Travelling bags

I was productive while we were travelling and the boys were wrestling.

Testing different bag patterns. Figuring out which ones I like better.

This is the Dynamite Market bag.
Now that I'm working on my second of this pattern, and know how it should go, I really like it. I was havign a hard time with the beginning of this pattern at first (being in the car with four squirmy, excited boys, and occasional stops and scenery didn't help), but now it makes perfect sense.

You can find the pattern here: http://www.crochetdynamite.com/2013/04/dynamite-market-bag.html

The second pattern, round and meshy, worked up very similar to a few I have already done. While I like the look, the mesh stretches A LOT when you fill the bag up. I want to use these my bags at the grocery store, farmers' market and the like, and have them functional for that. To use the mesh-y type bags for the store/market I'd have to shorten the length/depth a little and/or make that mesh quite tight.
I was planning this bag for a special little girl, and don't anticipate her to have too many heavy things to carry.

Summer is already here!

I can't believe it!
We had an actual spring this year, rain and grass and green. The whole nine yards. That was nice.

Wrestling season has finally wound down for the boys (never stops for Hubby!). We spent a week in Pocatello, Idaho for the Western Regional tournament. What a busy week it was! A lot of fun tho.

Shawn brought his inner "beast" to the mat. Boy, was there some tough competition this year!

We represented Nevada well, as an individual team (Elko Wrestling), as a region (Eastern Nevada wrestling), and as a State (Nevada). There were a few medal earners from our team, and even more medal earners from Nevada as a State. 

 Hubby (in blue, in the chair on the right) is happy to coach. Everyone. This is his sport, his passion.

Although he would really rather be back on the mat himself

But man oh man am I glad to be home! It sure is stressful leaving the "farm" for a week, in the heat, with a cow due to calve ANY DAY. Of course she didn't listen to me the week before we left, when I told her I wanted to wake up to a calf! Or come home from town to a calf! Nope, she calved June 20th, the Thursday we were gone. Thankfully I have some wonderful friends!!

It's a hiefer calf! Hooray! Her name is Roryn Belle Caramel, but I told the daughter of my friend who first saw her, and called me with the news, that she could help name the calf. So we will call her Carly for her barn name.

Lots can change around here in a week!

The hay stack is dwindling

 (a never ending thing...someday I will have a real pasture!)

 But I was glad to come home and still have the ducks. Even tho Mr. Quackers, aka Darth Quaker, is onery.

Roryn is still in "time out", until I can get the lower pasture jump-proof. Or the range cows are gone. Because those tempting, loose range cow heifers are still out there, with their luring smells and calls. And they like to camp just on the other side of my fence. Oh, the Joy of life with a bull AND open range!

Carly was born and I wasn't even here to see it. I am so glad that all went well, Momma Belle didn't need help, and an awesome friend came over to make sure Carly got her colostrum. My friend was worried about her back hoof, I was worried it was a contracted tendon, but Carly is happy and bouncy now. Knows where the milk bar is and runs from one paddock to the other, tail high in the air!

Maybe she is running from bigger half brother Chuck part of the time. He IS kind of a bully (hehe, he's a bull calf). He's growing like a weed, keeping Ruthie milked dry. Now Ruthie and Chuck have separate evening quarters so I can at least get a morning milking from her!
 But Chuck hasn't grown into that halter yet. One afternoon with it on was enough for now. He had a mini lesson in leading.

Reggie the red bunny has grown, but is still sweet as can be.

Abigail is getting greyer and greyer. It's time to start some serious work with her! She's had her time to grow and mature some mentally. I'm looking forward to pushing cows with her! She loves working them, even if it's through the fence for now.

The meat birds, aka pigs with feathers, are growing like, well, pigs! They should be ready to go to freezer camp in another week or two.
I forgot to write down on the calendar when we brought them home. They were already a week old. I *think* they are 6, maybe 7 weeks old now.

And then there was the Super Moon. Sure was bright.

A much loved blog

http://time-warp-wife.blogspot.ca/2013/06/8-ways-to-encourage-your-husband.html


I've visited almost daily. Love her posts. Her encouragement.

Fourth of July dessert

That I am totally going to make!

http://sabbyinsuburbia.blogspot.com/2010/07/happy-belated-4th-of-july.html


It looks soooo good! I might have to make a "practice" one to make sure that I get a taste.

Meet Nellie

The most B-E-A-UTIFUL Jersey girl in all the land!

Miss Nellie

 Miss Nellie is 3 years old, a registered Jersey from some wonderful bloodlines. Grandma was a prize winning show cow in her day.

Nellie had a small show career with her former owner. She traveled a bit and did the local show circuit.
She came to me already halter trained, leads wonderfully. Used to being touched and handled in close quarters. Which is ideal for my small set up.

I did tell her she would have to be patient with me. I can only milk one cow at a time. Nellie is used to the large dairy set up, with many cows being milked at once.

 Nellie was accepted right into my little herd. Some sniffing and checking each other out, but they settled in rather quickly.
I'm used to all the fuss of horses. There is a lot more hustle and bustle when you add a new Equine herd member.

 But not the sweet Jersey Girls! Now I can say "Whoa Nellie"! Hahahaha, I crack myself up.

She is a few inches taller than the other girls. With a nice deep heart girth and good spring of rib. And lovely feet. Along with the most petite, feminine head I've seen yet!

We picked her up from a fair sized dairy in outside of Homedale, Idaho. They still had GREEN GRASS. And flying bugs.
I feel somewhat bad for Miss Nellie, all slicked out. Pretty, but not very warm! She's growing a fuzzier winter coat now tho.
Soon she may look like little Cinnamon!

Thankful Thursday

Well, I missed Wordless Wednesday. It was a very busy day! so here's a little pic to make up for that...

I just love the perfect heart on April's forehead! Her forelock has grown a bit to cover the top.

Back to Today.
I've been trying to post on FB, when I get on there, what I'm thankful for each day of the month. Coffee is mentioned at least once. A warm pellet stove gets some mentioning.
I'm pretty sure I've mentioned how very thankful I am for my dear Hubbs,yep pretty sure.

As he was browsing his FB last night, while I finished dinner, he mentions how sweet a friend's Thankful post about her husband was. Which got me thinking..Wondering..I DID post something like that on my page didn't I?
(Side note--Crazy how this "social media" crap has gotten so...Crazy! I hate feeling at times that FB and other such sites are running parts of my life! I should just delete the whole thing! But then my Momma would wonder what's up, what's wrong, yadda yadda yadda....so I just don't get on there that much anymore..)

Ok..Back to Thankful Thursday....

I am incredibly, extremely Thankful for my dear Hubbs. The crazy hours he has worked, in all weather conditions, to ensure that his family is taken care of. Thankful that he has such a strong work ethic, desire to work and PROVIDE for us.  It has never mattered much if I worked outside the home or not, he has done what needed to be done, taken a few crazy jobs (firefighting in the back woods of Oregon for one), to ensure that his family had a roof over our heads, food in our bellies and has indulged me with my crazy animals.

He's learned to enjoy cooking, even has his own specialty dishes. I'm thankful for that for sure!! 
It's not a big deal if I am sick, out side with animals, or just plain sick of being in the kitchen. If I have something set out, a general idea of what dinner is Hubbs is very willing to take over! I'll have a big mess to clean up later (he's getting better at that part too), but I'll take it!

I have never had to choose between selling a horse and making ends meet. For that I am extremely grateful! And now he is ENCOURAGING my crazy Jersey cow adventures!

I LOVE THAT MAN!!

Jack-o-Lantern Recycling

Pumpkins are Sunny Belle's favorite treat. I missed the free after halloween pumpkins from the local grocery stores this year. But I have lots of leads on Jack-O-Lanterns that are done with. So instead of going in the garbage, they will go into Sunny Belle's tummy.
Cinnamon is still getting used to the idea of eating pumpkins. But so far she enjoys watching Sunny eat them.

Edited 11/27/2012

Cinnamon learned to love pumpkins just as much as Sunny Belle! She decided that watching Sunny have all the fun *and* the treats was, well...No fun!

Sunny loves pumpkins!

The boys also have a grand time holding pumpkins high over their heads and SMASHING them into the ground. Everyone laughs and has a grand time.

     
 Especially the cows!

You didn't think I was going to let her have ALL the fun, did you?

She has learned the art of eating pumpkin.

Less than an hour later you would never know there was ever a pumpkin in that field!  Unless you can distinguish between a pumpkin stem and a dried up twig.
At which I've gotten pretty good!