Update on our Chicks

Our 6 chicks are thriving and doing well. Their schedule includes eating, drinking, sleeping and occasionally attempting to fly out of their home. In a couple of weeks we will move them to their small outside pen and coop until they are large enough to integrate with our hens.

The Retrieved Cell Phone

Last Tuesday Mel and I went to town to do errands.  We decided to eat at a local restaurant.  When Mel took his coat off, his glasses slipped into his sleeve.  He got them out, we ordered, went home, did chores and enjoyed a quiet evening.  The next morning he started to leave for a meeting in OKC when he discovered his cell phone was missing.  We looked all over the house.  I then dialed his number using the house phone and strangely a foreign speaking woman answered.  Maybe I had mistakenly dialed the wrong number.  I apologized, hung up and tried again.  The same woman answered.  I inquired about her phone number.  She stammered over a number.  I explained that we were trying to locate a missing cell phone.  "Don't call again" was her response.   Talk about puzzled, we were!  We discussed where he last had the phone and remembered the incident about his glasses.  Could the cell phone have fallen out at this restaurant?  He needed to leave so I retraced his morning routine of feeding, thinking that possibly it could have fallen out of his pocket.  I used my cell phone to call.  On the phone it came up "Mel - Hubby" from my contact list so I knew I was dialing the correct number.  This time it went to his voice mail.  Ok, I knew his phone was working somewhere.  In a few minutes in another part of the pasture I dialed again and this time a foreign speaking man answered.   I asked if he or a family member worked at this certain restaurant in Ada.  Yes, he did.  I explained that I had dialed my husband's phone number and this man was the one who answered. I descibed Mel's phone then he gave a funny laugh and replied, "I thought this was my phone".  ???????  Many questions were going through my mind.  He then wanted to know when I would be in Ada, and I quickly asked what time would he be there so I could get the phone.  He told me between 8:30 a.m. and 9:00.  I said I would be there then.  Since was about 8:20, I hurriedly got dressed and went to this restaurant.  I knocked on the locked door and noticed a young woman was cleaning.  I pointed to my phone, she came to the door and I explained I was there to get a lost cell phone.  She asked me to wait while she went back inside.  There I stood in the alley waiting.  After what seemed like several minutes, she returned and gave me the cell phone.  I opened it and it had "missed call - Cathy".  I knew it was Mel's.  I politely thanked her and returned home.  I did check the call log and no other calls than what we had made was recorded.  How, why, whatever we do not know.  We were just thrilled that we did not have to cancel the phone and purchase a new one.  Quite an experience for sure.  Mel was very surprised and thrilled when he got home and found out I had been able to get his phone.

Garden Boxes

Mel and I finished our new project.  We built garden boxes using landscape timbers.  7 years ago when we moved into our farm house, we built some boxes using scrap lumber.  After this period of time the wood was warped and looked less than desirable.  So that's how our new project began.
After a few days of sawing, making holes for bolts, etc. they are now completed and look great!

These boxes are larger than my other ones so that meant more dirt.  My dear sweet hubby graciously used the front end loader on the tractor and brought me 5 loads of dirt.  Time to begin planting!!!

The Laws of Nature

The laws of nature exist.  No doubt it has to happen so the balance of animals, food, etc. work for the benefit of the world.  However, when it happens to one of the creatures you have raised from just a baby, you wish that it did not have to be.
Last Saturday we let the chickens out of their pen so they could "free range".  When Mel and I drove up to the barn to do chores, we saw many feathers on the ground.  No way could that be good.  After investigating we found out that our Eagle was the cause of the feathers.  She was lying in the grass and we assumed she was dead.  I did not see any of the other chickens and became upset.  My calm husband reminded me that things such as this were a part of farm life.  I agreed, but did not want that to apply to us.  Further investigation revealed one of our red hens was in the back of the coop as though she was hiding, still no sign of the rooster and 2 other chickens.  I called and called.  Poor little Eagle (our chick who "did her own thing") came limping and barely made it to the coop.  I gently put her inside for protection.  After several minutes our rooster and other chickens came from around the barn.  It was quite a chore for me to get the chickens in their pen.    We do not know what happened at the barn.  We suspect a stray dog because all of the cats' food was gone from their feeder and that does not happen normally, but also there are plenty of coyotes around.  In fact a coyote was south of the house as we were headed to the barn.  It was close to one of our cows that had just calved.  Mel shot at it a couple of times, scared it and it ran off.  Regardless, our chickens are now in their pen safely locked up from predators.  Our Eagle did not survive.

Grammy's 85th Birthday

March 10 was Grammy's birthday and this year she was 85.  We surprised her with taking a cake to the Senior Citizens Center on Friday.  Not informing us until Friday morning, she scheduled a perm for 10:00  that morning.  The cooks at the Center had called the beautician to tell her about the surprise for Grammy.    To help things along, a couple of people went to the beauty shop to make sure Grammy would be done in time for lunch.  She made it right on time at 11:30.
When she came in the Center, everyone sang, "Happy Birthday".  It was a few minutes later before she realized that Mel, Julie (she was out of school Friday) and I were there.  We really did surprise her!

Grammy coming in with her wet head

Grammy with her new perm

Phylis making announcements

The cake

Dub showing Grammy her cake

Mel, Julie and Grammy

Mel and I with Grammy

We had told her earlier in the week we would go to the Aldridge for breakfast.  This she did know about.  Her friend, Addie, and the family met and enjoyed a delicious breakfast together.

Getting our table ready

Addie and Grammy

Saturday night we had supper at Grammy's house that Julie had prepared.  It was delicious!
Grammy opened her gifts and commented on what a great birthday she had!

A funny story about the blouse - Sunday morning Grammy told me there were yellow spots on the blouse.  I asked her if they were made into the fabric.  No, they were not.  I told her I would be happy to exchange the blouse.  Oh no, she wanted to keep it.  She thought she could was the yellow out.  Well, Sunday afternoon she called to say that the yellow spots were leaves on the design of the blouse.  She thought that maybe daylight savings time had gotten the best of her!

Happy Birthday, Grammy, and we wish you many more!!

Chick Days on the Farm

Chick days have come to the farm.  Mel and I bought 6 baby chicks to incorporate into our flock at a later date.  Now they are in a plastic tote under a light in the house.  So far they are doing well.  They are interesting, entertaining and enjoyable to watch in addition to being so cute! 

The Float Test for Freshness of Eggs

After moving the chickens and the "indoor pen"outside, Mel found 23 eggs over in the corner of the barn in insulation that we had for the pressure tank.  Several days we would get 1 - 3 eggs and wondered why not 4 eggs, but decided maybe they just rotated days off.  Well, we think possibly Eagle was  the main culprit (she seems to have her own agenda), but we have no proof.  Evidently some of the days the other chickens had the same idea. Since then we have discovered that if we keep the chickens in their pen and not allow them to roam, we get 4 eggs.
Mel brought the eggs to the house.  I did research on how to determine freshness of eggs.  I then proceeded to do the test on the 23 eggs.

Where the eggs were found

What Mel brought to the house

Instructions on testing the freshness of the eggs - it is called the "Float Test"

Doing the test

Unbelievable!  All 23 tested fresh. 

Farm Happenings

Several things have occurred on the farm the past couple of weeks. 
We have 4 new baby calves.

New Babies

 This little one is marked so uniquely.  He has the white streak on his shoulder and it continues down his leg for one totally white leg.

A Trip to the Vet

One of our heifers had trouble calving so we loaded her into the trailer and she went to the vet.  Luckily, Mel got her there in time and the bull calf was fine.  The vet kept them overnight just to make sure.  He called the next morning and told Mel the calf was doing great!  In fact it was running and bucking.

Mel and the vet are discussing the mama and new baby

Mama cow headed to load in the trailer

The vet telling Mel about the new boy

He is so cute!

Time for baby boy to go load in the trailer

He was  a little reluctant and needed some "encouragement".

Unloading the little guy at home

Mama exits next

The other cows come to check out everyone!

Our New Young Bull

Mel purchased a young bull for our herd.

The girls come to meet him!

Gardening Time Again!

The seeds and plants are purchased.

The ground is tilled.

Onion plants and bulbs as well as spinach and radish seeds are planted.

Horses and chickens are doing well.

The chickens enjoy eating cat food.

We have moved the chickens outside now that the weather is warmer.

City Boy on the Farm Again

Jett came to the farm to stay a few days.  Never do we lack for things to do or experiences to share.  He is quite versed in "farm terminology".  His favorite saying (that Grandpop taught him) is "Those are sure-enough good looking cows!"  Grandpop beams on this one!!
After meeting Jett and Amberlea at Norman and shopping a little, it was time to head to the farm.  Jett said he was so excited!
It was time to do some "bull swapping and moving".   A friend at church had loaned us a bull until one of his would be old enough for us to purchase.  What a great deal!  The bull had been on the farm for a couple of months.  Mel observed that he was not getting the job done.  We were concerned that a crop of calves would be lost this year if something was not done.  My brother and sister graciously allowed us to "borrow their bull".  How thankful we were for their offer!  We went to my brother's place to load the bull.  Not sure if he would load easily for us or not, we took a sack of feed to "entice" him.  When the bull heard the sack rattle he went right in to the pen and right in the trailer.  Jett waited in the pick-up and he was shocked when the big bull made the trailer bounce along with the pick-up.  While he was waiting in the pick-up, he spotted a tree that would be great for climbing.  I told him we would come back another day so he could climb.  The picture will follow of his tree climbing.

Jett and Grandpop looking over the situation.

The bull suspiciously checking
out things since we were
new to him.

Jett was peeking at the bull in the trailer.

The Bull Being Unloaded in our Pasture

The Tree to Climb

Jett also checked out the old cellar.

After having lunch Jett played with Legos then we were off to return the borrowed bull.

School Time

School activities were included in our daily farm day.  Jett is really coming along in his reading.  We practiced the skills and then he read books to me as well as Grandpop.

One activity I had him do was to make a "to-do list".  This included penmanship and phonics skills.  You can see use of the phonics he has learned.  His list was complete with detailed drawings as well as  the words.

The front page of his list:

The back of his page:

Tractor was on Jett's list.  He helped Grandpop drive.

The guys with their cowboy hats are off to the tractor.

Not only did I get a wave from Jett, he also tipped his hat at me.  Who could ask for more?

The Horse

Tee-Ball

Jett and Grandpop worked on baseball skills.

Grandpop explained about the "sweet part of the bat" (the part you want to hit with).

Of course, cookies were an important item under the food list!

The weather was great during the days Jett was here so we enjoyed a lot of outside time and a little time doing crafts.

This was Jett's pond (a bowl filled with water in a mole hole).

The rocks are steps down under the pond and the clear bottom of the pond allows you to see under it. He explained to me.

Jett showed me the underground tunnel under the pond.

Other Things We Did:

Hay

Played with Cats

Gathered Eggs

Can't you just imagine the story he has here!

Built a Fort

Worked on the Pirate Ship

Foil Craft

One new experience was for Jett to ride the church bus.  It was Grandpop's turn to pick-up the kids for Bible Safari.  Jett thought this was neat! 

Jett had a good time at Bible Safari.  He and Nathan made friends quickly.

Jett observed a calf being born.  One of our cows was calving behind the house.  Mel always keeps close tabs on them and if not careful wants to rush them. 

The binoculars helped.

The country and farm life make for fun and wonderful experiences for everyone and especially kids.  Mel and I have fun seeing things differently through the eyes of the grandkids.