With only a week and a half left before our summer show, it’s time to get crackin’! The kids have been faithful at working with their heifers each day, in fact this morning I looked out the front porch (it’s not the main entrance) and I saw a pile of manure…hmmmm…I asked where that came from and found out it was from Hollywood, a show heifer. Now most of the time the calves are worked across the road by the pole barn and very rarely will you ever see a cow over on this side of the road. But I guess her trainer, Luke, had some business at the house while he was working with Hollywood and they came visiting. I told Luke if he didn’t want flies in his supper, he’d better take care of the pile.

Today will entail writing, a trip to town for errands and oh yes, a visit to the Secretary of State’s office for new tags for the vehicles. And it’s my lucky year, I get to renew my license too!

With only a week and a half left before our summer show, it’s time to get crackin’! The kids have been faithful at working with their heifers each day, in fact this morning I looked out the front porch (it’s not the main entrance) and I saw a pile of manure…hmmmm…I asked where that came from and found out it was from Hollywood, a show heifer. Now most of the time the calves are worked across the road by the pole barn and very rarely will you ever see a cow over on this side of the road. But I guess her trainer, Luke, had some business at the house while he was working with Hollywood and they came visiting. I told Luke if he didn’t want flies in his supper, he’d better take care of the pile.

Today will entail writing, a trip to town for errands and oh yes, a visit to the Secretary of State’s office for new tags for the vehicles. And it’s my lucky year, I get to renew my license too!

Today is the day that the whole country celebrates my mom’s birthday! At least that’s what she thought when she was little. Imagine having fireworks and parades and thinkint it was all for your birthday. What fun!

Anyway, happy birthday mom, and I’m not even going to let anyone know how old she is….let’s put it this way, in her mind she doesn’t feel any older than 21. And that’s probably what keeps her acting so youthful even at age….????

It’s a little overcast today, the boys want me to take them swimming and I think I will. Luke had a game last night and they won both games against Quincy. According to him and everyone else, he would’ve had a grandslam, but his daddy was coaching third base and held him up. Those who were watching said he could’ve made it home and Luke agrees. Luke went on to get picked off. I guess his daddy should’ve sent him.

After the game we stopped for ice cream and then Brad came over to spend the night. Sarah spent the night at Sidney’s house and so we had a house full of boys! They’re out playing whiffle ball right now, waiting for me to take them to the pool.

Happy Independance Day!

Today is the day that the whole country celebrates my mom’s birthday! At least that’s what she thought when she was little. Imagine having fireworks and parades and thinkint it was all for your birthday. What fun!

Anyway, happy birthday mom, and I’m not even going to let anyone know how old she is….let’s put it this way, in her mind she doesn’t feel any older than 21. And that’s probably what keeps her acting so youthful even at age….????

It’s a little overcast today, the boys want me to take them swimming and I think I will. Luke had a game last night and they won both games against Quincy. According to him and everyone else, he would’ve had a grandslam, but his daddy was coaching third base and held him up. Those who were watching said he could’ve made it home and Luke agrees. Luke went on to get picked off. I guess his daddy should’ve sent him.

After the game we stopped for ice cream and then Brad came over to spend the night. Sarah spent the night at Sidney’s house and so we had a house full of boys! They’re out playing whiffle ball right now, waiting for me to take them to the pool.

Happy Independance Day!

Last evening, I left the chores to JW and his friend and headed to the Godfrey Farm for the 37th annual Godfrey Farm Urban-Rural Picnic. Each year Richard Godfrey hosts the annual event and invites some bigwig to come speak along with all the politicians. The focus is to connect the local urban business men and the farmers together for an evening. Now the unusual aspect of this picnic is that there are very few women invited to this event…it’s basically a men only event. The usual women who attend are the wives of the politicians, Jody Pollock, the head of the Michigan Corn Growers Association, her assistant Amy, me, only because I cover it for the Farmers Advance, and a couple of other wives. I think I counted seven women there out of about 75 attendees.

Richard’s wife and daughters usually serve the meal and it’s a great one. We enjoyed pork chops on the grill, baked beans and all the trimmings and big bowls of ice cream for dessert. The speaker last night was our U.S. Representative, Tim Walberg. I had a great time visiting with friends but I missed Luke’s game. Although they lost both games to Homer, I still would’ve liked to have been there.

Today we will clean out more calf pens, work in the garden and run to Jonesville for some supplies. I think Sarah will go to a friends house, JW will take the starter from his tractor to Litchfield for repairs and maybe I will go poolside with Jake and Luke…it’s going to be a good day for it.

Last evening, I left the chores to JW and his friend and headed to the Godfrey Farm for the 37th annual Godfrey Farm Urban-Rural Picnic. Each year Richard Godfrey hosts the annual event and invites some bigwig to come speak along with all the politicians. The focus is to connect the local urban business men and the farmers together for an evening. Now the unusual aspect of this picnic is that there are very few women invited to this event…it’s basically a men only event. The usual women who attend are the wives of the politicians, Jody Pollock, the head of the Michigan Corn Growers Association, her assistant Amy, me, only because I cover it for the Farmers Advance, and a couple of other wives. I think I counted seven women there out of about 75 attendees.

Richard’s wife and daughters usually serve the meal and it’s a great one. We enjoyed pork chops on the grill, baked beans and all the trimmings and big bowls of ice cream for dessert. The speaker last night was our U.S. Representative, Tim Walberg. I had a great time visiting with friends but I missed Luke’s game. Although they lost both games to Homer, I still would’ve liked to have been there.

Today we will clean out more calf pens, work in the garden and run to Jonesville for some supplies. I think Sarah will go to a friends house, JW will take the starter from his tractor to Litchfield for repairs and maybe I will go poolside with Jake and Luke…it’s going to be a good day for it.

It was sooooo cool this morning, like 45 degrees cool! If it weren’t for the green corn and golden wheat, I would’ve thought I was waking up to October 1st.

Last evening after chores, the kids were out working with their heifers and every year I like to get pictures of them. The older boys were getting pretty goofy, as you’ll see in the pictures below. Jake has trouble getting his heifer to behave, but when Luke gets on the halter she’s all business.

We dehorned everything on Saturday, that is a relief to have it all done. This morning the bull calf that we pulled last week will go to the sale barn. Holly still isn’t 100%, I’m just not sure she’ll make it to the summer show….but I keep praying for her.

The boys are out changing the inflations in the milkers and then they will roll up wire that isn’t being used anymore in the pasture. Jake and Sarah are headed out to work with their heifers. I put my foot down yesterday and said that anyone who doesn’t work with their heifers every day until the show will not go. I hope I can stick to that! 🙂

It was sooooo cool this morning, like 45 degrees cool! If it weren’t for the green corn and golden wheat, I would’ve thought I was waking up to October 1st.

Last evening after chores, the kids were out working with their heifers and every year I like to get pictures of them. The older boys were getting pretty goofy, as you’ll see in the pictures below. Jake has trouble getting his heifer to behave, but when Luke gets on the halter she’s all business.

We dehorned everything on Saturday, that is a relief to have it all done. This morning the bull calf that we pulled last week will go to the sale barn. Holly still isn’t 100%, I’m just not sure she’ll make it to the summer show….but I keep praying for her.

The boys are out changing the inflations in the milkers and then they will roll up wire that isn’t being used anymore in the pasture. Jake and Sarah are headed out to work with their heifers. I put my foot down yesterday and said that anyone who doesn’t work with their heifers every day until the show will not go. I hope I can stick to that! 🙂

Last evening, Luke played a double header against Reading. He pitched the first game and had 10 Ks. They won 2-0. The second game they won 5-4 and Luke caught the whole game. Jake and I were doing chores, Sarah had a game in Reading and JW had a basketball tournament. Shortly after the cows were milked, Bobby called and said they won the first game. At that point with the cows milk and all the rest of the stock were fed and watered, the rest of the chores could wait and Jake and I high-tailed it to the ball diamond to watch the second game. If there’s anything Bobby and I hate is missing even one of our kids actitivities!

It’s a beautiful morning here on the Knolltop where the work for the day is dehorning calves, cleaning out calf pens and yard work. The wheat is a deep golden color, word on the street is harvest will begin by the end of next week!

Another piece of good news is that Dieter Kreig, publisher of The Farmshine Newspaper in Pennsylania has decided he will run my column! I talked to him yesterday and he said he thinks he has room for it…maybe. (He’s a hard sell!) So look for my column in two weeks!

Last evening, Luke played a double header against Reading. He pitched the first game and had 10 Ks. They won 2-0. The second game they won 5-4 and Luke caught the whole game. Jake and I were doing chores, Sarah had a game in Reading and JW had a basketball tournament. Shortly after the cows were milked, Bobby called and said they won the first game. At that point with the cows milk and all the rest of the stock were fed and watered, the rest of the chores could wait and Jake and I high-tailed it to the ball diamond to watch the second game. If there’s anything Bobby and I hate is missing even one of our kids actitivities!

It’s a beautiful morning here on the Knolltop where the work for the day is dehorning calves, cleaning out calf pens and yard work. The wheat is a deep golden color, word on the street is harvest will begin by the end of next week!

Another piece of good news is that Dieter Kreig, publisher of The Farmshine Newspaper in Pennsylania has decided he will run my column! I talked to him yesterday and he said he thinks he has room for it…maybe. (He’s a hard sell!) So look for my column in two weeks!