THINGS I DO ON A COLD RAINY DAY

I been feeling a cold coming on yesterday around 3:00 o'clock in the afternoon as I was scraping  another section of barn ceiling. I had a mask on and I was feeling my throat getting dry. When I got home after feeding the calves I took a 1000 mg of time release vitamin C tablet and felt too tired to eat and fell asleep on the sofa.   I've been taking vitamin C at about every 4 hours roughly even during the night and I can feel that it's doing a good job.

So today I'm not pushing myself and I'm taking advantage of the rainy day to stay inside and rest a bit. I made a small pot of soup for lunch to get rid of some carrots.

I saw some little American Goldfinches at the feeders and I dug out my big lens and took some photo through a dirty wet window. I think the one on the left is a juvenile but I could be wrong...

A little Song Sparrow dining alone. A Chickadee came and stole a sunflower seed and flew away with it as quickly as he came. He was too quick for me.

I was trying to aim my lens on the little Song Sparrow on the cement when all of sudden this other sparrow landed on it's back.   The sparrow on the bottom looked up and the one on the top said Oopps and flew away, hahaha.

It was a bit damp in the house and I thought that I would be a good time to burn my spiny roes bush trimmings. They've been drying for a couple of weeks in a recycle bin. My leather work gloves weren't around  so I used my helping hand tool for grabbing things and it worked great. I bought that thing when our Value Village first opened up and only paid a few dollars for it the. I'm short so I use it a lot to reach. I got a few thorns stuck in the rubber tip and used a tweeser to pull them out.

I was careful not to put too much at a time as it burns rapidly then put a few small pieces of wood just to take out the dampness. Now my tummy is full and I'm going for a little nap.

It's the handiest tool, you can pick a whole bunch or only one little stick.

The the fun part is lighting the fire. It burns fast and so I was careful with adding a few small sticks of wood to warm up the house a little. Now I'm off for a much needed nap.

I hope that you had a good dad today. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment. 

JB

BARBER IN THE NUDE AND TREE SURGEON

I'm not one to pamper myself much but even I need to get a hair cut from time to time. My hair grows so fast... This time, my hair got a little longer than usual and with this rainy weather my hair has a tendency to curl since I've had Chemo. I don't know why but that's how it is.

It's OK until it get's a certain length and then I can't do a thing with it. Usually, I trim it every 4 weeks, a little here and a little there  just to keep it manageable since I have thin hair.

This morning after barn work, I showered and grabbed my trusty old barber scissors and cut my own hair before going to church. It was curling in my neck and I looked neglected and it didn't felt good.

Here are front and back mirror selfies....  I'll tell you, taking a selfie  of the back of my own head in a mirror isn't easy. It's harder than cutting my own hair.   OK, I was dressed by then. I didn't want to scare anybody away. hahaha, and beside I didn't want to break my camera or my mirror. Don't need 7 years bad luck...

I needed my two hands to keep my camera steady with this shot. I had to take about 10 photos before I got the back of my head, lol... I was getting everything but the back of my head... It was all guess work... My neck is whiter where the hair was long. You can tell I spend a lot of time outdoors by my tan.

This one was easier to take but still tricky. I had to put the camera at a slight angle and look directly at the camera in the mirror.  No before pictures for obvious reason... hehehe....

Even the big Maple tree needed a trim.  Oh lordy... notice my Christmas tree lights still on the house at the top of this picture.  lol... I guess life is busy here isn't it....

George lifted Reid as high as he could in the big tractor bucket  so Reid could cut the branches with a chain saw while I directed George where to drive and how high to lift the bucket as he couldn't see Reid way up there with a chain saw in his hand...  I didn't want Reid to get hit on the head with the overhead branches. So of course, I couldn't take photos. I think they cut about 5 long branches.

They hauled the branches out of the way and cut them into firewood. Now my little crap apple tree has more light.

That huge tree in the front is a soft wood maple and grows way too fast and the branches needs trimming every year to keep it from obstructing the view for drivers.

This is the beef stew with dumplings that was left in my dutchoven after everyone had eaten at dinner time Saturday. The boys work hard and a stew hits the spot when it's cool and damp.

I made some Rhubarb Custard desert  as I needed to use up some eggs before they pass the best before date. We haven't eaten many eggs lately. This is what was left after everyone ate. I had a piece too of course. Yummy... It had a shortbread base.

Working in the kitchen was a good break from weeding and whitewashing.

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there living or in heaven.
I'm thankful for all your visits and of course, I love getting your comments too. Lurkers are also welcome.
JB

MY WEEK IN A NUT SHELL

It's been a busy week although my work of caring for the calves has diminished considerably since 12 of the 16 calves  I was caring for have been moved outdoors this past week and the little bull has been sold.  So now I'm left with only 4 calves to look after. Wow........ in no time my regular chores at the barn are done...

These are two of my weaned young calves in a bigger pen waiting to be moved in the long pen. They were curious to see if I would take their picture. They eat grain and hay and drink water from the water bowl. They are quick to feed.

The pen is longer than is shown in the photo and represent two days worth of work  and I wasn't quite finished. My son helped me remove the partition gate  away from the all that you see in the middle and I whitewashed the wall. You can see how black it was before.

 The long pen was empty and I used this opportunity to scrape calf shit, fly shit, dust and cobwebs and hay stuck in the cobwebs off the wall and ceiling and whitewashed everything.  The job wasn't  quite finished when I took this photo.

I've been working at the barn for over 5 years I think and this is the first time we didn't had calves in that long pen other than when they clean the bedding and they put them right back in when they are done, so I took this rare opportunity to whitewash the place.

Years of dirt accumulation on the ceiling was hard to scrape off until I used a wire brush.
I was using a thinner whitewash solution than I should have and it did not do a great job, yet it's way better than it was. This is two days work and I wasn't quite finished. I did some whitewashing on myself too while I was at it. lol...

I weeded this long garden and that took me two whole days  work. The hedge needs trimming. I don't know when that will get done. I need to move to a camp in the woods where the deers trim the branches, lol.

I also transplanted some basil, pepper plants where my lilies missed. No sense having bare spots.
The snow peas are up. Yesterday I planted another row along side the one that are out and I need to put up a fence soon.

Spinach is coming up.

Red and yellow onions are growing side by side and I think these are beets or swish chards. I love small tender beets.

More pepper plants and sweet basil

Let's see what's blooming in my gardens this week. Bearded Irises

Mauve creeping phlox by the hedge

A silly impatient bumblebee who can't even wait until this Lupin opens up fully to collect the nectar and pollen. There are tons of other blooms around.

More bearded Irises. All same old flowers as last year as I don't buy new one anymore but divide and conquer.

Another Azalea in a low container that has been there for ions. I was going to replant it in in the soil this Spring but it didn't happened.

A snowball tree by the chimney that is getting way too tall.

 This tree was a free bonus from a seed order catalogue and was just a tiny whip of about 4 inches when I planted it. I had no idea it would grow so tall. I've kept it trimmed from the bottom. Look at that, it looks like a bees nest way up there.

This is a close up of that Azalea

Can yo believe, these pretty ferns are fiddleheads that I planted there a couple of Springs ago. I dug them up along side of the river's edge. They spread by runners under the soil and pops up here and there. I love them.

So simple yet so beautiful and they grow for free around here, no need to spend money for these beauty.

These Leopardbane  have finished blooming and needs deadheading so they won't spread everywhere. It's been raining so it didn't get done yet.

 These are two more weedy flowerbeds that needed cleaning but it didn't take long.

Here the job is done. I have so much more to do.

What got done today will be shared another day. This post is already too long. My apologies but it's a record for prosperity.
Thanks for visiting and if you feel like it leave some comments.  They always make me feel like you came to my place to visit. My house is still dirty inside, my laundry is still not done, a good thing I have tons of clothes, undies and socks by the drawer full. hehehe.
JB

LIFE'S LITTLE BLESSINGS

I once read in a House Plant book that Jade plants seldom bloom as a house plant. Last year I found one little bloom on one of my Jade plant and I was so excited. It doesn't take much to get me excited...
 It bloomed again this week and I almost missed  it. This time of year when I'm working mostly at the barn and in the yard, I neglect my house plants a lot and I forget to water them and the sun is beating down on them.
Look what I found when I went by it today. I think it's blooming because its stressed.  Some of the leaves are getting dehydrated and wrinkled. It almost looks like the same type of starry blooms that I have on my Hoya plant but not as waxy.

That bloom is almost finished

This little one is a fresh bloom and is at the bottom of the plant.

I placed a chair beside it just to show you the size it is.  I have a taller one but it doesn't have any blooms on it.  That thing is so pot bound, maybe it's begging to be repotted. If you look closely you can see a fading bloom in the centre and one little one at the bottom.  I just had to share my rare little blossoms with you. Anything to post on blogger.

Now my Hoya plant blooms twice a year like nobody's business but a few weeks ago I counted over 50 blossoms on it and I quit counting, hahaha. It a cutting from a cutting from a cutting  of my husband  grandmother so it goes way back. I took a cutting from the mother plant a few years ago as it was getting a bit straggly and look at it now.

This is a small section of it. It gets a lot of sun and when I repotted it I added a handful of that Miracle Grow fertilizer and mixed it in the soil in a large pot.
It emit an exotic perfume around 10:00 at night and I just love it. My house has a lot of open space so the perfume is not overpowering.

I've been weeding all afternoon but didn't take any photos.  My body is achy, especially my right shoulder.

Thanks for helping me celebrate those little blooms I almost missed and I hope that you enjoyed your little visit.  Thanks for stoping by. I so appreciate your comments.
JB

WASHDAY BLUES

I'm singing the blues, the Washday Blues that is. My Duet Whirlpool Front end  washer has given the ghost so it seams.

After contacting the dealer he said that the bearing was gone and it would cost approximately $1000. to fix it.  I bought it in 2005 and paid around $1400.00 for it and upon researching  customer complaints on the web,  I found out that a lot of people had the same problem and were not happy either.

 It looks like the bearing is gone and the life expectancy of those washers is about 7 years.  That is so not right...

 I went to my Co-op as they are luckily having a big 40th Anniversary sale this week and washers are on special amongst other things. They have a lower retail price than the suggested sale price and they pay the HST @.15%. ( Harmonized Sales Tax) this week.... We got there as soon as they opened so we could bring one home right away. The place was packed.

I didn't want a Whirlpool again so I asked for a Maytag. Guess what.... Whirlpool bought out Maytag. They are now the same company. I bit my lips and grumbled and bought a new Maytag anyway as they were cheaper. They had non in stock.... I have to wait two weeks for delivery.  In the meantime I'm running out of undies but thank goodness I have a big laundry tub and and old fashion washboard.  It'll be like the good old days when I was a little girl. You may remember my wash tub and washboard in my Childhood Memories rug, lol. I'm glad I still have my old washboard...

I wonder how long this Maytag washer will last.  Maybe it will outlast me. Now wouldn't that be something...

There's the pretty baby. It was so quiet and I could wash king size comforters in there. Doing laundry was never so easy I tell you...

The side ripped right off from the clonking when the bearing let go.

I did love that machine and I wasn't ready to see it die so soon. So now I'm singing the washday blues. Maybe I should cry in my beer too while I'm at it.  lol...

Thanks for dropping by and leaving a comment. I really appreciate it and I also appreciate all my lurking friends too, just so you know. I'll join Dolly Parton  in singing the Washday Blues.
JB

THE WATER TABLE AND THE BOYS

THE NEW KID ON THE BLOCK

Yesterday morning I was doing my chores at the farm and I was keeping my eyes on the pregnant heifer in the calving pen. I gave her a bit of grain and hay but she showed no interest and she got real restless. I knew she was ready to calve.   I put lots of fresh bedding in her pen.

She laid down and stretched herself right out and started to breath hard and moaning.  I call my son Vaughan to tell him she was in labor. Her water broke shortly after she laid down and sprayed the fresh bedding.

I was all done my chores and it was time to go wash my bottles in the other end of the barn so I checked on her again and saw two big hooves sticking out and I knew it was a big calf. I called my son again and he arrived without delay.  He got his dad to help him pull the calf. By the time I returned, the calf was born and I was right, he was big.... It was a hard pull and my son thinks that she would not have been able to deliver by herself. It was good timing because I would have only returned to the barn around 4:00PM.

The calf is doing super and nursed on the mother shortly after.
The mama got herself all dirty by laying in her own mess. It looks like I never added fresh bedding but that's how it is in the birthing pen. It's unbelievable how quickly they mess it up. Like my husband says, "I'm glad cows don't fly"


He's a big little bull. I gave him a vaccine and dipped his navel and my son usually give them vitamin shots.

He's happy for the fresh bedding to lay on.

He's folding his long legs so he can lay down to sleep after suckling on the mother.

Look at that face. Still wet under his eye. I'd like to have long eye lashes like that. No need for mascara for sure...

And what about my face? Aww, you're cute too... This is Tigger, he was born outside last Fall and the feral mother moved him in the barn but he was very scared of me then but he finally came around and now he's like my own shadow. He follows me everywhere I go and wants to be scratched and he purrs loudly. The camera  flash blurred his eyes.

The other cats are not as friendly but they never run away from me. See the big front paws.

I almost forgot, today is my second daughter's birthday, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY Jackie. I hope that you are being treated extra special today. Hugs.

Thanks for visiting and have a good weekend everyone.
JB

JUNE GETTING INTO GEARS

There's so much to do and  June is one week old already and I decided that I can't do it all anymore. Surprise, surprise... I'm slowing down and I'm not as goal oriented as I used to be...
 I'm choosing to just do what I can comfortably do and put one foot ahead of the other and what will get done will get done, who cares anyway. Life is very good as is anyway...

I'm just getting around to vacuum the inside of my van and I washed the matts and  I could have filled a wheelbarrow full of sand and small pebbles from my matts.  A good scrubbing in the laundry tub and they look cleaner. They were hung on the railing to dry in the hot sun.

I scrubbed and waxed my van on the outside but still need to clean the windows and doors on the inside. I'll wait for a warmer day. It's wet outside today.

I painted these two old lawn chairs that felt too gritty to sit in with a good outdoor paint. Now they feel nice and clean  and no longer grippy.

Both our screen doors needed to have their broken latches replaced. When the grandkids were  here we had to tie the latches with strings to prevent Daniel from accidentally opening the screen doors. Now I'll be ready for them when they come back in August.

Yesterday I had to weed this long flowerbed. The soil was very dry and hard and I had to wet it down a bit to pull the weeds out.

I got a good section done but had to come in as it was getting dark and the mosquitos were coming for dinner. After weeding a section I put some bagged soil I bought last fall on a end of season sale.

I  disinfected some tomato cages in a solution of water and bleach to kill any blights that was left on there from last year. I rotated them until they were totally  submerged for several minutes.

I planted my long skinny tomatoes in some crates by lining the inside with repurposed landscape fabric that my husband's office chair came wrapped in at Christmas.

My tomatoes looks spindly but I'm confident that they will smarten up if I can remember to water them.

Finally, I wanted to show you my little Avocado trees that I planted  in these 4 inch pots in early Spring. They need to be repotted and harden to go outside during summer.  I just half buried the pits in a large flower pot and watered it along with my big plant. When it started to grow I had to dig them out  before the roots grew too long. A fun project to do for curiosity.

Thanks for your visit and please come again.
JB