Week Wrap Up

 I just finished my final class for this week.

Whew!

The morning sessions have fewer students...

but these days I just teach to myself.

(I keep my camera open so I can see myself

and pretend I'm a student... lol)

Yesterday I called our beef butcher.

They are STILL swamped!

The soonest I could get an appointment

is AUGUST 24!!!

So we will be taking them that morning.

We weighed them the other day on our new

scales in our fancy new Kyle Exclusive Facility...

Baldy is just over 1200 pounds.

The Red's are just over 1100.

So in another 3 months they should put on

a bit more weight and be closer to 1300 or 1400.

At least that's my guess.

Rod already has 6 quarters sold and he hasn't 

even reached out to anybody yet!

(I made an appointment for 2 beeves...

we'll see, the plan was to do 1 at a time...)

We were going to hop in the truck and make

a run to the feed mill and get this month's feed,

but it's the first day of the Memorial Day weekend.

Kyle just got back from a job 30 miles up the highway

and he said traffic is already HORENDOUS.

So we're going to the beach instead.

(grin)

I'm pretty sure I've got enough feed to make

it to Wednesday morning.

(I'm teaching the evening sessions next week

plus working at the Town on Tuesday...)

Oh.

And Kyle 1st degree burned all the fingers on 

his left hand grabbing a piece of wire he ran over

with his mulcher - it got wrapped around the head

and he just grabbed it to pull it off.

He's done it a thousand times before.

But this time it was HOT!

Ouch.

(And then the guy shook his hand when they were done...)

OUCH!

Poor guy.

Random beach picture.

Because I hate doing blogs without a picture...

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!

Another One!

Monday morning Rod texted me that one of his

co-workers had tested positive, so his team was

being sent out for testing.

If you test negative, you are out (paid) until Thursday.

If you test positive, you are out (paid) until you 

get a negative test.

And, of course, he tested negative!

YEA!

So we have had a couple of great days with him

being home and going out on jobs with Kyle

and helping him have a successful month.

They also built a nifty little gate for the end

of the facility chute so I don't have to keep

trying to barricade it with heavy stuff. 

But I forgot to take a picture last night.

Anyhow.

Random picture of Kyle's first peace rose of the season...

This morning he went back to work.

And since he's been out all week, he can't get overtime,

so he went in at 7 instead of 5. 

What a luxury!!

He texted me and said they were offering the 

Johnson & Johnson shot to everyone today

at 9:00 and what did I think?

They weren't offering any OTHER incentives though.

Like, the ability to take off your stupid mask!

So you want me to take a shot AND still wear this thing?

NOPE!

Just as I was receiving the text

I was sitting out on the patio, enjoying the lovely

cool morning while eating my breakfast and reading

my daily Come Follow Me and listening to The Piano Guys

on my Pandora, when on came another favorite!

It's Gonna Be Ok.

I used to play that before my final exam every class!

LOL

I haven't heard it in awhile, so even though I usually

keep my music quiet while I'm reading so it doesn't

distract me, I actually reached over and turned it up.

As I was texting Rod my answer...

it's your decision, you have a strong immune system

so you will be OK either way...

the chorus came on and Al started belting out

It's Gonna Be OK!

Yup.

I broke out into happy tears.

My Heavenly Father loves me and is mindful

of even those little things!

Tender Mercies

 Call them what you want.

Some people say Tender Mercies.

Others say Love Notes.

Others call it God Winks.

But whatever your chosen moniker... 

It means a moment when Heavenly Father

reaches out and gives me a little nudge.

Just to let me know He is mindful and loves me!

Mine generally revolve around music.

Maybe that's the only time I'm paying attention???

Anyway.

I got a fun one yesterday.

We had to drive over to Sebring (2 hours) to

attend their Ward Conference for my Stake

calling in the Primary.

It was a lovely drive over and a nice conference.

They have gone "live" for 2nd hour and they

did an amazing job with their Primary.

On the way home I offered to drive because Rod

had a million things going through his mind and

I don't love it when he drives distracted.

So...

I was driving.

(The big black truck.)

We were driving through the farmlands of Florida

and enjoying the beautiful scenery and also

some beautiful hymns on my Pandora LDS Hymns channel.

As we were driving, a medley of Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief

and some other hymns came on (instrumental).

That is one of my favorite hymns.

But I love the WORDS.

I realized as I was listening, that I haven't heard ANY

vocals on my LDS Hymns channel in several weeks!

And I listen to it often!

I must have doing something to the algorithms...

Who knows.

But I'd sure like to hear the men's choir sing

Poor Wayfaring Man...

And the next song was the men's vocals of

Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief.

Isn't that the coolest thing?!?

So little.

So insignificant.

So NOT life changing.

But SO important to ME!

Just a little "here" because I asked.

And He answered.

(And I didn't even really ASK!)

Anyhow.

I felt loved.

And blessed.

And loved.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

We have also been blessed with a great garden this season!

Florida isn't really known for its potatoes.

But Kyle planted a small row of purple potatoes

because what's the point if you can't have FUN?!?

We harvested them last night,

roasted a hand full for dinner and I just washed the rest.

Aren't they beautiful????

And tasty!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

And sometimes the blessings AREN'T tiny.

But they are still blessings and we are grateful.

This morning while I was teaching I got a text from Rod.

One of his co-workers tested positive.

So they sent him to get tested and if it comes back negative

he has to stay out until Thursday.

And if its positive he has to stay out until its negative.

So he headed to the quick clinic to get a rapid test.

And it's NEGATIVE!!!

So he's healthy

AND we get to spend a couple of days together!!!!

(Double WIN!)

Aaaaaaahhhh.

I love blessings!

Friday Friday!

 The weeks when I teach every day are LONG.

I worked at the town during the day and

then taught until 9:00 last night.

I had some good students though...

I'm tired today.

This morning I went out to feed the animals.

Kyle finished fixing the new concrete floor

under the weigh scales yesterday!

It looks great!

Got the walls all up again...

so while the steers were eating their breakfast

I opened all the gates so they could walk through again.

We like to have them go through the alley after

breakfast so they get comfortable walking

in there, so when we want to weigh them,

it's not a "thing".

I sat in a chair in the little enclosure

(we are going to call it the "orchard"... lol).

We have 4 new little loquat trees as well

as the mango.

Anyhow, I sat in there and kept an eye on them.

Little Red stood on the scales for awhile

and marveled at how tall he was...

And then he followed Big Red out.

(Big Red is the dark one and strangely the

smallest of the herd, but "looks" big... lol.)

He is also quite nosey.

Hahahahaha.

I moved my chair over a bit.

Didn't want him licking my iPad.

(or me... ewww!)

Monkey see, monkey (steer) do...

Little Red has BIG ears!

Way bigger than the other steers ears!

Baldy is the shy one in the group, so it took him a little longer

to get up the nerve to try out the new ramp leading

up to the scales, but once he got brave enough

he rushed on over it.

Too fast for me to take a picture.

They will be all comfortable with it soon though.

Meanwhile, Kyle is on a job and I'm heading

out to get some groceries and then do the 

weekly freezer stock up.

Can't have a hungry family!

Shudda Been A Pioneer

 Kyle harvested all the navy beans from the garden.

And then he sat down to shell them.

And then he decided that was stupid.

It's a LOT of work and goes REALLY slow.

I was deep cleaning the bathroom and when

I walked through the kitchen to get more stuff

(and put in a load of laundry)

he said 

"Didn't they used to put these in like a

burlap sack and beat on it and then

toss it up in the wind and the shells blew away

and you were just left with the beans?"

Um..... maybe?

Sounds like wheat to me... but ... 

So I went and got one of those handy little

cloth produce bags I bought.

I use them for all kinds of things.

Rarely produce.

I always forget to bring them into the store.

Anyhow.

He tried a little batch.

And then another.

And then a BIG batch.

Look close...

See all the beans????

IT WORKS!!!!

He's so smart!

He just fills the bag,

then bangs it on the edge of the table a dozen or so times

and then dumps the shells off the top!

Sheesh.

Pinto Beans

 It was time to harvest the rest of the pintos on Saturday.

While the guys were out back putting down a new concrete

pad under the cow scales, I picked all the beans, pulled the

dead plants and did a good weeding.

Left the okra.

Before...

Now.

And then it took me ALL DAY to shell them.

I put on some YouTube and sat in my chair and

shelled beans.

Now I get it why pioneer ladies used to get together

and sit on the porch and chat while they shelled peas/beans.

It's BORING!

(And your thumb nail hurts when you are done... lol)

We learned that companion planting okra with the

pinto beans isn't a great idea.

We aren't getting a terrific harvest from the okra.

They are quite short.

They should be about 3 or 4 feet tall and they are

maybe 18 inches... not much room for lots of okra pods.

But its ok, summer is just starting and we are going

to plant LOTS more...

But we also got about half the production of pinto beans.

This was our harvest from the bed that was only beans.

And this was the harvest from one bed (all beds in the garden

are 4' x 8' except the ones along the fence...)

Each bed only produced about 50% of what we got in the big bed.

(I got two bowls about the same size.)

Not stellar.

But a good experiment and now we know.

Meanwhile I also picked myself a pretty little bouquet.

The zinnias are just about done.

We'll give 'em a couple more days and then pull them out,

and then replant that bed in more zinnias.

They seed themselves, but we want to clean it out

and start over.

Air Show

 We had the BEST seats in the house!

Right across the field from Embraer - Rod works in

those big blue hangars.

(There is an F-16 on the runway on the left, but it blends

in with the building...)

And there's his tail...

We sat right up by the fence.

The little grass knoll and then the runway!

To the right of us they set up a bunch of tables

and chairs  (in a fenced enclosure) and charged

$50 to sit there and watch the show!

(Saturday and Sunday...)

Friday was a practice run through.

They invited all the FIT Aviation employees

and all the various ROTC groups from the

high schools in the area.

It was nice to be there without huge crowds.

It was partly cloudy in the morning,

and we even got a few cooling sprinkles of rain...

but every time there was a plane up,

a big blue spot opened up right above us.

It was PERFECT!

And when the blue angels were flying,

there wasn't a cloud in the sky.

We all got good and sunburned.

And we had a GREAT TIME!

Hmmm

 Hmmmmm.

I don't have any pictures.

But I will have LOTS tomorrow!

We are going to the AIR SHOW!

The Blue Angels are in town for our

Melbourne Air Show on Saturday,

but they are running a COMPLETE SHOW

tomorrow for the FIT employees!

(And ... ROD is an FIT employee!!!)

So we get a "private" show!

(Hard to be private when you are a bunch of

giant, fast, noisy jets zooming from horizon to horizon...)

Anyhow.

Kyle and Rod are super excited.

They LOVE big fighter jets.

It will be fun!

(And it's only supposed to be 82 out tomorrow

instead of the 90+ it has been for the previous week...

so that's extra good!)

So...

Be watching for lots of pictures of...

blurry things zooming from horizon to horizon.

Hahahahaha!

(In other news, I got another okra bed planted this 

morning before Sondra called and then I had to 

leave for work. So that's also good!)

Wed Garden Update

I went out into the garden this morning

after feeding all the animals.

The okra is in bloom!

These are in the little bed along the back

fence, in with some purple potatoes and

some corn Kyle planted for fun.

And a random volunteer sunflower.

I harvested enough okra from all the beds

to have a good breakfast and also freeze some

for another day.

We are finished with the rattle snake beans.

The ones that are left we are leaving on the plant

to dry so we can save them for seed for next season.

The blackeyed peas are still covered in flowers,

although they are also covered in beans,

and some of them are already dry!

(The leaves got a lot of beetle damage, but it didn't affect

the yield, so we didn't worry about it...)

It's doing all three stages at once!

I was going to pick the rest of the pintos this morning

but they aren't quite dry enough yet.

Maybe another day or two...

 

Aaaaaaaaahhh

 

Beans.

LOTS and LOTS of beans.

I was out back, filling the cow's water bucket.

I was thinking what a beautiful morning it was.

Chickens wandering around finding morsels for breakfast.

Horses in the barn eating their grain.

Ducks and rabbits (on the right side) enjoying their morning...

Cows in their pen munching on their grain.

And I realized, again, how much I love my life.

It is so peaceful here.

We have our shares of challenges.

But over all...

I LOVE MY LIFE!

Dried Beans!

 This morning we decided it was time to harvest

the first bed of dried pinto beans.

They are well and truly dry.

The green you see is grass growing up

in the bed and a couple of stray okra.

The okra didn't amount to much in this bed...

In the bed to the top left there are more

pinto beans and LOTS of okra.

I've been harvesting off the okra for about

a week or so now... every other day or so.

Just enough for breakfast, but SO YUMMY!

We got two buckets of beans.

They were full to the top but I forgot to take

a picture until I had been shelling for awhile.

All done shelling.

One bed yielded 2.3 pounds of beans!

We have 2 more beds of pintos,

I think 2 or 3 beds of navy,

and 2 beds of black eyed peas.

We'll harvest the next bed of pintos on Wed.

And see about the final bed - it's not nearly as dry.

We planted them all on the exact same day...

no idea why they are so different.

But its kind of nice, since we don't have to 

do a marathon harvest.

We can spread it out over a couple of days.

Not a bad haul for one 4'x8' bed!

And I just can't resist a picture of the

sunflowers against a beautifully cloudless blue sky.

"New" Ride

 I'm back to driving my old Trooper.

It was the truck we bought when we found

out we were pregnant.

And it's been a great truck all through the years.

(it's a 1987!)

The grey top part got a new paint job.

Kyle and I brushed (yes, brushed) on some smokey grey

Rustoleum paint. It's nice and shiny.

First he and Rod filled all the holes and sanded it smooth.

Looks the best it has in years!

And it still drives GREAT!

(I also bought 4 new tires and Kyle put them on for me...)

New seat covers too.

I forgot to take a picture of them though.

And some new windshield wipers.

Which came in awfully handy yesterday.

We drove it to the beach on Wednesday

and I drove it to work yesterday.

Great little truck!

Hasn't had A/C in it for... 25+ years?...

but it has nice big windows so its ok.

Just need to remember to bring a brush

for my hair when I get to my destination.

Today I picked up some new window shades

for the front window since it gets pretty hot

in there in the sun.

So now I'm all set!

Blueberries galore!

 It's that time of year!

Over the weekend we drove up to Rod's brother's

in-laws' place.

(got that?)

(Tim's wife, Angie's parents..... whew!)

Anyway.

They have a u-pick blueberry farm.

But I don't like to pick blueberries.

So we pay for a box of already picked.

(Actually, we bought TWO of them...)

See the box on the left? We had two of those.

One we kept fresh for ""grab and go" snacking.

It's almost empty.

This one made THREE cookie sheets full of berries for freezing.

These are the best blueberries!

Large.

Sweet.

YUMMY!

First Okra!

 It's a tiny harvest.

But it is also a tiny patch.

We are pulling the beans this week

(they are "drying" beans and are nearly ready...)

and replanting with okra.

So by July we should have LOTS!

But these are good for a start!

Ta Da!!!

 I can't decide if I'm The Little Red Hen

or SUPER WOMAN!!!

But either way.......

I DID IT!

I ordered the J hooks.

I measured and bought the eye hooks.

I borrowed the correct tools.

(And I PUT THEM BACK in the right place

when I was finished with them... lol.)

I used the power drill and drilled the hole.

(took two tries to get the right size bit,

started too small...)

I used a screw driver to screw in the eye hook.

Then I measured and, using needle nose pliers

so I didn't smash my fingers, I hammered in the

fencing nail to hold the chain in place!

(I didn't hammer them ALL the way in, just in case

somebody who actually knows what they are doing

needs to adjust them a little... ahem...)

And now we have THREE new J-hook closures

on the gates out in the new facility!

And I'm feeling pretty accomplished!

And thirsty.