2 down-2 to go

Two down and 2 to go--pinwheel blocks I mean.  I got the 2 Blush blocks done today and the purple and green ones cut out.  This was a fun and easy block.  There is only one more week of this quilt along.  It has been a lot of fun and I am looking forward to putting these blocks together.  I'm wondering how Rachel is going to put them together.

With the warmer temperatures the last 3 days, my green thumb is starting to itch.  I finished cleaning off the garden spot today.  There is still snow on one end of it that needs to melt. 

I did find a couple of surprises.

I love those little pansy faced purples that come up volunteer.  I'm not sure what the white ones are.  I didn't plant anything like them in that area last year.   I won't be planting for another month, but I'm looking forward to it.

It will soon be dry enough for the field work to begin.  We grow oats and corn to feed to our cattle.  We also plant wheat and sunflowers for cash crops.  The next few weeks will be even busier with farming added to the mix.  Hugs to all.................

God Wink

Last night we had put a heifer in the barn at 12:00 am  that was showing signs of calving.  It was lightly raining too.  After a 3 hour nap, we assisted her with a difficult birth about 3:30 am.  We were back in bed at 4:00 am.  I'm setting the stage for a somewhat tired and crabby DH.

I took the early morning check.  So while DH filled the feed wagon, I had time to check our e-mail, my facebook and downloaded the new Fruits of the Spirit BOM from JJ's Gifts and Crafts.  I really like this verse in Galations 5: 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.  I love doing these little stitcheries in the evening.  It's very relaxing to stitch and reflect on my progress at letting  the Holy Spirit work in me, so I can have these fruits.  I was pleased to see that "Joy" was the new block for April.  Thank you to JJ's for the freebies.   Love your site!!!  I made a note to self........share this site on my blog.

The rest of the morning did not go as well.  The crazy wind yesterday had blown down part of a wind break.  It didn't break the wind --the wind broke the boards.   This caused a hole in the wooden fencing that divides areas that hold our heifers for next year and an area with pairs of cows and calves.  This made for extra sorting and fixing this morning.  That didn't go over too well with DH, because the jack had fallen off the feed wagon--so that needed  fixing too.  AND one of the gates caught on the feed wagon and the gate needed fixing too.   It was a fixing morning.  I try to be the positive one in the family.  I do lots of praying at times like these.  We did alot of extra catch up work with tagging and sorting too.  The God wink came later in the day.  I love to read.  I am afraid there will be more books than I can read, so I listen to audio books while I do other things--sewing, check cattle, cleaning, driving to town, etc.   I am "reading" Nicholas Sparks book The Last Song.  As I drove back from 8:00 pm check the father character in the book shares a bible verse with his daughter.  The verses were Galatians 5:22 & 23.  "God wink"  Just a reminder to me that the Spirit was working overtime today, so I could use my fruits working with DH. 

I'm not sure this will make any sense to you, but it did to me.  Mainly, it encouraged me and reminded me--God is in everything in my life--the internet, what I read, how I work---"everything".  Something I need to remember all the time.  Side note:  I rent audio books from Free Books. 

Here was another little smile from God in my day today:

I'm praying for a less fix-it day tomorrow.  Hugs to all ...............

Crazy Wind

The weather was crazy today.  It was 80 degrees and the wind blew 60 miles an hour.  Our little garden shed that took 2 days and much marital discord to construct blew over.  It landed on the lawnmower that was parked behind it.

So it now has a hole ripped in the backside and is no longer water tight.  The roof is all crunched on the edge.  At least it didn't go tumbling any further than it did.  The shed was the only thing damaged and did not hurt anything else.  The dirt flew and the shingles flapped on our roof all day long.

The best part of the crappy weather---I got to sew.  It was too ugly out to tag and sort calves.   I did alot of BOM block prepping.  I even had time to sew Block #4 of the Jelly Roll Sampler quilt along.  

Hopefully the weather will be better tomorrow.    Hugs to all..........................

A Fast Week-end

It was a fast week-end, but beautiful weather to have a calf.   My SIL Sharon and her husband, Dennis came for the week-end.  Dennis put up some more lighting in the calving barn for our night emergencies.  It was nice to have extra help.  We enjoyed visiting and working together. 

Looks like the baby sitter is taking them on a field trip.

This is Harry waiting at the gate for breakfast.  He is the most vocal of "the boys"--growling because we were late due to an emergency.

I probably won't be sewing today.  There is lots of tagging and moving to do.   I hope to catch up on reading a few of the blogs.  I printed out the new pinwheel block last night--maybe there will be time to cut them out later.  Have a great day.  Hugs to you..........

Rocco and his family

Who could resist this little guy in a pet shop?  All ears and sad eyes.  Not DD #1.  This is our grand dog, Rocco, when he was just a little guy.   He is an "applehead" chihauhau.   He is 2 1/2 years old now and lives with us while DD goes to nursing school and works fulll-time.  I've never been too keen on dogs in the house, but I was soon won over.  Miss Puss isn't real thrilled with him, but is learning to tolerate his presence.  

Rocco is a sweet natured dog and loves to cuddle.  He really needed to live with someone who could just hold him all the time.  After a year of living with us, he has converted to a ranch dog.  He loves to ride in the pick-up, explore all the smells available and roll in stuff I'd rather he didn't.  

Last fall one of the barn cats had a batch of kittens.  Unfortunately, this mom was a victim of a semi-truck hauling our corn.  Rocco sniffed out the orphans and we moved them to the house.  He and I took over the raising of 5 tiny kittens.

Rocco didn't think they should be out walking around yet.  He was very protective of them.

We found good indoor homes for 4 of them when they were 8 weeks old.    It was crazy with 5 kittens in the house.    Rocco loved every minute of it.  We kept the smallest one and his favorite.  Her name is Peanut.

It is so funny to watch them play together.  One minute you will see a dog chasing a cat and the next pass through will be the cat chasing the dog.   Pets sure bring alot of love and laughter to our lives.  I don't know what I would have done without Rocco's help raising these five babies.

I made it to the shower meeting this morning.  I stopped at the Quilter's Corner for some fusible batting.  I want to make a purse.  I've made tote bags before, but never a real purse.  I resisted the temptation to buy anything else---it was tough.   I'm off to do some tagging and moving of calves.  Hugs to you.............

more pinwheels

I slipped in some sewing time today and finished my pinwheels for week 6.

Now I'm all ready for the next block pattern when Rachel posts it.  She has some lovely quick and easy table runner patterns on her blog today.   If you haven't visited, her blog before, you might want to check it out.

It is a beautiful Spring day in South Dakota.  My main duty in the morning is opening gates and checking on everyone's health.  I watch for new babies, sick babies and new mom's in labor.  DH drives the tractor and feeder wagon and provides the meal for the day.  We also have barn chores, which is kind of like the hospital area.  Today we moved everyone out of the barn into the sunshine.  The pairs were as glad as we were.  The barn is empty again.  I wrote this earlier today.  We just pulled a backwards calf late tonight, so the barn has residents again. 

My little partner, Rocco rides along and supervises.

He's always ready to go for a "ride". 

I found a new to me blog today.  Cyndi at Bee Tree Designs has a fun blog.  She has some free redwork patterns available.   I am always looking for those.  She is also starting a mini mystery project.  I  had a good time exploring her blog and will return again.

I hope things go well in the morning.  I'm suppose to meet with my SILs around 11 a.m. to plan a wedding shower.     Our nephew, who shares a birthday with DH is getting married the end of May. 

 Hugs to you.......

Just Imagine

Easter was a busy day--family, food and calving.  You will have to imagine the strawberry pie I was going to take a picture of.   This is a Spring favorite and disappears quickly.   A few years ago I came up with this recipe by combining some things we liked into a pie.  I usually make it for Easter.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie

Crust:  3/4 cup flour                     1/2 cup quick cooking oatmeal

1/2 cup chopped pecans               2 tablespoons sugar

dash of salt                                    1/2 cup melted butter

Mix dry ingredients and nuts together.  Pour the melted butter over them and mix.  Pat into a 9" pie plate.  Bake in the oven at 400 F for 15 minutes-until brown.  Cool.

Filling:  Beat 8 ounces of soft cream cheese, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1/4 cup powdered sugar until smooth and creamy.  Spread in the cooled pie crust.

Topping:   Slice a quart of washed and cleaned strawberries into a sauce pan.  Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and a scant 1/2 cup of sugar--depends on how sweet the berries are and how sweet you want them. 

Stir and mash strawberries slightly.  Let this sit for a little bit to get juicy.  You can do this before you make the filling and then when the filling is done you will have juice in your pan.  Then add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch.  Stir over medium heat until it starts to boil.  Boil 2 minutes to thicken.  Cool.  Pour over filling and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving with whipped topping and strawberry garnish. 

It really is so good and I wish you could see it.  A picture would have made a better blog post.  I made 2 and they both disappeared quickly. 

I did make it to my baby sister's to see the new baby and hold her.  So sweet and small.  I also visited with my uncles, who are 96 and 98.  

We enjoyed having DD #1 home for a day and 2 nights.  She is a big help outside and always fun to spend time with.  She had alot of laundry and homework to do too.   We moved all the cows to the calving pasture now, so things will be alittle easier.  Then we moved the bulls to their spring lot in the opposite direction.  "The boys" were glad to get out of the wintering pen.  They have been pretty crabby lately and fighting with each other. 

Yesterday was a busy day with 12 new calves.  DH and I spent the day tagging, vaccinating and moving them to the pairs pasture.  It rained in the morning.  This morning the sun is shining and another busy day coming. 

No sewing here.  My purple and green squares are waiting to be made into pinwheels.  I have printed off some of the new monthly free projects.  I have a feeling I may get behind this month.  Have a great day   Hugs for you..................