Our baby is growing up.....

Seems like just yesterday...

You were just an adorable baby....talking like crazy from about 9 months old....

And now....

You are growing into a beautiful young girl....5 years old.  

I simply can't belive it!!!

Makes me get choked up just thinking about it....

You have such a kind spirit...it is almost as if you feel another's hurt or sadness.  

You are so in tune to others' feelings....

You notice everything....nothing gets by you!!!

You take forever to make a decision....

you love....butterflies, bananas and peanut butter, cereal, anything chocolate, 

playing "stripe girls" with your sister,

your brother,

you love.....your momma and your dada

You love to have fun and go to school....

You laugh out  loud when you watch Funniest Home Videos!!!!

You are determined.....once you make up your mind....it's done...

like waking up on a Saturday morning and demanding your training wheels be removed from your bike...you just took off!!!!

You are small but mighty!!!!

Then there is the serious side of you.....that wants to know what day God made the butterflies...

Was it the day He made the birds or the day He made the insects, momma?

Like having to pray for anyone you know that is sick or feeling bad....

You love to get dirty and go to the farm with Daddy, 

but you hate to have sticky on your face and hands!!!

You love your dog Chase and Pampa Wayne's farm kitties....

This is how excited you are for your birthday!!!  We're stringing it out as long as we can for ya!!!

We are so blessed to have been given the honor to raise you!!!  You brighten our days

and soften our hearts.  We are so proud of you and know that you are going to do awesome

things as you grow into a young lady!!!

Happy Birthday, Calyn!!!

Love,

Momma

9.20.10

Chopping Silage 101...

Chopping Silage 101

It is a fall ritual (and necessity at our farm) to chop silage.  This makes the "food" that we feed the cattle all winter.  I guess it is a fine "art"....so I'm told.

Many years ago, the local men would go around "chopping" at the neighbors...they all would move from farm to farm and help each other out.  The women would try to out do each others cooking and I guess it was quite an event.  

Fast forward 30 years.....

When we chop at our farm, it takes about 2 days.  Corn that is still a bit green is "chopped" by a....you guessed it....."chopper"....and then the "chopped" corn (stalks and all) is loaded into wagons and hauled to the pit (or pile as some call it).  It is then packed so that it can ferment (you are all jealous of our cows now arentcha!!!!) and then through out the winter it is fed to the cattle.  

About January, it smells absolutely marvelous!!!!!!!!  

This year was kind of exciting because we had our own chopper.  Jory and his cousin drove to Illinois a few weeks ago and brought it home.  It worked really well....no breakdowns.  

It takes several guys to get this job done....one to run the chopper, 3 or so to haul, one at the pit to help unload the wagons and one guy to pack the pit.  I had the honor of feeding these boys for two days....it takes a bit of creativity to create a hearty, portable, self serve lunch let me tell ya!!!  I had it ready for Jory in the morning and he took it to the shop.....crock pots are a must around these parts!!!

Anyway, here are a few photos that hopefully give you a little sense of what is happening.....

You have to have pretty good aim with this stuff....

Cloud o' silage

Jeff's tractor decorations....

Supervisor....

Jory is packing the pit, the road curving behind leads through the pasture to the field.  In the distance you can see the tractor waiting to go fill, and then the others out in the field...

Dumping at the pit...

RRRRRRRoughage.....mmmmmmmmmm

So there is your farming lesson of the day....you can chew on that one a bit....

Until next time....

ShellieB

I miss blogging.....

OK, its true.  I do miss blogging for some reason.  Like I really need one more thing to do!!!  Somehow it is therapeutic though.  Like journaling, preserving memories.

I forces me to reflect and to document.  I find that I can remember events better, see the beauty in the little things better, care more about the important things.....

So, here we go.....

The kids are back in school and loving.every.minute!!!!  I am so glad and so very proud of them!!!  I'll share a few photos of their first days.......

Aiden and Meghan started on August 30th....

Calyn started on September 1st.....she looks so grown up.....

Third grader.....

First Grader.....

Pre Kindergartener....

 
Looking forward to a great year!!!!!!!  We'll keep you all posted on what's going on with us!!!!

ShellieB