These couple of days have been full ones for me. I have had this sheet with everything wrote down that needed to be done before I left. Do you think one thing has been marked off? Nope!!!! Yesterday found me, Kyle, David, Nathan, Tessa, and Lamar working on the little goat Jeri-Curl. Lady, the toggenburg, has head butted Jeri-Curl in the leg and broke it. We done our best trying to fix it. We have it splinted with popscicle stick and vet wrap. She is getting around on it okay. Not once did the lil one hollar or anything. I have been giving her 2 1/2 ccs of childrens motrin for the pain. It is broke in two different places. I'm afraid that it will never be right with the leg. She is a pigmy so really, all she was going to be was a pet. She will walk from now dragging that back leg. She acts like it doens't bother her. Usually they will let you know when they are in pain but not Jeri-curl. She just goes right on with her business. Today found Kyle, David, Tessa, and me in the hay field. We had Tessa driving, David and Kyle throwing hay up on the trailer with me stacking. OH, Kyle went to pick up one bale and there was this awful smell , Daddy had done ran over a chicken and baled it up in the hay bale. lol Afterward found us back at the house picking out splinters from our hands( even with gloves on, those little stickers still find a way into your hands), we worked the ponies, I did get some clothes hung out(still no dryer), Kyle cut David's hair, and now with all us having baths, the day is gone. I still have to clean out my car( wish me luck) start getting our clothes together, packing up, getting some snacks together, so we can head out early Thursday morning. I wonder if Jon Brandon is counting down the hours and minutes like I am? Is he as anxious to see me as I am him? Has he missed us like we have? Will I even be able to pick him out when we get there? Am I going to cry when I do see him? YOu betcha I am!!!!!!! So , I leave early Thursday morning for an 8 hour drive to Fort Knox will stay until Sunday afternoon then drive back. Will have plenty of pictures to post of my solider boy(ahhhh..... solider man) I want to personally thank each and everyone of you who have sent letters and cards to him, and for everyone of your prayers . I and Jon Brandon couldn't have made it this far without friends like you. Just say a prayer for us as we travel back and forth. OH, If by some chance you are on I65 and see a bronze color malibu with a tag that reads two lmz, and it is hauling butt wide open, just get out of my way, PLEASE!!!! Not slacking for anything till I get to Fort Knox. I hope each and every one of you has a blessed week and weekend. See you Monday.

Here is Micheal driving with Kyle giving the support to the ponies and to Micheal. Kyle hooked the double tree and guided Micheal on which way to pull the ponies. In KY, you can only have 3 people hollering, anyone else yelling, that team would be out. Do you know how hard it was for me to keep my mouth shut during the pullings? I ended up sitting with two wonderful older gentleman who have been pulling for 30+ years. Boy, did I learn some new things. They knew the families of those from KY who were pulling and I learned those families history. I also heard every joke that those two old timers had ever heard. All in all.... I enjoyed sitting and listening to the older gentlemen. Mr. Hall told me that if he lived to 4 pm Monday, him and his wife will be married 47 years. I could here the love and gentlenss in his voice when he talked about his wife. He reminded me so much of my Grandfather.

Later into the night, I couldn't find Nathan. Remember, I told you that the boys had stayed up all night the night before we left. So, I go out to the trailer and there is Nathan sleeping. I told the boys while we were loading up to come home that from now on, if we go to another out of state pulling, or even just a close pulling, they would all be in the house by 9 and no one would leave. That I had been my last time with 3 ill boys!!!! They do look sweet when they are sleeping.

WINNERS OF THE MIDDLE WIEGHT CLASS

Issac, (Kyles's Dad), Kyle and Micheal won the middle weight class. There was 3 classes, lightweight, middle weight, and heavy weight. Each had 19 teams in each class.

DRIVE EM' LIKE YOU STOLEN 'EM JUST DON'T ROPE 'EM!!!!

Here is our ponies with Kyle driving them. There was 19 teams in our class and even though we got put out at 375% we ended up like in 7th place. Was proud that the ponies made it that far. As you can see Kyle really gets into driving the ponies with Micheal directing which way to pull the ponies.

We left out at around 5 yesterday morning headed to KY. Was suppose to leave earlyer but we decided to leave at 5. The boys decided to ride 4 wheelers that night and they ended up staying up all night. So on the ride to KY they slept. And boy did they sleep. It took us right at 3 1/2 hrs to get there. The pulling started at 12 p.m. and ended at 2 am. We got home at 5:30 this morning. The boys crashed again and I didn't get into bed till after 6. I feed and milked then crawled right into bed.

POUR SOME SUGAR ON ME......

Can you image what kind of sugar rush we are going to be on tomorrow? This is what we are taking with us to the pony pulling. I figured I would need the sugar to keep me awake and get the boys jacked up on mountain dews and all this sugar that if the ponies couldn't pull that they could put all that energy to good use!!!! Oh, yes there is a box opened, it seemed that wasn't me couldn't wait to have some sugar. Just wonder how long before wasn't me decides he wants something else. Clothes are done, harness ready, ponies feed and tended to, candy bought, drinks are still in the swing, hmm... make note to put into cooler, Mama fixing to hit the sack, boys, where are the boys? They decided to take a night ride on 4-wheelers. All I'm going to say is , they had better be in before late, when I say 'LOAD', they better load. Should make for an interesting trip in the morning.

Things around here have been in overdrive. It has been dark before we all come in the house. We are trying to get ready for the pony championship and also for the state fair plus going to see Jon Brandon. I will be putting alot of miles on a vehicle starting this weekend. We leave out 3 am Saturday morning heading for Murray, KY to the championship pony pulling, will return as soon as we get put out or our class ends. Then exactly one week from today, I pull out around 10 going to Fort Knox, KY to see JB. Will leave there coming home that Sunday. Then that following next week, I have a barrel race. After that weekend, I leave going to Jackson for the state fair where I will stay 2 days and then return home. Yup, no rest for the wicked. Oh, and somewhere in between there, I will celebrate a birthday. Not going forward, my age clock has started rewinding. I recieve a letter yesterday from JB and he informs me that he is giving up bull riding. Oh, he may hit a few rodeos but not traveling like he was. What am I going to do without my rodeo partner? It was bittersweet news to me. Yes, I enjoyed traveling with him and us doing rodeos but at the same time, my nerves were shot whenever he climbed on the back of those bulls. Do you know how many times I climbed the fence and went over before his chute ever opened? Everytime!!!!!! Like I could stop a 2000lb bull that was slinging snot and slubber in every direction. Tomorrow will find us clipping the ponies and loading up and getting all the gear in order. Also need to go and buy our drinks and food to take with us. I pray that someone knows the directions for I plan on sleeping there and back. hint hint wink wink, you boys hearing Mama?

WE ARE FAMILY......

I don't know if I have mentioned it or not but we(Boo and I) have another child living with us. No, we are not talking about wasn't me but Nathan. Nathan moved in with us about 3 weeks ago and Kyle just might as well live here as much as he stays here. So now we have Brian(Tessa's husband), Tessa, Kasey, Kyle, Jon Brandon, David, Nathan, and Emily. So if it sounds like there is alot going on around here , you betcha there is. With 3 boys here full time, never a dull moment. Emily , don't worry about her, she can hang with them. We do have fun around here but the kids know that this is a working farm. Not a hobby but working. We have to make a go of things just to survive. We work hard and we play hard. They also know that things around here has to be done, the animals feed before we tend to ourselves. Sure, we goof off but all in all, there is alot of sweat, muscles and tears poured into this place. Just like me getting the goat harness, there is a purpose for me getting them. I am using that on my meat goats to build up their muscles but also to train my wethers to pull so maybe someone will see them and want to buy a pet goat to pull a cart. That way maybe I can up my profit on my goats when it comes to selling time. They same with the ponies. The boys are always trading, and such but the ponies have to win a little to pay their way around here. Same goes for the horses around here. They have to earn their way to stay here. We have alot of things going on but there is one thing about living on a farm. I know where my kids are, there is too much to do for them to lay around , or ride the roads, let's just say, they have too much to do to have free time to get into too much trouble. I believe that is what is wrong with alot of kids today. They have too much free time.

Here we are this morning sitting in line waiting for the goats eye screening. Got there at 8 am. and didn't get home till 1pm. One guy in front of us had 50+ goats on his trailer. Then when our turn came, one guy had the setting wrong on his machine and it took 15 minutes with just one goat. I finally asked this other man to come over and get the image because I was tired of fooling with this one. After we left there, we had to go and have coggins pulled on the ponies. Yup today has been a full day.

THESE KIDS ARE GOING TO DRIVE ME TO DRINKING........

My motto around here is, if you get something, put it back where you got it. Does this look like where a shipping halter belongs? We must have another kid running around here for when asked who left the halter on the rail, guess what.? Yup, wasn't me. So now Boo and I have another child named wasn't me. I have told them and told them, if you get something, please put it back where you got it from. Do they listen? No. They must think that my duties are to walk behind them and pick up their stuff and return it to its right place. After we came inside, Boo went to change the channels on the t.v. and hollared at me who got the batteries out of the remote. Like I would know. I told him must have been one of the kids. When they were questions, yup, wasn't me. Did the halter get moved back into the tack room. Well, lest just say, it got moved, and someone is going to be short a halter the next time we load up. Guess it will be wasn't me.

Here is the little one getting her vaccine. It is the cd&t vaccine. On your meat goats, I don't like to give shots in the muscle for these are being slaughtered for meat and it leaves marks and damages the meat. So I try to give the shots in the skin. I usually try to give the shots between the shoulder blades under the skin or right under the legs in the skin. Now, there is some medication that has to be given in the muscle so I try to give to shots that are only for under the skin.

I sold this little wether the other day. So today my day was filled with clipping the goat and trimming hoofs. We also vaccinate the rest of the herd and had to run over to the two little girls that are showing for us and vaccinate their goats. That took up most of the day, the rest of the day was spent washing and ironing clothes. Tomorrow we have to take the goats and get their eye screening done. No, they don't have cataracts they use eye screening for identification purposes. One year there was some people that took tags out of some goats and put them in other goats before the big show in Jackson.

LOOKING AT THE WORLD THROUGH MULES EARS......

So here we are off and going. Mules pulling the wagon with the truck hooked onto the wagon(boy, they ain't nothing those Brown Boys won't do). There was JayBird, Smurf and me in the wagon with John and Jess in the truck. We would make it fine till John and Jess would hit their brakes and jerk the wagon. I got slung from the front of the wagon to the back of the wagon.

Can you see it? Look real close, come on, closer, closer, you see it now? Yup, they have the truck hooked to the wagon. This was the first time for the mules so, JayBird, Smurf, Jess, and John hooked the truck to the wagon so the mules wouldn't run away. Guess who rode in the wagon? Yours trully. Told JayBird if he could drive it, I could ride it. What an experience and what a ride!!!!!!

Today we had a trail ride instead of a pony pulling or a barrel race. There were some on horses and some rode in wagon. Here is Papa Smurf with his grandson, Jacob. Jacob had the most gentle horse around. Jacob didn't have to worry about his horse throwing him, running off, all he had to do was ride it. Jacob rode the hair off his horse waiting on us grownups to get our horses ready and by the time we was ready to head out, Jacob was all done and nap time was calling.

LOOK, MUD

Yesterday we had rain to move into our area coming off the hurricane. The ground was so dry that it didn't take long for it to soak up. We needed that rain a month ago, oh well, atleast we got some. After the clouds and rain moved out is when we started rounding up the horses to shoe them and trying to ride them. I was able to pull out my favorite rubber boots, my LADYBUGS. After running up the hills and hollars I was proud to hollar that I had mud on my boots. If you think those boots are something, I even have a pair of green ones that actually look like frogs. Boy, do I get some stares when I wear them at horse and goat shows. Then again, I get stares where ever I go for the way I dress. I'm telling ya, I dance to the beat of my own drum. Now, If I could only get my spurs to fit on these boots.

WE'RE THROUGH PLAYING NOW........

After shoeing the horses and riding the buck out of them, the boys decided they were through playing now. Hmmmm..... wonder where all that energy went to that they had about 30 minutes ago.?

BREAKING HORSES AND BREAKING TAILS.......

Tomorrow we are going on a trail ride. Yup, we are riding. Been along time since we have rode and we have started getting some of the horses ready to be rode. This is Molly, she hasn't seen a saddle in awhile. So, Kyle got her saddled up and put her in the round pen and lounge her for some time. Well, she broke out and away down the hill she did run. Bucking and carrying on. We finally got her caught and he got on her. And away they went..........

FAR MORE PRECIOUS THAN RUBIES OR GOLD.....

This apron is very precious to me, you see, it was my grandmothers. Now, it may not look like much for it is made out of flour sacks, no ribbon nor nothing fancy, just a plain ole apron. I find myself putting this apron on more than any other apron. When I am wearing it, I catch myself doing things just like my grandmother did. When I am milking, I often wonder if this is how Mama Jack did this or any other chore that I'm doing. It seems that everytime I get a letter from Jon Brandon I have this apron on. It catches my tears as they fall, it wipes the sweat of my face when outside, wipe my hands on or even to protect my hands when handling something hot. I often wonder if this apron caught my grandmother's tears as she read letters from my Dad when he was in the military, or wiped the sweat of her face, protected her hands, wiped tears from a young one, to shoo chickens back into their pen at night, or even helped hold eggs when she gathered them. No, my apron isn't fancy but the memories it holds it something far more precious to me than rubies or gold.

ALL GAVE SOME, SOME GAVE ALL

Today has been a tear jerker for me. I am going to redirect you to a dear friend of mines blog. Please go to her site and read her post for today. Thank you

http://www.elizabethsclothesline.blogspot.com

I don't want no diamonds, I want......

Yup, goat harness. My boys love me soooo much. I ask for goat harness and they got me goat harness. An Amish man made the set for me. We put it on Ginger(don't worry, she can pull up to 3x her weight). We are teaching her to ground drive. Hmmm.... may take alot longer than I thought. I have a wagon, but it still has some work to be done on it. I hope to have the wagon going by this weekend. Look out, here I come. She'll be coming around the mountain....... in a goat wagon.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY EMILY REA

Today is my daughter's 14th birthday. I have been asking her for several weeks what did she want for her birthday and she had no response. So, after church we went to Wal-Mart(yuck) and I bought her a little birthday cake. Yes, I know, being cheap for I didn't make it myself but things have been in a turmoil here on the farm. Well, the little snot didn't wait till we got back to home to celebrate. No sir, she decided to have her own very personal little part right there in the car in the parking lot of Wal-Mart. Anyway, she finally told me , that she wanted to wait till we get to Kentucky to celebrate. She wanted her big brother to celebrate with her. Yup, that's my baby. Always the tender hearted one.

A little meme

While checking out my friends blogs, I stopped at Beemoosie over at www.beequilting.blogspot.com and found this little quiz, so here is my answers to the quiz:
1. ACCENT- a very southern drawl
2.ALCOHOL- yes, I do enjoy a nice drink every once in a while
3.CHORE I HATE- scrubbing tolets
4.PETS- 5 horses-Dass, Trigger, Molly, Ben, Jerry, 6 goats( have several more over at my dads) Lady, Ginger, Jeri Curl, Shelby, Taco, Wheezer,1 cat CC, 3 dogs- Annie, ChiChi, Clumsy, 6 cows.
5.Essential electronics- computer
6.PERFUME- nope
7. GOLD OR SILVER- gold
8.INSOMIA- naw, don't have that
9.JOB TITLE- well, I wear several hats, all around do it yourselfer
10. MOST ADMIRED TRAIT- I love to have fun, sort of a prankster
11. KIDS- Brian, Tessa, Kasey, Jon Brandon, David and Emily
12.PHOBIA- snakes, I hate snakes, will hurt myself and everyone else where a snake is concerned
13.RELIGION- Christian
14. SIBLINGS- 2 younger sisters, Jennifer and Teisha
15. TIME I WAKE UP- 4 am
16. UNUSUAL TALENT/SKILL- is barrel racing an unusual talent/skill?
17.VEGETABLE LOVE/HATE- anything other than beets
18.X-RAY- exactly one year ago, was riding a pony, fell off, got drugged, cracked my ankle
19.FAVORITE MEAL-fried chicken, fried potatos, purple hull peas, fried cabbage, corn bread and sweet tea
Okay, let's see how you do. Come on, post your answers, who knows, we may have something in common.

Working on some night moves......

Not the kind of night moves you are thinking. The kind that helps pay bills and cut back on expense.( still not those kind of moves). Have been doctoring on everything that bleated, neighed, barked, meowed, mooed around here. I am so sick of giving shots( hmmm....wonder how the animals feel). I pray that maybe I have gotten the virus under control now. This dry weather isn't helping any. This week has been one of those weeks where I took one step forward and to find myself actually running two steps back. Like one of those trucks stuck in the mud and everyone is hollering"you got it" and you are still in the same spot just spinning your wheels. I have been trying to get started on some things to put in my Aunts shop for Christmas and trying to get a few gifts made myself. I got another letter from JB today. It's only 3 weeks away till I see my son again. He is making if fine still homesick though. It will take us about 7 hours to get there so I plan on leaving out around 1 on that Thursday and returning home sometime Monday morning. I noticed tonight that my horses are getting a hay belly on them, so next week my afternoons will be riding. Do I remember how to saddle a horse? I hate to say it, but the other night I went through some old tapes and watched some barrel racing and rodeos, yup, I have got the fever again. I just don't know how much longer I can hold out, November sure seems like forever. I'm missing the smell of the dirt, the roar of the crowd, the feel of Dass underneath me. I even miss my little one, JD, hollering," Go Aunie". Just ask Tracey over at www.carpentercreek.wordpress.com about little JD cheering his Aunie on. I believe Tracey and Darling had a good hoot watching the tape that I sent them.

One More Time.......

Today has been a nice and exciting day. Got up this morning, feed and doctored on all the animals. Hubby was off today and did mow the yard. I ran the weed eater, washed off the porch. Hung out a few loads of clothes. Then we got ready and went over to s-i-l house for a fish fry. Yup, us southerners have a cookout pretty darn regular. When we got ready to say the blessing, nephew Greg had something to say. Greg? This is the quiet one. Anyway, he announced to the family that he and his wife ( the doctor) is expecting. What an answer to prayers. For they didn't think they could have any. They have been trying for a long time and now, yup, gonna be another rugrat running around. The due date is March 24. Okay, something is up with this family. Do you know how many family members have birthdays starting in March. Nearly the whole darn lot. As I sat at the table I started counting, I have , wait, don't know if I can count that high or am I counting the same kids and adults twice. One more time, I'm going to be a great aunt. My great newphew and two of my great neices wanted to come out to the house and see the animals. I know that my great neice, Abi Grace, is all the time wanting to come and pet the animals. So, does being a great aunt mean I'm getting older or that I'm one totally cool super Great aunt? Okay, let's count one more time.......

ok, Shelby, Wheezer, Taco, Molly, Lady, anyone else.....

It seems when it rains on a farm, it pours. No, I'm not talking about the rain from the skies , I'm talking about the down falls on a farm. First it was Jose, then last night, one of the ponies started coughing. I gave each pony a shot of 3 cc's of argri-cillin. I feel like it is what is known as shipping cold. The new one was brought in on a trailer that cows are hauled in, unless you wash the trailer out , the other animals that get on it will catch it. Got up this morning to feed and milk, noticed something just wasn't right with Ginger(my nubian doe that I milk). Went to wash her teats and her bag was hard. There is no fever , so I feel like I just found it. She was fine last night, so I get my book(my cheat notes) and look to see how to treat Mastitis. It is telling me to inject her with Oxytetracycline. Guess what?! Yup, don't have it. So, off to Scruggs which is in another town about 24 miles away. When I get there, I see that the price on the smallest bottle is $35.00. Wait, I can order that from Caprine for only $15.00. I know there will be a little shipping and handling but still way cheaper than this. Then suddenly something catches my eye(a bright pink barrel racing saddle?) there is the gentric version of LA 200(oxytetracycline) called Agrimycin 200 for only $9.00. So, that is what I purchase. Then I check out the new barrel racing saddles. Whew, too rich for my blood, think I will keep riding in the old one that I have. Get home, yup, the other pony is coughing some. I have done more injecting shots today then some nurses. Why is it, these animals are eating a hole in my pocket? Am I ever going to see a return of them? Can I get my money back on any of them? Naw, think I will keep them, but seriously, where is the profit from a farm? AAHHH..... it's not the money that is the return, it is when I pull up or come out the back door, and I'm greeted like the most important person in the world by the bleating of the goats, the barking of the dogs, the neighing of the horses, and the bellowing of the cows. Yeah, I'm important, I'm the hand that feeds them.

Ooops, I done it again,.....

Well, this is the second weekend in a row that I have missed a barrel race. Yes, I have missed 2 weekends straight. What in the world has taken my attention away from my passion, you say? Well, its two little ponies. We bought another blue roan the other day and today was their first pulling as a team. It was sad to see Jose harness on another pony but I know that he wouldn't mind. David done real good today, he went out on 350% which was 1755lbs. That is alot of weight for these little ponies. And guess what?! We have another pulling next weekend. So.......I guess I will be at a pulling instead at a can chasing. Gotta support this boy. Heck, I have and Dad has way toooooo much money invested in them for us not to be there. Everyone bragged on the little team. David hung in there with the best of them. There was a lot of sorry express here and at the pulling about the lose of Jose. I still tear up but will survive. I have been out to his grave twice today. He is just right here behind the house so I can vist him.