Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Vacation Pics #3

The new outside shower at the beach! We still need to get a curtain for the opening and I need to finish decorating it! Cold water only this time!
5 of the 6 Gaff top that were caught on Saturday-Gotta get that clothes line painted!

Jason & LeAnn-I do believe she out fished him!!


I think this will be the last of the pics that I'll post from last week. We had such a great week! Anyway-when I got home from work yesterday, Jeff had butchered 3 rabbits. I was wondering what I was gonna fix for supper-but mystery solved when there is fresh meat in the kitchen sink! I lightly browned one, then smothered it in gravy to finish cooking-good eatin'! One went in the freezer-it was kinda big- so I'll have to slow cook it and Jeff's Mom wanted one-so we later took it up to them. The hens have all but quit laying-it's just so hot and dry! We checked out the fence across the road yesterday and will move the cows up there this afternoon. Rainbow somehow got out last time-but we couldn't find anyplace that the fence was down. There is a little grass up there and a roll of hay that they didn't touch last time they were in that pasture. The grandkids helped us clean up the garden a little-they love throwing the old cucumbers over the fence to the chickens and cows-Jordan can throw a pretty good way, so he had the cows really searching for them! I got all the grass out of one of the beds and started on another-I may have to get the lawn mower and weedeater in there to get it back under control!



Well-I need to go get ready for work-Have a great day!

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

More Vacation Pics!

Jeff & Tim with the speckled trout they caught. They were both the same size-but Tim's was a little meatier!
Jeff, Tim & Jason seined at the beach and caught a LOT of bait shrimp! They weren't quite big enough to eat-but were perfect to fish with!

Jeff-in Jason's boat- with his big speckled trout!


Well, we made it through the first day back at work! Mine went very quickly in fact and Jeff said his did, too! I'm still working 10 hr days this week and my supplemental pay sheet was turned in yesterday for all the extra time I have worked-around 75 hours-HEH! Our 30th anniversary is Sept. 15th and we are trying to decide what we want to do. We have checked into Fredricksburg and might go there-but we had such a good time at the beach last week-we really thought about just spending some time there. But we would only spend the weekend working! And since it is such a big milestone in our lives-we really want to do something special. The main problem-other than money!-is time. School will be in full swing by then-but my boss has already told me I can have some time off. We'll probably take a Friday and Monday off-but nothing's set yet!



Jeff had fish fried when I got home yesterday-I had him grill some for me-they were SO good! We put several bags in the freezer on Saturday from the ones that were caught. Finally-fish in the freezer again! We had bought some table shrimp right off the boat last week and froze them,too-so now we can have fish and shrimp down at the beach again!



We are back to needing rain again! We have only had little hit and miss showers lately and it's getting dry. I haven't even paid any attention to the garden lately-it's nothing but weeds-although there are still a few tomatoes trying out there. I have been thinking a little on a fall garden and what I might want to get planted. Gonna have to get on that one soon!



Have a great day! :)

Monday, July 27, 2009

Great Vacation!

Jeff & Tim putting down the pallet of grass we bought-you couldn't believe how much a little bit of green in the yard makes the place look SO much better! We had such a pretty yard before the storm!
The flounder I caught and the 3 croakers we caught early in the week! I was SO excited-I haven't caught a flounder in a long time!


Jeff coming out of the new shed-we still had LOTS of stuff piled around-it looks much better now-still have to finish that painting, though!

We had SUCH a great week!! We did have lots of rain-about 5 inches on Saturday evening after we got settled in-then nearly that much again on Thursday evening with scattered rain showers through the week, but we really didn't let it stop us much! We got the shed finished-minus the paint due to the rain-and still need something permanent for the roof. It does have a least 2 coats of white-but needs a few more. We did get some fishing in-better at some times than others! We rode the ferry on Tuesday and went into Galveston for awhile. Tim & Candy came down on Wednesday-David's girlfriend had to be back home in the Woodlands by 4:00 on Thursday for work-so they took the kids home and then drove back-Bless their hearts-that's way too many miles for me! Then early on Friday morning-Jason & LeeAnn came down with their boat and the fishing really got serious! They had a hard time finding bait on Friday-so Saturday they got after it and caught 3 BIG speckled trout! Tim and me went with them that evening and Tim caught a big one too. They started catching really big gafftop, too. I caught a hardhead. We were fishing several of the reefs in the bay and had a wonderful time!



All the animals here seemed to have grown a foot while we were gone! Jeff will definitely have to butcher rabbits this week! The turkeys surely are a pair-one is now alot bigger than the other. We took the hen away from the bitties-they are completely feathered out now. The calves are growing very nicely! Alana and Ricky did a good job of taking care of everything! Thanks!!



Boy, is it hard to get ready to go back to work this morning! But we were both ready to get back to it this morning. Jeff had stumped his toe on a brick yesterday and scraped it pretty bad. I knew it wasn't gonna feel too good in his steel-toe work boots this morning. When he left for work he said it wasn't just the boots-he'd only worn flip-flops all week!-but that his work clothes hurt him everywhere they touched him!!



Since my internet is SO slow-it'll take a few days to post my pics-so stay tuned for more fish pictures-some are really great!! Have a great day-gotta go get ready for work!



Friday, July 17, 2009

Happy Birthday, Jeff!!

Jeff doing one of his favorite things-tending to his cows!

Today is Jeff's 49th birthday!!! My vacation starts today and Jeff's tomorrow! We'll be leaving in the morning for the beach. The grandkids have been in VBS all week and the end party is tonight-so we'll go and see their plays and songs.

It RAINED yesterday! It started to sprinkle when I got in from work and rained steady for nearly an hour! We got almost 1/2 inch and the weather radar is showing more getting close this morning! I told Jeff that it looks like we might have a wet vacation-but we need the rain SO bad-it's OK. If it starts to rain too much at the beach-we can always come home. We have LOTS to do around here, too!

The calves are doing great. The little heifer was really feeling good this morning-running all through the pasture-tail straight up in the air! The turkeys are growing-but are still very scared of every movement. One of them is quite a bit bigger than the other-maybe we will end up with a pair! Alana and family will feed for us while we are gone and are in daily contact with us. hehe You would have to know Alana to understand that comment!

Well-it is getting a little dark and windy here now and of course-I have to go into Porter to look for some bamboo fencing we are wanting for the beach. Sure don't want to complain about the rain! Have a great week!

Monday, July 13, 2009

Productive & Fun Weekend!

Jeff & Tim finishing up on the door of the new shed. We'll put the siding up next weekend.
They took a break on Saturday for awhile and we all went down to the beach. They seined for some bait-didn't catch much-but did catch a big crab. No fish and it was really hot-we went back top the camper and took a nap.

We had a really work/relaxing weekend! Tim & Candy made it to the beach before us on Friday-and after some looking around-came up with a MUCH better setup for us-THANKS!!! The way we had the trailer parked on the lot-we were NOT getting any of our wonderful sea breeze. So--they hooked up to it and Candy & me took everything down and then Jeff got it backed between some of the remaining pilings-almost TOO nerve wracking to watch! There is about a foot on 1 side and 6 inches on the other-but we have our wonderful breeze back-and with this heat-believe me-you want it!


Then on Saturday morning-they got busy on the shed-revised again! We decided to go with only half the size of the original plan. After putting the trailer in facing the road-it left the backside-where the shed was going-completely on the slab. So-with the shed cut down to half size-it gives us a patio area behind the camper! It is in the morning sun-but will be shaded in the late afternoon. The front side will once again have a porch swing-Jeff bought me a new one last week-but didn't tell me. He didn't bring it with us 'cause he knew there wasn't a place to hang it yet! The gazebo is still helping to shade the front of the camper and serves it's purpose wonderfully well to have someplace to get out of the unrelenting HOT sun!


The calves are doing great! I didn't get out in the pasture with them yesterday-but they seem to be getting to know each other-can't wait until they start running throught the pasture together playing-so much fun to watch! The garden is gone-When it cools off a little-I plan to get out there and plant a little more-get some tomatoes in where they will end up being covered by the greenhouse come winter time.


Have a great week! And stay cool!

Friday, July 10, 2009

Another New Calf!!


Momma Cow finally had her calf-a HEIFER!! She was born around 3:00 yesterday afternoon. She is close to the most active one we have ever had-only 4 hours old and she was running and bucking in the pasture-SO cute to watch!

The hen and her chicks are doing well-I just wish we could put her back on the ground so they could scratch around, but I can't take the chance of something eating them! The 2 turkeys are growing-but they are just SO skitish-I'm scared they are gonna have a stroke when someone walks by their cage.

We are heading down to the beach some time today-don't know how long Jeff will have to work. I have to go into Cleveland and pick up a few groceries and buy birthday presents. This is our busy month for family birthdays-8th-Curtis; 10th-Hailey S.?; 13th-Kip; 15th-Bubba; 16th-Brandy; 17th-Jeff; 20th-Cayden; 24th-Randy;31st-Jamie & Kelley-Then a week later on Aug. 7th-Kaytlynn & me-I don't think I left anyone out! Anyway-this is the only day I have to pick out gifts-So I have to get it all done this morning! We leave for vacation next Friday-It's the week that the whole school district is closed down for the summer, so we'll head on down to the beach. Don't know if we'll stay the whole week or not-just depends on what's going on here and the weather. It is still just SOOOO hot here! 100 degrees plus EVERY day and little or no rain in sight. Our pasture was starting to look a little better after the rain the other day-but it's getting crunchy again.
Have a great weekend!

Thursday, July 9, 2009

HAPPY 79th BIRTHDAY PAPAW!!!

Momma Cow-still no calf!!

Yesterday was Jeff's Dad, Curtis', 79th birthday! I wasn't feeling well when I got in from work-so I didn't go up and see him-Jeff stopped in on his way home-like he does everyday-and spent some extra time with him!

Momma cow still hasn't had her calf. This picture of her was taken on Sunday and by Tuesday her udder seems about to burst! Just makes my hands hurt looking at her(having to milk by hand!). The bull calf is doing great-he is keeping Rainbow nursed down! We had to take the hen and bitties out of the chicken pen and put them in a cage. I went out to check on them and a couple of the hens were eating a bitty!!! I had to leave for work-so I just said a quick prayer that they'd still be some when I got home! Only 2 were missing-so we are down to 5. The sow came back in heat-so they are in together again since Monday. I wonder if the temps have anything to do with it? I know it affects the rabbits-I haven't bred any of them for months now. And we are only getting about 3 eggs a day right now!

Planning on leaving tomorrow afternoon for the beach! Tim & Candy are going in the morning and we'll leave when Jeff gets home from work. Momma cow will have her calf this weekend while we're gone-just wait and see!

Monday, July 6, 2009

Weekend's Over!

Well-it turned out to be an OK one-at least Mom is finally home! She got home on Saturday evening and is doing well. She did have some kind of spell last evening-but I think it is all the Meds-she's gonna check with her Primary Doc this morning and make sure she's not over-doing it with some of them!
We moved the cows across the road yesterday into the other pasture. There is some grass there and Jeff put the last of the old hay rolls in that pasture. He said they didn't even look at it-they were enjoying the grass. We had sat in the yard and watched them eat beside the garden again for awhile before walking them over. The calf was SO cute! He layed down and started chewing on the water hose like he was trying to nurse from it! And , of course, he quit doing it by the time I got back out there with my camera!
We have 7 bitties at last count. The hens came out of the nest when Jeff fed and 2 bitties followed. Jeff said there was such a fight and a few more eggs were pipping-that he caught them and put them back in the nest. Something will have to be done with them this afternoon. One of the turkeys managed to get out of the cage while we where out there and the rooster almost killed him before Jeff got in there to catch him-so that must be what happened to the missing one.
And it rained twice last night before we went to bed! The first was just a slight sprinkle but the second was a pretty good shower! We have a 30% chance today and 40% tomorrow!! Bring it on! And our Temps are finally dropping-Only mid 90's this week instead of 104 degrees! Looking foward to a weekend at the beach!! Have a great day!!

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Happy 4th of July!!!!

Hay Bales in the Field!!

Hay Baler at Work!!

3 bitties-1 is hiding-and their mom's!



Happy 4th to Everyone!!!



Ok-First things first-again! We haven't been home since Thursday-Mom did not get to come home-the Docs thought she was bleeding internally-thank God she wasn't-but she did have to have 2 units of blood on Thursday. She wasn't feeling well and her old friend Divaticulitus-I know I didn't spell it right-flaired up again-causing her a great deal of pain! But they have been treating her for it and Shorty has gone to the hospital to bring her home. So we decided to run home-Oh-we've been staying up there with Shorty since Thursday-and check on things here. And we found that the hens have hatched 3 bitties! They are SO cute popping out from underneath their moms! They are due to hatch on Monday and there are still quite a few eggs under them! Momma cow still hasn't had her calf yet-but the little bull calf-he still doesn't have a name-poor thing-is doing wonderful.



Jeff hauled hay almost ALL day yesterday-luckily the field is only about a mile or so from Mom's. It hasn't been cut in a few years and ended up with a total of 70 rolls of hay. Jeff brought 32 bales to Mom's and 2 to a friend of their's. They put 1 out to Shorty's cows and they had eaten over half of it by the next morning! It hasn't rained at their place in way over a month-it is SO dry up there!



We'll be heading back up to Coldspring shortly-we are planning to BBQ at Mom's this evening and Jeff has made up a batch of homemade yeast rolls for her-her favorite! Just gonna keep it real low key and see how things go from there. We have spent the last several years-at least 10 or more-at the beach for the 4th of July-so this will be quite a change for us. But it is OK-everybody is doing well!! Be safe and have a fun evening!!

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Soft-Shell Egg


One of the hens layed this soft-shelled egg on Sunday. They look really cool-but we just give them to the hogs. The kids-and Ricky-were really facinated by it. We've been told that the hens lay one at the beginning-or end-of their laying cycles. And since none of my hens are new layers-? We have been blessed with MANY eggs so far this year!

Mom is supposed to be coming home from the hospital this morning. HEH!! She finally got in a room yesterday afternoon. They got her a phone in the CCU room-she could only call out-and she called me at work. She sounded SO good! I know she can't wait to get home this morning! I work from 7-9:00am this morning-then I'll go up to their house and see what I can get ready. Aunt Linda went up yesterday and cleaned what she could.

I don't think we'll go to the beach this weekend-anyway that's the plan right now. The hay cutters finally showed up at Shorty's yesterday-they NEVER showed last year! So looks like we're gonna be hauling hay this weekend! But that is DEFINITELY a good thing! We have already bought 10 rolls @ $50 a piece because we were afraid they wouldn't show up again and we'd be scrambling for hay again this winter. At one point, we had to pay $80 a roll last winter! YUCK!!

Guess I better go-gotta get ready for 2 hours at work this morning! Have a good one!

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

We Got Some RAIN!! Happy July 1st!!

Jeff picking tomatoes in the garden.

One of the sunflowers-Can you see the bumblebee?


It RAINED!!! And , boy, did it! We got 3-yes 3, inches yesterday! Of course, it was too much-too fast-but it looks so much better here already!


Mom is still in the hospital. She was supposed to be moved out of the CCU yesterday into a managed care room-but there weren't any available. Hopefully they moved her during the night and she'll get to come home today. I only work 2 hours tomorrow-so I'll either go to the hospital when I get off at 9:00-or go to her house and get things ready for her to come home.


And the calf is finally nursing on his own! YEAH!! What a relief! The 2 turkeys are doing well. I weaned 1 pen of bunnies-only a litter of 2. We have 2 more litters that were born a day apart-1 is almost ready to wean-3 of them, the other one had 10 ! She has 7 left and there is a huge difference in the sizes of the 2 different ones. But is just SO hot out there on them! We expected Momma Cow to have her calf overnight-but it hasn't arrived yet! hehe Jeff put a roll of hay out for them-maybe they'll give the grass a little chance to catch up with the rain. Have a great day!!