Soggy Bottoms

Thursday is my late night at school. Tonight when the last student was picked up, I looked outside to see rain... pouring rain! Well, today was a bad day to wear stone colored pants and cute bellwether, slide shoes. When I forded the flooding parking lot to get to the car, my pants and socks were soaked. Boy, did I feel like a real pioneer! I think I will start packing gum boots in the car. I arrived home to the perfect solution to my soggy bottoms... a pot roast, potatoes, carrots and onions on the table for supper. It is simply amazing how a little home-cooking can change my outlook on the day. Thanks to Grandma Chuck, we all sat down to a wonderful meal.
By the way, coyotes-1, hunter-0. I will keep you updated on the safety of the Lough Ranch.

Release the Hounds

For the last few nights the coyotes have been raising cane around the Lough Ranch. Now, for most people that is not a big deal, but around these parts it's HUGE. This means war for the hunter and the 3 furious hunting dogs. Briley walked out of the garage the other night and whispered, "Brett, did you hear those woooves?" (wolves) I believe the girls were scared to death when they heard the high pitched barking and howling. I was also scared to death... for the chickens and goats. Let me try an analogy, coyotes to goat as humans to ice cream cones; or coyotes to chicken as Leslie to cocktail shrimp. You get my point. When we heard the coyotes, Blake automatically used his professional coyote hunting experience to "locate" where he thought they were sitting. Sure enough, with the spot light from the garage, he was very close. We watched Wile E. Coyote run from the pond to the road and back. We may have to schedule another special coyote hunt for the safety of the livestock at Lough Ranch. SAVE THE PETTING ZOO... release the hounds!

Saddle Cleaning

Last weekend we attended the neighborhood Saddle Cleaning Party. Let me define... this group of adults get together and clean, condition and polish their saddles to get ready for their much anticipated rides in warmer weather. I think I should have used a power washer first, it's been a few years. This year was the fourth annual get-to-gather. Look out next year is the fifth anniversary, it might get ugly! Food is provided by some of the finest cooks around, (someday I hope to be half the cooks they are) and all enjoy a few adult beverages. The girls had a grand time also... swimming in the hot tub and enjoying Uncle Donnie overruling mom's word on everything... he is worse than Grandma Suzy! Overall, there were about 10 saddles cleaned and we were the fuddy-duddies that went home early.

Two French Pigs

No, the Lough Ranch does NOT have pigs, yet. But, the blog title surely made some of you wonder... fainting goats, french pigs, what's next? This morning before we went to church, Briley told me she wanted a new hair do. I asked her if she wanted a French Braid? She quickly replied, "No, two french pigs!" So here is a picture of the two french pigs hair style. I absolutely love her comments! So feast your eyes on Bri's new do!

Clem-Bob and Billy-Bob

We voted on the names of the goats today. Clem-Bob and Billy-Bob won with a 3 to 1 vote. I was the 1 lone vote. I thought Conway and Loretta would be wonderful names. If you listen to the new tunes on this blog you'll understand... old county music is my favorite... and Conway is one of the best... not to look at, only to listen to. I don't think the rest of the family shares my passion for these tunes.

We also built a hideout in the hay today, Blake added a tunnel for the entrance and I added windows. We are not competitive... the windows were the best. The girls thought it was awesome with the amazing windows and the lame tunnel. But without the tunnel the windows wouldn't be crap!!! (Blake just added the last sentence.) Whatever!

I almost had to send out an Amber Alert this evening. We lost out dog, Dally. Luckily she came home just after dark. Wow! What an exciting weekend. After our much enjoyed day off today, we all return back to the routine tomorrow. Our next day off from school is Easter break... that's in April... uuug!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Yesterday, I walked into the school office and saw flower arrangements and a few balloons on the counter, very common site the day before Valentine's day. One certain balloon caught my eye, it read "Wanna get lucky" with dice on it. I automatically thought- nice! I say to our secretary while laughing, "Wow, what a balloon!" She calmly looks up for her desk, giggles, and replies, "It's for you." My response, "Yea right, my husband doesn't send flowers." She comments,"Look at the card." Sure enough, the card said my name, and yes I panicked. I frantically hide the balloon in the corner of the office and threatened her that if the "balloon" left the office it might get ugly. I didn't want 25 4th graders asking questions. Oh, my face must have been the color of very festive redish-pink shirt. Luckily, the balloon didn't get delivered to my room until after school. Blake was successful with his plan to embarrass the holy snot of of me. Mission accomplished! The 6 beautiful red roses attached the the embarrassing balloon are wonderful! Great table decoration for a snowy weekend.

Briley decorated her Valentine box for her preschool party this week. Between Brett, Briley and I, we had candy hearts, little cards and a box of spilled Nerds all over the living room, thank goodness for vacuums.

Baby goats

OK, so this is not the best picture. It is from my cell phone. But look at these goats, they are so cute. They are the newest addition to the Lough Ranch. I say they because they do not have names yet. The girls like Clem-Bob and Billy-Bob or Sally or Jane and Bill. We have not decided on names. We got them form a man in Missouri. That is another blog... later. Anyway we will update when we settle on the names.

By request

By request, I have added some pictures of the productive chickens on the Lough Ranch, aren't they beauties? We raised the black and light brown hens from chicks. Or should I say we saved these hens from Grandma and Grandpa's dogs when they were young. The others we adopted from Blake's hunting friend. Together we have 21 magnificent laying hens. Their productivity averages about 80%. I have been running some numbers around in my head and thinking about starting an egg delivery business. Here goes... if I were to make even close to my teaching salary, I would need around 821 chickens... I, no we, would have to gather 657 eggs each day... therefore we would sell about 55 dozen eggs each day... I am afraid that would NEVER work. Can you imagine the feed bill or the chicken poop? We could fertilize the entire farm... twice. How long would it take to gather 657 eggs each day? Holy smokes, that is a lot of eggs! I think I will keep my job.

Looking back...

Looking back a few years ago... we recently watched some old videos of the ranch before it was the Lough Ranch. The date on the tape was February 18, 2001. Wow, what a time! Blake and I started building the barn. We cut down oak trees and had a guy come and saw up the lumber. With Blake's Home-lite cheapo chainsaw it took 10 minutes to cut down one tree (on the video it seemed like 2 days, a lot like watching grass grow.) Then we started the barn in the windiest weeks I remember. We stood the frame up 3 times. With the help of our friends, families, and neighbors we finally got the tin on the barn frame. Yes, the barn was built before the house. It looked so enormous in the video. Oh how 8 years, 2 kids, 2 ponies, 4 horses, 2 dogs, and 7 cat can fill a barn. It is simply amazing to me that when we started there was nothing; no barn, no house, a few animals, no lots, and not much fence. Then came the house. They started the house in May and we moved in September. We hired someone to build the house, but we did some of the work ourselves. My dad tipped over the insulation trailer in the garage and almost dumped himself and the bales of insulation. Blake, Nick, and dad plumbed the house. The first time we turned on the water, I thought we might have a built-in sprinkler system. (it all still works) Blake, Nick, and I stoned the fireplace, can you believe the stones are still on the wall? Lori and I built the wood fence around the horse lot, we plan to replace it this summer. We better keep SCR-1 happy for a few more years, fencing is not our calling. We have planted many trees in the yard and still don't have any shade. We just keep adding and changing, what will the ranch look like in another 8, 10, or even 20 years? Chickens, goats, trampolines, an arena... whats next?

Under the weather and GROUCHY!

This week I have been a little under the weather, just a little cold. I think I have sneezed about a million times. Coughing and nose blowing are tied right now with 250 times apiece. Anyway... like most people feeling rotten makes me a little grouchy. My students at school, my girls at home, my husband and anyone else around me would probably agree. This week alone I have eaten more oranges then I have in months, MORE VITAMIN C! Last night I spend a few hours on the couch, before going to bed at 8:00. This evening when I got home from school, my husband greeted me at the door with a bag full of cold medicine and Grandma fixed supper, again. Thank goodness I have people to pick me up when I am down, or maybe they are sick of me acting grouchy, you decide. But more than any medicine, I think the 50 degree weather and a little sunshine helps me bounce back. Or maybe it is the fact that tomorrow is Friday and the temperature might be 55 degrees. One will never know!

HOORAY!

Brett recently celebrated the 100th day of school. Hooray! She thought the day was a hit; no homework, special treats, and wearing funny hats. What more could a first grader want... maybe a better picture, ha ha! Don't you love those missing front teeth? She has been waiting 3 long months for the chicklets to grow in. We hope they come in before sweet corn season. (You know, that's only 5 months away, and thanks to Mr. Groundhog we know 6 weeks of that will be winter, I hope he keeps his promise.)

We also celebrated the 100th day of school. In fourth grade, not such a big deal. To fourth graders, and their teacher, this means... we are over half way though the year! HOORAY!!! (You know, May is only 4 months away, and Mr. Groundhogs will be hibernating until the middle od March.)

Handyman!!

This is my handyman!! (a.k.a. husband, dad, trencher man, "wolf" hunter and so on...) He is the best! We needed a TV stand for our new investment. I said I can't find a stand I like. He said "Do you want me to make one out of barn boards?" I love barn board and he knows it! He was thinking... make it, save money. The truth is, I love homemade one-of-a-kind objects.

We decided we needed a new TV. Please define need and want. We wanted a new TV. We shopped around for one day, actually only about 2 hours, then bought a new 37" TV. I must confess, one is thinking 37 inches, if you are going to get a new TV get a NEW, BIG, PLASMA TV!! On this ranch, we had a console 26" TV, a hand-me-down from Blake's brother. From 26" to 37" is a gigantic step for us. Another confession, we (Blake and I) haven't ever bought a TV. So go ahead and say it, IT'S ABOUT TIME!!! Meanwhile back at the ranch, we watched the Superbowl on the new, 37" TV resting upon the unique, handcrafted, barn board TV stand.

Gease Balls

Friday night the girls asked me if they could put a bath ball (the little bath beads with oil inside them) in the bathtub when they took a bath. Being the relaxed mother I am, my response was "sure." I'm was thinking sure what is a little bath bead going to hurt. Well, little did I know, they used more then one. Later that night their hair still looked wet, so I assumed that it was the oil from the beads. The next morning while I was showering, I saw and I counted 12 bath bead skins. Needless to say after 3 baths and 3 hair washings, the girl's hair still looked greasy. Oh yes, we went to church with greasy hair. We learn from our experiences and we have learned that 12 bath beads is a few over the limit, but the oil is the best detangler we have ever used.