WINDY!

It is so windy today that the plants in my bay window are shivering!

This is my first time trying to add a video so I hope it works.

In other news, I am trying to catch a cold. I am tired, sneezy, have a scratchy throat. I don't really feel too bad, mostly tired. 

I am still trying to organize my sewing space. 

I have decided my stash will be easier to use sorted by color. This unit is looking pretty good. I only have three slots left though and the fabrics that are left will need more space than that. 

Every time I think I have each color sorted I remember there is more in another part of the house. 

I really want all the fabric in one room.

On this shelf I will put all the solids together, all the larger yardage together, and what ever else does not fit in the shoe cubbie unit.

It may not look like it but it IS getting better!

Busy Day

It is FFA Week and the animal fair was today. So Kindergarten took a little trip to see all the animals.

Day old chicks in a tub.

An incubator with eggs. 

One hatched while we were there!

This is a bearded dragon. I heard someone say it is the biggest one they have seen. 

This is a snake. I don't know what kind, but the young man handling it says it does not bite and it's name is Shadow.

I think this is a tortoise, but I am not sure.

Also, I am not quite sure how bearded dragons, snakes and tortoises fit into the farm animal theme, but the young students did enjoy seeing them. Some were even brave enough to touch the snake.

A Holstein cow, goats and a pony,

pigs and rabbits

and, of course, a tractor.

A fun day!

And at the end of the day 

a beautiful sky.

Wrangling Calves

We got a call just after 5 this morning from the neighbor to the south. They were on their way to open their diner and saw two calves in the ditch about a mile from our house. They thought they might be our calves. Husband explained the situation, then left to go see if they calves were still there. He then drove to the neighbor to the west who had lost his calves yesterday. His cell phone was ruined yesterday when he flipped into the ditch so we weren't able to call him. He is very sore today, but not seriously injured.

Husband did his own chores then checked back in with the neighbor to see if they needed help. Neighbor had called The Wild Cattle Catching Company. Seriously, that is their business name. They are located several hours away, but they were bringing their horses and dogs to wrangle those stray calves.

Meanwhile, we could see Neighbor's wife and hired man out driving around the section once in a while. About 2 hours later we looked out the window and saw those calves making their way through the field across the road from our house to the west.

Closer...

and closer...

...and closer. 

Husband went out with the tractor to drive them into our barn lane.

Those silly calves went right up the lane, past the barn and into the field east of our house.

More driving around and finally they headed back to our place. Husband had turned his bull out thinking that might encourage the calves to come to our place. 

They were able to catch one and put it in the back of the hired man's pickup. There is a camper cover so it couldn't jump out.

The other wanted to be close to it, but not close enough to get caught. Husband was able to drive it up through the field with the tractor back to our place. It took a team effort. Notice the tractor, two vehicles and at least one person on the road. I tried to help when they got up closer to the house, but I slipped and fell going through the ditch. I landed on my backside so no injuries! Ha. Husband said I could go back in the house at that point.

The last calf was caught right as the Wild Cattle Catching cowboys showed up, about 12:30. I was hoping to see them in action, but they were too late!

Between happenings at school yesterday and the run-away calves the last 24 hours have been an adventure!

Oh, and, our water heater has decided it needs to be replaced so we were waiting on the plumber during the calve wrangling. Turns out the some of the pipes need to be replaced. He needed to get more parts so he left the new water heater and will be back tomorrow to install it.

What A Day!

Yesterday was a good day.

I got my car loaded Sunday afternoon and headed out for the 2 hour drive to my son's house Monday morning. Got it all unloaded, went for lunch, bought curtains, got a remote control curtain rod hung over the picture window that faces south, changed some light bulbs, cuddled the dog, and had a good visit. 

We have a winter weather advisory for later tonight through noon tomorrow. We had yesterday off for President's Day, and there was a super snow moon last night. All those factors affect children's behavior.

I expected it to be a little crazy today, and it was, but then there was an unexpected event around noon.

The music teacher is in our building on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. When she arrived today her car unexpectedly, and with great force, revved out of control as she was pulling into her parking spot. The car jumped the sidewalk and struck a 100 foot steel tower at the corner of the building. She said braking did not help. Turning the vehicle off was the only thing that stopped the revving. She was not hurt. Her car has suffered some damage, as did the tower. The tower did not fall, but is not stable. If she had arrived 10 minutes later we would have had student outside at recess. If she had parked one or two spots over her car probably would have ended up on the play area. One or two spots the other way it would have gone into the kitchen/cafeteria. School for our building has been cancelled for tomorrow so the tower can be safely taken down and cut up into smaller pieces to be hauled away. First I was told not to report to work, then I was told to report to a different building and they would 'find something for me to do', then I was told I could choose to report or not. I think I will stay home. Busing tomorrow will be a headache. A message went out to parents that their students will be picked up and dropped off at a different location, not the school. But, some parents will not get the message, or find it confusing and go to the school anyway. I am wondering if it would be better for the winter weather we are expecting to be enough to cancel school for the entire district.

When I arrived home, my husband met me in the driveway. The neighbor and his hired man were hauling some small calves in a small trailer using a 4-wheeler, or something similar. It overturned into the dredge ditch by our house with them under it. They both lost their cell phones in the water but were able to get out of the ditch. I imagine they both might need some medical attention. They walked, soaking wet, the half mile or so to our house to get help from my husband. He called the neighbor's wife at her work place and is out now helping do whatever he can to round up those calves. They have run into a field which is snowy and muddy. It is almost 6:00 pm and almost dark. I hope this all turns out ok.

I am ready for this day to be over.