Fair Week

Ellie Siedel with Duchess and Johnny
Grand Champion Heifer and Bull calf


Mick helping with the grooming

Well, it is fair week and I am kind of sad. The boys are all grown and we don't have any animals to take to the fair to be shown, boohoo! Just kidding.....I'm glad we are in the slow down phase and we don't have to participate in fair week.

But we did attend some of the fair activities. The Sheep Show, and the Cattle Show for the
4-Hers. Awards were won and ribbons are displayed. We even survived the rain.

Alison with her sheep

I looked at my blog today and realized that I haven't posted a comment in 2 weeks. I guess I was just busy. I was canning pickles, and doing some other things and I guess I just didn't have time to sit down and type. I am still walking and going to exercise at the pool.

And I did walk all over the fairgrounds Monday and Wednesday. Does that make up for the corn dog and lemonade and the slushy?

I'll be there on Saturday for the livestock auction. We need some pork for the freezer!

Exercise

Dave had an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic to start Cardiac Rehab. If you know Dave, there is no time in his life to add anything else. But he has to do this. He has to exercise 20 minutes a day and increase it by 10 minutes over the next few months. Well in a effort to encourage him, I told him I would do the same amount he had to do, and if he wanted, do it with him when we can. Today we were up at 5am as usual, and Dave left at 6am for work, no exercise. So I gathered up the dogs and headed to Plum Creek Park. The sun was just peeking through the trees and there was still a mist in the air, but we did 2 rounds around the path, one downhill and one uphill. It took us exactly 30 minutes. I forgot the camera and there were some nice shots. I went back home and changed into my swimsuit and picked up my friend Gail and we headed to the Community Pool and did our water exercises for about 75 minutes. So I did my time today. Now if I can keep up the momentum I will be happy. I decided to add a chart to my blog so that I can keep track of the days I walk. My goal is 60 days, after that I can add more. I will still go to the pool twice aweek and Yoga once a week. Let's hope Dave can keep up with me. Just a note...it is 10pm, Dave still isn't home and I don't think he got his 30 minutes in!

Wells,Septic Tanks and Wildflowers

If you are like most folks that live in Medina County or any other rural area that is not serviced by public utilities, you either have a well or a septic tank or both. Both can be a challenge. With a well, laundry is usually grey or rust colored and there are times that you wonder if you are going to run the well dry washing all those clothes. The sinks and toilets have that rusty stain on them. There is that ever present sulfur odor, or that "taste in the water. People wonder why we drink bottled water! My sister was a city girl and always swore that she got Montezuma's revenge when she visited and drank the water. It never seemed to bother us.

Other other side, you may have a septic tank. In the older homes of our area, we have septic tanks, aerators and filter beds. New construction in non-utility served areas have "mounds" where their run off goes. Most of us have these unsightly covers sticking out in the yard. Some have them in the front yard, and some have them in the back yard. Wherever it may be, we do the best to "disguise" them in various means.

We have the septic tank in the back yard. I think it is better in the back than the front yard, where it might be more obvious, but ours seem to be right at the end of the drive and smack dab in the middle of the yard, just off the patio! We are diligent in maintaining it's proper working order, having it cleaned regularly by the "honey dipper", so we don't have an odor problem. But I still hate to see those tank lids sticking up. They are also a bother to mow around. We have tried various disguises, wine barrel planters, mulch, and flower beds. Everything we plant seems to grow well because of the underground warmth from the tank. But nothing has ever suited me. I have always been looking for that perfect disguise. Well I think I found it. Marc's had some bags of wildflower mulch. Seeds and mulch in one step. Just spread it over an area and water. After the seedlings sprouted, I had to cover it with chicken wire to keep the chickens from scratching it all to pieces. My hard work paid off. The septic tank lids are now invisible! and the wildflowers are awesome. The only thing I don't know is if these are annual or perennial wildflowers. I am hoping for perennial, if not I will be on the hunt for more of the wildflower mulch come next spring!

Funny Things

My dad always sends me funny jokes he cuts out of the paper. most of them have to do with farming or chickens and cows. He usually hits it right on the funny bone when he finds one! Well I found one today and sent it to him via e-mail. I just thought I would let you in on some of the chicken humor around here!

4th of July

On the porch
Neighbors and friends

Somewhere I read that the middle of the summer is the 4th of July. Does it really feel like summer? Not here. The garden is way behind and Dave has just cut his first hay. He cringes every morning as he watches the weather report. He would love a week of no rain and hot, windy conditions. With this little hay cut, some of the cows have to go to market. No hay, no feed. That also means the prices will go up come winter. Not a very good prospect if you are feeding hay to animals. The corn made it to "knee high by the 4th of July" but just barely. Corn likes the hot humid days to grow. It has been a little wet and some of the crop is behind.

We had a 4th of July Celebration at Chris and Tiffany's house. Everyone had a good time, even though it was cloudy and it was too cold to go swimming. But it was nice to sit on the porch and not be fried by the heat and eaten by bugs.

Patriotic Fred

Aunt Jean

The flowers of summer, hydrangas, were grown by one of Tiffany's cousins. The vase was a wedding present. They were not sure of what to do with the vase. They were afraid it was too expensive to use and they weren't quite sure where to put it. Some of the time it lives in the curio cabinet, but most of the time, Chris brings wild flowers home to Tiffany and they put them in the vase and enjoy it!

Summer flowers and the Versace vase

Thanks to Dad and Mom!

I reminded my Dad today to check out my blog. He has just gotten High Speed Internet, and is navigating his way around. He was reading my blog, and commented that he didn't think he was mentioned enough when I described my chicken coop building projects. While I did acknowledge his help with the projects, perhaps I didn't say enough about Dad and his help. My Dad is an ANGEL! He has helped me with more cockamamie projects than you can shake a stick at. From waterlines to chicken coops, he is versatile! I can call him anytime and he comes right over. We called him this week on the eve of the 4th of July Holiday and he came to the rescue and installed the ice maker in Tiffany's fridge, even though he had some other pans on the fire, so to speak. He lives about 13 miles from me and he is more than willing to come and help any time. He can fix just about anything and figure stuff out that you can't even imagine. I can call him and if he is available he can come to help or being the stubborn one and I want to do it myself, he will give me directions and advice over the phone. Recently I called him for advice on a bathroom sink faucet installation. I was having a little trouble getting the water connection tight enough. He said that sometimes you have to crank down on the fitting a little harder than you expected, but if I gave him a minute, he would be right over. I told Dad I would love to have him come and help me, but I was in Florida, on vacation making the repair, not at home. We laughed quite a bit about that, but I told him the plane leaves from Cleveland several times a day and he could be in Florida in about 4 hours and I would love to have him come down.

Here is Dad, who we lovingly call Poppy, and my mom, who we call Nana. She has always been a big help to me too! We love to go to on adventures and to lunch together as often as we can.

So here's to you Dad and Mom! Thanks for all you do for me and the boys and Tiff! We Love You very much!

Favorite Creative Item

Pot Tower