What do we do when it is hotter then H E double hockey sticks? We went to the Ottumwa Beach with a group of friends. The girls loved it! The water slide was the biggest hit (not the speed one).

Happy Father's Day!

Although I have learned many lessons for my dad, I can sum up the most important thing my dad taught me in one word... RESPECT! Here is a top ten list of my important lessons.
1. don't burn hamburgers
2. putting up square bales is the hottest place
3. "lots of hustle"
4. stay calm when leading a calf
5. keep the tractor on the low side
6. old campers ROCK
7. the one in the middle doesn't have to open gates
8. speed is power
9. don't complain, it can always get worse
10. have fun, work together
Happy Father's Day to all the great dads.

Siding Strippers

What a crew of "strippers!" Adam and his strippers came over to help take off the siding a few days ago. They stripped siding, shirts, and yes... one even his pants! You might be a redneck if... your friend rips off siding in his boxers!

Yesterday, ARM Associates came to replace the siding. The replacement guys looked a little different them the "strippers." Let me describe; beards, straw hats, suspenders, dark pants, sleeved shirts and work boots.

Our house is looking much better, the girls and I are off to Menard's to buy new shutters. Some of the garden is growing back also... Happy Day!

Field Trip

Brett has a bottle calf, Cowboy. She will take him to the fair in the Cattlemen's Buckle-Bottle Calf Class in a few weeks. The girls feed him everyday, even in the rain (picture). They are getting tired of feeding him, so mom came up with a new trick... I told the girls feeding the calf was like taking a field trip to a farm, and when they got back to the house they could draw pictures or journal about the trip. By the end of my little idea, Briley was jumping up and down, ready to go. Brett looked at me like I was the craziest lady in a circus. She thought "Oh boy, we live on a farm, how exciting!" Someday she will appreciate the experiences!

I wish...

This picture is from a few weeks ago when we took the Pon"coon" boat to the lake for the first time. I wish the weather was sunny today, so we could be on the lake again today! Patience... it will get hot and sunny someday!

What the HAIL?

Sunday night we had a hail storm, and this is my pathetic garden. My garden was going great; few small green tomatoes, 2 green pepper, almost knee-high potatoes, pea pods. Now we are back to square one... nothing! I guess it not to late to replant. Does anyone have garden crop insurance?

This picture is the west end of our house. We were not home during the storm, but we think the hail must have been at least golf ball size.

Here is the the whole end. All the little black spots are holes. At first glance, we thought it might be leaves... oh yea, we don't have trees! Notice the screens are out and on the ground. Luckily the windows didn't break. Bloomfield got hit really hard, a lot of broken windows, tree damage, and trashed siding. The good news... no one was hurt and these "things" can be fixed or replaced!

Red

Fortunately, we have the best pony in the world. Others might argue that he is old, sway-backed, slow, fat and maybe foundered, but to us and Brett, he is perfect. If you know Brett at all, believe it or not, she loves his speed (none)! Brett and Red are practicing for the MFR (not the NFR). They will participate in barrels and poles... at a trot, but a trot is better than walk... we move mountains one rock at a time! The first family rodeo is Saturday, we can't wait. Happy Socks and Andy enjoyed the pony ride, also.