DEC 23,2008

WELL IT'S TUESDAY, ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL DAY. SUNS NOT UP YET BUT WHEN I LET THE DOGS OUT THE PORCH LIGHT SHOWED ANOTHER ADDITION OF SNOW HAD OCCURRED OVERNIGHT. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO MEASURE IT BUT IN MOST PLACES THERE IS A GOOD FOOT OF SNOW AROUND YOUR FEET. IT KEEPS TRYING TO WEIGH DOWN PAT'S CHRISTMAS BLOWUPS (SANTA, ELVES, SNOW MEN ETC) BUT THE 20 MILE PER HOUR WINDS KEEP THEM BOBBING AND WEAVING ENOUGH TO STAY CLEAN. THE LAST COUPLE OF MORNINGS IT HAS REALLY BEEN CRUNCHY UNDER FOOT. IT HAS BEEN -19 THE LAST TWO MORNINGS. IT'S A WONDER THE ANIMALS LIVING OUTSIDE DON'T FREEZE SOLID. THE COWS, CALVES AND HEIFERS ARE ALL FINE. WE FEED THEM EXTRA CORN AND SILAGE ON THE COLD DAYS TO KEEP UP THEIR ENERGY. THE DEER, TURKEYS, RABBITS, EAGLES, WOODPECKERS, PIGEONS, ALL SEEM TO STAY ALIVE SOMEHOW. THE FOOT OF SNOW MUST MAKE FORAGING FOR FOOD A REAL CHALANGE. GOOD THING IS THATS ALL THEY HAVE TO DO ALL DAY.

AS FOR US POOR HUMANS, WE HAVE TO PROVIDE FOOD AND SHELTER FOR OURSELVES AND FAMILY AND IF WE ARE SMART AND INDUSTRIOUS WE WILL NOT ONLY PROVIDE FOR TODAY, TODAY, BUT WILL ALSO TRY TO PROVIDE FOR TOMORROW TODAY. GOT TO THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT SAYS. ENGLISH TEACHERS WOULD SAY I HAVE TOO MANY TODAYS BUT I THINK NOT.

THIS MORNING ITS ABOUT +3 DEGREES OUT. A LITTLE EXTRA SNOW ON ALL THINGS OUTSIDE. IT'S NICE WHEN THINGS WARM UP A BIT. GOT 12 HEATER FRAMES WELDED AND CLEANED READY TO BE GALVANIZED. NEED TO FINISH THE WATERING TANKS AND A NEW SUMMER WATERER DESIGN AND CAN TAKE THE WHOLE WORKS TO THE GALVANIZER IN ST. PAUL AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR. WOW ANOTHER YEAR GONE BY. TIME FLIES WHEN YOU'RE HAVING FUN. WORKING LIKE CRAZY AND STILL HAVE THINGS ON MY LIST TO GET DONE. PRETTY SOON I WILL HAVE ANOTHER YEAR TO ACCOMPLISH THEM.

NEED TO VACCINATE AND PUT POUR ON (KILLS THE GRUBS AND LICE ETC) ON THE HEIFERS AND CALVES YET. WE HAVE CHRISTMAS DINNER AT OUR ACCOUNTANT ON THE 24TH, PETE HAS HIS FAMILY DINNER ON THE 26TH, MAYBE HE SHOULD HANDLE CATTLE ON THE 25TH? WOMEN SAY NOT. MAYBE ON SAT THE 27TH. TIME TO START WORKING ON EQUIPMENT SO EVERYTHING IS READY FOR NEXT YEAR. PART OF THAT PROVIDING FOR TOMORROW. (SAME OLD STUFF, DIFFERENT DAY OR I SHOULD SAY YEAR. IT NEVER SEEMS TO BE DONE. HOPEFULLY WE CAN RIDE THE MOTORCYCLE MORE THIS NEXT SUMMER.)

I GUESS OUR ABILITY TO PLAN AND WORK FOR A BETTER TIME IN THE FUTURE IS WHAT MAKES US (MAN AND WOMAN) DIFFERENT FROM THE REST OF THE ANIMAL KINGDOM. PERHAPS SOME OF OUR SPECIES HAS NOT DEVELOPED THAT ABILITY. HAVE BEEN TRYING TO LEARN THE PIECES OF DEVELOPING A WEB PRESENCE FOR "ABC PRODUCTS". FARMING IS A WONDERFUL LIFE STYLE BUT IT TAKES INCOME FROM ANOTHER SOURCE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE IT. WELL BACK TO MANUFACTURING AGAIN!!

WE HAVE ABC PRODUCTS LLC (SIMILAR TO ABC PRODUCTS INC, WHICH WE LAID TO REST) WHICH WILL MARKET THE HEATERS (MEGA-HEAT, TENT-HEAT) THE HANDICAPPED TOILET SEATS, CHIP PICKER AND SUMMER TIME CATTLE WATERERS TO START WITH. WILL STILL MAKE RAIL ROAD BRACKETS ALSO; PLUS TRY TO RENT THE HOUSES. TAKE ONE DAY AT A TIME.

HAVE TO WORK ON THE MORSBACH FAMILY HOME. BUILT BY ?? MY GRANDFATHER CARL LIVED IN IT IN 1900 AND I, CARL, LIVED IN IT IN 2000; BUT I HAVE NO IDEA WHEN IT WAS BUILT. SHOULD SPEND SOME TIME ON FAMILY HISTORY ALSO. THE HOUSE IS SMALL FOR PAT AND I BECAUSE WE HAVE STUFF. WONDER HOW IT WORKED FOR SOME OF THE FAMILIES (WHO RAN THE FARM) THAT HAD 9 AND 13 KIDS. MAYBE SOME IMPROVEMENTS CAN BE MADE THIS YEAR.
(LORD, I HOPE SO...I NEED SPACE)!!!

OH, BY THE WAY, MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND ALSO A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

DEC 15, 2008

9 BELOW THIS MORNING. SPENT MOST OF YESTERDAY WORKING ON THE WEB PAGES. FRIDAY WE PREG CHECKED THE COW HERD. BAD NEWS AS 16 OF THEM WERE OPEN! THEY WERE MOSTLY THE OLDER THIN COWS WE BOUGHT A FEW YEARS AGO. THE HERD IS NOW ONLY AT 69 MOMS. WE PUT IN THE 14 HEIFERS AND WE'RE AT 84, STILL 16 SHORT FROM THE 100 WHERE WE THINK THE BALANCE POINT IS.

DEC 14, 2008

SUNDAY, SLEPT LATE, TOOK A NAP, MID AFTERNOON; IT'S BEEN RAINING, AND THE WIND IS BLOWING THE BIRDS OFF THE FEEDERS. PAT'S SANTA IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE IS REALLY BEING PUT TO THE TEST (STANDING UP). HE MAY BE PUT TO THE MOVING THROUGH THE TREES TEST LATER IN THE DAY. HOPE NOT!! IT'S ALMOST FORTY DEGREES, THE SNOW IS MELTING, THE DIRT IS MELTING (SLIPPERY MUD OVER HARD GROUND) IT'S SLIGHTLY RAINING- WHICH MAY CHANGE TO RAIN, HARDER-RAIN, SLEET/SNOW. THE WEATHER MAN IS CONFUSED (WHAT'S NEW) AND I'M HAPPY TO TAKE IT AS IT COMES. SUPPOSED TO DROP TO AROUND -1 TONIGHT WITH THE WIND STILL BLOWING. DAMN THOSE COWS ARE TOUGH!

I HAVE A RED BELLIED WOODPECKER (ABOUT THE SIZE OF A ROBIN) ON THE FEEDER (THE WIND IS QUIET FOR A MOMENT) AND A DOWNY ON THE TREE WAITING HIS TURN. THE WIND PICKS UP AND THEY'RE BOTH BLOWN AWAY.

DEC 10, 2008

WELL IT WAS 8 BELOW THIS MORNING AND WE HAVE ABOUT 6 INCHES OF SNOW. MAYBE I HAVE TO ADMIT WINTER IS HERE. HAVEN'T BLOGGED FOR A WHILE BECAUSE I'VE BEEN TRYING TO CATCH UP ON LOOSE ENDS BEFORE WINTER. MONDAY WE GOT THE ROAD TO THE HAY FIELD ALONG THE RIVER COVERED WITH A LAYER OF CARPET AND 8 INCHES OF BREAKER ROCK. WILL WAIT UNTIL SPRING TO SEE IF WE NEED TO PUT DOWN ANOTHER LAYER OF CRUSHED ROCK. WE GOT TWO ORDERS OF RAILROAD PARTS DONE AND SHIPPED, GOT A HEATED WATER TANK OUT FOR THE HEIFERS, BUT IT STILL NEEDS TO BE FILLED WITH A HOSE EVERY DAY OR MAYBE TWICE. GOT ABOUT TWO MONTHS OF CANDY FOR THE YOUNG STOCK YESTERDAY AFTER THE MORNING SNOW AND BEFORE THE AFTERNOON WIND COMES. HAD THE WAGON BEHIND THE BLUE PICKUP, BUT EVEN IN 4 WHEEL DRIVE HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT GETTING THAT LOAD UP THE 3 SNOW PACKED HILLS. IN THIS COUNTY WE DO MORE SANDING THAN SALTING SO FOR A FEW DAYS AFTER A SNOW STORM WE DRIVE ON SNOW PACK. IT TEACHES YOU TO SLOW DOWN AND BEHAVE YOURSELF.

WINTER AND SNOW ARE HERE SO INTO WINTER THINGS. FRIDAY IS PREGNANCY CHECK DAY (ABOUT 95+COWS AND 14 HEIFERS). ITS A TEAM EFFORT, THE VET PREG CHECKS, FOREST DOES POUR ON (BUG KILLER) AND SHOTS, PETE KEEPS THEM MOVING DOWN THE CHUTE, PAT KEEPS TRACK OF THE DATA BY COW TAG NUMBER, AND I RELAX, HAVE COFFEE AND WATCH. (YEAH RIGHT --- HAS TENDENCY TO GIVE LOTS OF ORDERS.) WE STILL HAVE TO GIVE SHOTS AND POUR ON TO THE CALVES TWICE (TWO WEEKS APART) AND THAT WILL FINISH OUR ANIMAL IMMUNE PROGRAM FOR THE YEAR.

HAD AN INQUIRY ABOUT RENTING THE SOUTH HOME YESTERDAY, BUT DID NOT READ THE EMAIL UNTIL LATE LAST NIGHT. THEY ARE FRON TX AND WANT TO STAY FROM THE 24TH TO THE 28TH OF DEC. HAVE TO CALL THEM TODAY AND SEE IF IT'S SOMEBODY DREAMING OR FOR REAL. MAYBE THEY WANT A WHITE CHRISTMAS. IT WOULD BE NEAT TO HAVE SOMEONE STAY FOR CHRISTMAS. IF SO, WILL HAVE TO TURN THE WATER ON, THE HEAT ON, VACCUM THE BUGS UP, MAKE UP THE BEDS PLOW THE DRIVE, (PUT UP A CHRISTMAS TREE?). SOUNDS LIKE HE IS GOING TO BE BUSY, DON'T YOU THINK???

EQUIPMENT REPAIR TIME. GOT PLENTY OF THAT.

NOV 30, 2008

NOV 26,2008

HAD TO MAKE A QUICK RUN TO ILL. ON SUNDAY. WAS GOING TO LEAVE EARLY IN THE MORNING BUT BILL BLACK DIED ON FRIDAY. BILL OWNS THE LAND WHERE THE TRAIN CARS ARE KEPT AND THE SPOT WHERE THE TRAINS LEAVE FOR THE TIFFANY BOTTOMS TRAIN RIDES. BILL GREW UP IN THE BOTTOMS ON THE FAMILY FARM. HE TOLD ME THAT IN THE MORNING AFTER MILKING HE AND HIS BROTHER, EARL, WOULD WATCH TO SEE IF THE COWS WENT NORTH OR SOUTH. THAT WAY IN THE EVENING THEY WOULD GO IN THAT DIRECTION UNTIL THEY FOUND THE COWS. HE SAID THERE WERE NO FENCES, SO YOU JUST WALKED THE RAILROAD TRACKS UNTIL YOU FOUND THEM.

BILL AND I WERE TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE EARLY DAYS (30'S, 40'S, 50'S) OF TIFFANY BOTTOMS BEFORE IT WAS ACTUALLY CALLED TIFFANY BOTTOMS. I DON'T KNOW WHY BILL WOULD LEAVE BEFORE WE DID, BUT HE DID. WE STAYED FOR THE VISITATION AND THEN LEFT FOR FREEPORT. HAD TO DATE STAMP SOME PARTS AND DRILL SOME SCREWS FOR HONEYWELL BRACKETS. ALSO HAD TO CHECK ON THE STUFF THAT DISAPPEARED FROM BEHIND THE SHOP. LOTS OF IT GONE. IT'S SAD THAT SOME PEOPLE AREN'T MATURE ENOUGH TO PROVIDE FOR THEMSELVES, BUT MUST TAKE FROM THE WORK OF OTHERS TO SURVIVE.

A FAST TRIP-DOWN ON SUNDAY NIGHT - GET ALL THE ITEMS ON THE TO-DO LIST ACCOMPLISHED - BACK ON TUESDAY MORNING. BROUGHT ANOTHER VAN LOAD OF MISC. OLD BOOKS, FAMILY HISTORY, COPIES OF 'FACT FICTION AND FANTASY (DAD'S MEMORIES THAT HE DICTATED AND PAT TYPED), CAMCORDER VCR (TAKES THE SMALL CAMERA TAPES), THE TAPES I'VE TAKEN, PLUS ANOTHER TOTE OF MISC. IT WILL TAKE 2 WEEKS TO FIND PLACES FOR THIS STUFF.

PATS DAUGHTER GOT A NEW COLT A WHILE BACK. DOLLAR IS HIS NAME. HE'LL GROW UP TO EAT A LOT OF HAY.
THAT MAKES A STABLE OF 4 1/4 HORSES. THEY DEARLY LOVE THESE HAY BURNERS. BIG PETS, I'M STILL ON LARGE DOGS. MAYBE NO HOPE FOR ME.
(I JUST NEED TO SAY THAT MY DAUGHTER IS VERY PROFICIENT IN TRAINING HER NEW COLT. SHE HAS DONE WONDERS WITH HIM. SHE USES THE PARELLI TECHNIQUES AND THEY SEEM TO WORK FOR HER. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK, DARLING, I AM ALL FOR YOUR GOOD WORK. SHE IS ONE SPECIAL LADY, MAYBE THAT IS BECAUSE SHE BELONGS TO ME.)

NOV 22,2008

SAT MORNING, THE FIRST DAY OF THE DEER GUN HUNT SEASON. OUR HUNTERS ARRIVED BEFORE DAWN, AS DID MANY HEARTY FOLKS WHO TRAILED THEIR BOAT TO THE LANDING, LAUNCHED IT, PARKED THE CAR AND TRAILER AWAY FROM THE LAUNCH, WITH ALL THEIR GEAR IN THE BOAT AND HEADED ACROSS THE RIVER TO THE TIFFANY BOTTOMS (13,500 ACRES OF WILDLIFE AREA) TO HUNT. ALL BEFORE DAWN. WOULD YOU CALL THESE FOLKS NIGHT OWLS OR PERHAPS MORNING OWLS! I TRIED TO TAKE A PANORAMA OF THE WHOLE LANDING BY WALKING DOWN THE STREET. THOUGHT IT WOULD SHOW EVERYTHING BIGGER. DOESN'T WORK! 31 CARS, MOST WITH TRAILERS ON OPENING MORNING.

GUESS WE NOW HAVE EVERYBODY IN THEIR WINTER PASTURES. WE HAVE SHIFTED FROM DOING FALL THINGS INTO DOING WINTER THINGS. ALL THE CROP STUFF IS DONE EXCEPT TO HAUL A COUPLE OF SEMI LOADS OF HAY (20 BALES (5' LONG BY 6 1/2 ' HIGH) ) FROM THE BOTTOMS. THEN WE CHOP THE STALKS FROM THE CORN IN THE BOTTOMS INTO A WAGON EACH DAY FOR THE BIG GIRLS. WE TORE APART A LONG FEED ELEVATOR AND SET ONE END ON A VW REAR AXEL I HAD SO WE HAD WHEELS ON ONE END AND MADE A STAND FOR THE OTHER, SO WE CAN MOVE IT WHEN NEEDED. THIS GIVES ALL THE CALVES A PLACE AT THE TABLE WHEN WE FEED THEM THEIR CANDY. EVERY MORNING WE FEED THEM SOME GROUND CORN AND PELLETS (CANDY) . YOU DON'T HAVE TO CALL THEM TWICE. WE ALSO GIVE THE HEIFERS CANDY EVERY MORNING.

NOBODY HAS RENTED EITHER OF THE GUEST HOMES FOR HUNTING SEASON. WE ADVERTISED THE SOUTH HOME PLUS 240 ACRES OF HUNTING LAND, BUT NO ONE WANTED IT. OR MAYBE, THE RIGHT PERSON DIDN'T FIND OUT ABOUT IT. I THINK ALL OF THE VACATION RENTALS WERE DOWN THIS YEAR. NEED TO GET THESE RENTED FOR TWO REASONS. ONE IS THAT SELLING CALVES (OUR ONLY FARM PRODUCT) DOES NOT BRING IN ENOUGH CASH TO PAY THE FARM BILLS. A WONDERFUL LIFE STYLE (WORKING WITH THE LAND AND ANIMALS) BUT IT TAKES ANOTHER SOURCE OF INCOME TO MAKE IT A REALITY. THE SECOND REASON IS TO ALLOW FAMILIES LIVING IN THE CITIES TO COME AND ENJOY THE JOYS OF THE OUTDOORS AND THE WONDERS OF MOTHER NATURE. THIS WOULD PERHAPS BE MORE REWARDING .

I SIT HERE LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW AT THE BIRD FEEDERS AND WATCH A CONSTANT ROTATION OF NUT HATCHES (THE BIRDS THAT WALK UPSIDE DOWN ON THE TREES) MALE AND FEMALE DOWNY WOODPECKERS, THE BIGGER RED BELLIED WOODPECKER (WHICH HIS BELLY IS SORT OF A GRAYISH COLOR AND HIS HEAD IS RED--IN MY WAY OF THINKING HE WAS NAMED WRONG), CARDINALS, BLUE JAYS, HAIRY WOODPECKERS (WHICH ARE A LARGER SIZED DOWNY), BLACK CAPPED CHICKADEES, DARK EYED JUNCOS, AMERICAN GOLD FINCHES AND MANY MORE THAT I CAN'T EVEN THINK OF AT THE MOMENT.

PAT HAS GRACIOUSLY TAKEN OVER MY BREAKFAST DETAIL AND MADE US BACON SANDWICHES SO I CAN KEEP WRITING. WHAT A SWEETHEART. GREAT SANDWICH (ACTUALLY WAS A BLT). HAVE TO GO AND FEED 200 PLUS CREATURES. THAT'S A LOT OF MOUTHS!