This Week...

Where did the week go. It seemed to just float by. We, as always, did many tasks. I stored green apples in the basement. I seemed to remember my grandma wrapping each apple in paper and then placing them in a dark place, so that is what I did. I am curious if this will actually prolong their shelf life. Does anyone know? We still are getting plenty of lettuce, tomatoes, and green beans. I picked a mess of them. Does anyone know what a 'mess of beans' actually is? It is an old saying in my family and yet I have no idea what it means. I do know though, that there is nothing finer than going out to the garden and picking food fresh for the table. I encourage everyone to grow greens especially. Loose leaf lettuces, kale, swiss chard, and spinach are very easy to grow and so very tasty and good for you. If you plant them every 30 days or so, you can keep them coming well into winter. At least in this climate you can.

We also had some good friends, Randy and Melody, come out to go riding. She loves to ride and so her husband surprised her with a visit to the ranch for her birthday. It was a special day enjoying the scenery, friendship and the horses. We decided Sweet Willie must have some Labrador retriever in him because every time we crossed water he took his sweet time splashing and playing. I know the photo is a bit blurry, but it was a time of action! Do you see Flower, the goat, on the rock. She came on the 2 hour ride just to taunt the horses, I think. They are't too fond of her. Perhaps Willie was hoping to drown her.

Then, of course, we had to do something about my new geriatric cows. We really needed to take a closer look to see what I purchased as well as to vaccinate, de-worm and brand them before turning them out with our herd. Overall they were sweet. A couple of them were a little 'high headed' and I think they will probably be taking a trip back to the auction yard in the spring, and one old cow had no teeth and no number on her hip indicating how far along in her pregnancy she is. So I think that means she ain't pregnant. Check out this cow's hip and all of her brands. The last one is ours. She even had them on the other hip too, maybe she is just into tats. But I think that is wishful thinking. All of these brands seem to indicate that she has been passed along a time too many. And that can't be good. Ahhh. Me and my impulses!

Lately, Mark has been busy learning how to drive the school district's buses. He will soon finish his training and then be hired as a substitute driver. Everyone says he is crazy to take on such a task, but I think he'll like it. And he does have a lot of experience driving these roads due to all the firewood he has been delivering the last few years. Just this week alone he delivered 18 cords in 3 days! Our oldest son, Zac, is visiting us again and when he is here there is always a little good old fashioned competition between him his brother Eric. Those young men sure know how to work! They must have gotten it from their dad.

Today, it is raining. Rain is good.