This Is Great!

"This is great!" is all we hear.  Thanks to good ol' Uncle Mike, the boys have taken ownership of the go-cart.  Lord, save us all.

Scott thinks he's at Limerock.  Josh is in the stock car derby.  Good luck to their parents keeping their speeds under control!

Scott at the Wheel

Josh's Turn

Momma and Her Babies

This proud hen has been parading her baby turks around the farm all week long.  We've seen them up in the pear trees hiding from hawks.  They sure can fly!  Momma acts like the decoy while her babies hide and when she give the all clear they flutter down to continue their walk.  Too cute.

'Over the Shoulder' Fishing

Let's just say they weren't supposed to be in there fishing....enough said.

But, dinner was DELICIOUS!

How Does the Garden Grow?

We have a new greenhouse...no plastic up yet, but six very big raised beds were built, filled with llama manure, and planted.  Let me tell you, I have never, not ever, seen tomatoes like we have this year.  Not ever.  The stems are the size of sausages, not the cheapo links, more like Italian style sausages.  No kidding.

This is just one of the six beds...and this is before the heat set in and Michael watered with his pump from the pond.  They are truly unbelievable...we cannot get over them.  I'm prepping myself for canning season.  Mom has already volunteered to help...she has no idea what she's in for!

Life Is Good!

Summer has finally really arrived.  The yard looks great, the gardens are doing well.  We've all be outside enjoying the glorious weather...still doing chores, but doing so whilst sucking in the sunshine!
Gambino is enjoying his green, green grass...along with his hen friends.  What else is there to say...life is good!

Striper Fishing

The first (of what will be many!) fishing trip this summer was a success.  The porgies weren't biting so the bait was just not there for the hungry stripers.  Michael, Danny, and Alan did find themselves "hooked up" several times...some fish were lost, and the fisherman sent to the "penalty box".

The guys had a great day, sunshine, salt-air, and lots of laughs.

Check out the monsters they did bring aboard.  Delicious supper last night, fresh striper, fresh asparagus, and yummy, well I thought so, tabouli salad.

Apple Blossoms

Spring has finally arrived...our apple trees are in full bloom.  So beautiful, and it was great to see the orioles come back to visit!  They love the blossoms. 

We are looking forward to a great crop of fruit this year.  I am taking a risk, but I believe we might have made it through to Memorial Day without a killing frost.  If that proves to be true, apples and pears will abound this year!





Farm Visitors

Today we had four visitors to the farm...well, actually they worked out to be cheap child labor!  The girls planted beans, squash and onions and then took turns driving the RTV.  Needless to say, after they left Scout was out cold on the floor.  He is simply exhausted.  Some highlights of the day:

We found a mouse that Scout had left behind....of course we had to hold it!  Gross.



We did some planting....

Last, and most fun, we drove the RTV.

You have to see this in action....batteries died before everyone was done, but you get the idea from the first driver's attempt!

My Little Pony

Gambino and I had a little scrap last summer....and I hadn't been on him since.  After much cajoling my friend Shannon coaxed me back on.  I am happy to say I've "gotten over it"...well, for now.  At least I look like I'm enjoying myself now that I'm back NOT in the saddle again.

I feel much braver now that I can see I only have a couple of feet between the ground and my actual feet!  Ah, well, as only I can say, I'm getting old...risk taking is not a strong suit these days.

Note the llamas in the background.  They stand by watching Gambino carry me around and I know what they are thinking, "You aren't to bright Gambino, we live here and don't have to give her rides!"







Our Easter Baby Bunny

Michael went out to feed the llamas this evening and look who he found hiding under a food dish!  Talk about adorable...I just wanted to keep it.  But, wild bunnies are wild bunnies, so we just moved it to a spot where it wouldn't get accidentally stepped on.



Snow? For Real?

April 23, 2011 we awoke to snow.  Yep, the yard was white.  Yesterday Michael was spreading out grass seed and today Gambino is asking, "Is it ever going to be spring?

STORYBOOK FARM 500

You've, no doubt, heard of the Daytona 500?  In celebration, we decided to have our own Storybook Farm 500 featuring ourselves speeding up and down the street on the go-cart.

Contestant #1:  Chubbs

Known for his uncanny ability to crank around on the go-cart like a raving lunatic, Chubbs has his one man pit-crew, Tubbs.

Gentleman, start your engine....

Contestant #2:  Tubbs

Tubbs started off cautious, but soon learned the ropes.  Full speed down the street with a crazy tight turn off the snowbank to turnaround...Tubbs is quite the challenger.

Contestant #3:  Spot

Not much of a challenger, Spot has no interest in the daring sport of go-cart racing.  She and her trusty pit-crew helper prefer to putt along.

Contestant #4:  Muffy

We are without photos of  Muffy the Mad Chick.  Let me put it this way, she makes Chubbs, Tubbs, and certainly Spot look like they could be spokespeople for The Scooter Store.  Why no photo, you ask?  She's so fast the camera couldn't catch her as she whizzed by. 

Muffy won the Storybook Farm 500 by a mile.

She's nuts.







Happy Groundhog's Day!

Punxsutawney Phil sees no shadow, Spring is near!

Enough said.



Snow...That Which Has Become the Norm

What can we say about this winter?  Let's see, I'm on my 5th snow day for the season...we've got hip-high snow all around the farm...there are icicles from the second floor of the house to the ground.  Oh, and then there is our private snow removal man, check out how far his snowblower throws the snow!  He makes me laugh because he's always looking to see how far the snow goes as he works his way across the driveway.  "Gotta have the right equipment for the job." you know.  Believe me, he's got quite the selection of equipment to do any job right!

We are used to deep snow in our part of Connecticut, but the rest of the state is now experiencing snow beyond belief.  The news shows lines of people waiting to get roof rakes due to the many roofs that are collapsing under the weight of all the snow.  Today brought us an additional ten inches, tomorrow promises more with the addition of sleet and freezing rain.  My bet is no school tomorrow either.

The animals are faring well throughout all the storms.  Being well-fed and dry is all they ask, and that is exactly what they get!

Our house is warm, wood is stockpiled next to the stove, and fresh bread is rising.  Looks like another quiet evening here on the farm, and we love it! 

It's A Nor'easter!

No school today!  We've got 24"+ right now and it's still snowing.  I took a walk to water chicks, check llamas, check on the horse, and finally to shovel out the pigs.

The chicks aren't leaving the coop.  The llamas are happily cushed munching hay, definitely staying inside.  I made a path for Gambino to his water and he surprised me with a happy gallop back to his barn!  And I was worried he wouldn't be able to get to his water.

"Sven" went out to snowblow the driveway thinking he'd keep up with the snowfall...this is how it looked:

After a couple of passes he changed his plan, bringing out the "big guns", so now the snow clearing looks like this:

He'll be out for awhile clearing paths to the pastures and making his way to the back forty to make paths for the turkeys and deer.  We can't wait to see the snow totals for this storm!

Scout, though, has fun no matter what the weather.  He doesn't look too happy in this photo, but he has been out playing awhile and the snowballs stuck to his legs have become annoying.

And Yet...Another Toy

I can understand NEEDING a new tractor, NEEDING an RTV, NEEDING a chainsaw big enough to cut down a California Redwood, but a go-cart?  Come on. 

"But it was a deal!" was the answer to the question..."Do we NEED that?"

Well, being married to a 55-going-on-10-year-old never ceases to amaze me.  Or make me laugh for that matter.

Check him out...burn outs, donuts, he does it all.  I wonder how my nephews will feel about the new go-cart...we'll see how well they all do sharing!