Good Morning from the clear, springlike Knolltop! It’s been a busy morning here on the Knolltop and it’s not even 10 am yet. When I got up to make the coffee at 3:30 am, a truck and trailer drove in the drive over at the barn. Gene VanRhee was coming by to pick up a couple of heifers on his way home from the New York Spring Show. I decided he must be tired so I let him sleep. We got done milking and while I was making breakfast he finally got up and came in to nourish himself with blueberry pancakes, sausage and some strong coffee.

We got the heifers loaded and when we got all the socializing done he went on his way. While we were visiting the cows decided to make a spring jaunt..no, not up to Knolltop Morgans, they just busted into the pasture and were having a great time on the pretty green grass. After rounding them up, I finally got back in and still have dishes to do, a shower to take and a run to the store.

JW’s game went well last night. He looked like a superstar when he came in to relieve the pitcher after five innings. He warmed up and then struck his first batter out in three pitches to get them out of a very long inning. Then he proceeded to strike out three more guys in the next inning and they won the game.

It’s fun to have moments like that when you look like you saved the game. When in all actuality, he didn’t save the game, they were up on Adrian-Madison by 6, so it wasn’t as if the game was close, it was just that the other pitcher had thrown for three innings and was getting tired and started walking batters. He had done a great job…just got tired. Tonight they play Pittsford and it will probably be a very close game.

And finally, I will tell you this secret, but you have to promise not to tell BOBBY! He never reads my blog, so I don’t have to worry about him seeing this, but I want all of you to be in on this surprise so when I write about in next week you’ll have been in on the game…..so to speak.

This Saturday is Bobby’s 50th birthday and his mom and sister are flying up to surprise him. They are supposed to get here on Saturday afternoon. I can’t wait! And I can’t keep a secret either! I’ll let you know how it goes. Because Bobby’s dad is retired from Delta Airlines, the family all fly on passes, so they are flying standby. So we all need to pray that they get on the flight, if they don’t then they won’t be able to come. So…pray!

It’s a clear morning here on the Knolltop…much better than yesterday when we woke up to snow flurries!

We had a very busy weekend and I’m glad it’s Monday! Saturday morning we took all of our warm blankets and a picnic lunch and headed to a baseball tournament in Grass Lake. It was raining one minute, blowing the next but wrapped under tons of blankets with our winter togs on, we were warm as toast…..when our blankets would stay in place.

JW pitched a couple of innings the first game, but they lost. Then JW had the winning RBI so they won the second game. He was pretty happy when he got home. We were happy to be home too….where it was warm! In between games we had a picnic lunch in the van. Gramps and Grandma came down and while Gramps hung out in the van and watched from the parking lot, Grandma braved the weather for her grandson and sat with me the whole time in the bleachers. I don’t mean to make Gramps sound like a wimp…in fact….I think he might have been the smartest one of all!

While we were freezing, Luke was sweating at a basketball tournament in Toledo. They won a game and lost a game and then on Sunday we all trekked down there to watch them smoke the Toledo Gators. Afterward we stopped for lunch and got home just in time for a Sunday afternoon nap!

After chores we went to the Udder Side for ice cream compliments of Miss Stanna our next store neighbor who kindly gave us a gift card to the Udder Side. She does that a couple of times a year because Bobby makes sure her driveway is plowed and Jake shovels her sidewalk. We love those kinds of gifts!

Today I’m off to get a birth certificate for Sarah so she can play volleyball on Saturday. Yes, her tournaments are starting up so I will be spending each and every Saturday watching screaming girls play volleyball! At least I won’t freeze to death!

And isn’t it strange that I’ve had a social security card for her since she was a month old, but they didn’t automatically issue us a birth certificate? I guess they wanted to make sure if she had any income as a newborn, it was reported!

JW has a game today at home, it will be sunny, but not too warm. Another ballgame wrapped up in a sleeping bag!

It’s cool and rainy here on the Knolltop…but I’m much better here in my warm house than I was yesterday sitting at the Midwest Spring Classic freezing my tail off!

When we left, we had just got done doing chores so we were warm and so we didn’t take any heavy clothing. Boy were we sorry. It rained and the wind blew and it was down right cold! Lori and I stayed in the barn where the cattle were tied up as long as we could, they were the only heaters around. But then we had to go sit in the tent where the sale was and even the auctioneer, Merv Leffler had to put his dirty overalls on halfway through the sale because he was so cold.

I finally sat in front of the corn stove last night til I warmed up and when I thawed out I was able to be productive.

The cattle looked good and the sale went well, although I have no idea what the average was…I could barely write down the prices with my frozen fingers. Lori ended up selling a fresh cow and then bought a March calf. She can’t seem to sell an animal and just leave the sale, she seems to have a hang up where if she gets rid of one she has to replace it. I guess she’s every sale managers dream!

JW has a game this afternoon and Luke will travel to Toledo for basketball tonight and then over the weekend. It promises to be a busy few days!

Pancakes and sausage are waiting!

Another pretty morning here on the Knolltop as the sun comes up on a partly cloudy sky.

We are headed to a sale today in Fremont Indiana. The Mid-West Spring Classic to be exact. It’s being hosted by Mark Sellers, the president of the Indiana Holstein Association. Lori at Knolltop Morgans has a heifer in the sale well, actually it’s her daughter’s heifer. We will go and see how well she sells and Lori might even come home with something for her daughter.

Jake has been on the couch all week with an ear infection and today he finally went to school. He actually wanted to go. Last Saturday night he came to me complaining of an ear ache and said there was all this water coming out! So we went to Urgent Care and got him all fixed up. I haven’t had a sick kid….sick enough for a doctor’s visit in a couple of years. I will count my blessings! And we can chalk it up to living in a drafty old farmhouse…a runny nose is the sign of good health…at least that’s what my dad always said. Who knows!

And judging from the comments left from yesterday, I’m not the only one with faulty equipment on my truck and a bunch of bored cops in the neighborhood! I’m glad I’m not alone!

Better go get the chores finished up so we can head south.

It’s a windy, warm morning here on the Knolltop. I couldn’t believe it when I got up to make the coffee and it was 60 out! I love not having to wear all those clothes out to milk!

Last night JW’s team won again. This time they knocked off Waldron 6-4. We got the cows milked and got there during the third inning. Yes, it was a slow game. I had forgotten how cool you can get on these spring evenings at the ball park. By the time I got home I was just freezing! JW played a little outfield and then played third base for a while. I can’t tell you how he did batting…I know, I know, what kind of mother am I?

Since when is it illegal to have a truck without a tailgate? The other night while I was driving home from Ohio a police car came up behind me and I figured since I wasn’t speeding he was after someone else. So I kept on chatting on my cell phone with Frank Robinson, who I called on mistake by pushing the wrong name in my phonebook….and I just ignored the flashing lights. After a mile or two I decided to stop. I told Frank what was happening and hung up. I was baffled at why they would stop me….I knew I couldn’t have been speeding in this old farm truck.

The officer came up to me and I immediately asked, “Was I speeding?” And he replied, “No ma’am, you weren’t speeding but you do have some equipment violations.” My thoughts started flowing and I began to wonder why at 10 pm on a Saturday night they could find time to stop a woman in a farm truck for equipment violations! Do they not have anything else to do?

He told me that I had one light out on my licence plate and that I had no tailgate. Oh my…arrest me! One little light and an AWOL tailgate? Honestly! Then he finally fessed up, and said they wanted to make sure I sober. I replied, “Sober? Oh yes sir, I’m sober alright! I just got done speaking at an FFA banquet in Ohio, I think I’m sober!” And as I went on and on and on I then thought, I’m making my case worse and I said, “The way I’m running my mouth I’m starting to sound like I’m drunk, aren’t I?”

The officer said, “Oh no ma’am, I know you’re not drunk.” Then he took my liscence and came back with a warning. He asked me again where I had been and I told him and then explained to him that my husband had our van and was visiting friends in Wisconsin and that I had the farm truck, thus…no tailgate. He looked at the truck and said, “Oh, that explains a lot.” And then he let me go.

I called Frank back and told him I was in jail…he didn’t buy it.

Better go get breakfast!

One fitter, and I use that term loosely with this guy, was David Bennett from the thumb area. He the one holding the shovel…actually leaning on it. He is on the Holstein board with me and he does his best work while talking…..and nothing else…..just talking. The other guy actually working is Brandon from Kentucky. I told him he looked like the lead singer for Rascal Flatts. He commented that he hears that a lot.

The Jersey heifer they were clipping at the time needed a lot of evaluating….they do that a lot too.

Better go evaluate how breakfast is coming!

It’s a sunny morning here on the Knolltop and just the right kind of day for the opening day of JW’s baseball season. This afternoon they have their first game in Camden. I’m so excited for JW. I told Bobby I would stay home and milk and he could go to the game….he loves baseball!

Well, the cows came home and just in time I might add. They strolled in from their neighborhood jaunt just in time to be fed and milked and then the boss walked in the barn just as we hooked up the last cow. Other than fresh sod between their toes from hanging out over the fence where the grass is always greener….there were no other signs of their escape. Those naughty cows. 🙂

I have to tell you, I had a great time in Stryker, Ohio speaking at their annual FFA awards banquet over the weekend. (Although the ride home was an adventure…which I’ll share later)

Their FFA advisor, Duane Knisely invited me down for their celebration and boy was it fun. Duane has a great group of kids there to work with and they rolled out the red carpet not only for me but for all their guests. The gym was beautifully decorated, the banquet table was filled with wonderful food and watching these kids host this event was exiting and motivating.

I was asked to give a motivational talk and after watching this group in action and the passion they have for FFA, agriculture and for each other, I was the one motivated! One of the highlights of the evening was receiving an Honorary FFA Chapter Degree. They gave me a degree! Can you believe that? The one who was never a part of this wonderful organization now get’s one of their highest honors! WOW! I was more than excited about that. And then they gave me a pen set with a clock and my name on it…plus..my own monogram ed shirt with their new slogan on it…”FFA taking you from practice to reality”

But…the biggest highlight for me was watching the 2007-2008 officer team say goodbye to Mr. Knisely as he retired this year. Each one gave Mr. Knisely a rose and said their goodbyes to him. One gal stood there and said, “Mr. Knisely, you are every reason why I want to be an ag teacher and I cannot wait!”

Another gal said, “Because of you, I’m not that shy little girl I used to be.” And one of the most poignant moments was when officer stood at the podium trying to collect herself. Wiping the tears from her eyes she stood there and stood there, trying to say something and then finally in a totally silent room waiting for her words of goodbye she just walked over and gave him a big hug. Her actions said it all.

I fell in love with FFA all over again that night. Thank you Stryker FFA and Mr. Knisely for allowing me to be a part of your evening. The pleasure was surely all mine!

Good Morning from a very sunny day here at the Knolltop.

Before anyone asks…no, I didn’t have donuts for breakfast…although I would like one right now with my coffee. I actually had something good for my body, yogurt and raisin bran!

Things are going well this morning on the Knolltop without the head honcho. No broken water bowls, the gutter cleaner continues to run trouble free, the tractor starts, the cows are still milking…well, except for those ones I just didn’t get to …I was tired of milking so I just hung up the milkers and turned them out. Sometimes you just have to take a break. I mean, really, work…work…work….it’s just never ending.

And yesterday I got so tired of fixing fence and I was really hungry…so I just dropped the wire and came in for a snack. I hope the heifers aren’t tempted by the opening. They have plenty of feed so it’s not like they need to get out to eat. I say, if they get out then it’s all their fault! Why do I have to be responsible for their choices anyway?

Well…as I sit here…I can look out my window and half the milk cows are headed to Knolltop Morgans. I hope Lori has enough hay to feed them for a couple of days….if they think I’m gonna run down there and bring them back they’d better think again. If they think the grass is greener up the road…then they can just stay there and see how good the grass tastes.

That’s just fine with me….now I won’t have so many to milk. I’m getting tired of milking anyway. This twice a day stuff has got to go…once every couple of days would be ideal.

Oh…Lori’s calling…..okay…I’m back. I told her to keep the cows up there for a few days, I needed a vacation. I told her where she could find the portable milk pump and milker. Hope it still works.

Well, it’s a cloudy afternoon here on the Knolltop and I’ve got a really good reason for not posting this morning. Our fearless leader went on a vacation. He’s out visiting some friends of ours and so now I’ve got his responsiblities too. But let me say this: I could not take care of this farm without the help of my four wonderful children!

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again….farm kids are special. While they are not perfect in the least and I have complained about them slacking off in the past, I have to say when they are needed to step up to the plate and make a hit, they usually hit a homerun!

They have been great at pitching in and helping out to take up the slack and now I’m realizing they are capable of much more than I’ve given them credit. Tomorrow night will be a test. I will be speaking in Ohio at an FFA event and JW will be in charge. He can do it…as long as he keeps his mind in check. It’s when he starts to daydream and then forgets which cow he’s already milked, that’s when I have to worry. But I’m sure he will do fine…especially if he has some PRAYER support! (That’s where you come in)

This morning I made an emergency phone call to the neighbor….who just so happens to be an electrician….lucky me! I turned on the auger to fill the grain cart and nothing happened. Because I’m a gracious neighbor and I didn’t want to wake him up at 4:30 am….I waited until 6:45 to call. He walked in, looking and sounding a bit under the weather and came to my rescue. I’m not sure if I should tell you how simple it was….but I will. It was a tripped breaker. But for heaven’s sake, how was I supposed to know? I’m not an electrician! 🙂

I thanked him for saving the farm and we were both glad it was simple. Then on the way in for breakfast we had a herd of heifers who decided to take a walk. The boys and I got them back in and I decided we needed donuts. Since Mr. Kaiser bought yesterday, I sent the boys into Jonesville Bakery for a dozen sugar bombs.

Mr. Kaiser came, we ate donuts and they went on their way to work and I went on mine.

Now it’s nearly time for lunch and then back to the barn. If you’re inclined…pray for us!