Highbinder crossed over. Never be forgotten, Running things solo on farm

[LadyDraco]

Great guys...

I can't  wait  till I can put all the equip back out side  and  have  the  shop opened up again..

Just can't  move  yet.. And  every few days  the tractor  goes  out and  back in to it's  hidey hole ..

[Jess from VA]

Tracy, I think your shop is bigger than my house.   

[LadyDraco]

And  you are  only  seeing 1/2 .. My big truck is  tucked  away on the  other  side.
And HB's  Bn'R  SV..

[f6john]

Barn Party?

[LadyDraco]

Sure   ,Turn it in to a  help on the  farm and  party

[f6john]

Sure   ,Turn it in to a  help on the  farm and  party

I'm sure you could get some takers, especially if you tempt us with some of your cooking!

[LadyDraco]

Of  course  !! 

[Jess from VA]

Sure   ,Turn it in to a  help on the  farm and  party

I'm sure you could get some takers, especially if you tempt us with some of your cooking!

This begins to sound like Mark Twain's Tom Sawyer (and painting the fence).  



Not that there's anything wrong with that.

[LadyDraco]

   No soup for  you ..

[LadyDraco]

What I did  yesterday :

Well I got all the earth steeples up from the small garden,
they all have surveyors flag tape on them but they are still a challenge .
The magnet was for when I dropped them..LOL
3 good size piles, waiting for a non windy day now..

I think the big garden can wait ..



well I got 1 pile done ,I stood out there for a bit no wind, lite it and wouldn't ya know wind kicks,
and then rain , So I worked it in the rain till about a 1/4 pile left then doused it with 5 gal of water..
I have 2 gals more for a bit later. Just to make sure she's out good.
Oh well it's a start ..


This  Morning :
No trace of wind, So at 6 am I was burning them last 2 piles
And even moved with the long hay fork that 1/4 I doused yesterday..
So at least the small garden is done as far as clean up..
I was kind of nice early morning burn with coffee and jammies on.

It's going to rain today ,so this was good.. To have gotten it done


And just as  I was finishing up it  started to sprinkle ! TISE !!

[LadyDraco]

Well we  are  at the  5th  month .
And  once  it  will be  Toast time  tonight .
Again I would  be  Honored  if ya'll would  like  to join me.


      AS  long as I work myself  to death .I'm good..
But when I'm not working  , I truly miss  the  hell out of  him..
I was  hoping it  would  get easier. It doesn't it almost seems  harder.
The  New  normal I  guess..  It still sucks .
But I trudge  on as I  know  how . As  he  would  want me  to..

I do  have  the  fella  in my life.. And  he  has  been a  blessing.

[Jess from VA]

Tracy, we don't know each other, but please let me offer a little advice.

And I mean it in the kindest and gentlest way possible.

Personal loss is terrible.  I had some health setbacks and scares that kicked my ass 18 months ago, and part (maybe the biggest part) of the road to recovery for me was work, outdoors and as much as I could handle, nearly every day (added to a 2.5 mile walk, every day).  And I continue. 

There's nothing wrong with hard work, but you have to balance that work with taking care of yourself too, and you surely mustn't be working yourself to death.  Nearly every time I injure myself these days, it takes a good deal longer to come back than it used to.  Hurting or disabling yourself will do you no good physically or mentally.   

If you want to keep up the farm do it.  But maybe think about downsizing, getting rid of the hardest work/jobs, selling things off you don't need, managing it down to a one woman operation that you can handle by yourself without killing yourself.  You know Don wouldn't want that.  No one would.

I bet I'm not the only one on this thread thinking these things, but I have the big mouth to write them. 

And I mean no offense, and apologize if I did. 

[LadyDraco]

I worked myself  to death even  with Don ,
He  was  always  amazed  how  hard  and  long I go.
He  would  also call me  the  Energizer bunny , as  well as  a  little  bull.
He  always  said  he  has  never  worked  with any fella  that worked  harder  than I  do..
   It's  how  I roll.. And  I  do my  best  not  to hurt  myself.
But I did  have  him around  to say enough.
    And  if  I  don't  work , I get in to my head  too much and trust me  that's  worse ..
But it is  what it is.. Doing my work , his work and  farm work..
The  only thing that gets  tossed  on the  back burner  is  the  house  work..
    I'm truly not too worried  about me  , I  know what I can and  can't  do..
I  have  a  good  mate  coming by for  a few  days to give  me  a  hand  on things  that can use  2  people..
  So don't  worry I'm like  a  Mule  , I will never  hurt myself.. Or  put myself  in harms  way..
If  I can help it..
But what everyone calls  down sizing  isn't  as easy as  it  sounds..
That takes  a  lot  of  time  and  more  effort to do , then people  know..
I'm still trying  to get through friggen winter..  Still burning  wood to keep the  house  warm .
I  haven't  even started  my seeds   yet ,I'm already weeks behind  there..
My seed starting room is  my guest room..
No one  wants  to be in there  with hundreds  of  baby plants ! LOL

    I  know  you mean  well ; Jess ... Trust  me  I'm not stupid.. I  know  what I'm doing .

I  just blow  off  steam now  and  then..

[Jess from VA]

It's all good girl.   

[LadyDraco]

 

[LadyDraco]

[Oss]

great pic

miss y'all

[LadyDraco]

Thanks  Evan... Miss  ya  too..

[LadyDraco]

OK fry pies are done...
I was lucky I hadn't eaten yet .
So the glue (beaten up eggs) For the seal fold over.
Is now in my roll up.. With cream cheese, the last of the arti hearts ,pepper jack and Swiss...




Frying



LOL The glue .



My favorite tools for picking up and placing in hot oil.



Cooling off, then I glaze them .

[carolinarider09]

I don't really "cook" but, to this layman, that appears to be very well done.

[LadyDraco]

Yeah them last 2  at the  bottom got  just a  tad  more  Golden  brown.. 

[Willow]

Tracy, we don't know each other, but please let me offer a little advice.
... 

The first line was the most important.  it is a good idea not to offer advice that isn't requested, especially to someone one doesn't know.

[Jess from VA]

I know everything she wrote in this 6 page thread, which was quite a bit, and that's all I spoke to.  

In my career, I offered a lot of advice to people I didn't know well personally (just certain facts).  Paid and unpaid.

It wasn't much more than a simple plea to take care of herself. 

But I don't disagree with your point.  

 

[LadyDraco]

So glad  it's  raining  today..  Had a  good  mate  stop On Thursday -Monday  to give  me  a  hand.
On the farm..
 We  worked  to death  Thursday -Sunday..  Then I  worked  hard  Mon and Tuesday.
To get done  before  the rains..

Mondays'  long day.. .

It did  take  a  short break ,around  3pm..
1  saw  2  batteries  .

They were big ass logs.. But  my Big GW  did  fine .. I  did  buzz through 2  batteries  thou.


And I split it  in the  shop well at the  front of  the  bay



Tuesday  I cut up the tops..

The wood was on the wagon but parked into position for unloading .
But I will have to move it. After most of the squaw is unloaded there are a few pieces that need to be split .
I'm glad I didn't put the splitter in it's hidey hole.



WOW , That was more splitting then I really wanted to do .
yesterday.
But everything has been blown refueled, put up..
I  had  finished  by 6:30 last night.



Bike back in place , I did throw my leg over TheBeasts saddle and voted before I did all of my cutting.
Oh Tuesday .
When I had thought about it . I knew I wasn't going out after all the work.. Glad I did that first a nice little 8 mile run..On a  Beautiful March day. We  hit 63* on the  mountain

At least I  only have  a few  things  to do today...
I need  1/2 day off. Really glad  it's raining..

[Jess from VA]

I continue to be impressed, young lady.   

[f6john]

I see you broke out the electric range for those fried pies. Getting to warm to fire up the wood stove inside I suppose? The pies looked yummy as my grandkids would say.

[LadyDraco]

It would  truly run me  out of  the  house  to get the  fire  hot  enough to fry oil !

Plus  The   flue  really needed  a  good  cleaning, I wouldn't  have  risked  it..
Burning  a  real hot fire .

But she's  clean now ! My buddy got  up on the roof.. With my brush and  rods..
I could  get up on the roof, But the  chimney stack is  taller  then I  am.
SO getting  the rods  down is  not something I can not do at all.. It is  at least 2  feet taller than I  am.
Over the top of  my head..
   I  have  a  fire going today..it's  50*  and  has  been raining  since  3 am..
   They are  calling for  snow  this  weekend  we  shall see...
My elevation gets  me  . The  house  is  around  3600' the  tip top of  my mountain is  4K .


Jess  not bad  for  an old  broad.. Yeah I'm a  lot older  than most folks  think..

[LadyDraco]

Yesterday was  a  classic  March day .
Snow, wind, sun  repeat all day

[John Schmidt]

Tracy, I just showed my Nancy the picture you posted of you and Don. We both agreed...it's a beautiful shot of the two of you. I wish we lived closer, we'd both be able to lend a hand from time to time. Be well my friend. 

[LadyDraco]

Me  too John...

Well I  just got  2/3  of  my big field  dragged.. 
I  had  enough of  that quad saddle for  a  bit..

[LadyDraco]

Had a calf  born today,  this  is  this  cow's first live  calf  , she  has  had  2  stillborns  in a row,
She  really needs  this  calf .  Prayers  it stays live  and  healthy for  her  sake !

[carolinarider09]

Prayers!

[LadyDraco]

Thank You..
I  looked  for  them this  morning   they are  hiding. This  is  Normal for  Longhorns.

[LadyDraco]

Here's  the  proud  pappa Curly







Every one  eating hay and  the  New born is  a  Heifer  calf.







Getting  some  I  hope!







Oops  that's  NOT  mum ! ! It's  my uncle !







Everyone  chowing







My flowers...





The hyacinths smell divine

[carolinarider09]

Most of us have never lived on a real farm.  I spent my younger years (birth to third grade) living in rural areas.  Every summer we would travel to PA to visit my parents relatives (my grandparents and aunts and uncles).   One family had a real life farm in Doylestown (or maybe not). 

I watched them bring in the cows for milking and then feeding.  It was just a visit for few days with each family but I learned a lot. 

I don't have pictures but .......   I remember those trips and their farms and small town homes.

So, while I grew up in a more urban area, Myrtle Beach, SC (1955 - 1966), Myrtle Beach was rural between the week after Labor Day until the first of June.  I remember those days and my friends and my pet dog, Penny. 

My dad was an avid photographer (amateur) and had a 16mm Boldex movie camera (which I still have). 

Adventure is what it is when.  Here is my mom (barely in the image) watching me climb a ladder for the first time, somewhere in Wilmington, NC. Dad was making the movie.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/b6wjdrivgcq9t3k/Jim%20And%20Ladder%20Wilmington.mp4?dl=0

Hope I did not hijack this thread.  Just sharing life and memories.

[LadyDraco]

Ya  looked  like  your  bell got rung a  bit ,from the  fall, But you was  smiling ! So that's  good..
   I spent some  of  my youth in Milford Pa.. On  our  small horse  farm .
That where  I  met Highbinder aka  Don..
No worries   you didn't  highjack anything .. That's  what threads  are  for..

[Oss]

you gonna be putting back the hummingbird feeders this year?

Possibility we may pass your way on the way back around April 6th   Will let you know our route  Bonnie has a good friend near Greenville SC

Funny but everytime we go down 81 when I pass Troutville I call Troutdude to see how he is doing

Usually though we take 95 to Jacksonville and then head west

Hope the calf gets stronger fast

[LadyDraco]

Give  a  call 

[LadyDraco]

The  little  heifer  is  doing well.. 

[LadyDraco]

She  is  drinking  well... Still only using the  2  teats  out  of 4. But this  can be  normal..
Mum is  a  nice  bag so she's  a  good  milker.

But the calf is have the time of her life!
She made a beeline toward the tractor like a Spanish fighting bull..
And then slid on the breaks ! LOL
She is very springy now. Has a handle of her legs...
I bet she isn't even 40 lbs.. She is a bundle of life today..

Also it's friggen snowing ! 29*..
Yeah it's bloody cold.. Welcome  to fickle  March