Time for Grandkids

Just thought I'd post a few recent pics of the new grandson with my youngest granddaughter.

Although Brady adores his cousin Melody, he refuses to smile for the camera.  No matter how funny something is, when the camera comes out, the expression goes serious!  Mommy said he got that from Daddy; he hates the camera, too.

Brady had fun squirming around on Melody's lap.  Good thing it's a big chair.  She's only three years older, so he's a lap-full for her.

Just like big people, it melted her heart when he smiled at her. 

This is my favorite shot:

Seems they both really love to watch Dora!

...and each other.  

I simply must brag on the intelligence of Melody's older sister Grace.  Gracie is five and just finishing kindergarten.  I was trying to trick her last week, but couldn't because she's so smart!  She told me that she's not really smart.  I said, "Yes, you are very smart.  I bet you know the capital of Mars."  She asked, "Is capital the big or the little letter?"  I said, "The big ones."  "Oh, then 'M'."  Now, is that genius or what?

A Day Off the Farm

Today, our church sponsored Community Fest. We like to do fun things to involve the neighborhood kids.  I promised that Mr J and I would bring a couple of horses out for the event.

Someday, when I'm filthy stinking rich, I'll have one of those fancy trailers with living quarters up front.  Until then, I'll settle for the stock trailer.  Here's the rig, ready and waiting...

 

They had lots of inflatable play things.

Simulation only... not a REAL pirate ship.

I wish I had a picture of the one out front.  I didn't see it until we were leaving.  The kids were having a blast on it!  It looked like there was something in the middle to stand on, and you knocked your opponent off into the pit.  Something like this...

Someone had a couple of wagons hooked up for a hay ride around the fields.

Nekoda and Buddy were looking good and on their best behavior for the event!

They didn't like having to stay in their stalls for an hour beforehand...

I brushed them out and detangled their manes.  I wasn't about to let them out to roll!

They weren't the only horses there...

  There were a couple of minis on hand for the kids to pet.

There was even a pony pulling a cart!  The pony wasn't thrilled to hook up!

I had a perfect view of the action from under the nose of the horse trailer.

The kids had a blast.  It was cold and my joints are complaining now.  I'll probably be sore tomorrow from lifting all the big kids up into the saddle, but it was worth it.  I've never seen so many big smiles in one day!

Stars of the Family

I couldn't resist sharing this video. I do hope the link works. My daughter posted this one on her facebook page. My two youngest grands, Grace and Melody, are performing their original hit song in a local pub they call The Basement.

The lyrics aren't quite as deep as Dylan, but for their age... Hey, they're having fun!

This week on the farm...

We've had some fun and some not so fun days. Ali's 5-yr-old sister Grace came home with us Monday night. One minute they are so loving and kind to one another; the next, I want to shoot them! Fortunately, they've both had more fun than grief. They had planned on swimming non-stop, but the unseasonably cool weather dropped the bomb on that.

We did make it down the bike path today. It was Gracie's first time. Usually, that's an activity we save for the older girls. It's hard for the toddler bikes to crank out the necessary RPMs. Plus we have to go out on the highway to get to it because there is no bridge over the creek that cuts the woods in half between the house and the bike path. It's almost a half-mile trek round trip to get to the road and back down our gravel lane. They found a creature (dead butterfly) to take back and show Papaw.

Our big discovery this week is that the big sitting rock in the iris bed makes a perfect stage for impromptu performances! All you need is a push broom to amplify your voice and a sister with a couple of garden stakes to keep the rhythm.

Mommy came and got Ali tonight to give her a hand preparing for tomorrow. They are having a BBQ to celebrate Gracie's birthday (officially last Sunday) and the 4th.

Last week we had so much hot, dry weather. It was great for the farmers trying to get in their hay. Not so for us. We buy most of our hay from a neighbor two parcels over. He had arranged for the same guy to cut it that cuts the field beside us. Apparently, there was a communication problem because they only cut the field beside us. The guy finally returned our neighbors call and said he would cut & bail this week depending on the weather. I think he meant, "If it's too bad to do anything else... "

The weatherman forecasted rain. He didn't use the words slight, scattered, spotty, chance... He said there would be rain. So the guy comes and cuts the hay. Now the hay is raked into wet piles on the ground. This is not good. For you that are not country folk, would you leave your wet laundry in a heap? It molds.

It sprinkled some this morning, but I think we may be in luck. The guy turned it over to let it dry some more, and they may be able to bail it Saturday. I'm hoping they didn't ruin the hay. We won't buy wet or moldy hay. Barn fires are serious business and horses can't eat moldy hay. But even if they salvage the crop, it's still a bummer for me... Saturday, I was going to go pick up Maggie!

Even though I'm sad for my friend having to give her up, I am getting excited to have her back. Since neither my friend nor I had anything planned for the 4th, Hubby and I were going to drive up that morning to pick her up. If they bail the hay Saturday, we have to stay home and get it in the barn. I could take the trailer myself, (they probably wouldn't miss me in the barn) but hubby will probably need his truck to pull a hay wagon. So everything's up in the air!

Our horses were due for their farrier visit last week. Hubby's gelding has drier hoofs than my mare's, and we've had trouble in the past with them cracking. It was a long battle to get ahead of the problem, but finally his feet were looking terrific. Then our farrier got hurt. He called last week, the day of the appointment, to tell me that he would call back later. His back went out and he was headed to a chiropractor. Well, that was last week. We've heard he's working, but he hasn't returned our calls. And now Buddy's hooves are looking ugly. So far it's just chips and surface cracks, but if we don't get something done soon, we'll have to start all over.

That about sums up the week... Oh, except for the chick report: Nothing to report. The big green yonder is still far too threatening to venture out from the coop. Maybe tomorrow...

Taking the plunge!

Well, the pool is finally clean enough to dive in! It's still a little cloudy, but there's no green in sight! Plenty good enough for us. The water should be ready for company by Monday. These hot days have made the water temperature perfect without having to put on the solar blanket.

When I first retired 3 years ago, I babysat for my grands for a few weeks. I got one of those little $10 pools for them to cool off in. They had a blast! And they didn't care how dirty the water got!

Ali, she's going to pay you back for that!

I told you so!

G#3 seems to be getting the best of Ali here!

I told Hubby I wanted to buy a real pool. When my daughter was young I had one of those 3' deep ones that come in a box from the box stores. They don't cost much to buy or maintain, and are the perfect size to float around in on a hot day. If you knew Hubby, you'd know that it would end up beyond that...

He declared that if we were buying a pool, it would be big enough for his 6'5" frame to swim in. (He is the small one in the family.) So we ended up with this monster that comes up to my armpits! I hate all the upkeep, but I'm glad he convinced me to get it. We've had my daughter's whole family and his son & DIL all together, splashing and having fun! Worth every penny and every minute spent working on it! I wouldn't trade those memories for anything!

G#3 2007

Ali and I practiced our 'routines' today in the pool. We do these handstands and back flips, then spring up in a big Olympic style finish with our arms in the air. She scored a 9.8 on the back flip tonight... her best ever! We also do synchronize swimming. Yes, we are talented!

Ali's finally old enough that she gets I do not want to stand there and count all day. She always asked me to count how long she stays under or how many somersaults she can do without stopping. We'll never get ready for the competition that way!

Camping Out

When I was Ali's age, one of my favorite things to do was camp out! Dad would pitch the tent waaay back beside vacant field. I thought the farther from the house, the better! Once a neighbor friend and I camped in sleeping bags under the stars. I remember listening to the crickets and watching the stars. I loved it! I wasn't crazy about waking up damp! Of course, we didn't hear coyotes or packs of wild dogs. We didn't see raccoons and ground hogs scurrying about either. Maybe it would have made a difference...


Ali is a city girl; there's no denying it! Once, she and her older sister camped out in the backyard, but I was sleeping in the hammock right outside the tent door! It was so amazing! The hammock was right next to the pasture fence and my horse laid down and slept right next to me! (Sorry about all the !!!!s, but it was amazing!) Anyway, back to Ali's adventure...

I've often suggested she pitch her tent on the balcony instead of in the middle of the living room. (That's where she usually slept when spending the weekend.) Since she's here for the summer, I told her no tent in the middle of the living room.

Last night we were sitting outside at dusk. It was such a beautiful night. Unfortunately, there was too much breeze for a campfire. I asked Ali if she wanted to camp out. She said yes, if I camped out with her. I explained the effects of old people lying on mats for hours... I suggested she position her tent so that the door was right next to my bedroom door. I would leave the door open so that if she got scared she could step right inside. We negotiated until we settled upon her sleeping with the door next to my door and Sadie in the tent with her. I didn't know how that would go over, but I agreed. I figured Sadie could put up with it long enough for Ali to fall asleep. And she did...

Hubby and I were sitting in our recliners watching the news. He could hear Sadie softly whining from the tent. I figured a bit longer and I'd bring her in, but Hubby is impatient... So, as quietly as possible (yeah, right) I unzipped the tent and allowed Sadie to escape. Ali woke up. I told her Sadie was coming inside for a few minutes but that I would be out...

A few minutes later I heard the zipper. (Maybe waxing it?) Here comes Ali through the screen door, blanket and pillow in arms! I wonder if Papaw will ever get his bed back...

Grace in the Garden

Since I'm still 'under the weather' (I wonder where that expression came from) I don't have any new news to blog about, so here's a farm-fresh oldie but goodie...

Gotta love that Gracie (Grand #3).

She was trying to be a farm girl and bring in

a bucket of corn and green beans for dinner.

She is quite the drama queen!