Update

A lot has happened since my post of a year+....so when things have gone so long it is kind of hard to catch up but will see what I can do.  The farm has kept us busy in one way or another.  We decided to start looking for a place to live off the farm...something in 'the plan' but not much for action...we didn't find anything after looking at a number of places...then something came up not far from the farm and we were able to make a deal.  Farmer Marv as he is want to do had to get off to Texas asap...so after signing the papers on the place we were on our way in a couple hours...So we had our TX sojourn for another season...winter was wet this year there but definitely green!  And again the birds got all of our oranges but not all the grapefruit!  We didn't make any stops along the way to visit so journey didn't take quite so long.  That being said it sure was special to have Big Bro come down and see us!  Also his wife and one of his daughters....we hope they do that again!

On return to WI we went via WY...

got to be in on a little of the birthday celebration for this little man!
After getting back to WI it was time to tackle the 'moving project'....first we did some painting and other changes we wanted to do....so this is what our new abode looks like from the outside!

After so many years on the farm, I didn't expect the moved to be so easy in an emotional since...we do like it and feel at home!  Still haven't gotten all the move made or sorting of 'precious junk' at the farm house....but we'll get it done eventually!
Seems the last months many dear ones have finished the race....we are glad for them but we miss them but glad for their examples!  One we especially miss is this man...

...lots of special memories....
Also this spring we had another 'Prince' added to our family...

..he is a little charmer!
And we had all six of them here!

It was special to have most of our family around part of the first half of June...here are a few fun shots!

And away they all went again until next time!

...fall continues....maybe even some from late summer...

Want to post here again and hopefully what I want to go on here my computer will do for me!  There are advantages for those who are more techie than me...sigh...
We have had some beautiful fall days....lots of color in the trees but also lots of wind so leaves are falling, too.  (as well as pine needles!)...speaking of pine needles here is one little munchkin in them!

...the other one didn't seem to think it necessary to be in a picture!

....and here he is hard at work....helping the 'guys....

 ...helping Uncle Will move a board...

 ....holding nails for Uncle Will....

.....filling in sand around form...

...and was it ever my lucky day....I got to ride in Mr. Greens 'bullzabullza'!

...papa's helpers!...

fall....

well....fall yes weather wise and one of my little princes took a fall and broke his wrist....just got a text from Mommy...he looks so sad!   Hopefully he doesn't get too slowed down by it!

...here he is in happier moments...finally captured that kittie I've been looking for!
...big sister looking through the 'root'!

 ... some of by 'bountiful baskets from this summer...

....redoing the deck (well painting anyway) has been on the list for how many years now??

 ....here are a couple views of the new look....didn't know I was going to take on the project but once I   got going just kept at it....sure am enjoying it now!

....some of the 'homestead' harvest for the year....

 ....apple juice...

....tomato soup!








...and harvest for the 'farmstead'...

...salad anyone??  Oh, that's right this is for the cows!  I was trying to put some video clips on here but wasn't successful...guess they were too long.  I'll try again with some when I have more time.

Spring maybe got here...but...will we have summer

The rain continues...although temps have gone up a little....everything is green...except where water is standing...and that is quite a few places...mowing becomes interesting...getting stuck where there never has been a problem in years past...that goes for the fields, too.  Have decided to not try and get any more corn in ... about 30 acres short...just to hard to plant corn like this:

And then there where conditions that looked like this:

...kind of gave a feeling how people in OK and other states must feel...these pictures don't really do justice but having watched some video clips of storms...these clouds were doing the same thing only on a smaller scale and dissipated without anything major happening (except the warning siren :-))...got some rain and a little hail out of it.
My camera has 'died' and I don't have it replaced yet.  Have taken some pictures on my phone I'd like to share but don't seem to be able to figure out how to get them downloaded to my computer...sigh.
Sorry for such a 'gray' post!  Maybe next time it will be more sunny!

Spring....Spring??

We've been back from Texas for a while and then gone again...briefly....and we are still kind of wondering where spring is...little has been done in the fields....got started today some...Farmer Marv didn't come in real happy as had gotten stuck several times and then he was nicely sitting in the chair reading the paper and phone call came....'I have a flat tire....on a tractor...on the road'....so off he goes to help with that...so it goes.  For myself....started first crop 'hay'....but had to be bundled up the wind was cold!  (and I had problems, too...stuck once, twice twine wrapped around the blades...don't they ever learn they can't through that stuff in the grass where it is going to be mowed.)


We had a good season in Texas...down there a little longer than any other year.  Lots of privileges and fellowship.  Good to stop at my brothers in Missouri on the way home.  Saw most of his family and our other niece that also lives there.   Got in on some snow after getting home....sigh....lots of people who stay the whole year in the state are pretty weary of it so I shouldn't be fussing!

Then we had some sad news....one of our special winter Texan friends passed away....she just kind of collapsed with stroke symptoms and there was nothing that could be done...because we couldn't get in the field we were able to get to the funeral....may of our winter Texan friends were there and was good to see them all again but kind of bitter sweet, too.  Our friend was a jolly person, always telling some kind of funny story...we will miss her...do think of her husband and the lonliness he is feeling.  That was in Minnesota and from there we went on out to Wyoming for a few days....special days there...needless to say.  Since we've been home from Texas we also lost a very fine middle aged man to cancer...he left a wonderful testimony but glad his suffering is over here.

Had a nice Mother's Day...love reading the comments on fb and seeing pictures....I really liked what one man posted saying happy mother's day to all that are mothers, wish they could be and those who adopted to become mothers...that last part especially touching because he is himself adopted.

some of my special things from Mother's day.....

And remembering this family of Marv's cousins...they lost their sister, Corann this spring, too...we certainly have been reminded this spring of this verse ... Ecc. 7:2








This has gotten kind of chatty ...wish I was better at this stuff...don't have much for pictures as camera is broken...need to shop for a new one....but at least a little up date.

new picture

A friend who flies took this picture of our place this week...hopefully it will all show here as it is a little wider angle than the header picture..

...click on the picture and you'll get a bigger view.

neighbors

Life is always interesting...it is interesting some times to see who our neighbors are...sometimes they don't really want to see us...others don't mind...they might even fly over...here are a couple resent pictures...

Found pond...

No wonder I was having trouble knowing if I had water or fish in my pond....this is what we removed....

(I did kind of like it in the spring with its yellow flowers)

...now we can see the pond again and know there are fish and frogs in it.  Had 5 fish last year...this year we counted 8 (one did die though)...so wonder what has been going on in the pond!

 

Summer marches on

Here we are almost to the end of July....I had big plans for getting lots of stuff done this summer....and well there isn't much I can cross of  "The List" yet....that being said it hasn't been that there has been a lot going on that has been special...was special to have the first month of summer with special people here and now they are back to 'their place' getting ready to move in to their new home..(more on that here) and we are so happy for them...Also in June it was very special to have our other Princess and Prince #3 move in next door to us...along with their Mom and Dad as well...that being said there needs to be a couple pictures!

...from July 4....with Uncle Will....and such a pretty dress.....

 ...playing with Ophie at family picnic....

 ....all excited about the animals at the little zoo in the park...

Was nice to have a day with extended family...guess I wasn't good at getting many pictures .... would have been nice to have more of the family there but guess that is how it always is so just glad for what we did enjoy.
Our summer turned dry (although other places have it worse) which has been sad to see...the corn and soybeans not having the development that we would like...we do have 3 crops of hay done...not sure we'll get much more unless it rains...

...but we still are part of 'America the Beautiful'.

The garden is doing fairly well...since I'm watering it....

..Farmer Marv's favorite vegetable...(this comment could be 'grounds for divorce' but he'd only have coffee grounds!)

This 'season' has started as well....yummy!

Since two and a half years ago when both our sons told us they would like to become involved with the farm...Farmer Marv and I have had to change our plans for 'limping off in to the sunset'...one of them being this....

..another addition to the barn.  We have the cows to fill this coming fresh starting next month and in to September.  With this additional amount of animals we pretty much max out our parlor facility (Changing that I'm sure will come after we have 'limped' off!) It has been nice to see our sons come in with enthusiasm for doing the necessary upgrades and focusing on being progressive (more about that here). 

Zoie...where are you when they need you?

And of course, I need to add some flower pictures....
...this first one is for Prince 1....he helped me plant them and they are just starting to bloom...

...and this for Princess 1....

and I could go on and on with the flowers...maybe just one more!

So this is just a little account of our summer so far...there is much more I could share but need to 'wrap it up' for this time!