April Showers Bring.......Donkeys and Spring Cleaning!

(Note: Two weeks ago I began this blog only to have computer problems which resulted in me having to buy a new computer, set it up, find out it did not work, return it, buy another computer, set it up, find out the new modem did not work, return the new modem and use the old modem, and finally get on line!!  Whew!  I feel like I just ran a marathon!  Anyway, I am now able to complete the blog that has been hanging around in cyber space for a few weeks!)


We have certainly had the April showers here in the south.   The dogwood and red bud trees are blooming double time.  Between showers, JR decided we needed to increase our herd of one donkey (Old Pluto) to nine.  So.......we had eight new donkeys brought to the farm.  Actually one little fella is a cross between a pony and a donkey.  I didn't know such a thing was possible which just goes to prove I don't know a whole lot about "farm stuff"!

Here comes a trailer load of donkeys!  Not just any kind of donkeys but TENNESSEE donkeys!

There they go trying to figure out where in the world they are!

That little fella is half pony and half donkey.  He is so weird looking he is cute!

Big A decided he would make friends with this donkey.  Did you know the way to a donkeys heart is through their stomach?  Food works wonders!

Awww....friends for life!

After taking Wee Bob to see the donkeys we decided to stop at the playground behind the church so some serious sliding could take place!

 

 

 

 

 



Wheee!

Wee Bob is growing up....He is getting SO independent.

He can climb "rock" walls.....



He can push Pappy on the merry-go-round.....

WHOOPS!  

"Hmmm. Maybe I better stick to walking with a cane!"



"HELP!  I'm stuck!  Hey, somebody let me out of here!"

 

 

 

 

 





Meanwhile, back at the house, Pooh spent several days washing cars and........

......cleaning tractors!  Wee Bob thinks his mommy is doing a fine job giving baths to all the tractors.  As long as it is not Wee Bob having to get a bath all is well at the farm!

 

 

 

 



It's a tough job getting all the winter dust and grime off of the tractors.....but if anyone can do it Pooh can!!

Finally!  Time for a little R & R!



"Okay people, let's end this spring cleaning frenzy with a game of catch!"   

 

GREAT IDEA Wee Bob!

 

 

See you all soon with Easter blessings!

Dee Dee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here Comes Spring!

March was a really busy month here at the farm.  Between the rain and snow flurries we accomplished quite a bit although, according to JR, not nearly enough!  But what can you do when one day it is 75 degrees and sunny and the next day it is 40 degrees and spitting snow?  However, if the  trees, bushes, and grass are telling the real story, Spring is here to stay!

 These two are definitely ready for warmer weather!  Bring on.....Fishing! Boating! Swimming!

 

 

The pear trees are in full bloom!

 

 

 The gorgeous tulip trees are telling us it's Spring!

 Wee Bob is loving Spring!  Now he can "borrow" JR's collectibles and fill them with dirt......and rocks.....and anything else he can find!

BEWARE!  CAN CRUSHER AT WORK!  Spring is the time to crush all the cans that have accumulated over the past several months.  Mountain Dew seems to be running 20 to 1 to Pepsi!  Wee Bob knew exactly what to do.....first stepping on the cans........

......then sitting in them........

.....then riding on the tractor with Pappy......... 

.....to smash the cans flat so they could be packed into large bags and taken to the recycle place for cold, hard, cash!!!

Of course, Spring also means it's time for batting practice......STRIKE ONE!! (He is just like his Uncle A.)  "Uncle A where are you?"



  There you are!  ...Oops...Looks like man and best friend are both in the "dog house"!  Wonder what they did??

 

 

 

 



It's not really Spring in the South until it snows!!  Mother Nature wants us to know she is still in charge.  

I love this picture of one of our ponds with the cave in the distance.  The water is always icy cold!  Before we moved to the farm, JR used to take the "plunge" on hot, summer days to wash and cool off. Not me -- I didn't want to meet up with a snake and have to scream my head off!!
 

 

 

 

 



One warm, sunny day, JR asked me if I wanted to ride over to the Longhollow pasture with him.  On a farm, any time you are invited somewhere it means WORK!  And today was no exception.

 

 

 

We spent the next four hours working....First we pulled up lots of old hay twine so the baby calves would not try to eat it and get choked....

Then we played "Follow the Leader" as we attempted to entice the cattle with feed to follow us closer to an enclosed area.  Once they get comfortable being in the enclosed area, it will be easier to round them up for selling or moving to another pasture.  It worked for a few but many of them were suspicious of our intentions.  Smart cows!

 

 

 

 

 



Next,  we went to the South pasture and put salt in the feeders....

 

 

 



My job was to keep the cows run off until JR could lift the heavy bags and dump the salt in the barrels.  I am getting really good at yelling "GIT BACK"!  Maybe one day I will enter a cow chasing contest - - -  somewhere.

 

 

 

 





The cows and calves would move about 50 feet away, stop, turn around, and attempt to storm the salt bins all over again!  I would continue to scream "GIT BACK"!  (Don't ever yell "GET BACK".  Cows living in the south only understand the "southern twang" on words.)

These two cute little guys look like twins.  Or maybe they are pretty little girls.  I did not take a closer look for obvious reasons. (Those reasons being I don't take closer looks at calves, cows or bulls!)

After awhile,  we drove over to the West pasture so JR could cut down bushes that had grown up across a "bridge".

Again, I had to keep the cattle away from JR as he worked.  I threw a lot of sticks and rocks at them because they were beginning to pay little attention to "GIT BACK"!  (Maybe I need more practice on the "southern twang" thing.)   Then I hid behind the mule like the brave person I am!

JR clearing a "bridge" of all the winter growth....mainly, as luck would have it,  bushes with long stickers on them!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Towards the end of the afternoon came my favorite part...........after stopping at the barn for drinks, we rode over to the West pasture to check out the grass that was still available for cattle consumption.  No work involved in that - just a nice relaxing ride on the mule!

 

A really nice end to a very busy few days!  Tomorrow we have some donkeys coming to help old "Pluto" keep the coyotes away from the new born calves.   Stay tuned......

Love, Dee Dee

 

 

 

March Madness!

March came in like a lion and seems to be going out like a lion! (All those roars make me hungry!!)   But between all the growling we have had some pretty nice spring weather which translates to work, work, and more work around the farm - with a little bit of fun thrown in to even it all out.

It doesn't matter what the calendar says, the fact that there are hatched bird eggs on the ground says it all!!  Spring, sweet Spring!

Warm weather and drier pastures means it's time to move the cattle from the Longhollow pasture to the North pasture where there is plenty of winter grass for the cows to munch on. So, a few weeks ago JR, Big A and Papa G set out to do just that.  Big A and Papa G were on the four wheelers, following the trailer full of cattle, being pulled by the tractor, driven by JR.  Whew!  That was a mouthful!  HERE THEY COME WITH A LOAD.......

 

 



               AND THERE THEY GO.......TO GET ANOTHER LOAD! 

And on and on and on it went like this all day long into the early evening hours.  The guys would round up the cattle using the four-wheelers and chase them into the holding pen so they could be loaded up and transported across the road.  (JR says having an underpass or overpass would make it so much faster!  Maybe we should petition the county - or maybe not!)  Cows spook very easily when they are being moved so I kept my distance......Of course, there were a few stubborn females that refused to cooperate but that's a another story!

 

 

 



Oh no you don't ladies......you ARE NOT coming into my yard!!  Go find some other field to fertilize!

 

 



Meanwhile, Wee Bob, Pooh, and I visited the local Wall Mart so Wee Bob could try out his impersonation of Elvis!  Way to go Wee Bob!! " Now don't you step on my blue suede shoes!!"

 



On another pretty March day Wee Bob visited Meme T, Papa G, and Uncle A for some play time in the warm spring sun......

 

 



 Wee Bob got to jump around some with Barsha...Whoof!!

 

 



Spring also means the time is here to burn brush piles and pastures.  This day started out warm, peaceful, and still, but then the wind picked up and JR's little fire got out of hand and jumped into the woods and caught a few trees on fire. The men in the BIG  red trucks had to pay us a visit!  I was in the house, doing what I usually do, unsuspecting of all the drama going on just outside my door.  Papa G and Meme T had just passed our house and Meme T called me to ask if I knew the woods by our house was burning.  So, I told her "yep", JR is out there burning. I was not concerned at all.  Then a few minutes later she called again and said they had passed the fire trucks heading down the road in the direction of our farm.  I was still doing my thing in the house - CLUELESS!.   I had no idea that right outside my door was a three alarm fire and that any minute I might be toast!!  Yikes!  So much for spousal communication!!!
 

 



This is March so blooms are blooming.  Or is that buds are blooming?  Or flowers are blooming?  Well, something is blooming and it looks like Spring!

 

 



One day, Wee Bob wanted JR to take him across the street, down the road, around the bend, behind a house, to see a few ponies and baby donkeys a neighbor had. "Let's go Pappy."  (Wee Bob is just a little bit into Sponge Bob - can you tell?")

 

 



First, JR put some feed into the bucket so the donkeys and ponies would know that we were friends....

 

 

 



Then JR put the bucket across the fence and we waited for the animals to get brave enough to check it out....Patience, patience...

 

 



Wee Bob and this precious little donkey had a staring contest!!

 

 



Wee Bob also visited me at school this month.  He loves to explore the toys and manipulatives.

 

 



He also likes to visit with the pretty girls on the playground!! 

 

 

 

 

Oh Happy Day! Good-bye Hot Chocolate and Welcome Popsicles!! It was just that perfect kind of day!!

Dee Dee