October was a Hard Month and Better Futures

      We have recently had dogs come up on our property again. This time was more than devastating because they had found their way into our hog pen. We had our  two goats in with the hogs. The dogs or dog that was caught in the pen had killed our female goat Cloe,  and maimed our male goat Jacob on his back leg. My husband did manage to put the dog down as there is no law or department for removing strays in our county and the sheriff's department gave us the go ahead.

     We tried to save Jacobs leg but it was too mangled and we did not see it was a humane thing to keep him alive in pain and crippled as he was. Our son in law helped to take care of putting him down and burying him. I hated to have to make such an awful decision but we had no choice. Both goats were pets.

    I hate that so many people feel like the country is the place to dump off their stray dogs. We always seem to find them on our property and ending up killing our animals. On a happier note we did rescue a Chihuahua on the way home from my students house. Someone had dumped two off but one did not make it so fortunately.  We asked the neighbors there if it was someones in the neighborhood and that was when we found out there had been two. He is a chocolate and tan older guy. When we picked him up and he was disoriented and very dehydrated. We got him home and fed and watered him, gave him some silver water and walked him. Later he was sitting with my husband and started to have seizures.
He has two as far as we could tell. After a good night of rest he still survived and after a few days he was acting much more like a well dog again. We named him Coco Loco. Now he is a spoiled rotten baby that gets covered up in the chair beside me and acts like a young man now. He loves the attention and the g kids love him too. We also have two new kittens.

    We have begun to cull out the hogs and have food for the winter. I actually helped to dress my first hog. What a job I have still got to grind up the extras for sausage. I might do that tomorrow. At least  I know we will be eating good for a while. We have two more left to dress and one will go to my student's family. In the mean time I made up a few pies, pumpkin and caramel and an apple one. Today my g kids made chocolate cookies and oatmeal ones too. We love to bake here.
   
       I have finished up at the Marcus Center this week and am back at my school. It was a sad to have to leave, but I learned so much and have a whole new perspective on how to teach and deal with Autism. When I got back to my school I was asked to join the Special Education Behavioral team.  This entails getting certified as a registered behavior technician. This will be something I will have to study hard for the exam. I feel very honored and blessed to be asked to join this team.I feel like the blessing will be continued on for many other students and will help other teachers who have students that are dealing with Autism in their class rooms. I never expected to have this position to serve my children in such a way to help teachers also and I feel extreme happiness for this opportunity.  I have to say that Jehovah is and has been at my side through all of this.  I will miss my new found family at the Marcus  Center , but will go to visit when I get a chance.

     We have been blessed with a beautiful new  baby g daughter Willow, Oct 23, and we couldn't be prouder of our daughter Kelly. Despite losses of the month we had more blessing to be thankful for. Here's to new beginnings, and a new month.

Autism: Something that has Taken Our Children

Autism: Something that has Taken Our Children

     As many of you know I have been working at the Marcus Autism Center (M.A.C.) in Atlanta. It has opened my eyes to see we have more than just a small amount of children affected by this problem. It doesn’t pick a color or race size or background, it is like a cancer taking so many of our beautiful children away from us. Yet we can have a little bit of hope.

     I have been working with everyone there in my small classroom. These folks are the most loving and happy bunch of people I have ever worked with in a classroom situation. They are training our children to see the positive things in life, as they have enough negative issues in their lives already. Yes, it is a rigorous and sometimes seemingly a bit crazy experience, but when you see these training techniques truly work, you begin to see the most amazing things happen. Change in, traits that someone untrained would never think could ever work.

     Training is not just for children, but also all family members, paraprofessionals and caregivers and teachers. This school is one of the only schools on the USA that specializes in the spectrum. I have met many people, from all over the place and this is not just a week training but they start children out at as early as three years old, and serve them all the way up to the age of 22. They are highly trained and have Doctors and Specialists on their team.  There are many young people sharing their love and skills with each of these children on a daily basis. These folks have degrees that continue on as they train too. If it wasn’t so far I would join them.

     I am so happy to be a part of this training and they make me feel so right at home, so much so that I wish my training days would not end. I feel so wanted and loved. I have learned so much, and to be able to go back and help others as I continue to work at the school in East Jackson I hope gives me a greater joy to help them.

     

If you have a child that has been taken by autism I would recommend this wonderful school for every parent, school or caregiver. It gives a great piece of mind and hope for all discouraged. Please do some research and see for yourself. There truly is hope.

Tearing Down the Barn!

     I know that everyone has heard of the three little pigs and how the wolf blew their houses down but now I have a story about the 23 pigs who tore the barn down. We had all but one pig penned up in the right side of the barn yard with a couple of goats and one pig is that pig was earlier terrorizing my yard and gardens ended up in the left side of the barn in that pen. We have 12 new pigs that have been born this year and we are back to having them run the yard because they are small enough to go through the fence. They have also dug their way under the barn walls to go from one pen to the other.

Broken Barn Wall

     Today the hubby calls me on his way down the drive telling me he doesn't see any pigs in the right side pen and would I check it out. Sure I tell him. When I got down there all of the pigs had moved from one side of the barn to the other. They had up rooted a board that was dividing the two sides of the barn and broke the corner off so they can move freely between the two pens. In the meantime one of the bigger baby pigs had once again got its head caught under the gate and was stuck there. (You would think they would learn after doing it yesterday.) I lifted the gate to let him loose and he took off to the other side of the pen. I know our barn is in need of an overhaul because these guys are so destructive. Just another thing needing to be done here on the farm. This is what pigs do tear up and mud up.

My big boy Jamie  now he could tear up some mud!

Left side of barn 

Right side of barn

     Meanwhile, I cleared all the lambs quarters weed out from around the pen and fed it to the pigs until feeding time. That seemed to make them happy. I sure hope they can make it for a little longer so we can get the pasture electric fence  restored from the goats and donkeys so we can put them out there for the fall. We might not have a barn at the rate they are going.

     Next time we will talk about this little pig went to market.

Thankful

Hey guys,

     As you all may know by my post that I am proud to be one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. I have been studying for almost 30 years now and trying to do my part as a minister to send out the “Good News of the Coming New Earth and Heavenly Kingdom of HIS Son Christ Jesus.

     Today I want to let you all know that I would have not been in the place I am today if I had not found the truth all those years ago. I am thankful to be alive and serving such a wonderful God as Jehovah. He has seen me through many hard times and giving me many happy memories of the past. I have been blessed with a wonderful family 3 girls and 2 boys, and soon to have the 7^th grandchild arrive. I have a wonderful husband of almost 30 years and a roof over my head and a job, and a small farm, not to mention my health and wonderful friends in the truth. What more can I ask for?

     I pray for my children every day that they too can find true happiness and serve alongside of Thomas and me one of these days. These are the things that make life good; family, one united in the truth and loving one another.  I would love to share my Godly Devotion with all of you in this time as we all see that this wicked system we are living in proves we are living in the last days as stated at Chapter 24 of Matthew. It is not too late to say you too will join the meek one of the earth (Ps 37:11).

Today and always I am thankful for all I have. I hope you also find this happiness in your life.

More Expansion on the Farm

Piglets 

Rock path

     We brought home a trio of Buff Opingtons and five Guineas yesterday. To add to the chickens. We lost a few chickens early on this year so we figured it wouldn’t hurt to add a few back. The guineas will be the new alarm system for the barn, and maybe even eat a few fire ants.

Buff

     I have finally got the yard mowed. I have been dealing with the electric company cutting trees and taking down and putting up poles for the last several days. I found three black rat snake eggs while I was mowing. I put them safely into a bucket to see if they will hatch. I don’t want them near the barn but I don’t mind them on the property as they will eat the rats that may find their way up the hill or the copperheads that we really don’t want to encounter at all.

     I paved my garden paths with flat stones to keep grass from taking over and I cleaned out the pond and filled it so that we can put some gold fish in it this year.

     The grand kids are here for a visit and to share in the excitement of the new baby pigs. They lost theirs last year to a dog pack and I told them they could come pick out a new one to keep and train.

Grace is practicing her guitar and Nan has been drawing. I guess they don’t miss the swimming so far but we are definitely going to have to get moving on the frame exchange so we can swim again soon.

     I surprised that darn pig that has been running the yard since birth yesterday. He was in the other pen when we came home and I closed the gate real quick so he can’t get out anymore! Ha. I saved him for a few more days at least because he was going to be slaughter this week. He can live in that pen for a while.  My baby pigs are doing great they are in and out of the barn all day long. The males will be cut soon and once they are weaned six of them will already be going to a new home.

     

The electric company left the poles for us they switched out and will be dropping off any of the others they might have just to keep from hauling them back with them. We will be using them for a pole barn.

Little Surprise

        Went down to the barn today to water the plants I just potted up and found some small arrivals in the barn. Lucy, my family pig had giving birth to 9 baby piglets. She must have been in the process of giving birth when I first counted because there were only 7 when I was there the first time. I came back up to the house and watered plants in the front yard garden then came in to let  my hubby know we had newcomers to the barn. When he went down he found 2 more, one must have not made it, possibly rolled on, and the other still in half way in the birth sack.  The runt is a survivor. I am certain that there will be a few more births before this week is out as we have a few more mommas ready to deliver. The heat is going to be a big player in how many make it this time because it is so darn hot. I keep the mud hole filled and the waterer too I just hope that is enough. I am so glad the barn was opened.

Up on the Farm

     Summer feels like it is here already. Temperatures are soaring into the upper 80’ and even the upper 90’s. I finally got all my herbs all planted, some in pots and some in the gardens. I have moved some flat rock into the garden paths to keep the grass from taking over this year.

The pool we bought in 2017 has not survived as it was supposed to. The poles have all succumbed to a bad case of rust.  We had a warranty for it so we received new ones and we are going to spray each piece with a good sealing paint. The bad part about it is that we are going to have to tear the whole thing down to change it out.  Ugh!

This is the sign my daughter made us for the farm!

     

     We had the electric company out this week to cut down trees in the yard that will or could have an ill effect on their lines in case of storms again. They butchered the trees too. I have to clean up their mess in order to mow the yard. I started the same day they came and something happened to the mower so my Hubby has to tear it down and fix it.

     The kittens we have need to find homes as they are taking over the whole house. We have 5 boys; all orange tigers and 3 girls, one grey tiger and 2 black calico. I would love to find forever homes for them all. As far as pigs go we have to burn the grass around all the fence to have the electric moving through them again so they can graze all summer. We may be making a bigger pasture for them in the process.

     We will be starting back on the framing of the house this weekend also. We definitely have our work cut out for us and it is just the two of us. No one ever said that farmers have it easy. There is always something to be done.  

Endings and Beginnings

     Classes have come to their end as of tomorrow. Summer break begins. First things first, I have to find homes for 7 kittens before long, they are all over the place now. We will be commencing to continue on our house remodel. I feel like it is and will be a never ending project. We will just be getting started and the love of my life will be going to have his back surgery. By the time he is healed enough to get back to it, it will be just about time to go back to school.
     We are expecting piglets again this year. This means a lot of work preparing for them will take place too. We have a few that we will be slaughtering this next weekend for our refrigerator and for my son's boss for a summer bbq. These  are the ones that have escaped and we can't catch .
     My garden did not get to be as big as I would have liked to do, only because those pigs that have escaped have been up rooting everything their noses can up root and then some. I have all my trees and house plants fenced in for that very reason. I just hope that the temperatures will not keep me from planting all my herbs and flowers once we do slaughter. I have a whole herbal garden that I wanted to have already growing too.
   

Garden Time Again

     I started my garden yesterday. We bought several bags of organic garden soil to fill up raised beds. Just put the lettuce, arugula, and kale seeds in. they can withstand the freeze we might have, it got to 27 last night again. I did manage to plant spinach, swiss chard, turnips, radishes earlier and they are coming up good. We are adding some plowed rows this year because the raised beds were not near enough. This year we have to get serious about the garden.

     The 2 pigs that have been out running the property have almost destroyed my herb garden up at the house. I have saved a few hostas, my angel trumpets, a few strawberry plants, my lemon balm and bee balm. That is it. I am glad I got seeds to replant. The pigs are going to become dinner sooner than they think. I bought some plants at the School’s FFA sale to add to my herbs too I bought a purple Angel Trumpet which I never seen it now and a few rosemary plants, a eucalyptus tree, and some peppermint.

     I started taking classes again I finished up one in reflexology. I am now certified to practice it. The other classes are in acupressure, one is a master class and the other is fully accredited. I can use them for my family who all have ailments of some sort. I hope to help ease their problems. I would love to go to get certified to be an acupuncturist but money is tight. Maybe in my bucket list.

January has Flown on by

      Wow can you believe we have already flown through the first month of 2019?  I can’t, seems like we haven’t even hit the end of last year! I have managed to make a plan for this year’s projects. Making a list of all the things that need to be done here on the farm and when I feel these projects should be accomplished. Weather here has not been a great thing to move forward on much of anything but making sure we have enough firewood cut as we have had some major cold days and wicked nights, Rain too. Keeping all the animals dry and warm has been crazy. Downsizing has been on my mind a great deal too. Weeding out all our unregistered pigs and having a slaughter day. We have someone who would like to have the last 6 piglets to start their own pig farm. That works for us. Starting off with a plan will keep things less crazy and easier to manage.

     We have had three piglets out running the top of the hill along with the goat. They have all but dug up the new garden area all the way around the pool and my herb garden. They have uprooted all my flowers and dug up my brick sidewalks which doesn’t make me very happy at all. I had planted hostas and hydrangeas in my herb garden and they are all gone. Knowing that the house project will be an ongoing thing for a long while, fences will be the next thing in line for priorities.

     I have already selected my seeds for this year. Adding new seeds to the ones I have saved over the last planting season. I need to replenish the soil in the boxes and maybe build a few more. There will be a fence around the garden, don’t need no critters eating my lunch.

     For the time being I have been creating crazy little tiny rooms out of stuff that would otherwise go to the garbage. I have always loved building doll house furniture and houses.  This year instead of crocheting I decided to create a tiny world here in my tiny office. Who knows one day I might have a tiny she shed to build tiny stuff for sale. I just love to create. I introduced this art to my g kids and they have tried their hand at it. Until the weather warms up enough to get out and do something that will be where you can find me.

Bringing 2018 to its Close and New Beginnings

   

  Knowing I have not typed up a post for a while, I feel like I have lost track of time in so many ways. Time seemed to get away from us here on the farm. The weather has played such a great part in that too. Rain seems to have come down and cold weather in the past few months. I am talking torrential down pours too.

      My daughter, her husband, and children have moved away, which was probably for the best as they didn’t find time to help us in the roof project much. Having one working bathroom was too hard to deal with also for 6 people.  That can create negative feelings too. On the up side, I have my living room back, something that had been taken over by my g daughters since we had the hurricane last year. Boy was I happy too, even though I ended up clearing out their stuff by myself and packing it up for them. I found some nice free antique furniture to take their place instead.  The g kids still come for the free internet lol.

      As far as the work on the roof we have put up a roof section over the top of the worst part of the trailer and have a dry dining room and kitchen once again. We have 12x12 feet of walls built on one end of the trailer to begin the next section.  Seems there are great intentions, but rain seems to hit on the days I am off and sunshine on those I am not. I finally through in the towel for this year and said we could start in the spring. (We all know here in Georgia we only have two seasons these days’ winter and summer. Spring is a week or so long and so is fall.)  

      We have had a hard time keeping our hogs in a dry spot and lost a few again to the abundant amount of rain that we have had. We still have several piglets that we would love to sell for feeders. We have slaughtered a few for bbq and sold several. Even then, we had so many at born one time and despite loss we should cull a few more to start out on the right foot for the coming year. Our chickens have done well over the raining months no egg laying, but no loss.

      Speaking of loss, my husband lost his stepdad this month. Both my brothers lost fathers-in-law too. As our parents seem to be coming into that age we should be somewhat expecting this, we really don’t. 80 is a long time to live for many folks, but in my family they seem to hang in there a bit longer. My great grandmother was 102 when she passed. My grandmother lived to 90s. They were from my dad’s side. Not so great for my mother’s side, 60-80.  My mother has gone through a lot this year. She lost her eye and her vision is very poor in the other. She has had countless health issues but continues on. This year has been fair to my husband and myself just your everyday ailments for the most part. We sure are not at all spring chickens anymore though that is for sure. My husband is 60 already and I think I will stay 17 for a few more years tee hee.

      I just want to say that I have been patient for what it has been worth and I know that one day the roof will be finished and the old trailer will be gone. But for now I am ending this year hoping for a better beginning and less rain. Lots of love coming and going as we never seem to have enough love. Saying please forgive me if I wronged you in anyway and find more time to listen, more time to laugh,  more time to share. I am thankful for all I have: new friends, old friends, family spiritual and natural. Thankful this old broken down farm that is mine and is just like me. Life is good. See you all in the coming 2019 year. May great blessings be given to all.

August Endings

     August was a very busy exciting and sad kind of month. We finally got through all our six momma pigs deliveries. We had 43 piglets but only 17 of them survived. The survivors are all thriving and growing fast. Too many were born at different times and the smaller of the bunch just got pushed back by the bigger ones. We know there will always be losses but this was a hard one to swallow. We also lost a rooster. He was a mean little booger too. Two of us had gotten spurred by him. One morning I found him dead in his pen.

     It has been a stressful ending for me as I find out my mother is not doing well as her eye sight has gone from bad to worse. She is no longer able to care for herself as she once was. It is sad seeing our parents begin to lose their abilities to care for themselves. My father in law is unable to do for himself either. My mother in law is doing well. Growing older brings so many changes and some not for the best.

      We have gotten back to preparing the house for winter, but even this is a slow process with work schedules and all that is going on (Weather included). I have cut down the house plans to help with the cost. It will be done in time for colder weather. Cars and trucks are on the list to be taken care of also. I may have a car to finally drive again and two full size trucks in good running order.

     We are preparing to sell all of our baby pigs and I would like to sell all unregistered females and 3 registered intact males before the year is out so if you know of anyone interested in a pig please let us know. We would love to find a registered male that is not of our female blood line as soon as possible.

     Our goat Jacob has been quite the escape artist. He spends a lot of time foraging the yard. He wiped out the rest of my beans in the garden. He comes to the front door and knocks to come in every day now. I have spread my winter seeds out, I hope we can have a good crop from them. Happy end of the summer and start to fall to you all.

Expansions to the Farm

     Summer break flew by way too fast. It has been a crazy time of it too. We have 11 new babies on the farm and 4 more mommas  due any day now. We have a boar for sale or trade for a different bloodline other than (American Guinea hogs) Cersi BPR Bloodline.

     We have been working on 101 projects and one of them have not been the roof. my daughter and husband now reside on the farm and have become members of Earthsblessing Farm, along with their two daughters. We have been helping them settle in. They were married on July 27th and we wish them all great success and love in their new adventures.

     School has brought me to a new position and it is one I truly love. I am privileged  and honored for this  spot. I new work with Severe students now.

     I have been working on ponds and patios over the break and my garden is growing like crazy. We have a new kitten named Taz; he was a wild one from  out at the barn. He has become friends with Claire our indoor cat. They are holy terrors when they get running through the house. We have also added a few new chickens to the roost. We have a lot to be thankful for here on the farm. May we continue to grow and thrive as the years go past.

   

58 Sounds like a Great Year

This is my new office desk and set up

     Well, here we are yet one more year has flown by. I can’t say if it has been good nor bad because both have balanced out each other. So much has changed yet so much stayed the same. We have not got much done on the house as we have been dealing with far more important things; family. It gives me great pleasure to know that we have all grown closer in these last days. We have one moving home with her family and that takes priority over other things. Sad though it may be for her and her family it will turn out to be a great blessing not only for her but for us. One has found love and one has found many yards to be mowed. One has her hands full raising her three.

     Not much time left in my vacation away from school. Not looking forward to going back as I truly need to get more done here. Time will tell. Once all the dust settles and things slow down a bit I have plans for my future. In the meantime I have been studying the Bible with someone very excited to learn more and that brings me more joy than anyone can ever imagine. I try to keep up on my preaching and teaching as best as I can to serve the Most High and Mighty God ever; Jehovah. He has watched over all of us here on the hill and I am truly thankful.

     My granddaughters and I have managed to enjoy each other’s company also. We have played games together and swimming most days when it don’t rain and even after the rain, (which we have had more than we thought we would). We have cooked together and baked all kinds of great goodies, some of which I should not even eat, but loved it all the more. Our farm is growing in ways I never thought to be possible. My garden is growing and the blueberries are finally ripening up.  We made a blueberry cheese cake, yum it was delish! We are expecting baby piglets in August and many at that, we even managed to have a few new baby chicks to add to the list and a few more cats.

My girls having fun in the sun.

     So many things have changed, many for the best. We have truly been blessed here on our little hill out in the country. I thank Jehovah for all I have and for keeping a watch over all my kids near and far. Having us all together would be nice but most are too far and money sure don’t grow on trees. I just want them all to be happy and know I love them all over the moon and back. May the next year bring great joy for us all. 58 sounds like a good year to come. We will see!

Roof on Dude

Front Roof

Trailer roof and front roof

My work space/office

     Despite all the pitfalls and negative onset of getting the new roof on the house, I can honestly say that we are finally getting started. The rain has finally cleared our area and the weather is warm, maybe too warm for some but we have now begun to build a roof. Woohoo!

     Since I am not going on the roof until it is safer I have been working on plenty of other things. I am afraid of heights and if anyone will be falling through, It will be me. So that being said I have been busy with gardening and yard work. Safe things like that are more my way of getting things done. I have planted a four square garden a month ago and it has taken off like crazy with all the rain we had. I have filled in a stone walkway between each square and last night I laid out my frame fencing to keep the critters out. I am recycling an old pool frame for the base. I have also recycled an old round bath tub to make a small fish pond in the one end of the garden.

 

     At the front of the house I have planted a flower/fairy garden. I have been collecting flowers and herbs just for this place. I also dug out all of the debris from around the steps going down to the ravine that has accumulated over the past years. Today I will begin cleaning out the downed branches and wisteria vine and poison ivy that has taken over in the ravine. My daughter has an old pool liner that she is bringing me to line the bottom with to make a big pond for Koi. This project may take some time in between all the other things going on. I have also laid out plans for my pool shed.

 

My steps to the ravine & strawberry patch

My garden

poison ivy & wisteria I will be clearing out for pond

Where the new pool shed will go

     I have been going from one room to the next cleaning out and getting rid of stuff that will not be used or has not been used for a while, downsizing. My office has just a few new thing in it. I now have a sewing area. That is something I needed. We ran all the electric last week and I have just one wall to cover now. I can say it is always cool in there with the a/c we added. Everything has a place and that includes my rocking chair with my massager. I need that too for those days I have gone beyond my breaking point for the day. Little by little I see progress in motion. It may take more than the summer to get things finished but it is well worth it to get up early and start the day off right and work till I drop. I know one thing, I sleep well most nights, unless I have over extended and I do have a tendency to do that. That is when the arnica comes out.

     We have figured that six of the seven female pigs are pregnant and we shall have piglets come August. We moved all the pigs to a new pen since the rain has all but washed them away in the old one. Hopefully that one will dry out soon. We will have to move them all soon to the new pasture. 

     That is what has been going on here at EarthsBlessing Farm. I will be keeping up with new progress and more pictures soon. We hope you like our blog and share it with others as we continue to survive and sustain in all our great adventures.