MY COUNTRY LIFE

Poor man's vacation (received in email)

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 16:56:42 GMT

If gas keeps going up this is how all of us will be taking our vacations!!!!

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 12:29:48 GMT

Cliff and I don't make our living farming. We do manage to produce enough hay for our horse and cow, and for the other two horses who live here. Modern farm equipment costs in the thousands of dollars, and of course we can't come up with that kind of money for a "hobby farm".

So we buy old, used farm equipment that has to be babied along when it's put to work. Equipment that a real farmer would haul off, probably, as junk. Stuff we buy for $500 or $1,000, bought new would cost more than our entire forty-plus acre place is worth.

There's a certain sense of adventure each time Cliff gets ready to mow a hay crop. You can bet that the mower or the rake or the baler is going to need some sort of repair before the job is finished. At the very least there'll be a sheared pin. Don't ask me what that is, because I don't have a clue; I do know Cliff keeps extras around, and they don't cost much.

The big round baler often has a problem tying the bales properly, and Cliff will get off the tractor, climb up onto a step he added to the baler, and help with the tying process. Hey, it beats picking up a hundred-fifty small square bales in ninety-five-degree heat, putting them on a wagon, hauling them to the barn, and lifting them off the wagon! Cliff can move the big round bales with a tractor equipped with a bale spike, so the tractor does most of the work. All I had to do was open the gate for him as he was coming and going.

Tags: hay, baler

Our front porch as it looks today

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 17:46:50 GMT

The porch is almost done, except for being shingled. We love it!

That post in the middle is just for support while the man is working on it.

In this hot weather, it's going to be great to have the front door in the shade.

Tags: porch

cinnamon rolls for breakfast

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 12:24:12 GMT

We've had company this weekend, and Cliff has been working in the hayfields. So my entries have been few and far between. Things are going just fine around here.

Tags: cinnamon rolls, Pat and Charlene

a meme... from about two dozen J-landers

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 00:47:04 GMT

If you came to my house…

You would see: Our front porch that is under construction; it's going to get its roof starting Monday.

I’d probably feed you: either low-fat tasty stuff or fattening tasty stuff; name your poison. My family is pretty partial to my noodles.

And offer you this to drink: We usually have tea and Diet Coke on hand. But let me know ahead of time and I'll have whatever you prefer.

I’d undoubtedly ask if you’d read: Any of Mark Rashid's books. You don't have to own a horse to enjoy his writing.

I’d want to play this music for you: Iris Dement and Johnny Cash. Maybe a little Merle Haggard and George Jones thrown in for good measure. Unless you want me to play my guitar and sing for you: In that case, I'd sing a couple of songs I wrote ("The Million Dollar Car" or "The Old German Church" or something I wrote about my daughter or my son or a grandson.

I’d want to tell you about: My horse Blue; my cabin; and how much Jesus has brought me through.

I’d probably suggest a game of: find the lost steer and bring him home (I may be changing this one from time to time)

I would definitely show off: My horse, my cabin, and Cliff's tractors. Oh, and you HAVE to see Sadie catch the Frisbee.

I might get on the computer and show you: Pictures and websites

If it was a long enough visit: we might watch the sun go down, back of my cabin. And I'd have Cliff drive us down to the Missouri River bottoms so you could see where I ride my horse.

I am adding this one since Kelly said Paula mentioned it!

I would share: my book of poems; take one home, and take some for your friends. I sold enough early on to cover the cost of publishing, and I'm feeling generous.

Tags: meme, If you come to my house

So you think you're buying new tires?

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 12:15:56 GMT

This item from ABC News is pretty long, but it's an eye-opener. It might change the way you shop for tires.

Some tires may have been sitting on that rack for twelve years before somebody buys them, which creates a dangerous situation.

There's a way to tell when a tire was made.

Click HERE.

Thanks, Gene, for sending this to me.

Tags: tires

gasp

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 16:02:00 GMT

William Peterson is leaving CSI in the middle of the upcoming season!

Well, I'm not really crushed, I suppose. I expected this to be the last season for the show anyway, so I was prepared to lose my favorite heart-throb.

But still, parting is such sweet sorrow.

Tags: William Peterson, CSI

A front porch and a driveway

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:42:33 GMT

A front porch has been one of our first priorities here, and it's exciting to see it happening.

The man doing it is truly a craftsman, which is a relief since we more or less drew his name out of a hat. He isn't in good health: I'd say he has emphysema, just guessing; maybe something more serious, since he was telling us he's lost a bunch of weight in the last year. He hasn't volunteered anything, and I'm not going to ask. He usually leaves around noon because of the heat, and today he's leaving at eleven because he has a doctor's appointment.

We're happy with his work. And people at work who should know tell Cliff that $700 (labor only) is very reasonable. Our son-in-law is getting the lumber for us, using his discount where he works.

Funny thing is, I considered this porch a necessity, so people won't be walking directly into the living room from outside. But now I'm very enthusiastic about the idea of sitting there and watching the horses. I'm anxious to see what it's going to look like when the roof is added.

Tags: porch, driveway

Miley Cyrus

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 01:28:17 GMT

OK, maybe it's just me. But I think the press ought to leave Miley Cyrus alone.

Nobody could stand up to that kind of scrutiny.

Matthew 7

1Judge not, that ye be not judged.

2For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

3And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

4Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

5Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye."

I only hope nobody expects that much perfection from me.

Let the teens (or pre-teens) have their idols without so much fault-finding... would you please? Or they might end up thinking the world expects that much perfection from them, too.

What will they do when they find you can't please everybody? (or anybody)

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Now playing: Kris Kristofferson - In the News
via FoxyTunes

Tags: Miley Cyrus, judgementalism

Plenty going on

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 16:01:42 GMT

There's a man working on a front porch for us, and Cliff is doing some dirt work in the yard. Things that have been at a standstill are now starting to move along.

Tags: home sweet home, dirt work, front porch