Mardi Gras, crowing, quacking and bleating "Throw me something Mister!"

One can't help but smile.

All the hens come out in the yard now - it has taken a long time for them to do that!
We get an average of 7 eggs a day - way to go Girls!

Breakfast for Farmer Keith & I!

The Happy Couple

"Watcha looking at?"

The mad rush in Fletchers Fields.

Girly-Girl spies Ducky's food.

"Don't mind if I do."

The rest of the goats munch away.

This isn't the best video, but I thought Girly-girl and the rooster are pretty funny.

Have you guessed?

I've figured out how to use the "drive" mode on the camera!

Farm Gallery Glamour Shots

Ducky Strikes a Pose

Ella May and Venassa

Ella May is a bit akward in front of the camera,

however, Vanessa loves the camera

"Red & White"

The kidds love being in the Big Girl's Pen.

The Roosters

"Edward" (Coocoo Moran)

"Eugene" (Polish)

"Raymond"- spanish pronounciation please (Ameraucana)

The Cats

"Carol Jean"

"Carol Jean" & "Ned"

" Ginger"

"Jasper"

"Ricky"

"Ned"

"Jimmy"

"Jimmy" & "Ned"

"Ed" & "Carol Jean"

"Franny"

Franny went missing for 1 1/2 weeks. Keith found her coincidently by "Franny's Place". She was very skinny (she's tiny normally, but she was mostly fur & bones) and her right lip had been wounded. She stayed at the barn the first day back, but by the next day she was residing at the Farm House. She is officially a house cat now and she loves it!

I didn't get good shots of all the kitties, I still need to photo, "Mary", "Jehd", "Butchy", "Lizzy" and "Phyllis T.".

Anyone who knows our family/ friends, should be able to see the pattern of the names.


And last Bandida....
The Grand Dame