12 Green Acres

Fall

12 Green Acres — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 12:00:03 GMT

The boys are getting their winter coats. I love fuzzy horses. No pumpkins this year, vines but not fruit. Shoveling horse poo is hard work. They poop about 50 lbs a day each...amazing. Cats, I want to get rid of most of them. Just need a couple of mousers, the rest are just overkill.
I need to paint the barn in a couple of weeks before the weather gets too cold and wet.
The trails right now are Awesome and the fall color this year did not disappoint!

Update of all updates

12 Green Acres — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 10:30:32 GMT

It has been more than awhile! We have gained two horses, Commando aka Spooky and Howie. We have lost two cats, Freddie and See-more. Things have kind of gotten out of hand and I have been too busy for alot of things I used to love. Hummingbirds, the trails, the big porch and relaxing...all of these pleasures have been pushed to the back burner and I am ready for that to change. Hopefully fall will bring about alot of positive change as far as the farm goes as well as myself. More outside, more porch time...less cats. The six kittens have really been a downer outside. They bug all day long. Go away, hang out in the barn....I will feed you, just leave me ALONE! I am back at school and so are Meag and Han. This fall should be alot of fun.

Waiting

12 Green Acres — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 13:09:36 GMT

"Patience is a virtue" is an UNDERSTATEMENT. I have struggled my entire life with patience. I am beyond excited about the prospect of my own horse but as the days pass I begin to doubt if it will happen. I keep telling myself all the right things about being patient and thankful for unexpected blessings. I keep telling myself, but it does not always work to quiet my mind.

What is his name?
What does he look like?
Will he love me as much as I love him already?

Childhood dreams do come true

12 Green Acres — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 19:04:53 GMT

So, in the next few days I will meet the newest member of my family. We are being given a rescue horse. I used to ask for a horse every birthday since I was approximately five years old. My dad took me riding on weekends until I became a teenager with all the other interests (friends and boys). Some of my best memories are those Sunday mornings. I never got the horse, the best my dad could do was a saddle on my 11th bday. We have great property with great potential. I have a handsome husband that can do anything he sets his mind to and a barn is already in the planning stages and we have most of the materials needed to begin. My horse (I cannot get used to saying that) will stay in Weatherford with Mark's niece until we are ready for him. I will get to go there and take care of him and learn the mountains of info and hopefully get plenty of hands on experience before we bring him home. I am on cloud 9 and dreams do come true. Yes, the reality side is also on my mind. But, if you want something bad enough you will work as hard as you need to to hang on to it!

Old year, new year

12 Green Acres — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 10:28:58 GMT

31st December, 2007. 9:54 am. 2007

What a year....new home, new town, new friends, new school. This time last year we were moving, the move from hell that almost killed a few of my loved ones. I am so thankful we are not in the middle of that right now. What followed was an onslaught of new. I, for the record, do not like change. I have learned in 2007 that change, although painful, can be good. Our new home is an adventure to say the least...two houses, acreage and a million miles away from everything. The kids have been all over the place and seemingly adjusted once August was through and the new school was no longer a mystery. Santo is a precious little town that we proceeded to embrace and it, in turn, embraced us. Seriously, I do not think I have met anyone I don't like. I discovered a passion. I discovered that I am good with little children and I am liked by them, such a mystery to me. I also have a friend, a few friends and a church. 2008 is near and I can feel the anticipation rising up. I pray for my family that this year is full of content moments, health and love overflowing.

Fall update

12 Green Acres — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 12:40:20 GMT

I have regrettfully neglected to record the fall monarch butterfly migration in my journal here this fall. It was amazing. In one day I counted and reported sighting over 150 mature monarchs migrating through the north central Texas corridor. That was just one day of an amazing two week migrating extravaganza.

The ladybugs have invaded the house looking to hibernate. I was told they are technically not ladybugs, but after some research I have decided that they are in fact ladybird bugs. I enjoy them.

Fall has blow in and it is finally cool. Our trails are ripe for the riding and hiking. Farmer Hank has done a beautiful job with them and maintaining the trail is a job in itself. Our "Fat Tire Farm" is well on its way to being a great mountain bike destination. Well, it is for us anyway...considering we can ride out of our garage and chill on our porch when we need a rest and some iced tea. It has been so cool to have friends and family enjoy our trails.

Fall

12 Green Acres — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 09:49:58 GMT

Fall is here and cleanup time has begun. Although the heat is still around we are in the mood for fall cleanup. The bike trails look good, thanks to Farmer Hank. The marigolds are still blooming furiously. I plan to go crazy with them next year. My veggies are pretty much done for.

I have already begun buying pumpkins. They are an investment. The seeds will hopefully produce my own pumpkin crop next fall.

We hope to have some sort of fall get together this year. Who knows......

Tomato Worms 2.0

12 Green Acres — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 09:31:00 GMT

Also, next year I will plant marigolds amongst my tomato plants. The odor from the marigold deters pests like GIANT tomato worms and grasshoppers.

Tomato Worms

12 Green Acres — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 09:27:15 GMT

Keep the tomatoes dusted with Sevin dust or plain flour. I found 6 GIANT tomato worms yesterday and found my tomato plants almost bare. This damage was done in two days. Where do they come from? I guess they might have been there all along and hatched on the plants? They turn into a giant spotted moth, which would be magnificent but...I feel robbed of my tomatoes!

Armadillos, squirrels, possums, bunnies, and turtles...all destined to be roadkill, a circle of life of sorts.

Pleasant August

12 Green Acres — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 13:15:59 GMT

Well, as far as August goes, this one has been pleasant. The weather has tipped the 100 degree point only a few times and we have even had a thunderstorm here and there. The giant swallowtail butterflies are migrating through and they are magnificent. They are not as plentiful as the monarchs were but still enjoyable. The hummingbirds are still here. On the really hot days they tend to slow down. Mine and Gayle's walks in the mornings have been so colorful. The sunrise is usually pink. The cows along the road are so puzzled by our persistance. They seem to be asking, "Why move so quick?" we are their entertainment.
School will start soon and the weather will soon cool. Hopefully our outdoor projects like trail cleanup and the building of a chicken coop with commence soon. We have to begin buying fence material soon. Storing it and having patience will be the hardest part. Fencing has to come before any livestock. Patience seems to be the key.

Birthday

12 Green Acres — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 08:41:30 GMT

15th August, 2007. 9:21 am. 36

My birthday was magnificent. I love lists and I will list my August 14th events...

6:30 AM walk with Gayle, we saw the sunrise and it was awesome. The air was ALMOST cool!
Registered Noah for 4th grade and got a tour of the school from his new principal!
Surprised by a visit from my brother Ryan and his wife Sally...so surprised! They gave me a permanent bday cake and a handmade necklace that she created herself (BEAUTIFUL). Their visit was the best gift.
Took a trip to Stephenville with Noah and had a blast discussing superheros, he is so impressed with my knowledge!
Caught Gayle and Cassie dropping off mums on my porch to sneakily surprise me when I got back from Stephenville!
Mark Henry brought daisies home for me and a cake mix that he went right to work on!
Meagan drove 45 minutes, using all of her week's gas probably, to eat salads with us and give me a Starbucks goody bag (she is so thoughtful)!
Had NUMEROUS phone calls throughout the day with bday wishes, Noah even commented on the volume (made me feel mucho grande loved)!

My bday was surely made with love. Pink sunrise. Hummingbirds and painted buntings graced my yard. Swallowtails continued to migrate through. Charlotte, my garden spider, refreshed her web. I breathe deep and thank God everyday for my life, my family and His wonders.

So much time has passed

12 Green Acres — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 10:17:00 GMT

The weather has caught up and the rain has stopped. It is over 100 degrees and August. My peppers are through for the year. Next year I will only plant smaller batches of jalapenos. My squash has yet to produce anything except blooms. My grape tomatoes are the most sussessful. I will plant many more grape tomato plants next year.

I have begun walks with my neighbor, it is a nice use of the countryside. We enjoy each other's company and it doesn't feel so much like exercise.

Everything is on hold now, project-wise. I do plan to research and find some good late summer/fall flowers to plant. The hummingbirds are still around, just not quite as abundant as early summer. The swallowtails are migrating through.

Plan to harvest some prickly pear fruit and attempt jelly.

Baby Steps

12 Green Acres — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 10:51:29 GMT

So many little improvements can enhance your daily life. I think the smallest ones provide the most satisfaction. Farmer Hank built some steps leading from the little house to the big house. I cannot express how much it has helped.

He continues to battle water flow. The rain only gives us small respite, and once again the driveway is washed away. We are much more fortunate than those in the surrounding areas, 2,000 families were evacuated along the Brazos yesterday.

Only one of the baby red oaks survived the transplant, but he is growing strong. Grandma Smith gave him to us and we will make sure he is firmly rooted in the ground when he is stronger and bigger, for now the bucket will do.

The peppers are producing well, had them with fajitas so far, good eats. The squash are taller and budding. Two tomatoes so far, sweet! My grape tomatoes are still not budding...patience grasshopper!

Speaking of grasshoppers, they are loving my marigolds and gerber daisies...there has got to be something to keep them off of my plants. They eat the blooms immediately.

Beginnings

12 Green Acres — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 12:25:00 GMT

Planted two baby red oaks in an old bucket. Where will I put two new trees? I will find a place.
Plucked my first ripe tomato yesterday...dinner tonight.
Always use a veggie cage on new plantings, even when people tell you that you won't need it, you will. My green peppers are laying over and they are heavy. I am rigging something, but cages would have been nice.