Memorial Weekend at the Farm

We went to the farm this weekend to spend time with my parents and to just plain kick back and relax! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE being there. It's so nice getting away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

We pulled up in the drive way and this little scene was waiting for us. So serene!

I swear, my mom could put Martha Stewart to shame!

Here is the trademark red barn. Right now it is the home to 3 little calves my dad is bottle feeding because their mothers abandoned them. It's sad but it happens. My kids love to go out with Brupa and help feed those little calves. Especially Chi-Chi....he loves to anything as long as he is with his Brupa.
"Joe Cool" (Brupa) took a short break from his chores to spend time with two of his granddaughters. They love being with Brupa, but I think the feeling is mutual.

By the way, my dad always has those sunglasses on...always...even when he is inside. They are so scratched up, it is amazing he can see anything at all.

When I was a kid, my grandparents had a 3 wheeler that my cousins and I would spend hours on tearing around their farm. Boy, did that make my mom a nervous wreck! Now, I can see her reasons for concern as we were more concerned about the "ride" than any one's safety. It's amazing that we still have all of our limbs. I guess what goes around comes around because today, my parents have this Gator....and the kids love it. Me? Not so much. They love to go for rides and are constantly begging for someone to take them out and about. Today my mom is the chauffeur. My niece and nephew are the blondies...the dark headed one is my oldest.


We loaded up the kids in the Gator and ventured down the road.

My niece is so funny. As long as the Gator was moving she would sing at the top of her little lungs...making it all up as she went along. Then we would stop, and so would the singing. We'd go....singing....stop....no singing! Hilarious!

Once we returned from our little "road trip" we had to go see the horses.

More than anything as a little girl, I wanted a horse. I mean I really, really, really wanted a horse. Never did get one! My how things change once grand kids enter the picture. There are horses all over the place!

Candy is another thing ......went grocery shopping and my mom actually had candy on the list. There was never candy on "the list" as I was growing up. What is this strange power that grand kids have over their grandparents????

They are such beautiful creatures....the kids can't wait to ride them!

From there we went to "Sherwood Forest". What a hot spot! When the weather is nice we roast marshmallows in the fireplace and feast on s'mores.

Doesn't this look like a wonderful place to just let your imagination run wild? The boys love to go out their with their plastic swords. They are the nights and Oma (my mom) is the Queen and they protect her from all things evil in Sherwood Forest. They have an absolute blast!

I know what you are thinking....."If this is such a hot spot, where are the kids?"
Well, just as everyone jumped out of the back of the Gator, my brother pulled in with the mowers and the kids took off and hopped on the trailer and rode it to the shed.

Yes, my kids are actually riding on lawn mowers on the back of a moving trailer. And you are saying...."The Gator looks a lot safer than this!" A) I was yelling for them to get off..but couldn't be heard over the roaring of Uncle Benny's truck and B) Uncle Benny was barely moving.
After a long day of playing with cousins, Gator rides, doing chores with Brupa, and roaming Sherwood Forest, it was time to go to bed. My kids were beat! They got to sleep on air mattresses in the den and were absolutely thrilled with the idea. They were sawing logs within minutes!

Q-T is an early riser. She hasn't quite figured out that mommy likes to sleep in on the weekends. Is that too much to ask of a 6 month old? Anyway, since I was up, I was able to watch sunrise through the grove of trees.

My grandparents used to live where my parents do now. My grandma always called the group of trees across the driveway "the grove". We would go on adventures with her through the grove, and every now and then we would have bonfires there. She would be so sad to see it now. It used to be packed with cottonwood trees. Through the years they have slowly disappeared to where there are only a few left. Some of those trees have to be at least 100 years old. If only they could talk.....the stories they'd tell.

Once everyone was up we gathered around the table for a hearty breakfast.


This is "The Law's" favorite place at the table. While we were all eating our breakfast of bacon, eggs, and hash browns....she crawled down from her chair and planted herself under the table in the center circle....just as happy as a two year old could be.

These two black lumps are actually cows grazing. They have all the sweet grass they could dream of eating. Imagine being able to eat all the food you want and not have to worry one bit about our weight. In fact the fatter you are the more attractive you are.

Then there is this guy! He has three other buddies in another pen. In two weeks they will get to mix and mingle with all the female bovine creatures and have their way with them, so to speak.
He's not too aggressive, however two of his buddies apparently couldn't wait the two weeks and jumped the fence, literally jumped the fence, to get in with the girls a little early. My dad was not a happy camper. He not only had to go chase them back into their pen, but he now has to repair the fence they took down.
When my grandparents lived on the farm this was a working windmill. I can still hear the squeaking of the wheel as the wind blew. Today, the top is gone and this tree has decided to branch out through the remainder of the frame.

My dad is a John Deere man. Everything he owns is John Deere. He has had this tractor for years. I can still see him flying down the road with his blonde hair flapping in the wind. Hey, it was the 70s and it was stylish to have hair that would flap in the wind.

Today I will leave you with this picture of my niece Mac. She is incredible! An endless ball of energy! And does she ever love to sing! Her song of choice Sunday was, "I Love Rock n' Roll". She bee-bopped around all day singing, "I love rock n' roll! Put another dime in the juice box baby!"

My version is, "I love Mackie Jo! She's so silly and she's so crazy!" Of course I get corrected and redirected to the "juice box".

What a great weekend!
S