Nov 24, 2009

Work on earth is never done....




Work around the farm never seems to cease, for those of us that farm this is an understatement, for those that don't we do it because we love it! Saturday was a day to rejoice and get much needed chores done outside.  I was blessed with good weather and plenty of sunshine.  Something not seen these days in East Tennessee.  I cleaned the summer junk out of the barn, unloaded feed and placed it in barrells, shoveled stalls and moved sheep, trimmed hooves and wormed everything on the hill.  I have started an organic worming process and I will update you on how that goes as we progress toward the next few weeks and I can tell if it has taken care of the parisite program.  Wade also worked hard trimming trees, mowing the grass and weedeating, digging the watering hole out for the cows and the mule and donkeys, and numerous other odd jobs that need done.  We are all geared up for Thanksgiving and we have so much to be thankful for.  Our family, friends, our health, good church, the blessings the good Lord bestows upon us each and everyday. 

Nov 5, 2009

The Lord reveals himself in the most simple ways....


This morning I was sitting my truck waiting for the window to defrost and I noticed how beautiful the world is around me. How often do we find something negative to say or comment on “how cold it is”, have I too have been guilty of this very thing? As the ice melted and the sun shone through the window of my old 98 pickup I say the earth warming, the sun shining and a glorious day unfolding! What a amazing way to send me off to work! To the naked eye you may not see the beauty in my little piece of the world; but I remember the not too distant past when we didn't have a fence there and the hard work my husband and father-in-law put in to get this fence up so that our cows and donkeys would have a place to graze. Oh, how blessed I am to serve a master whose hand created 1867 Old Harriman Hwy. and gave it to me!


As the day progressed and I made my way through the day with 120 something high school kids and then rushed home to feed the critters, the check engine light came on in my truck.  This was not the worst of the events that would lead me to the end of my day.  Emily, came in and was a very helpful 15 years old, by cooking dinner for the family while I did the outside chores,this way we could sit down as a family and have supper together. This was a good thing. Because, while I was in the barn,Sorting through the sheep, deciding which ones were going to market, which ones were to be sold as breed stock, and who was close to having lambs, Wade called and said that he was running late due to the fact he had a flat tire.  He had been unable to take the flat tire off due to the fact his lug wrench did not fit.  Luckily, his friend, Stewart Hicks, was on his way home from work and stopped to help him.  So, no mowing the lawn tonight before it gets dark! As I waited for him to come home, and after doing the chores, I sat down and watched the mules eat their hay, listened to the the peaceful sound of the sheep enjoying dinner, and looking at the sun setting, I thanked the good Lord for his many blessings: a loving husband, a respectful daughter, provisions for the winter for my animals, and a moment to enjoy the peace at the end of the day right here in my own back yard.... So, the end of a long day brings a new set of tires, dinner for the animals, and dinner with my family. What more could I have asked for?  Oh, yeah tomorrow we will have to figure out the check engine light! 

Nov 4, 2009

Breaking Ground....


As we begin to break ground on our new hay barn I decided to break ground on a blog. This blog will hold information about my life. The day in day out life of and average school teacher, her family, the farm, and many other events that we call life.