I think it’s high time I introduce you to my world of “fitness”. We don’t have time for the “gym world”……besides, what would I wear?! I don’t have all the cool and cute gym clothes. All I have is old and ragged chore clothes that have “forever stains” on them. Besides that, I don’t have to worry about anyone watching me out of the corner of their eye. It’s just me and the bossy bovines. So, roll up your sleeves……I’m going to give you a little workout.       First of all…..do you remember what a pitchfork is? It’s important to have 3 to 4 of them laying around the farm. They sure come in handy when it’s time to bed down calf hutches. This big pile of straw needs to be distributed down that row of hutches. Nobody gets to eat until this is finished. I wanted to run and hide when I saw this big pile. Help! The dogs are absolutely no help at all! Just me and the Boss Man. Too bad it’s a school day.     Earl took the loader tractor and tried to pull the bale apart and put it on smaller piles. That makes it a little easier to “fork” and “throw”. Still……it’s a shoulder and arm workout that will make you ache by the time you’re done. I feel about bedding down calf hutches the way the boys feel about Cross Country running.       Here we have Earl demonstrating how it’s supposed to be done. Take a huge bite with your pitchfork and throw it inside the hutch. Over and over and over. No stopping for a drink either. Well, just a little one. Maybe this is where I get my “big bite” eating habits?!      Then the cows have to walk over and investigate. In their minds, they have to check and make sure we’re doing a good enough job. It’s for their babies, you know. If they’re not satisfied, they proceed to drop a “full load” on the fresh straw to show their displeasure. That’s about the time I go “nuts” and lose my temper.       This is what it looks like when everything is finished. Nice and fluffy and ready for the next wave of brand, new calves. Great job! Wait! Don’t leave just yet, I have another job that needs to be done.        Go ahead and unload this pile of firewood. I picked this up to clear the way for more hutches. So, now I’m going to use it for my “ring of fire”. This is good exercise, I’m sure. I’m not interested in exercise right now….I’m hungry as a bear!           Well, it’s finally time to eat breakfast. Or is it lunch? We’ll call it brunch. This should help me gain back all the calories I just “burned” off. Maybe a nap would help put it back on too…………………..Carol

     First of all…..this is another post that is not meant for the “faint of heart”. I’m going to throw my “girl manners” out the window and talk “straight talk” for a bit. I’ll call it “farm lingo”, so you know what I’m talking about. If you can’t take the heat, turn away. If you’re a brave soul….come along for the ride. I want to show you what’s going on in my world besides cows and calves.     Oh my goodness! What have we here? Yep! It’s a basket full of little puppies. And they’re all ours…..for now. I just about had heart failure. What in the world am I going to do with more dogs?! Something has got to give…..and I have the perfect solution. It’s my farm platform…..”off with the nuts”!       All the drama started right here. This is Sausage……also known as “Saw Mutt”. I have no idea where the kids come up with these crazy nicknames. Remember back some time ago when it was a “humping frenzy” around here with four male dogs? Yes, I was in a frenzy myself, and so the dogs took a nice little trip to the veterinary clinic. All of them except for Sausage. We felt sorry for him because he was such a little runt. So, he was allowed to keep his “nuts”. Huge mistake!         Some pathetic loser dropped off a female dog that they didn’t want anymore. I sure wish I could get my hands on them. This poor dog was so skinny and skittish that we couldn’t even get close to her. She still looks pathetic. I guess Saw Mutt thought she was very beautiful because here we are, five puppies later. We’ve been able to pet her and get close enough to feed her, since she’s had her puppies. When cows are skinny and frail like this, it’s impossible to get them bred. I guess that doesn’t apply to dogs?!      We’ve never had puppies before. It’s always been cows and cats that procreate around here. This is all new to us. Candace is so excited. My heart sank when I first heard the news, but now I’m getting used to the idea. They are kinda cute. I warned Candace that we cannot keep them. She’s going to have to find homes for all of them and the Mother.      Yessiree! Sausage is a proud Papa! His “nuts” are dragging the ground, but not for long. I am going to be a responsible adult and take the Saw Mutt for a little “road trip” to the veterinary clinic. No more “hanky panky” for him. He isn’t meant to be a family man. All of our dogs are just plain ‘ole hounds. That’s the only way.       Meanwhile, one of our many black cats decided to also give birth. I was walking out to the barn on a rainy, chilly morning and discovered this “thing” giving birth right there on the concrete. For heavens sake cat, can’t you find a better place?! So, being the responsible adult that I am, I found a box for her to lay in. She popped out 7 little “maggots”. Here again, what in the world am I going to do with more cats?! Free kittens anyone?         So, there you have it. The facts of life! Things are getting pretty “spooky” around here. It IS getting close to Halloween. My, my, my…..baby calves, kittens and puppies. Sure hope the chickens don’t surprise me with baby chicks. The only thing left to do is to pick up my “girl manners” again, dust myself off, and go out and make my Mother proud. Is that the responsible thing to do…………….Carol

        Where are my boys? Why are they not out in the barn helping me with all those chores? Why are they coming home at midnight? Aaaahhhh…..yes. It’s called “marching band”, and “cross country”. They’re busy marching to the “beat” and running to the “drum”. Last weekend was “Band Day”. I left the farm for a few hours to go check it out and take a few pictures of my “soldiers” marching.                Wow! Just look at those fancy hats. That’s the main attraction. Oh, and the instruments are pretty awesome too. This is Marshall’s first year to “march”, and of course he’s loving every minute. I always have to think of those toy nutcrackers when I see them in their uniforms.        It seems a little chaotic when they’re all trying to get dressed and ready to march. How do they survive? The sun is beating down and those uniforms are extremely hot. Maybe that’s why they don’t have “old people” like me in a marching band?! Oh to be young again!      Well, looks like these three stooges found all their attire. The one on the right isn’t quite there yet, but almost. Just one more “tug” and you’ve got it. The little squirt in the middle looks very ornery. Then we have the farm dude. Would you trust these three to babysit your kids? Or dogs? Maybe the cats.       1, 2, 3, go……or something like that. Our band marched but didn’t actually compete because they were hosting the event. So, the pressure wasn’t quite as intense. Michael and Marshall are out there in the middle if you can find them. How can they march and play at the same time?       Imagine for a second that I’m in the color guard. I’m pretty sure that I would trip over my own feet and fall flat on my face. Next, I would probably “bonk” my neighbor on the head with my flag and knock him down too. It would be like a domino effect. The moral of the story……I need to stay in the stands and take pictures. No marching allowed for “milkmaids” unless it’s to the barn.      Marshall informed me that they’re supposed to keep their hat low so that they have to keep their chin up. I need to take notes on these things and see if maybe I can get some faster “marching” at home when it’s chore time.        I told you those uniforms are hot. Whew! When they finally get to take them off……..their shirts are soaked and their hair looks like they just took a shower. The directors pass out water bottles and make them drink. If they don’t….they get the “evil eye”. Marshall told me that……and how does he know?!       Well, there you have it. I had to brag just a wee little bit. Not too much. We wouldn’t want anyone getting a big head. When I grow up…….I’m gonna march too. I need to decide what instrument I want to play……………………Carol

       I think it’s safe to say that fall is officially here. We’re into October….I’m seeing lots of pumpkins, mums, and pansies. I’ve been trying to get the farm decorated for the season. Whether it be Halloween or Thanksgiving…..I try to cover them both. Come along, and I’ll show you what “farm folk” like to do to make their place look festive for Fall.         I love Scarecrows! I usually buy at least one new one each year. I keep them rotated from new to old. When you own as many dogs as we do……you’re sure to lose one as a “chew toy”. This guy is brand new…..knock on wood…..the dogs haven’t destroyed him yet.      I’m a sucker for pansies. If I can keep them watered….they’ll survive the winter. I’ve even seen them bloom under the ice. Then we have the pumpkins. I bought these beauties because I don’t know how to grow nice, big pumpkins. Have you noticed how the nicest ones are always on the bottom of the pile? I always dig, grunt, and stand on my head to get the best one. Sure hope no one is watching.       This flowerbed was bare and I thought it needed a little pizazz. What better way then to plant pansies? Now to keep the dogs from trampling them. I love my stacked farm animals. They add “character”. Do flowerbeds have character?       Let’s not forget the bed out by the road. Those corn shocks are “homegrown”, and the scarecrow survived the dogs last year so……here he is again. His job is to welcome everyone to the farm. Which consists of the milkman, feed man, inspector, and the dumpster dudes. The black cat is a “photo bomber”.        Ok, this poor guy has been through the “mill”. I don’t know how old he is, but he’s losing his pants. I tried to duct tape him together, and it worked for awhile…..but then he went back to falling apart. I decided…..whatever! As long as he’s happy, I’m happy.       Mums! What’s not to like about them?! Most of the time they’ll come back year after year. Bright, beautiful colors….and they bloom for weeks.      So there you have it…..fall on the farm. The “teenagers” want to wish you a “happy Fall”. They’re sorry for being naughty at times, but they were just “sowing their wild oats”. Don’t kid yourself, they’re still “trouble makers”…….the watering hole is made for “cow gossip”. I wish I knew what they were saying…………………Carol

       Wow! Things are happening fast around here. We’ve got baby calves “popping” out everywhere. Sometimes 3-4 a day. Whoa Nellie……slow down bovines. I told Earl……I’m not sure I’m ready for this. His response was……Ready or not, here they come. So, here’s to another calving season. Tag along and I’ll show you what we’re doing these days………………             Here we have Mama visiting her little one. She had a set of twins…both heifers. That means they’re girls. She’s a busy Mother……constantly licking and talking to them. That’s how they show their love to their calves. Just so you know, their tongues feel like sandpaper. Been there, felt that.       Every morning Boss Man heads to the back pasture to check on the “Mothers in waiting”. He counts the new ones and makes sure they’re vaccinated as soon as possible. Then we start picking them up and putting them away into their own little private condos……that’s what I like to call their hutches.       They like to play “peek-a-boo”. We “prop up” the back side of the hutches with a cinder block to create air flow. It still gets pretty warm during the day so we’ll have to do this until cold weather is here to stay. Brrrr……I’m not ready for that either.     Thank goodness Candace is home right now. We call her the assistant manager. She’s the one that helps Earl keep all the records organized, identify all the cows, and bring in newborns. She can get away with things that nobody else can. Is it called “Daddy’s girl”? So, if I want something done…..it’s always a good idea to go through her first. Haha Pretty sneaky!       We’re getting a lot of red and whites this year. Baby calves are a lot like human babies…..they sleep all the time. Then when they’re not sleeping, they’re screaming at us to feed them. So basically, I’m raising my family all over again. Help……I’m too old for this!      The boys help out whenever they can. School work, cross country meets, and marching band keeps them running around in circles. Some days they don’t even know where they’re going. They just get on the bus and ride. I’m trying to keep uniforms cleaned and ready to go. Some days I fail at that too….pop them in the dryer to freshen them up. Shhh…..don’t tell anyone. Well, there you have it…..life on the dairy farm. I’m burning the candle at both ends. Are those smiles fake or what?!………………….Carol

        I’ve been hearing a lot of talk about the little town of Pawhuska, Oklahoma. I decided this is the month to take a little day trip. A birthday and an anniversary is reason enough…right?! I made the mistake of talking about my plans in the milk barn. The cows got wind of it and the news traveled like wildfire throughout the herd. They couldn’t wait to mess up our plans…..and did they ever. We had 4 new calves that morning…..and our first set of twins. Now what do we do?       Well, we worked non-stop and finally got in the house about mid-morning. It was a toss up….should we give it up or persevere? We decided to persevere. There was no way we were going to let the cows win on this one. We made it….let’s go see what the fuss is all about.      What a beautiful, old building. I love renovated and restored buildings…..keeping as much of the old as possible. Of course it was jam-packed full of goodies. I even saw “men” in the store. It was totally OK, because one of them was Earl. Haha     Yep, we are off the farm. The cows are on auto-pilot and we’re going to keep driving until we get to the west coast. Haha Just kidding…..we have to be home for chore time.       We ate lunch at the Mercantile, and we waited maybe 5 minutes max. It was the perfect day to go. No long lines or crowds of people. Check out this chicken fried steak that Candace ordered. Holy Moly! That is one huge plate of food! We took most of it home with us.      You know me…I couldn’t walk away without buying a few sweet treats. A nice assortment to go with my coffee the next morning. Everything I tasted was delicious.      When we left the store, we decided to go walking around the outside a bit. What else does this town have to offer? We saw a few interesting sights…….      Lots of cute, little boutiques. We didn’t have a whole lot of time, so we passed through quickly. I’m sure I could find something I can’t live without.       That’s right…a pawn shop. A very unique pawn shop. Every Cadillac needs a set of longhorns on the hood of the car. Yee-haw! Notice the guns…..fully loaded! Haha If this doesn’t get your attention, I don’t know what will. My, my, my…..and that pink flamingo. How much money would it take for you to drive this “get up” to your next family reunion?!      I know there’s more to the town than what we saw that day, but we had to hurry home and see how many more calves needed to be picked up that evening. We’re having a population explosion right now. It’s crazy! Once it slows down again….I’m ready to head on back to Pawhuska. I’ve got some more exploring to do. Anyone care to join me? I’ll have Boss Man stay at home so we don’t have to rush around and be back for evening chores…………Carol

P.S. This calf is one of the twins born the morning of our departure…….cute little stinker.

Whew! I think hay season is finally coming to an end. We were so ready to put all the hay equipment away and “slam the door”. That’s a figure of speech because our hay barns do not have doors. This summer has been an extremely busy year for hay. 2500 bales and then some. We’re talking huge, heavy monsters. Boss Man doesn’t like to mess around with little, dinky biscuits. When it comes to hay….bigger is better.         I made the kids climb to the top of the pile and strike a pose for me. They don’t look very excited, except for Marshall. It’s no easy task climbing on top of round bales…..or maybe I’m just aging a bit. I can still do it though, because I practiced when I was out in the hay field. Hopefully no one was watching. Haha       Here we have Boss Man tucking the bales in nice and tight. The raccoon and possum will make their bed up on the top this winter…..leaving behind little tell-tale signs. Earl is the “master” at stacking hay into a barn. Michael is getting there, but still needs a little practice. I’m lagging way behind. I just can’t get the hang of it…..do I really want to?!        Candace and I were the designated haulers “bringing in the sheaves”. So, when the barns got full….we moved to the overflow area. We just stack them in rows along the fence line. It was girls against guys for the day. They were mad at us and we were mad at them. We were seeing hand signals that we’ve never seen before…..and I thought I knew all of them. Sign language is a huge part of dairy farming. You use it when working cattle, driving tractor, etc…. Some is good and some not so good. In the end, you smooth everything over with a chocolate milkshake. Haha            It didn’t take very long to wrap everything up and go home. Both tractors were stacking and with both of us hauling…..we had it done lickety-split. Thank goodness! Tempers were just about to ignite. Is that a sign that it’s time to “slam the door” on the hay season?! Amen!     Here’s a picture of my hay bale maze. It doesn’t look very scary, but walk through it at night…without a flashlight. The end is far, far away. There are lots of spiders from “Charlotte’s Web” throughout the whole thing. I drove into a web and had a huge spider riding with me on the four-wheeler. And you might find a black snake here and there. If you’re brave…..come on over. Halloween is just around the corner. I might be able to scare the pants right off of ya….Haha Just so you know….Boss Man is scared to death of spiders……………………..Carol