I Remember When . . .

Who are these two little women? If you guessed Mary and Carol you were close. It is their daughters, Melea and Lyndi. What a resemblance!



I remember when Mary and Carol looked just like this and were attached at the hip. They were so close that they even talked to each other in their sleep, (that is no joke!). As you can guess, the sleep talking was a big hit at slumber parties (LOL).

I love you girls, mothers and daughters! TTFN :)

Sasha's Window

Sasha has finally "joined the craze" as she puts it. She has started a web log like Dillon, Cerra and I. Each of us has just a little bit different focus but that is half the fun. Our web logs reflect our individual personalities, interests, and talents. As an introduction to her site Sasha writes:

My wonderful (techy) brother, Dillon, has brought me into the loop and I too have a web log. I will use this space to share thoughts, moments, musings, and wanderings of my mind and spirit. I hope that this will be a place where you too will share freely and enjoy.

I have really enjoyed the interaction with family and friends that my web log has generated. I like knowing that any time someone is wondering what is up at Almosta Farm that all they have to do is check my web log. If anyone wants to make a comment or contact me they can do so with ease from my site.

Also from my home page you will find links to Sasha's Window and Dillon and Cerra. If you have any trouble navigating these web logs there is an article on my site which gives you some helpful tips on commenting and contacting while navigating my web log. The web logs for Sasha and for Dillon and Cerra are set up the same way so you can use the same tools when navigating their web logs.

You don't have to use a link to go to any of our sites. You can go directly by using our web site addresses. Here is a list of Sasha's and Dillon and Cerra's web site addresses. In case you used a link to get to my site I will give you my web site address as well.

• Sasha's is http://sashaswindow.com

• Dillon and Cerra's is http://dillonandcerra.com

• Mine is http://farmfancy.com

Thank you for your interest and support. Please continue to visit me at my web site and contribute as often as you would like. Comments, pictures and stories are always welcome. TTFN :)

Simple Pleasures

Amidst all the hustle and confusion of new jobs, new moves, new family members, children still know how to make the best of it. Carol and Brad's kids show us a great example of how to enjoy a simple life. Carol says:

...things are going great. Michelle and Lyndi love school. They come home and play school all day. They set up Libraries, practice letters and words, read books, draw, review shapes and colors, etc. It's fun to watch them grow. Christopher even gets in on the fun. He hears the girls say "my teacher said....." so every once and a while he'll say "mom, my teacher said.....(says something funny).

What lively, loving, creative children. I wish we could all appreciate the simple things like children do. TTFN :)

How To Ride A Bucking Horse

This information comes from the experts. I thought I would pass it on as I have found it useful a couple or three times. Enjoy :)

There is a definite "classical" method one should strictly follow while one's horse is bucking.

1. Ensure that you have an audience. There is absolutely no point in being decked by your horse unless there are, oh, say a hundred people around to watch. This way, you will have made them feel better about their own inadequacies, and you won't have to go into tedious detail explaining to everyone you know exactly how it happened. It is considered good form if at least one of the audience members is either:

• Someone you admire and want to impress; or
• Someone you despise and don't want to give any ammo; or
• Someone you have the hots for and want to impress; or
• Your best friend, who will have no compunction in falling over, laughing and pointing.

2. Try to be spectacular. I mean, anyone can just get bucked off and land on their backside, can't they? You want to try to make this "the decking to end all deckings." The Titanic of bucks. You get the picture. Now, for this you will need the following:

• An extremely acrobatic horse - you want one of those twisty-turny jobbies last seen at the National Rodeo Championships.
• A supple back - you should practice somersaults, pirouettes and handstands at home.
• A hat - see,I can be sensible!!!

3. It is best if this buck comes at a time when everyone is watching you, but no-one is prepared for what is to come. Your horse should be working nicely, giving no indication that you are about to become "the person who learned to fly." Of course, experts will point out the tail swishing, ears twitching back, and the tension around the nostrils, but they are show-offs and should be ignored. To the uninitiated, this will look like a dramatic performance which you and your horse have practiced at home.

4. When the horse leaves the ground, and launches you into the air like a cannon ball, it is far more gratifying for the crowd if you can let out a blood-curdling yell. Kind of like William Wallace did when they cut his out his guts. Practice this at home. When the local rangers knock on your door, asking if you are keeping a wild cougar in your back yard, you will know you have it right.

5. You should try to stay elevated as long as possible. The longer the better. If your arms and legs fly in impossible directions, as if you were a rag doll, you will achieve additional marks for artistic impression.

6. When you land, try to do so with a thud! The kind of dull thud that you hear when you drop a melon from a great height. Try not to go "Splat" - it puts the audience off their hamburgers.

7. Lie immobile for a while, as your horse runs off into the distance. After a suitable time, rise your head and groan:
"you butt-head!"

And that is how you ride, (or should I say - fall off), a bucking horse. (LOL) . TTFN :)

News From Mary

It is always fun to get family news. Mary reports:

Yesterday Isaac lost his first tooth. The mature tooth had already begun to come in so the dentist had to extract the baby tooth. He was so excited (to say the least) and carried his tooth like a badge of honor. He did get a visit from the tooth fairy and was extatic to get a whole dollar!

I'll bet Isaac was excited. I used to get a nickle for each tooth I lost and my kids got a whole quarter (woo-hoo!). Melea is probably getting excited to loose her teeth now. I hope you can send us a picture of Issac's new smile. I'll bet he is a cutie!

Additional note: This is a second had report from Alan so it may not be exactly what happened but I thought it was really funny! While Issac was waiting in the dentist chair for the dentist to start he asked his mom, "How are you Mom?" Mary answered him, "I'm fine." Then he replied, "I'm fine too." He then waited quietly for a little while. Pretty soon he asked again (after the sodium pentathol had kicked in), "How are you doing Mom?" Mary again answered, "I'm doing fine." Then Issac threw his hand in the air and exclaimed "I'm doing GREAT!" (LOL) You just gotta love 'em.
TTFN :)

Mike and Rachael's Family News

Rachael sent me some pics and some and some updates on her beautiful kids. She says it better than I could so in her words:

Sierra was baptized last month and is very excited about the Holy Ghost being on her side. She and the boys have been talking about the Holy Ghost for a month now. Sierra says she's always talking to it, River says it tells him to be good and Tyler says the Holy Ghost is invisible.

Sierra also baptized a spider while she was at it. Going down into the font a spider went under her dress. My brother Josiah, (who was baptizing), didn't think he would freak her out and tell her about it. Needless to say, there is a Holy spider around somewhere.



River has been doing soccer this fall and even though all the parents holler and yell and are very competitve, (Mike), River just does what he wants and has fun. A couple summersaults in the middle of the field, some kicks and jumps, even though the ball is no where around him. I guess to keep the game exciting.






Tyler is at the age where monkey see, monkey do or I should say, monkey say, monkey say so watch what comes out of your mouth.




Thanks so much for the news Rachael. If Sierra doesn't know about the spider yet you may not want her to read this! Great pics too by the way. I hope you can all come up for a visit soon ~ family has an open invitation to Almosta Farm. Love you all lots! TTFN :)

YOU SKUNK!

I have come to realize that living in the country does not always mean living in harmony with nature. When wild animals and humans share the same space there are bound to be conflicts from time to time. The conflict this week was with a skunk.

Max always is barking at something in the night. He has done a really good job at keeping unwanted critters, wild and domestic, out of the yard. But Saturday night was different. Max was barking incessantly. I finally got tired of it and went to tell him to settle down. He didn't listen to me so I went out to see what in the world was going on. There he was with his head in the chicken's hole to the chicken coop, lunging and barking like nobody's business. I am not sure why but I didn't think anything of it. I just told him to get back out of there. It didn't occur to me that maybe there was a reason he was acting crazy. That is until he did step back and I heard an unfamiliar scratching and rustling coming from inside the coop. A chill ran down my back as I ran to the house. I grabbed the flashlight and a broom (yes, a broom), and ran back out to the coop with Cerra hot on my heels. I was telling Cerra about it on the way out and she exclaimed, "What are you going to do with a broom!?" Good question. So I traded the broom for a hoe that was sitting by the garden gate, (still ???). Of course by that time the invader was gone (thank goodness). All that was left was broken egg shells. What was gone was one of the chickens. The next morning when I went to feed the horse and goats I found that not only did the varmint boldly come into the chicken coop and eat the eggs and probably carry off a chicken, he also came into the yard and ate the eggs the chickens had laid in the haystack. There were egg shells all over the place. While Cerra knew all along it was a skunk, I still wasn't sure. That is until the next night.

After some discussion Cerra and I decided to board up the chicken coop for the night and lock the kittens in the garage to keep them safe. Evening rolled around and with it an early sunset. By the time Cerra got home from her visiting teaching it was already dark. She went to lock up the kittens and I went to close up the chicken coop. I trotted out to the coop without a care and threw open the door. Who did I meet face to face? THE SKUNK! I slammed the door shut and was just about to put something over the chicken entrance when out he came. He wasted no time in finding an escape route under the coop. Well, to make an even longer story a little shorter, we set a trap that night and we did catch him. Now I have the unpleasant task of disposing of him. NOT my favorite part of country living.

Like Uncle, Like Nephew

GENETICS 1993 ~ Both of these handsome fellows were caught by surprise walking down the same hallway (at different times of course) . I'm not sure what the tounge hanging out is all about but it sure is funny, eh!?

Winslow The Patriarch

Winslow is the oldest cat we have. He has seen many a cat come and go over the last several years. You might think this would make him insecure, but quite the contrary. Winslow is very comfortable with his self appointed station here on Almosta Farm. Winslow believes himself to be the overseer of the goings on around here. Whether it is supervising me while I go about my chores or watching the activities of the other animals Winslow is always on guard. When ever a new animal arrives, Winslow is compelled to examine the newcomer and give his approval. I think he feels very important and revered by the other animals, almost as if they would be disappointed if he didn't grace them with his presence. Truth be known, the other animals don't give him much thought and don't reguard him any differently than they do the other cats - but we won't tell Winslow that :)

When it comes to the other cats I believe he sees himself as their leader and father figure. He treats all the individual cats differently, depending on their personality. WHAT A DIPLOMAT! He can get along with the most difficult of cats. Not only do they tolerate him, they follow his lead. He doesn't hesitate to teach them all his tricks, good and bad. It is as if he wants to impart on the other cats his great wisdom.

Even though he is getting old he still has a playful side. The kittens especially bring it out in him. He loves to play in boxes and luer other cats into the fun and games. He might lay down and strategically swish his tail so the kittens will pounce on it. Then he acts irritated and moves ever so slightly and does it again until he engages them in a wrestling match. It is down right comical!


During quieter times he will cuddle with his favorites. Of course, he cuddles with his people too, but only on his terms. Winslow provides comic relief, companionship and comfort to his cat family and his people alike. Self appointed or not he is truely the patriarch of the cats here on Almosta Farm.

Summer Falls by the Wayside

There is a cool, crisp chill in the mornings now. Crops are being harvested. Deer and elk can be seen in the corn fields and across the hay fields taking advantage of the rich leftovers from harvest as they make a last ditch effort to eat everything in site to bulk up for the winter ahead. In the distance we can hear the trumpet of bull elk as they announce their mighty presence. Overhead the honking of geese resounds as they wing their way south for the winter. Leaves are beginning to blush bright yellow as horses are being turned out to pasture. All of these things remind us that, despite the long warm season, autumn is in the wind just waiting to blow in with all her glory. Before long, summer will become a distant memory. Trees will glisten with vibrant reds, yellows and oranges just before dropping their leaves to blanket their feet for the winter ahead. The morning chill will turn to frost. Fully feathered chicks and chickens will have to puff up their feathers to insulate from the threatening cold. The goats and the horses will start growing their winter coats. All vegetation will be put to bed for the winter while all the animals will start to eat almost twice what they had eaten in the warm summer months. Right now we are graced with an occasional gentle rain at our doorstep.
Soon we will find a drenching rain greeting us daily. I better get busy and get my loafing shed finished and my hay put up and my trees planted and my garden beds weeded and over seed the bare patches in my lawn . . . before it is too late!
So as you can see, as Summer Falls by the wayside, there is still (always) something to do at Almosta Farm :)

Here's Hoping

I finally talked with Eric today. He has been calling and leaving me messages for a couple of weeks. Each time he left his phone number but didn't leave the area code! Well, this last time he did leave the area code and, there you go, I called him. I told Eric about my web site and invited him to visit. I sure hope he does. Eric says he is computer challenged but I know Kathy can handle a keyboard just fine. I am anxious to see if Eric and Kathy do visit the site and am hoping they will leave comments on the articles they enjoy ... by the way, ANYONE can leave a comment (a hint for some of you other readers).

I think it was about 1 year ago that I was able to take a long weekend and fly down to see Mark, Linda, Eric and Kathy. I was so glad I went. Not only was it good to see my brothers but seeing what they do reminded me that I have some pretty great brothers! (and they married well too!) I got to see Mark and Linda's emerging sign business. They were doing some really nice sign work!

I was also able to see Eric's "finished product"so to speak. Calling it a print shop seems like a gross under statement. Hawkins Printing was truly a top notch business. I may never have gotten to see that had I not gone to visit when I did. Today Eric reminded me he is retired now. He still is keeping pretty busy with many projects but is now finding time to play more golf. He says he is feeling great and everyone is doing well.

We all missed the boys and their wives at the reunion but they just weren't able to come. They missed us too. Here's hoping that we can all get together next year ... same time, same place, or ?
TTFN :) (in case you don't know, that means ta-ta for now)