Thank You!!

LOVE IT! (yes, I had a spoon into it immediately)
The creamiest, smoothest, sweetest golden nectar ever...and shipped so quick...very cool!
Thank You to Jayme!!

a river run....

Atticus is easier to get to the River in the back of the mule..when he has to run...it takes him a half hour longer to get there...much faster to simply load him up. Course he just might be smarter than we give him credit though...
windy day....


.......gate opener??
uh...oh.....
..........................help......snake...oh wait..thats justa chunk of rope!!
windless side of the river.....and releasing a pet baby bass.
the windy side of the River!!

the getting wet first before the wave crashing side.....




heading home and the lazy dogs...


loading up to go home...
and the video is the windy side of the River on a cool September evening....funnest times are had when the waves are whitecaps and washing you ashore. Good memories for a wonderful reason we live so close to the river!

Birthday fun!

I celebrated my Birthday for the entire weekend leading up to Labor Day! My day is the 6th but why not? So we loaded up and went to the State Fair. Gorgeous day and I had plans of trying every indulgent food there. I almost did too...but while we enjoyed all the barns and buildings and animals of all colors and breeds, I had my eye set on seeing who in our state raised Guernseys. I have Jerseys and one Jersey/Guernsey bull and really would like a splashy Guernsey to add to my herd.

I had called ahead to a rental place that supplied the electric scooters and reserved one for my Father who just had some surgery. At 80 yrs old...why not get to use a scooter anyway!!

So all over the fair grounds we tromped and through every barn and food court we could find.

I finally found a whole barn full of Guernseys and introduced myself.....to the gent who owned them anyway. He was a fella you could talk to all day on cows and I was having quite a chat...when I heard my Father exhale quite loudly and cross his arms like...(gad this is going to be all day)...so I said..oops...sometimes I can talk all day about animals and I better entertain my Pop for a bit. About then Dad asks what he wants for that little calf over in the corner. One of his helpers hollers over..$500. I perked up and thought, boy if its a girl, I'm taking her home. So I was quick to ask more questions. He is smiling pretty hard so I go along with his prank and say" So how old is SHE!" He laughs and says...about 3 days..born right here. So I walk over and check for boy parts about then and know all the while...its a bull calf. Pretty hard to come by a female dairy calf born on a Dairy Farm and they are willing to part with them. I said..OK now..whats he worth. Thats when the owner piped up and says, about $100.00. My Dad grabs for his wallet and is ready to pay right now....while me...I have 7 bottle calves at home already. Seriously...mine at home are about ready to wean. Do I want another steer calf to feed out? I told Dad to put away his money. I wouldn't let him pay anyway..I would buy my own stuff. That way if it dies I won't feel like I let him down. You just never know about babies and such.

But I needed to decide.

So...we walk around lots more and eat and enjoy the Fair. But just before we leave Dad says..."SO?" He really really wanted me to go get him...and I did happen to put my cage carrier in the back of the explorer. So I waivered just long enough to say OK!

Here's the picture of the calf after he stretched his legs in the carrier. Lets just say, he was happy to be home and stretching out proper after his 2 hr ride to my house. He's a big boy!

Doing very well on fresh goats milk ...now if only miraculously he would change his gender. I really would like a Guernsey! I just need a girl of a different color!

My cage did suffer a little after that ride though...it isn't quite as square as it used to be and some seriously rounded walls now. Oh well, at least he wasn't riding on someones lap!

missing in action..

haven't blogged in a while and need too....it seems to help with maintaining life. And it has been a fiasco lately, so I'll get busy. First though, I have reading to do to catch up on everyone!

We've had babies and building and fixing and selling going on all summer. Farmers Market is going well but it takes up too much valuable time in repairing and making ready for Winter. Seems its approaching faster and faster these days. Too little daylight already, but I think blogging and organizing will help make sense of it all. Stay tuned....

best laid plans....

My Granddaughter made individual neck bands for all ten puppies.
They were gorgeous.

All different and a wide variety of colors.
Plan:
Color code individual puppy by male or female and get individual photo of each for Facebook viewers to make choosing puppy a little easier.

Simple.....

Gather....


Awaken....


Introduce neck bands.....

Second attempt.....

This one actually had it on for a few minutes....

This one's didn't fit..... and it didn't show up anyway...fur is too thick!!

but he's a boy you know...

Give them more attention and refocus...

they don't know when to quit....

and had to have a snack.....

too low....

Too High and moving....always moving....

or sleeping...
plain cute though...

and last attempt...have son hold them for a pose...but still they move!

Realization - photographing puppies is just like photographing baby goats. Never standing still and they have a mind of their own!

The Flood of 2011..

Everyone has a sandbag fortress around their homes or businesses.

River is eye level to some...or up to their armpits to others...

Bridges are alot closer to the water...and side slopes have eroded.

Walkways are well underwater...

We're in the middle of it and its been the talk of the town since it began. The Flood!

Nowhere do you travel but that someone speaks of the damage, the stress and the nonstop worry about water.

Seriously...in the middle of South Dakota we are accustomed to drought and heat and hoppers.

They first said it was the 100yr Flood...now its the 500yr Flood.

Regardless, when a thundercloud appears on the horizon, people scurry.

Everyone in this area knows their elevation. Its flooding at the 1434 elevation and thousands of roads and homes are being assaulted. Flash Flood Watches/Warnings are always scrolling. I have loaded more sandbags than my screaming buldged disc can allow.

I on the other hand live on a bluff overlooking the vast Oahe Dam/Missouri River. Just several miles upriver from one of the largest earthen dams in the US.

My elevation is 1856.

I get tornadoes....but at least I know a few more people who might just come help pick up the pieces if I blow down the draw, and yes...it is bad...but it could ALWAYS be worse.

I still find a fascination with a Thunderstorm though and what happens happens....its all going to be fine....Just Fine!

Feeding frenzy...

I have 6 bottle babies. One needs to be weaned, but we like him. I'm thinkin I don't want to give him a complex and make him feel neglected. So I water his down a tad.

He hasn't noticed.

I should get a video but it takes all hands, legs and the occassional armpit to feed in the mornings and nights. Sure I have some bottle holders...but some finish faster than others and you better be ready. When they see you coming at the right hour of day, they're always moving fast and licking their lips. Milk...its an addiction!