Happy Mother's Day

My mother, Mary Trehey Peterson.  Born in 1914, she was a stunner, huh, and a true Irish Rose.  

Keith's mom, Trudy Boenk Yoder, from sturdy Dutch stock, practical and smart, with her tiny granddaughter Brynn Lamb. 

Where would we be without our mothers? 

I'll tell you... nowhere. 

Pity those who don't have a strong mother to guide their feet... for their path is hard and stony. 

We were blessed by God to have our mothers, and it stood us in good stead this week. 

We thank everyone for all their prayers, we felt them around us as we gathered to celebrate Brandon's life.  

Those of you who left comments, we appreciate each and every one, and I can tell you... I would not have posted today, except that Keith begged me to, he was so thankful to read all your kind words. 

Our hearts go out to you for your friendship and prayers. 

I hope the mothers among you had a wonderful Mother's Day.  Tomorrow I'll tell you about ours.. it was good, don't worry.  Spent here at home, where we are so happy and love so well. 

That's our little story for today from Calamity Acres. 

Sundays and Moms

My own dear mother has been gone for four years already, and I miss her like it was yesterday.  The last two years of her life, she was very child-like, and often called me "Mother", in fact, rarely did she call me Mary Ann.

How she would have loved to come out here and sit on our porch and watch the birds feeding, and see the chickens, and laugh at the llamas.  I know someday I'll be with her again, but for now, I'm sending her happy prayers winging their way skyward for Mother's Day.

It was mild and cloudy/sunny today, and I had a nice long visit from the grands and their mom and dad,

Paiton, Jaxton, Madison and Jacob.  I didn't think to take any pictures while they were here, but we had fun looking at and holding the new baby chicks, and seeing the other chickens, and chasing the turkeys.  After the chaos in the pasture, we came in and had cookies and milk.

A little later, I went out to do the chores.  I worked so hard Friday and Saturday, and then went down into the pasture with our little yard cart hooked to the tractor, and raked two big loads of hay to put on the new compost pile.  Then I called it a day and did chores, and came in and read for a while.

For me, a perfect day.

Here are two little farm dogs that helped:

These two little girls have become very good friends.  Abby can't keep up with their younger legs.

This is a remarkable picture, because it features five of the boys from the big henyard in it.  Rambo (Baby Rambo) on the left, the last son of our Buff Orp rooster Rambo...and King of the Big Henyard.... and George, the partridge cochin in the feed bowl... Boots, the Mille Fleur rooster, and Speedy, the Brassy Back Old English Rooster.  That's Jackson having a siesta in the background.  Jackson likes to lay down where he can see me when I am doing chores and take a little snooze, I notice now that he does this daily.

Here were Turkettes Annabelle and Clarabelle taking a dust bath while I sat for a while.  You can see from Anabelle's underside that they still have not grown back any feathers.  Their feathers, you see, were complete rubbed off on their chests and undersides when I got them from their previous owner.  They were in a pen with a lot of chickens, and the pen had literally a sink-mud-hole in it, and the two girls, for the three days I went there to get birds, were in that mudhole every time I went, pacing back and forth. They are slowly coming back to complete health, and I hope their feathers will re-grow to cover the bare spots.  They are lovely turkey girls, and very calm, unlike Helen, our first Turkette.

And to close the week out, a totally gratuitous picture of Splash, my favorite of the new hens.

I hope everyone had a happy Mother's Day 2012!

A Great Mother's Day

People, sometimes life intervenes, but we are back.

It was a hot, wonderful Mother's Day here in Tonganoxie.  Temps got up to 92, and though it was supposedly only 50 percent humidity, we can attest it felt like MUCH more.  Yes, the air is on, and yes, the dogs were in most of the day, particularly the pugs, who suffer so in the heat.  Our old man, Ranger, is also bothered by it now.  He likes to go out and check the yard out in the morning, and then come back in when we leave for work, settle on his pad, and go to sleep for the day.

This weekend was the second year of the Kansas Sampler Festival, held last year and this in Leavenworth, Kansas, on the outskirts of the grounds of the Eisenhower Veterans Administration beautiful grounds.  After church early this morning, and a visit from Son Jim and his family, Keith and I went to Grass Pad to get some more dirt for the garden beds, and some perennials and other things.  An observation we made... the big nursery is not stocking as much as last year, and the plants are not as nice.  I picked up a gallon coreopsis as we went in to pay with our tray cart, and when we got to the checkout, realized it had a virus.  I paid for it, (they kept it) and I found a good one on the way out.  We noticed their trees are not as nice for sure, and bushes likewise.  All geraniums we saw were very expensive, so I have planted lilliput zinnia seeds in the planters on the porch for this year. 

When we got back, I decided to take myself to the Kansas Sampler Festival for my own Mother's Day treat, while Keith worked on more garden beds. 

Off I went, in my church dress and comfortable shoes, parking in a convenient store parking lot and riding the shuttle bus over.  Thank heavens I thought to grab a visor when leaving!

Here is what met me at the gate:

There were tents for all the different regions of our state... and I learned so much while going through the tents.

I bought honey from a nice lady from Hillside Honey in Easton, which is here in our own county of Leavenworth... I was unaware of them, but their honey is wonderful and I would love to learn about bees.

There were beautiful quilts... this one from Muscotah, Kansas, north of Atchison.  It is close enough to drive for a day trip, and in June they have a Rose Festival.  I bought a chance on the lovely quilt, and am going to drive up to see the roses.

There was artwork, indeed, an entire tent of it, incuding drawings for some lovely oils.  I bought note cards from a very talented pastel artist... I'll try to take a picture of one this week, I am going to buy some more of her cards and frame them, they are so nice. 

What would a festival be without food?

There was everything from Highland beef sandwiches, to kettle corn, to bierocks, to lemon drinks and on and on.  I had some homemade ice cream in the hot sun.

 What would a Kansas Festival be without a buffalo or two?

This little guy was a cutie, but don't know what he was doing in Kansas!

There were performers both days.

These ladies were very talented.

Lots of things for kids to do... it was a good afternoon for a stroll around Kansas.

Home to chores, watering, and planting some more flowers.

It's 10 now, and after a hot shower, I'm ready to hit the hay and get up early so I can be at work early for a meeting. 

Happy Mother's Day 2011!