So Long, August!!

The white one is a commercial large white egg.

This was NOT expected until November!  I went out to collect a couple of Escapees this morning.  Got everyone settled back into the yard and calm.  I Opened the big door to put away a small rake.  Found a hen sitting on the perch inside the coop looking into one of the nesting boxes.  I began snooping and found the eggs!

I hope I have enough egg cartons.

This past week has been a trip to Hell.  By Friday night - Dwayne ended up leaving work in the middle of the night to drive all the way home and take me to ER in Lenoir City.

By then I could only sit on the edge of the bed with my legs dangling enough to take pressure off my back.  And I had to sit on a heating pad.  I was submitting to pain pills and stool softeners – which thoroughly hacked me off.  Both of us had missed 2 nights of sleep before he’d gone back to work.  And I just couldn’t take it anymore.

They took 4 vials of blood and pushed Saline tubes – before loading me with a series of pain meds and muscle relaxers powerful enough to take me an inch away from being completely sedated – just to take x-rays.

The diagnosis was severe inflammation of my spine and hips.  They don’t know why it happens.  But they’ve started seeing a lot of it happening.  And a person doesn’t really have to do much at all for it to come along.

I’ve been – quickly – volleyed back to Heaven with a Steroid pack and muscle relaxers.  Have I mentioned before – how much I LOVE those Steroid packs?

I get things like this accomplished!  More Jalapeno Peppers and packages of breaded Okra.

This was for dinner the other night!  Our very first Dexter Beef Hamburgers!  We had our first grilled T-bone steaks a day or so before that.  But I forgot to get photos.  Grrrrr…..

Stormy and Dodger have been moved back over to the paddock where they shared with their mothers.  And the boys are in their glory!  Both boys love all the grazing.  And they’ve had fun hanging out with Bruce at the fence.  Bruce seems to enjoy having company on both sides of his place!

The only negative – they look like black ants again.  Ha!

Bruce loves the shelter Dwayne built in that paddock for Killian.  We’ve had really warm temps and he’s snapped to the cool breezes that filter through the boards.  He gets ticked off if you make him come out for any reason – until the shade from the Cedars falls over to his side from Artist’s paddock.

Dwayne got the Hay cut!  I am so proud of him!

This is his very first time cutting hay - ever!  And he did such a fantastic job!  We came out with 164 bales - minus a few left inside the baler.

Lloyd and Rita helped load onto Lloyd’s hay wagon before they all struggled with getting it up the elevator and stacked in the loft.  Everybody was flat-out torn up by the end of the day – too tired to even eat.  But we got a variety package of Dexter Beef together for him to share with Rita – along with some frozen breaded Okra that Lloyd mentioned being ready for chomping down on!

We’ve changed up rations.  All the ‘ Bigs ‘ are now receiving 2lbs. of Purina Stocker Grower ( non-medicated ) twice a day.  They receive hay in the evenings.  And this is encouraging more grazing on the whole!

Last meal in the little yard - before moving back to the big Paddock!

Stormy and Dodger are now receiving 2c. Calf Starter and 2.5c. Purina Stocker Grower ( non-medicated ) twice a day.  They also get hay in the evening.  And we’ve just never had to lift a finger to encourage those 2 growing boys with grazing!  I think it really makes a difference when they’re born on site – how well they take to the grasses they have in their pastures.

Cora and April have started eating ( DE ) Diatomaceous Earth out of the feeder bunker like Artist.  In the past – Cora had no interest.  And Miss April would take to putting her head down in it and spinning in wild circles – making wild noises.  It was like crack for her!

We’re having a serious problem finding these worms on our little pine tree that we planted in front of Artist’s paddock and on our Sunflower plant by the driveway.  The Neem barely phases them.  Not sure what to do next.

If anybody knows what these little turds are – any help would be greatly appreciated!

I’ve been putting a good deal of green beans and okra away.  I’ve even managed to get several packages of Purple Hull Peas frozen.  We’re getting ready to plant some spinach for fall season – now that the hot temps have calmed down.

Sharing one of the Tractor Tires!

I’m not quite sure what happened here.

It looks like 2 different melons are coming up.  The striped ones must be the Sugar Baby watermelons.

And the other looks like an organic honeydew that I tried to plant again.

I thought I’d replanted squash!  I’m telling ya’ – I’ve been in Hell!  This year has just been a challenge!

Dwayne’s been helping me with water buckets.  I promise.  The door is not locked!

Exercising my Hand - That's What This Is

I gained some freedom yesterday!  We headed over to the Orthopedic Surgeon’s office for post-op exam and further instructions.  I got my stitches out!  Now I’m trapped with 3 Butterfly tape stitches until this weekend.  And then – I’m supposed to become very intimate with my hand.

Get yer mind outta the gutter!  I’m supposed to massage the wound with vitamin E oil.

This time – I cornered him into clarification between a couple instructions.  I’m not allowed to carry or hold anything with weight – whatsoever – until after August 6^th.  And then I begin with light weights and work my way up.

I guess that leaves out hauling 50lb. sacks of feed around for a while more.

But I have not been an angel.  And I really don’t care what anyone thinks about it.  All the naggers are usually the ones that haven’t gone through the surgery.  Go figure.  " Shut up.  I can order Voo Doo Dolls, online. "

I got so fed up with everything being done to my body and put into my body giving me a list of more problems – enough that I made a pretty serious decision.  I just quit eating and taking any kind of pill.  I drank some coffee – on occasion.  Instead – I just drank water.

Somehow – a $15 plastic jar full of Chocolate-Covered Almonds I’d just bought at Costco dwindled down to about 1 cup left in the whole container.  Was not me.  I lost 6 pounds!  I made my husband stand with me while I got on the scale.

I still have a far way to go.  But Jen helped with getting 6 pints of Jalapeno Peppers canned.

And last night – Dwayne and I finished putting up 4 jars of homemade jelly from our ‘ Kay Gray ‘ grapes!  Our first batch – ever – so far!  We made the recipe that does not call for pectin ( less sugar! ).  Trust me.  A little bit goes a long way on a piece of toast.  And the flavor is absolutely amazing!

We got this shot of the spaghetti and yellow hook-neck squash popping for us in the tire – before we had to yank it out.  Those damn squash borers.  Maybe next year.

This is what I thought was a different variety of Kale.  Yeah.  The ranch dressing goes with it really well!  Ha!  What can I say?  The leaves never killed me!  Worked in my salads for a while – until I realized it was Broccoli.

They say you get an average of 5-6 Eggplant from this plant.  Well.  That was about 4 Eggplant back – and even more are on the way!

Our ‘Carmine Splendor F1’ Okra from Johnny’s Seeds is looking gorgeous!  And just loaded with oncoming Okra!

The Purple Hull Peas get along with the Okra really well!

I love the flowers from the Purple Hull Peas!

And the pods are huge!

The green beans are blooming now.  Won’t be long!

The Peppers are loaded and doing really wonderful!  The Lettuce is looking gorgeous.  But I’m getting ready to replant that.  Getting too tall for the peppers.

The tomatoes are doing really good.  And I’ve started letting them go to fruit.  The carrots around them are throwing out the tops like it’s nobody’s business.  And the Basil is just downright happy!

Okay – one more thing and then I gotta go.   My hand’s throwing dirty looks – threatening to slap me.  Totally showing the hand that I can use a hammer with my right hand.

Like I’d really do that!  But the hand does not know.

Anyway…

What do you do when somebody commits to cutting your hay – and then never bothers showing up or calling?

You go buy your own damn equipment.

And you never forget what happened.

Blue Hay baler in the back.

Dwayne had just picked up the sickle-mower and hoisted it off the pickup bed so he could go buy the rake.

The Rake.

Okay.  Off to rest.

Cramming - But Stuff is Happening!

Going through the adjustment of working life around a graveyard shift has been a bit wild.  It's beginning to look like I'll be doing weekly posting for now.  At best – I’ve had to keep shooting photos and filing them with dates.  Trust me.  I’m not sure I’ll be able to catch up.

Okay.  Maybe I’ll get lucky around next January. I won't be posting - period - after I have the first surgery - until I'm given the green light after the 2nd surgery.  But anyway…

Apparently – we had the experience of seeing true colors of a neighbor exposed this spring – which have left a heavy feeling of total surprise and disappointment.

Back in March – Dwayne had gone over to his place to talk with him about cutting and baling our hay field.  Dwayne was told there’d be no problem at all.

Rain has been an issue this year – causing a lot of problems with flies and getting hay cut.  This man is very aware of the fact we have cows and were running out of hay.  Dwayne offered to learn and help him with getting hay cut and baled all around our area – besides helping with our own field - and still paying the man for cutting and baling.  Dwayne would have loaded and carried to our barn – just as he did last year.

We went almost 2 weeks without hay.  Come the 2^nd week of June – we had to buy hay elsewhere.  By then – the man had never even bothered to come by or call us to warn us that he might be backed up with work.  And we - still - haven't heard from him.

But we saw him baling our other neighbor's worthless hay yesterday.  That just sealed the deal in what shows us that he never had intentions of following through on the commitment he made with Dwayne.

He could have – at least – given us fair heads up to find someone else before seed heads popped.  It appeared as if he had intentionally set out to do us wrong – without one bit of consideration for the fact we have cows that we needed to feed with that hay.

Dwayne took the tractor out to the field – and simply mowed it all down.  We won’t need any of them to cut our hay in the future.  We’ve decided to go in another direction with our hay field.

From here on out – we don’t believe what we hear out of any mouths around here.  We’ll only trust what we – see.  Kindness given will return 10-fold from our hearts and hands.  Distance will come from much more than an acre of our land – when ugliness is shed upon our doorstep.  God can have them with their every breath – through our faith in Him - without finding our footprints anywhere on their path.

We don’t allow ugliness from our own family – much less neighbors.  We have more than enough challenges in front of our faces on a daily basis – handling all this by ourselves.  We don’t deserve anyone trying to come bestow more grief on our lives – trying to run us off – just because they consider us to be outsiders - rather than newcomers very capable of contributing to helping others - which we are.

The day may come when they need help paying their utility bill – with the funds we donate every month when we pay our own bill.  Or - They might need food from those $5 tickets I hand the cashier for adding to the total at the check-out when I buy groceries – every chance I get.  Those are only 2 of several ways Dwayne and I do our part to contribute to this county where we live.

Yes.  We prefer to tithe in those ways – rather than dumping money into a plate for constructing some gigantic building that’s empty for most of the time.  Believe it or not – yes.  You can get angry and cuss – not go to any church – still believe and trust in God – and tithe.

I’ve been cramming all I can get done into every day that comes – before that first surgery.  Among so many other things – there’s been a lot of work with the veggie garden and the flowerbed around the driveway and under the front porch staircase.

I’ve wanted the area under the staircase done ever since we moved here.  Finally!  We are getting somewhere!

The Azaleas were given a heavy pruning after their blooming finished up.  I ended up finding a spare plant of each of the pink and white shrubs.  Sent the pink one home with Jen and Josh.  Planted the white one between the pink and the new red one we planted this year.

We added more garden soil.  Got the landscaping fabric laid out and staked down.  Added a brown mulch.

This poor thing has been patiently abiding in this pot for 3 or 4 years now.  It was time for it to enjoy a new home with freedom!

I hope it thrives under the staircase as well as it did in the pot before we set it by the gas meter for a bit.

Waiting on some round 18-inch stepping stones that I’ve ordered from Home Depot to be shipped to the Lenoir City unit.  We’ll be planting more color after those arrive and get put into place.

We’re keeping the little greenhouse under the staircase landing for a bit longer.  A Wren has constructed her nest inside.  I found a whole mess of eggs that have not hatched yet.  Momma Wren has not minded when we’ve moved the greenhouse a few feet out of the way while we worked on the landscaping.  She just takes off for a while – and comes back later!

Came across this Petite Pretty while we were at Out of Eden Garden Center in Maryville last week.  I am loving her!  She’s been put into her own special pot – to shine and show off in front of the staircase!

There were 2 different colors of flowers blooming when we brought her home.  But this is one of them.  And believe it or not – those are no flaws on the petals.  The color work-up in these petals reminds me of the stripes on Zebras – the spots on a Cheetah – or – the mix of colors on a Brindle puppy.  Almost a speckled effect!

( White film on the leaves is insect dust that dried after a rain. )

I picked up this beautiful little yellow Princess rose bush at the garden department inside our local FoodCity grocery store!  This little beauty is just beaming!  Seems to be perfectly happy with her new home!

We ended up pulling all our Tomato plants and replanting.  I was so glad that I kept a few extra Amish Paste Tomato seedlings!  We picked up 3 more Rutgers Tomato Plants from Bonnie's Plants.  And we chose to go with their Hybrid Beefmaster Tomato this time.  That Heirloom Beefsteak variety started the whole nightmare we experienced – with the fungus.  The soil was running too heavy with the clay.  Adding garden soil seems to be helping.

But here’s a strong tip.  They wanted $4.50 for a rinky-dink bale of Pine straw.  We spent less than $3.00 on a 2.0cu. foot bag of the mini pine nugget mulch.  Took less than 2 bags.  They love it!

The Veggie garden has grown enough that we can enjoy looking it over from up on the front porch!

Our Green Beans have popped!  We pulled the Spinach and Kale – added garden soil before planting the beans.  Patty and Cora pigged out on the plants we pulled.  Loved ‘em!

I kept one of the BlackTuscan Kale plants.  I love this variety!  I purchased those seeds from Uprising Seeds.  I’ve been enjoying it in salads.  Read in another blog that the flowers are really pretty and edible.  But I want the flowers to provide seeds for next year.  So I’m experimenting.

I am loving my BlackBeauty Eggplant bush - again - from Bonnie's Plants!  This little puppy is flat-dab loading up!

I have no idea how it happened.  But this delicious little gem is growing in front of the Eggplant.  I guess its seed was light enough to float from one bed to another.  It just showed up.  Me being me – couldn’t resist letting it grow! But it gave me an idea.

I’ve planted the SummerGlory Lettuce Blend from Park Seed every year since 2006.  I can’t recommend this variety enough!  And this year – wanting the chance for salads from the garden to extend even longer through summer – I decided to try bringing Park Seed and Bonnie’s Plants together!

I’ve got my Lettuce growing under our Jalapeno Bushes from Bonnie’s Plants.  It’s working!  You can see how the rash of afternoon Thunderstorms washed a lot of the seeds to one corner of the bed.  But I’m not worried.  Plenty of different lettuce varieties coming along!

Using those new Viagro Tomato Cages for all the Tomatoes and the Peppers and Eggplant has been working out really great!  I like these stakes because you can adjust the cross bars as the plants grow.  They support everything so well!  And you can buy extra cross bars by themselves.

I have Sweet Basil from Bonnie's Plants growing in 2 beds.  These 2 are growing behind the Jalapeno and Lettuce plants.

And just look at our Okra!  I’m growing excited more each day!  Can hardly wait to see the flowers! This is the Carmine Splendor Hybrid.  The pods are a really deep red color.  The Flowers are tinted pink.  But they are sterile.  Seed collecting will result in failure.  Still - I wanna check out the flavor and how well things turn out for breading and freezing for frying.  So far – the plants just look so pretty! 

Sharing.  Venting.  Unloading.  Dumping. Enduring.  Surviving.  Accomplishing.

Oh my gosh.  It’s all been happening in so many ways around our home – and for that matter - all around the world these days.

But my most favorite word out of that bunch is Accomplishing – by far.  How could I not feel that way after looking at these photos?

I’m able to look back.  Look over.  Look out.  And see all there  is to show for every moment when the alarm goes off and I have to take another half of a pain pill!

I can only do so much.  Whatever I don’t manage to get done before the first surgery – will just have to wait.  And I’m finished worrying.  God’s watching.  If He wants us to get some things taken care of – then I guess He’ll just have to make it happen.

Dwayne and I are the first to admit – we would just suck at being Magicians!