Lovely days

On the 19th, a Saturday, I picked up my mom for a week before taking her to Pennsylvania for my niece's wedding that will be on the 4th. That Sunday we castrated Caramel. I was in charge of keeping him still (right.) and Cory did the deed. It was one of those moments, of which we've had several since moving here, where I think to myself, "When I was standing at the altar, I never imagined doing this with this man." They don't put those pictures in the marriage brochures.

Despite the veterinarian's suggestion that we leave it to a professional, Cory did an excellent job and Caramel has healed quite nicely.I have to say that it was sad for a bit. Once we got him up, he just stood there looking bewildered, glancing back and forth at Buttercup like he knew his plans for her were over. Aside from moving slower for a little while he got back to normal quite quickly.

In other cow news, the latest edition of Countryside magazine had a cover story titled: Is it time for a cow? It has about 6 articles about getting cows- very neat. Honestly, though, it hasn't been easy lately. Since we didn't properly prepare the pasture before we got them, and there's been a heatwave, it's been looking sad. We've had to move them all around the yard. It saves on mowing, but you have to watch where you step. We are also weaning Caramel off of milk replacer and he has been mooing his head off. I hope the neighbors aren't upset about the mooing. Once their roosters crow at O-dark-thirty, he starts.

Later that week I had the brilliant idea of moving the pen but not the box for the chickens, since the box is so hard to move. We had horrible heat, the shade shifted, and two of our chickens died within just a few hours of the time I last checked on them. All of the books say you will make mistakes, but I felt terrible. It was a hard lesson. The sick chicken also died later in the week so we are now down to two hens and a rooster.

It was good having Mom here. It's nice to have an adult to talk with throughout the day sometimes. When I met my brother Mike in North Carolina to pick her up, as we were talking, I found out that all of these years I have been falsely called "Big Mouth Jackie." Apparently it wasn't really my fault that I told him he was getting a Lone Ranger for Christmas! My sister had taunted him about what he would be getting and I was too little to know that you weren't supposed to tell. So, since it was obvious he wanted to know, I told him. It was an innocent mistake, not a blatant lack of discretion. What can the falsely accused do? - just pick up the pieces and move on.... but I want the last 31 years back- DO YOU HEAR ME!!??

The Monday after Mom arrived our truck broke down so we had to call the same tow truck guy that had towed our van here the preceding Monday. All and all it has cost us an unplanned fortune... but four more payments and she's all ours. The van repairs are still pending. Cory's two main projects for this weekend are the van and the new chicken coop. He is a man of many talents.

I was able to visit my family in Pennsylvania this past weekend when I dropped mom off. I learned a few things more and had a great time- though it was very rushed. Pennsylvania is still breath taking. I told Cory if I could put Pennsylvania in Virginia, I would live there. I know. He thought about it for a minute too. I drove the kids down to Rehmeyer's Hollow past our old house. The big red barn that is in so many of our pictures and memories is still there. We went down further to the little bridge that's near the trailer where I was born. When we were kids we used to walk down all the time and throw rocks in. So, the boys threw rocks in and I just stood there like I had one foot in one time period and one in another. I sometimes think those moments are a small glimpse of what will be revealed to us one day- when time is stripped away.

This week started out really hard. Cory and I had missed each other a lot, but had an argument when I got back. The vehicle stuff and strain of all the work has been getting to both of us. We had a great night together Tuesday night. Then, God gave me two of the most beautiful days I've seen in a long while, and I was able to spend them outside... just in the garden and in the woods. Somewhere in there He put all of my cares in their proper place and my mind and heart were free again. He knows one of my favorite things in the whole world is to spend the day outside with Him, so He set it all up for me like a candlelight dinner on a roof. That's enough for now- the day awaits and I think it's going to be another beautiful one.