There's a new sheriff in town

Well.....look what happens when you aren't looking!  This little lady has entered our lives today.  She's on probation- considering that she fits in with the kids, cats, dog, chickens, horses, cows, The Dairy Farmer....yada, yada, yada.

This is Bella Bleu Brechbill.  So far so good.  She is laying at my feet as I type, taking a bath in the sunshine.  She has met Jack and if he could get his nose out of her butt long enough to say hello, I am sure they will be great friends.  She has met housecat #2- Scramble.  Scramble looks like he was touching an electric fence- he is fairly pissed and his hair shows it.  Bella, on the other hand, could care less.   She has said hello to the chickens- and is really curious about them.   And of course, she has already taken to The Dairy Farmer and is leaning on him and looking for love.   

The final trial is with 2 children who show up today at 3pm.   I think we are good. 



Update 5:59pm.  We have met horses....they are big and fast!  We have met Kitty Bo and after a brief sniffing of noses, Kitty Bo was rubbing all over her legs....he's a good judge of character.  And we have met 2 punks- which went superbly, in fact, they were almost knocked over by the Great Dane lean.   I do believe miss Bella is a keeper.....she has some big shoes to fill.

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Some days are worth it

Since fall is here, we find ourselves getting up to work when it's still dark outside (and it's startin to get cold too)

This morning, as I was wandering aimlessly in my cold, dark house....looking for a warm coat....and secretly complaining about having to wake up my sleeping children to go out in the cold, dark......I looked out my window:

Of course a photo doesn't due this sunrise justice.....but God was showing off this morning and I thought....hmm......some days.....it's worth getting up early to see something like this.  And within seconds, the colors were gone, the sun was up and Sunday was here.   I better get my butt in gear.......

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To Poodle

One night in January 1998, I looked at The Dairy Farmer and said "do you want to have kids?"   He looked at me and said "sure.....someday."  And we went back to watching our regularly scheduled programming.


A few days later, I peed on a stick and it turned plus. 


We got down to business and got ready to have ourselves a baby brechbill.  I quit my job as a vet tech a few days before I was due.  The Dairy Farmer was quite thrilled that I was going to be a stay at home mom.  It was the biggest disagreement we'd ever had and almost prevented us from getting married.  He was sure he wanted his wife to stay home and be barefoot and pregnant and I was sure that I would keep my job and juggle it all like so many other women.  A fight with my boss made it clear.....I was going to stay at home.....which, once I could feel that squirmy little thing I was cookin'....I knew I didn't want to leave it in the hands of anyone but me.

The Dairy Farmer attended every Dr appointment with  me. We held hands and smiled every time we heard that little heart just beating away. We took our parenting classes like a good little mommy and daddy.  I mention this because, when number 2 came along......I was on my own, baby.   I dragged a toddler to every doctor appt by myself and was just lucky that he showed up in time to cut the cord.

Of course, I did threaten divorce (more than once too) if I heard The DF refer to me, my body, my baby or the entire birth process in cattle terminology one more time.  He was sure we didn't need no stinkin' hospital- he'd pulled a calf or two in his day and this couldn't be much different.  THAT does NOT go over well with a lady who is 9  months pregnant.  Don't poke the bear. 

Nine months flew by and fairly uneventful - but one thing that can drive any pregnant woman crazy is all the phone calls you receive asking if you've had the baby yet.  This was before email and facebook and texts....and caller id.    I received a call on October 8th from my dear Aunt Rose.  She said "did you have that baby yet?"   Nope....but my due date isn't until October 12th.   "Well, get ready cuz SHE'S coming tonight."  What did she know that I didn't? 

I watched ER and fell into bed around 11pm.    I woke up to go to the bathroom around 1am.....but my goodness.....I sure had to go.  Wait.....why so much?   Why can't I stop?   For the love of Pete....what is going on?    I finally realized my water broke.  Now, in all those classes and videos and even the Doc himself....prepares you to labor along for hours.....don't rush into the hospital, it can take forever and you may be sent home.  Wait until contractions are consistently 5 minutes apart for an hour, then call.   Take a walk or a nice warm shower, sit and rock on a giant kickball.....enjoy.

Well- that didn't happen.  It hurt.  It hurt a lot and within minutes of my nice, warm, relaxing shower, I was having contractions every three minutes.   Guess we better step this up a bit.   We headed into the hospital- still smiling and holding hands and gazing lovingly into each other's eyes as we prepared to welcome new life into the world.   It still was hurting.....but if you've read my post about the day Jr. Edition was born...I was calm, cool, collected and wasn't throwing around profanity like a drunken sailor.

We were admitted and strapped in and monitored up and ready to see what was happening.....when it all......slowed......down.   So..very... ....slow.   The machine that tells you where you are in your contractions wasn't working.  I NEEDED to know!!!  I  HAD to know when the beginning, middle and end was.....and the The Dairy Farmer just sat there, holding my hand and saying, "I don't know?  The machine isn't working."  Well....freakin' lie, man!  Make something up.....whatever keeps my head in the game!     I do remember 2 nurses coming in and out a lot.  The DF called them "good cop" and "bad cop."   Good cop would come in and say "sweetie, sugar, honey, darlin'.....wouldn't you like to get up and walk?   Go to the bathroom?  Sit on this ball?"  And I'd say "NO!"   She'd leave.....and a few minutes later, Bad Cop would come in and be all "girlfriend, suck it up and get your ass out of that bed."  And I'd say "NO!" and the next thing I knew I was walking down the hall. 

We found out that our kid was sunny side up and I was having back labor....yeah.....it sucks.  But, since I was a new mom and thought I should experience birth to the fullest, I opted for no drugs.   <if you are reading this now and you are a new mom about to have a baby.....a word of advice....take the frickin' drugs because they will NOT let you have them after the baby is born>

After a while, the pain became so bad, I started vomiting......sorry you have to know that, but I am keepin' it real.   The DF was so hungry and had opened up a granola bar....that was it, game over.  The smell of that hit me and nothing stayed down after.    I do remember at that point, they decided I should have some drugs and I was on board with that.   I passed out, feel asleep, perhaps died....whatever- and woke up around 9:45am to Kathie Lee Gifford's voice.  Yes, I am dating myself now....Regis and Kathie Lee was on and let me say.....Kathie Lee is SO much more tolerable when you are pumped full of Demoral.  Time to push...and at 10:32am, a baby girl was welcomed into our lives.   We both looked at each other, our hearts about to burst with all the love and The DF said "gross, she looks like bruised meatloaf." 

The DF didn't hang around for too long- he had to go back to work, but he did show up later that night with a large brown bag.  It so happened that he had a hankering for some KFC and knowing how the smell of a granola bar made me loose it.....he wrapped that chicken up in about 4 bags hoping to conceal the smell from all those other pregnant woman on my floor.  He's thoughtful like that. 

Today, our little girl turned 13.  She has become a wonderful young lady and I am so proud and honored to say she is mine.  She is sweet and kind and smart and beautiful.  She is NOTHING like I was at 13....which means I am extremely blessed and I wonder if that makes my parents a wee bit mad?  You know- pay back and all?

We celebrated her special day with a surprise birthday party Saturday night, brunch with  my family this morning......then we fed calves (which she begrudgingly did on her special day)....went out in the field to shoot guns and topped our evening off with a trip to Bruster's for ice cream.   The only thing she really asked for was a tennis racket and for me to blog about her day.   One thing that makes my heart happy is that she is still content to spend her time with us.  The DF and I......we aren't cool......we know it and so does she, but we'll take every moment we can get with her.   


We had our good friend, Tflo, come out Saturday morning and take our family pictures again this year.  I am always amazed with her work.  She shows a picture like this to me and I look at it and think, my gosh, is that MY child?  When did this gorgeous young lady replace that pudgy faced little toddler?  And then I think, Dang.....The DF and I.....we did good!  

Taryn Rose, you are a light in this world......shine on, baby.....shine on. 



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Grass is always greener

We are cleaning out our horse barn today- all this rain makes for one stinky barn.  In order to clean it well, we ship all horses and calves outside.  That allows us to get in with a skid loader and remove all the wet bedding.

All the calves are outside in the horse pasture- running and jumping and kicking up their heels.  The sun came out and the temperature warmed up a bit, so it's a perfect fall day!  Everyone was content to stay put -except for this one:

This is my backyard- calves do not belong in my back yard.  Guess she figured the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.   Turkey.

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Twinkletoes

This is Twinkletoes- she's a bit.....special.  

She was born with contracted tendons in both her front feet.   It's an abnormality, but not an uncommon one.  Some think it's their positioning in utero that causes it, or genetics could be at play, but we find it occurs in some of our larger calves.  

We find that when left to mother nature, it usually self corrects.  This little girl is only 2 days old in these pictures.  We've been monitoring her closely and are seeing daily improvements.  She is able to get up and move- so we chose the "wait n see" method.  I can tell you, she's a few weeks old now and aside from having a slight case of "duck feet,"  you would never know she had troubles. 

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June WAS dairy month

Boy, I was messing around today and I found this post that I had started back in June.  It was entitled "June is dairy month."  Well....seeing as how it is now September and really more like October....I changed it to "June WAS dairy month" and will continue to tell you what was on my mind...back then.....in June....when it was dairy month.

Ok....well.....The Dairy Farmer isn't a real huge fan of facebook.  Shocker.  He's really not a huge fan of this blog.  In fact, I'm really not sure he's a fan of me.  Especially after I used my facebook connections and promoted that June IS dairy month.  I had to make sure the world knew it....or the few people that actually stick around to listen when I speak.  By golly, THEY knew it was dairy month.  Well, a friend asked me if The DF and crew would be willing to go to our local downtown farmers market some Saturday morning and promote dairy. 

Of course....he would LUHHHve to do that.  There is nothing my guy enjoys more than talking about dairy.  And what he loves even more- is talking about dairy with.....people.....in......<gasp> publik.   Yes!  I made The Dairy Farmer leave the farm- on his day "off" and stand around with other people and talk about farming!  He was...oh what's the word?  Thrilled...yes...that's it....he was thrilled.

So, we loaded up the punks and a calf and drove the swaggah wagon downtown to set up our stand.  Wait....no....we did not take a calf.  We took the next best thing, our Great Dane, Abby- who looks an awful lot like a calf.   <herein lies the reason I couldn't finish the post.....the day after we did the market was when we found out our girl had effing cancer>  

She drew them in far and wide and The Dairy Farmer found himself knee deep in farm talk with many local folks from our area.



  We had a lovely stand, lots of dairy related trinketry and even a trivia board that the kids and I created.  It wasn't real busy since it was so early in the season.  But, many folks stopped by and as the day went on, The DF loosened his tie and started enjoying himself.

<I find this hilarious....it was NOT that bad>

Here is our trivia board.  I just might start testing all of you, farm following friends, just to see how much I have really taught you.

Ahh....a glimpse of the wizard.  Doesn't happen often.  Considered yourselves blessed.

We all had a really nice time.  The market is great and we enjoyed our time away from the farm, to sit with our family....and share our story.  People are always genuinely interested when they hear we own a dairy farm.   Even though it seems like our day to day life is about as interesting as watching paint dry.....folks removed from the farm have LOADS of questions about it.  

It's good for me to give The DF a kick in the pants and make him go out and mingle with his peeps.   And trust me, he enjoyed himself.....he enoyed himself with a hot dog and he enjoyed himself with a whoopie pie and he enjoyed himself with a mint tea.   And let me just give a shout out for the mint tea- DAY YUM!  That stuff is the shiz.....trust  <sorry....I am messing with The DF right now....he HATES when I talk/write like that and I want to see how long it takes him to see it.>  

But.....to give you an idea how good the tea is.......the very next Saturday- The Dairy Farmer was back at the farmer's market- in publik- just to get another glass!

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It pays to play

In honor of our blogiversary....I had an idea rattling around in my empty gray matter.  I thought we should give something fun away to one of our farm following friends.  So, I told you if you commented, your name would go in a drawing to win something cool.  Well.....three of our loyal subjects commented and well....dog gone it, we'll give you all something!

Congratulations to Danielle D, April R and Guilford Gardens!  You each will receive one of these:

Cool, right?  Wear it with pride, ladies.....wear it with pride.



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