Confession, I have an Outhouse.

Well, I have a little confession to make. We have an Outhouse, and we are too busy to fix the indoor toilet (and get it to work right). And, we live in southern Iowa, where everyone is laxidasical (i can't spell) and plumbers don't really worry if you don't have a functional toilet.

The Outhouse was made by my wonderful Dad, for our "South Ranch". Because there was no house, and thus toilet on that Ranch. We have 2 girls, and squatting to go was getting really messy. (think little girls peeing on their clothes like EVERY time we were down working @ the South Ranch) Our Outhouse is FANCY! I mean it, really fancy. It has 2 holes, with seatcovers and such. A light, sunroof, two separate toilet paper dispensers, 2 coathooks, and an extra "pull rope" for little girls to pull the door open with.

We obviously moved the Outhouse to the new Ranch this last summer, but we never really set it up. We didn't dig a hole and we just set it down off the trailer when we moved it.

Now to the toilet issue. A couple of weeks ago, we thought the base, seal, ring gooey thing was bad. It was a little damp around the base. I had a wonderful, friend all lined up to come and fix it, but I said that WE (my mom and I) were going to take up the toilet and replace the floor first. OOOO NOOOO! Honey didn't want to replace the floor. (Momma stamps foot!) "Then you take care of it!" "I will!" Honey says. Well, its a day later (hence bringing up the Outhouse issue) and Honey finally pulls up the toilet. Seal isn't that bad, but the toilet sits IN THE KITCHEN for another day until Honey sees fit to put it back down. In his defense, we have had about a dozen calves in this time and he works 7-5 in town. And I can't lift the heavy toilet onto its proper place. That and the kids, pigs and calves and dogs, oh my!

So, today, the toilet is in its proper place, but it still ISN'T working!! UGH! Sombody save me!!
Oh well, I'm wierd. The Outhouse doesn't REALLY bother me, except at night, when a little girl has to go, or I do. Oh, yeah, I just make Daddy take them. Maybe he'll remember to help me fix it tonight.

Btw, I think a little someone flushed something they weren't supposed to, and its stuck in the crook of the toilet. EWWW!!


Oh, and the Outhouse will stay, but its supposed to go on the other side of the road, by the Arena.

A. Cowgirl's Special Day

WOW! I can't believe that 9 years ago today, I became a Mom! My world has changed SO much since then! When you are pregnant the first time, you are excited, and think you know what being a mom will be like, but you have NO clue!

You think you know what type of discipline you want to follow, and how much you will love your child. But, you don't. You have no clue about REAL discipline, real mothering, and REAL Love.

I have grown so much! SHE has grown so much!! (well a little anyways) Like the day she became a REAL Cowgirl. Yikes!! That added about 50 gray hairs to my head (thank God for being a blonde, so nobody knows I'm gray, sorry for honey, he's almost more salt than pepper)

So HAPPY BIRTHDAY CowGirl!! I hope you have a great year! I'm so excited to see how much we can learn together!

A rainy day in Calving Season

Well, here it is, the beginning of March, and we were successfull last year. Or should I say, the bulls were successfull last year.

You see, while Honey worked for "the top of the hill ranch" (bloggyname for the previous operation), we moved our cows to calve in late April-May. This was so that in the event of a calving emergency, I could get help from my honey. Because during their calving (March - April) I would not see my husband for days at a time, and the hired men were also way busy!

So, last year, we decided (due partly to the CRAPPY weather) that we would not AI (artificially inseminate) our cows, and just throw the bulls in early. This would group the cows together, and breed a good bunch of them to calve in March.

Well, we were successfull! We have had a total of 8 live natural (bred by the bull) calves so far in the past week or two. Thus, the picture! We are now in full calving mode. Meaning, that laundry will be sporadic! And, I will be scrubbing floors daily! You see, we are having awful, warm, cold, rainy weather. And NO, its never warm when it rains! Therefore, we have been warming calves anywhere we can.

The laundry room, the truck, the bathtub, if its warm, and dry, we've probably had a calf in there before. Last night, I had some running to do, picking up some corn stalk bales and getting fuel, etc. Guess who went with me? The girls, Squeak, and a bull calf. Yup, inside the cab. On my front floorboard getting all warm and toasty! Were the girls supprised, no. They know we had to warm him up, and its normal for them. Ahhh, the life of a country kid.

Then, we had a new houseguest in the laundry room before bedtime. This little fellow had fallen into a creek, and couldn't get out. And, a new guest this morning. (the picture is of 404's heifer calf).

We will, be DNA testing some of these 100+# calves to see if one bull is throwing all these big, dumb calves! He doesn't get to stay. Cause big calves have more problems getting here, and when they do, they are lazy and slow to suck (thus earning the title of DUMB, with a capital D). In addition, we might have a TWINNER. we have had 5 sets of twins. And this creates a whole nother group of problems for a ranch of our size. Usually, one or both twins are small and weak, or dead. So, if any of y'all have a small operation (20 cows or less) and would like to have twins, which can be more profitable in that setting. Talk with me in August. Because no matter what, we will have a mature bull to sell.

Crazy as it is, I LOVE MY LIFE! And the next two months will be crazy busy! Yeah, but we will make some great BEEF!

WOW - Last week, and Eating Cookies

Well, we've had a long week, and if you read my sidebar, you'll see that I've been sick. But, I'm better now. The Jaegermeister did the trick. What, you ask?? Well, an old cowboy remedy for a cold is Jaegermeister (it's a black licorice liquor, like 90 proof). At the first feeling of a cold, take a shot or 2 of Jaeger (at bedtime, instead of Nyquil) and you'll sleep like a baby and wake up feeling great! Seriously, I gag at the taste, but IT WORKS! I took some (3/4 a shot) Thursday night when Beau came in the house, and within a half hour my plugged up head (that wanted to explode) was relaxed, and within 1 hour, I could blow my nose. I slept the entire night, and woke up able to function on Friday. Today, I have no sign of a cold at all! AHHH! I don't like the sinus drainage, plugged head, sore throat feeling.





Tuesday, I was able to go to the semi-Annual garage sale for the Des Moines Cloth Diapering group. FUN! I didn't find any snap diapers to fit Squeak, but I enjoy getting together with other like-minded moms! And, we talked about the current legislation in Iowa regarding legalizing Midwives. If you have any interest, I would definately urge you to check out the Friends Of Iowa Midwives blog. They have all the details there, and anything you could do to show your support would be great! I strongly believe that everyone should have ANY birthing option available, and with the support of a Certified Midwife.





And, after the group, I stopped by a new retail store for the natural Mom, Little Padded Seats. They just opened their retail store in Valley Junction, but they've been on-line for quite a while. I found some of THE cutest snap diapers for Squeak! That way, this summer, he can't take his diaper off during nap, and do his stuff all over his crib. Shopping therapy, after monday's frustrating day!





BTW, I have a good blog in draft about Tuesday morning's activities on the ranch. Will be posted soon!





Thursday, I hauled pigs. Friday I hauled pigs, & delivered some eggs to Kim! I love it when I get to stop and visit. And she doesn't even kick me out for being piggy stinky! : )

Saturday, well what can I say except temporary INSANITY! It rained Friday night (1 inch) so we couldn't do much work. And then we went crazy! Honey and I took the girls to Kids Fest. Yup, nutz! Imagine 1000 kids and their parents. Kids all hopped up on candy that they pass out at every booth, blow up slides and obstacle courses, and did I mention the crying, screaming BRATS? HUH? I usually don't tolerate other people's kids very well. Let me correct that, I don't tolerate bad parenting very well. And Honey? He doesn't at all! We say that he is "allergic to people". And he is HIGHLY allergic to brats and lazy parents! But we survived. And the kids had fun. Squeak had fun with Grandma at her house, teaching the puppy how to pee on command by pulling her tail! Yikes!

Well, we did have one crying episode. (So here's your laugh for the day.)



So, we are at the end of 2 hours of Kids Fest, standing in line to spin a wheel and see if they win a small prize. We had just gotten a cup of cookies. [Back up a second in time, at the last booth, J was having a problem saying Thank You, and I told her that she would give "it" back if she didn't say Thank You right away.]

Honey gives A. a cookie, I get one, and J gets one. Guess who didn't say Thank You before she took a bite? Yup, J didn't. So, I take her cookie and feed it to Daddy. She starts crying. I explain that she didn't say Thank You. She nods understandment, and slows down to a sniff. Honey, asks her if she would like a cookie, she says yes and takes one. And THEN TAKES A BITE. HUFF! I take the cookie, and eat it. She is now back in HUGE tears and sobs! "Well", I say, "you didn't say Thank You again". She cries for a minute and Honey once again asks her if she would like a cookie (there are now only 2 left). She takes one, (both Honey and I are silently praying "please say Thank You", I don't want to eat another one of your cookies) then, she looks at us and says "Thank You" (hiccup, tear, sob, bite). Thank GOD! We wanted her to learn, but we did not buy the cookies for us! But lessons must be taught (and the cookies are good, so it didn't kill our tastebuds to eat one or three) even if it does break your heart.

Then, a woman walks over to us and says "What are you doing to make that little girl cry?" Huh? I turn around and see that it is a wonderful woman I haven't seen for about 5 years, and she has a smile on her face. Cause she knows I wouldn't really want to make my child cry. But, she had been watching the whole thing from the side, and found it amusing (I would too if it wasn't my child, and it is funny today)! And, she needed an opening line to talk with us (cause she forgot my name, I remembered her first name 4 hours later).

Don't you love being a mom? I do, tears and all!

BTW, we are still eating cookies, because the GIRL SCOUT COOKIES are in! YUM!!

My Total Perspective Vortex: Five Alive

My Total Perspective Vortex: Five Alive

Animal Rights people should visit my ranch

Yup, That's what I said, and I MEAN IT!! Anyone who thinks that most ranchers/farmers are mean to thier animals, needs to come to our Ranch!!

After the day I've had I'll chew em up and spit em out again!

To put it lightly, today was a rough one. But, I haven't cried, yet. (uh oh, the eyes are getting wattery)

Honey usually does AM chores, and this morning was no different. He was done before 7, and decided to run out back to check those cows on the 4-wheeler. (Yes, we have one of those nasty things). I was getting kids fed and ready for school. (Squeak included, since its monday).

J reported that Daddy was back, and he was grabbing a bale of hay with the tractor. He stops in the house, tells me Scooter's down in the pond, and we need beet pulp (high energy) and HOT water. I load everyone, grab some stuff, and take the Dodge out to the big pond. S%$T! The tractor was on a hill and ran low on Diesel, so he had to shut it of before it ran out (shoulda loaded the tank yesterday and filled it then). We pushed and shoved, and moved her so she was level.
It is now 8am, so, we head for the house, load J's snacks (cause she's the snack girl ALL week), load the diesel tank, and head for town. Honey calls the Co-Op and lets them know he's not gonna be in (THANK GOD!!).

We drop the girls of 1 min early, and I let J's teacher know that I won't be volunteering today. I then look at my clothes...Oh well! (note to self, make sure you have other boots handy when Honey needs you, DO NOT WEAR OSTRICH in pond MUD, everything else will wash). Drop Squeak at his school, and go to get diesel.

We formulate a plan to feed hay, get some energy into her and then make a cow sled to get her to the barn. So, we pull her up out of the mud. While we were in the house, we grabbed Honey's pump (from his Steer Jock Days) and 4 gallons of Hot water, Colostrum (energy), and 2 gallons of Fruit Punch (all the High Fructose Corn Syrup). We pumped her with 2 gallons of H2O and the other stuff.

Then we head back to the barn to make the sled. A piece of plywood, two 2x8's later we have a fancy dancy cow sled (I hope I never have to use it again!). We use the tractor and slide her onto the sled and strap her down. The sled works great to glently glid her to the barn (she was about 40 acres west of the barn). Now what? Well, we get the heater and throw a tarp over her to heat 'er up.

Breakfast time (it is 11:30). When we get back outside, we decide that she isn't warm enough, and we head to town for some LP. Yup the little tank that goes under your grill. We have a torpedo heater that works with LP, and we didn't think we had enough.

Shure enough, we fire up the torpedo heater, and she finally stops shivering.

We decide that while we keep an eye on her, we'll set the next water-er. Yeah!! It is pretty tricky working in a very tight area! This water-er goes in the middle of one of our pipe pens, so we can water two pens, thus the not much room.

Then, we have the fun part of ponies and colts "helping". In other words, their noses were in the way, the ENTIRE TIME! Leroy, what a pest. That pony is going to have a ton of fun with the kids this summer!!

After we checked on Scooter, we then decided to sort off heifers/steers for the auction this week. All the steers went, and heifers stayed. We checked nuts, and decided to just send the spring (2008) calves. Wow! We only have 8 left to send!!! YEAH!! That means I'm doing a better job of selling beef! (send me a note if you want any GREAT beef that should be harvested in late June) We get to keep 11 spring heifers. We decided to wait on the fall calves, because their nuts haven't fallen off yet.

The girls got home and Scooter was still hanging in there, so we picked up Squeak. Got home. Scooter was gone. We chored, and fed kids, and here I am. Still TRYING not to cry.

You see when a cow has a NAME (not just a number) it is a bad thing when we loose her. Scooter was a great old registered Angus cow that we bought in our first group of Sweeney cows in 2000. She has raised at least 4 cows that are in our herd right now. She was a pet. AND She was ON The LIST. That means, she got to die on the Ranch (not get culled to the sale barn).

And she did. We did everything to care for her! THIS is why I DARE any animal Rights person to stop by our ranch. If they think for one minute that we don't take care of cows. THEY ARE WRONG!! When we stopped in town earlier, more than one guy mentioned that the cost of a bullet was cheap, and she probably wouldn't live anyway. TUFF! We tried, and tried some more to save her. But sometimes a 16 year old cow just dies, no matter what you do. That's why most people cull them before they're 8. But Scooter, she was on The List.

And now, I'm going to go cry, and go to sleep.

I promise, the next blog WILL be funny!

ps, sorry for any typos or wierd phrases. I didn't even re-read this before I posted. (couldn't see thru the tears anymore)

Busy time of Year

Well, this time of year is pretty busy. But wait, we only have a SMALL group of cows calving right now! We still have another 80 or so cows in the pasture behind the house!

Oh, well! Right now we are down to crunch time with preparing for calving, and finishing the barn, caring for the new calves, getting the '08 calves ready for the sale barn, trying to sell more beef (so I don't have to take those calves to the sale barn), and dealing with puppies and Rosie trying to wean them, and kids and "school issues"

I am excited that our beef business is expanding rapidly, and I don't have to take 2 more calves to the auction. I'm also excited about how the colts are growing, and becoming tame and loving attention. If you need a puppy, horse, or BEEF; drop us a note.

The school issue should be resolved soon. I have met up with a couple of GREAT Unschooling Mamas, who have greatly improved my confidence! If, J still has "behavior" issues at school, she won't be IN school until the end of the year. I STRONGLY believe that she has been labeled as the "bad kid". Any sort of issue, in a location where the teacher can't hear, is J's fault! She IS NOT A BAD KID! She's bored, and she speaks her mind! I have always said that she will "tell you where to go and how to get there". She has spoken her mind since she could talk, literally. I don't want this independence taken away from her. So, if school isn't helping her, it is hurting her!

Now, I haven't decided exactly what form of school we will be doing at home. But it will involve some "curriculum" because Honey thinks it is necessary. I think that they will thrive and GROW, not just stay stalled as A has in school. A will do a TON of creative writing (because she just isn't doing enough at school to encourage this passion), J will do all sorts of creative learning methods, that don't require sitting still for an hour at a time.

CHICKENS!!

Almost forgot our new additions to the Ranch!! We went into the Co-Op after school on Friday for a new chick for each of the kids (Squeak included!) and ended up with 10 chickens. Yup, you guessed it! The husband who thought the chickens weren't a good idea, MADE us get 10 chickens. Same said husband now wants to build a fancy "portable coop" for the chickens. Yup, about a month ago, he said that "Chicken Tractors" were silly, didn't want to listen to me, or pay attention to my plans. Now he is designing the coop, planning the coop, and taking over the coop. Gotta love men!! Oh well, he is on board with the chicken thing, and excited to have them! He even Loves the eggs! In our new group are 2 broilers. We are also looking forward to the barred rock hens from Runnin Roan!

On the bloggy front, SORRY I haven't been posting much. I do have several blogs brewing in my brain. Some are now in draft form, and pretty funny!

Oh, and RanchGirl is gonna be a Momma! YEAH!!
And I'm ADDICTED TO FACEBOOK!!!