Again

Well, after replanting most of my garden Friday, it's all washed away. Again. It has done nothing but pour here all morning. Even the pond we get when it rains went way over to the middle of the pasture. This is only half the garden. To the left was the Blue Lake green beans. The next was the squash, zucchini and cucumbers. I did rescue some of the zucchini and squash that was washed down to the end. And the heirloom sweet corn and field peas all probably gone. I didn't take a picture of the okra rows but there was a river going down that too. And not only seeds and plants but the soil too. It's so depressing and sad to see this. This is the 2nd time to replant. I have never had to do this before. I just don't get it.

This is the side yard where the rabbits and Cornish Cross meat chicks are. If you look past the grill on the right you can see the wooden shelter where the chicks are. They are ok. The rabbits are way over to the left. They are ok but I moved them up to higher ground. And behind me is the goat pasture. It had a raging river running through it and this is where all this water is coming from. And then the garden is beyond this and where all this water is headed.

Right now, it's stopped raining. But it is coming again. And it's really hot out there too. I just don't know what to do right now. Crying doesn't really help. That's just more water and I really don't want to see more water.

Gary

This is my mom and Gary, just this past Christmas at their house. They met right after my husband and I got married in Oct. 1978. They were married in April '79. And have been together ever since. And I do mean together. They do everything together. They've only been apart when either mom or Gary have had surgery. And once Gary worked 3rd shift. Other than that, together all the time. They moved up here to Ft. Oglethorpe to be closer to me and my family. My brother and sister and all their kids are in Colorado.

Gary has been in the hospital since last Tuesday. In ICU the whole time. He is a very sick man right now. He has had a few good days and they get their hopes up. Then the next day he's back down again. Yesterday mom called and said I needed to get to the hospital fast. It took just a few minutes to change from my dirty farm clothes, jump in the car, turn on the flashers and drove as fast as I possibly could the 25 miles to the hospital. God cleared the road of most cars. And I had to go trough only one red light. But made it in about 30 minutes.

He was hooked up to an oxygen mask, head slightly down, breathing really fast. The nurses were doing all they could for him. They took off the mask so he could cough. He was so congested. He did pull through this, but barely. We just don't know what's going to happen. The doctors have said that when he is able to leave ICU that he'll have to be put in a rahab center. He'll have a very long road ahead of him.

He looks nothing like this right now. The last thing he ate actually was  a meatloaf I made at his request for his birthday the 5th. Nothing since then. And no, it was not the meatloaf that did this. He has a lot of problems mostly due to pneumonia right now. And very low blood pressure, very fast heart rate. It just goes on and on.

They just live a few blocks from this hospital in a really nice neighborhood. Everyone watches out for each other. Their closest neighbors have mowed their yard a few times before. Last week mom mowed the front yard and wouldn't let me do the back. I shouldn't have said anything about it and just done it. But she went home the other night and the back was mowed. Her neighbor Gary had done it. Really nice people.

I worry more about my mom right now. There's been way too many downs than ups. She gets her hopes up one minute to have them thrown to the ground the next. She is able to go home at night. But she's just worn out, sitting or standing most of the day. I have been there too but not like her. She called last night to tell me she was home for the night. She said she was so tired that she had her keys out to open the elevator door! I so hope he gets over this for her. She needs him so much. He does so much for her. And I don't know what she'll do without him.

I love Gary. Although we have had some rough times, I do love him. They have reservations to go out to Colorado in August to see the rest of the family out there. We keep telling him he has to get better so he can drive mom out there. They still have so many things they want to do still. Please say a prayer for Gary. And for my mom. I don't want her to get sick over all this. So far, she's doing really good. She's a very healthy lady. And I love her so much.

Daisy, the city dog

This is my grand dog Daisy. My daughter came out yesterday and brought her. She really loves it out here. There's so much for her to get into here. Cats to chase. Stella to play with. Chickens to chase. Sheep and goats, now that's fun! But the rabbits. Those are her very favorite things to pick on. And she will not leave them alone. She is all around their cage, barking and running. Abby got her out of there once. But back out she went.

                                                 Trying to sneak up on the poor bunnies.

                                     Daisy will never make it in the country on a farm. Not Daisy.

She was plum worn out after all that chasing. She has fun out here. But she loves being back in town. She's a sweetie and my very favorite grand dog.

The 3 little "Divas"

 Here are the little "divas".  I think I will name them after some of the biggest divas, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston and Diana Ross.  These little girls are so sweet. And very special too. I love them.

And Kansas does too. I found this dog cage on CL last week. I went to get it Friday night. It's just perfect for the little divas to go outside with Sandy but be safe from big fat hungry pigs. It would be way too easy for the babies to get into the pig pen which is connected to the goat barn. And it has cattle panels, which a cute little baby goat would fit right through. And I would really hate that to happen. So til they are bigger, or I can, by some miracle, get the pigs moved to the front where I want them to til for me, the babies can stay in this. And Sandy can jump over to get to them. It's only 2' high. And has a little door. And Kansas can protect them too.

So tonight, I noticed the kids are only nursing on one side.  I took Sandy to the milk room and milked out the other side. I strained and put it in a bottle. Went out and fed the littlest diva baby. And she drank over half of it. I guess I'll bottle feed  her a few times a day. She's so small.

3 of them!

Sandy FINALLY had her kids. And she had triplets  And she had ALL GIRLS!!!!!! Girls! 3 girls!!! I keep checking them, just to make sure I'm not dreaming. Because she's ever only had like 3 girls in her 7 years of having kids. This is the 2nd goat that's had triplets here too. The other happened so long ago. And she had 2 boys and 1 girl.

So here they are. A small, medium and large kid, all in order here in this picture. The small one looks like Sandy. The medium dark one has toggles on both sides of her neck. And the biggest white one looks more like a Boer. They are SO cute and adorable. And I love them already.

Sandy is the best mother. She came out of the barn this morning and jumped up on the fence with the other goats for bread. Then she went back out to the barn. I did some things around the yard and later heard a baby in the barn. Ella and ira were outside so I knew something was going on in there.

When I went in, there were 3 kids, all dry and standing up, all full of colostrum. That's how good that goat is. Never ever had a problem with her kidding. She's all fine one minute, then here comes the kids and she's got them all cleaned off and dry and nursing within a few minutes.

Just a little pile of babies, all clean and dry and full. Ready for a nap. That white doe is LOUD. I guess that's the Nubian in her. The dad is Arlo Guthrie, the Boer buck I sold a few months ago. Now I wish I had kept him. Penelope had twin does back in Feb. both his too. So he had 5 doe kids. Should have kept him.

I am so glad that's over and she's ok and all the kids are alive and fine. I was getting a little worried since she kept going on and on. But all is well. And they are ALL GIRLS!

Monday May 13th...

And I still have my down comforter on my bed. It's COLD! And it's MAY! It is blackberry winter here right now. And the temps at night are in the 40's. My garden is a mess. It just can't figure out what to do. It's been cold, wet, rainy, overcast, then dry, hot and humid. Just crazy. I'm going to have to replant okra and kale because it got washed away. I had to replant tomatoes because they were yellow and wilted from all the rain. My kale and collards I planted way back in March are just sitting there, doing nothing. They don't get enough sun where I put them this year. I'll need to replant over on the other side. The cabbage I planted in March has not grown much at all. And radishes, they should have been harvested a month ago. I also planted Provider bush beans from Johnney,s and filed peas and Blue Lake bush beans all on the same day 3 weeks ago. I have seen 3 Provider and about 6 BL beans. And maybe 3 cucumbers. No squash or zucchini at all yet. It's really discouraging too, to see maybe 15 potato plants where I have 8 rows that were planted March 17th. VERY discouraging. But I guess it's like this all over the country right now. And this week, with lows at night in the 40's, the days will be in the 80's. I know that some seeds will be popping up with the sun shining and warmer days. I sure hope so anyway.

I do remember when my daughter Abby was born in '81, getting up at night to feed her, it was so cold. I remember shivering and covering up with her nursing. So maybe it's not so strange.

At least the dandelions are growing really good! I have been making jelly and taking that to market along with the greens and flowers to sell. And there is a  lot more growing out there. I'm going to dick the whole plant, roots and all, and dry them. Then chop up to make a loose tea to sell too. And there are so many more wild plants out there to harvest.

I am also going to start making soap this week. Trying to think up some good combinations to scent them with. I know I'm going to make a Patchouli soap. And some more with bees wax. I am also going to be able to make bees wax candles to sell too.

And I have got to check on the bees again. I had to put sugar water out there for them since it's been so cold. They are all confused too. Poor bees. But they look good and are very active once the sun comes out and warms up a bit.

Sandy still has not had kids yet. I did look on my calendar again and saw another date for May 17th. And that's it. If she doesn't have kids by then, I'll have to call the vet to see what she's swallowed! She can hardly walk right now. Or even get up on the stanchion to eat. Which she isn't really doing much of. She lays around most of the time. But every morning, there she is, sticking her head out the barn door. With no kids.

What's it like at your house these days? Same as mine?

Happy Mother's Day!

I hope you ALL have a very wonderful day, all you mothers out there! You all deserve to be spoiled.

This is for all the wonderful ladies in my life.

This is my mother, Iris. She is THE best mother ever! I love her so much. She is always there when I need her, no matter what. She is the hardest worker too. She just did retire on her 81st birthday. She and my step dad moved up here a few years ago to be closer to us and to doctors and hospitals. Gary, my step dad, had prostate cancer and needed to be nearer to the place where he would be getting radiation. So they found a house that was close. And they love it here. They have the cutest house right in town. And mom has her pretty yard she has filled with flowers and rose bushes and azaleas and so much more. All herself. She mows the yard with a push mower and weed eats too. Rakes leaves. She loves it though. All while looking beautiful! She is always getting compliments on how gorgeous she looks. She's one of those shoppers that can find things that fit ON SALE. And has the perfect shoe size too. She is just amazing. Happy Mother's day, mom! I love you!

And this is my first born, Heather. She has 3 daughters, Chloe, who will be 14 the end of May, Coryn, who is 11 and Kansas, who just turned 10. She is a very hard working woman. Always doing something around here. And is very sensitive and helpful. And she's a great mother. I am proud of her. And I love her very much. Happy Mother's day, Heather! I love you!

This is Abby, my youngest. She and Jason have been married 2 1/2 years now. No kids yet but some day. Right now, they have Daisy. She's so much like a kid. They dress her up for Halloween. She's so spoiled. They have family pictures made with her. She is the best behaved dog out there. And loves everyone she meets. She's my little grand dog. I am so proud of Abby. She works so much and doesn't have much free time, but when something needs to be done, there she is. She is very kind hearted and so sweet. I just love her so much. So I wish her a happy Mother's day too. I love you!

And here is Mrs. T. She is so like a mother to me. She's an amazing lady. 95 years old. She's always saying she's nearly 100 years old. She'll be 96 in July. I was sitting there one day with my camera while she was looking through her memoirs she wrote, snapping pictures of her. This is a picture of her when she was younger. She's a beautiful lady. A real Southern lady in all her ways. She was a teacher for 10 years and an artist and potter. She made some beautiful pottery. I have a lot of her work. She taught my kids art when I home schooled them. I still have some of the things they made. She's a little unsteady now and gets tired and forgetful. But she still keeps us all on our toes for sure! She said yesterday that she's old and not much fun anymore. I had to tell her she is far from dull. She is so funny and me and the other 2 ladies that take care of her have some stories we could tell! I am always going on about something she said or did. She's an amazing lady, Mrs. T. And I love her so much. I wish her a very happy Mother's day. She deserves the best.