A Tiny Tragedy, and a Budding All-Star

I have not posted in several days, and need to explain what's been going on. 

We are still making up baseball games lost to rain earlier in the season. 

Jax and his teammates had to play in temperatures near 100 degrees, and 

heat indices higher... I admire their pluck! 

And I admire the fact they can still smile after a season of losses... and still love their games. 

Little sister Paiton has to tag along to all the games, so I admire her, too.  She and her other little friends like to play and talk at the ballpark, while brothers play. 

A very serious big brother Jacob helped me again on Tuesday, and we got a LOT done, both at the old house (seen here) and the new.  Jake is going to help us out over the next few weeks before school starts, and I'm very grateful to have an extra set of hands. 

Jacob and I had to stop and laugh at the little calves in my favorite pond, when they saw this 

Canadian goose swim by them.  I have no idea why there was a lone goose there, and it 

was gone by that evening. 

Look who has left the beauty of the henspa for the old hen house and their red sisters. 

Silver and Goldie the Brahmas were brought over with Jacob's help on Tuesday morning, 

to save my going back and forth constantly to care for them.  Jacob took the big weed-eater and cut down the overgrown hen spa yard, and we cleaned the building out. 

The girls are actually liking their new digs, are laying, and enjoying the huge yard the red hens are in. 

Keith and I were talking about it today... despite the terrible temps this week, 

the birds are getting along well.  We attribute this to the shaded yards... 

plenty of water and feed.... and the absence of any other birds and/or roosters.  

This morning, I noticed there was ONE yucca plant... my "June Candles" still blooming at the old place.  I have never seen one bloom this late in July. 

Look who was out on our way home this morning!  This is the mare who 

was so grievously hurt about six weeks ago.  She has been on stall rest and under the care of a good vet, and is healing up.  I don't know if she will ever be rideable again, but her owner 

is very attached to her. 

The dogs and I saw our friends the alpacas as we neared home.  This small farm does not 

have a presence on the web that I know of, but I would like so much to meet these 

creatures. 

And this was our tiny tragedy.  I glanced out onto the deck as I got home from the old place, and saw a little bird that looked as if it were struggling.  I thought for a moment it was a baby bird that had 

just learned to fly. 

If I had looked closer, I might have seen what was wrong, 

though I couldn't have changed the outcome. 

This was the scene about two minutes later... I had left the dining room to talk to Keith about the little bird... and when I came back, this is what I saw. 

See the blood?  

I went out and picked it up with a plastic bag... still mindful that we 

are under a Bird Flu warning here.... and saw that it had hit it's head very hard, and 

was actually bleeding from it.  Our guess is that it was coming in for a

landing, and was blown into the side of the deck instead of making it onto the deck.

Poor little bird. 

Tiny little worlds, all around us. 

We pray tonight for those men killed in Chattanooga today, and 
don't understand why these sad events go on, and on, and on.  

A Short Note

I know where this guy is now, and I'll be watching for him. 

Clouds came and went, over and over. 

The dogs and I waited while Keith, who had the day off, worked on the new 

window in the spare bedroom. 

It was only 50 out, and Jester and I finally had to sit in the car and wait. 

When Keith was ready, I went in and helped him lift the window for it's installation. 

I'll take a picture tomorrow, I couldn't get one tonight. 

Then I ran to see Jacob play... and yes, he made this free throw!

Then to the store, and home. 

I'm pooped. 

A year ago today, Keith came home to find me crying on the couch... I was frozen and had been all day, doing chores.  It was that night we talked about "downsizing" and finding an acre or two to 

put a house on. 

Little did I know. 

Cold air is coming back to us in the next few days... but it has not been like it has 

the last two years, thank heavens. 

Thank you all for commenting on our blog, I know you are probably so 

tired of the pasture pictures... but this is a record of our lives... and how I 

love to look back and see what we were doing. 

More Christmas Cheer

Today was the second Christmas party we had scheduled... 

my side of the family. 

Chris and Nathan came up from Garnett, and Chris helped me get ready by running the vacuum while I decorated (more) cookies.

We did a lot of visiting... Amy, Paiton and Madison... 

the cream cheese - and pepper jelly did not last long. 

Paiton rearranged the Nativity Scene some more. 

Leaving Baby Jesus alone with the Angel. 

I made two big pots of chili... and the boys came up from the Kids Cave to get some. 

Within about five minutes, one pot was gone. 

(Jim and Amy) 

Our little slugger Jaxton got his Boston hat he wanted... and... 

His name is on the back... and yes, he was upset when I took this. 

Jacob and Nathan had their pictures taken with Grandma, and yes, Nathan was cutting up... he's 15. 

Jester and Lilly were in on the festivities. 

We even got our pictures taken... with Jim photo-bombing us. 

Chris was Grandchild number One ... born long before Keith and I were married... 

and when he was little... I had him pose with Moosletoe and Little Toe in his 

little rocker, every Christmas.  I asked him to do it again today. 

You see, Chris was nine years old before Nathan was born... so he was the Only for a long time.  I had very good memories of Chris rocking Moosletoe. 

And it has come down to his little sister Paiton, too! 

We had such a good time... and I had enough chili to save for 

my younger son this week... it's in the freezer. 

The kids, minus big sister Madison, are all here for the night, down in the Kids Cave. 

Keith is about to fall to a cold, the one I had 3 weeks ago, I'm sure... and 

he has dialysis tomorrow on top of it, on the holiday schedule, instead of 

Monday. 

The kids all leave early in the morning, and then I'm going to rest for a while!  

That's what Christmas is all about! 

A Game of Another Kind

This afternoon, after a doctor's visit, 

I was finally able to see Jacob play football. 

Jacob is at Clark Middle School in Bonner Springs, Ks., and 

I have been unable to see any of his games this year for 

one reason or another. 

I made it to today's. 

I had forgotten about cheerleaders! 

There were fourteen of them, and I had so much fun watching them. 

It was a beautiful afternoon after our rainy day yesterday... but oh, so windy! 

Our boy is number 3.  He does not get a lot of playing time, but 

he made a tackle here and the stands came alive with screams of
"Way to go Jacob!"  I was so happy for him. 

I sent him a text after the game, and told him how well he had played.  I asked if he 

had heard every one yelling for him, and he said yes, and thank you! 

This is where he spent a lot of his game time. 

This was the final score... the Braves won against the Basehor-Linwood Bobcats. 

They have not won many games this year, so I was glad to be there. 

Jake has one more game next Tuesday, and I plan to make that one, too. 

Jax's baseball game was rained out, the fields are soaked. 

Here's my old friend again. 

And two more across from the park.  I rushed home from the game, and loaded Lilly and Jester to go for a walk at the park.  The squirrels were running back and forth, and Lilly was pulling my arm out of it's socket, so I did not get pictures of them. 

But, as you can see... the Basehor Community Garden has just about been 

put to bed for the winter. 

Tomorrow, I'll share with you some planting I'm doing myself around here! 

A Clean-up Day

There's Brandon, my nephew, working on the caulking of the house this morning. 

He got there at 4:30, and did the whole exterior. 

See that pile growing behind him? 

Grandson Jacob and I got there, and drove over to the storage buildings and 

the shop, and began loading out debris. We loaded the car 

and drove it around to where the trailer was going to be parked. 

We filled this dump trailer... filled.  There is still stuff to throw away, but not near what there was. All the construction and demolition materials are now gone. 

Papaw was not feeling right, so he got to hold Baby Carson. 

While Big Brother Jace picked up a LOT of worms from where 

a pile of wood had been sitting.  He and his daddy are going to go 

fishing with them. 

Papaw gave him his tackle box. 

Keith's youngest daughter Amber took over Carson duties... 

and helped husband Jesse get the tarp over the trailer. 

Notice the Royals outfits???  

Keith supervised.  

We had a gorgeous day for it. 

There is supposed to be rain again tomorrow and Monday.  See the water standing in the driveway? 

Weeds coming up through the mulch.  I am going to go out to the middle of the pasture and 

SCREAM. 

Jacob and I grimaced... and frankly, I'm going to rake the mulch aside and dig up this area and try again to get the weeds out. 

If I have to, I'll get more mulch at the end of the month and we'll put another inch on 

the darn beds. 

Here's something I miss so badly... I have only seen geese over here at the new house ONCE since we moved here... we are not in the flyway like we were at the old place. 

These were honking loudly enough that I looked up. 

When I dropped Jacob off at home, I found Paiton and Jax busy in the kitchen. 

You see... Jax turned seven yesterday, and Paiton will turn six on Monday. 

They are one year and three days apart in age. 

Their birthday party is tomorrow afternoon. 

Paiton did not play with dolls as a little girl, but asked her parents for a doll house. 

Jim put this together for her... it is hidden in big sister Madison's bedroom. 

Her eyes are going to widen out of her head when she sees it tomorrow! 

Jim and Amy got Jax a special bat from a sports store... he has wanted it for months, and 

doesn't know it is coming. 

I'll be at church tonight, as I am signed up to work our annual turkey dinner at church 

tomorrow morning on the early shift... 8 to 10:30 AM, preparing turkey, mashed potatoes, dressing, green beans, rolls and cranberry sauce for the turkey dinner/bazaar tomorrow.  

Depending on the time the party starts... I'll get a turkey dinner for Keith and me to share... and then drop it at home on my way to the party. 

Now that the house is all caulked on the outside, Keith will tape the windows and start the painting. 

Then comes the deck railing, while I work inside.  Brandon will also come back in a week or so and hang the outside trim. 

We're getting so much closer! 

I still have stuff to move out of the big storage building and the shop... but not that much. 

We need to make some decisions about the contents left in the shop... donations and possible things to sell at the auction on Thanksgiving weekend. 

I'll work on moving those last things this week, and putting them away right away when I get them here.  No more clutter in the garage!!! 

I guess everyone is aware the Kansas City Royals pulled another one off last night, and won 

game one of their series with Baltimore. 

Keith is out doing an errand right now so he can come home and watch the game in peace and quiet this afternoon.... and the whole metropolitan area is alive with Royals Fever. 

I thought you might be interested in seeing what I just paid for gas about an hour ago: 

That's 2.91 for regular... incredible!  

And last... here's my big brother Pete yesterday.. he is looking SO GOOD!  For the first time 

in months, he was able to have a simple conversation... he can't really "talk" anymore... the way we used to visit... but he was able to converse about some simple things.  He is getting along so well at the new nursing home, and I couldn't be happier (unless it would be to see him with no dementia and at home!).... and I'm SO glad for him.  

I am trying to think of things to do to enrich the folks at this nursing home... he lives in a special area with folks who are wanderers, and would get out if they are not restricted to that area of the building.  I am trying to put songs on a CD for them from the 50's and 60's, and I'm going to donate my mom's old boom box for them to play music in the dayroom.  I have some other schemes too, that I'm working on.  More about that as they get closer. 

I hope everyone is having a beautiful October weekend!