ITS HERE

Well......the white stuff arrived here yesterday.  It was inevitable I suppose. 

Thank goodness, we did not get much for our first snow.  Just enough for me to check my hot chocolate stash and run to the store for some apple cider.  Nothing like a warm cup of hot cocoa or apple cider on those chilly nights while under a fuzzy, warm blanket with good tv or an old movie.

What is your favorite  past time for cold, winter nights?

TJO

CHANGE OF SEASONS, ALREADY?!

With talk of that dreaded white stuff in our weekend forecast, I am looking back at my 2011 bountiful garden harvest.  I had quite the time this year between weather and weeds.  My first garden was wiped out almost completely by the wind and cold, so I replanted with whatever on sale plants I could get my hands on.  I had tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, squash, onions and pumpkins. I wanted to do salsa this year, but my tomatoes didn't turn early enough.  I LOVE the mini pumpkins, they will be on my yearly list now, but will plant them along the fence so they don't take over my whole garden again. The lessons I learn each year.

I just love gardening and learning new things with everyone I plant. I am on the hunt for an end of season sale on a greenhouse for next year. Until next year, I will be enjoying my garden tomatoes throughout the winter in my chili.  Yummmm........or maybe homemade tomato soup.......or maybe spaghetti sauce....or maybe.....

Enjoy the rest of your fall and keep doing your "stay away snow" dance please.

TJ

The Great Pheasant Expedition of 2011 

The Great Pheasant Expedition of 2011 

We spent a lot of this summer working on our home, so we decided we needed an expedition out before the white stuff shows up. We overpacked (as usual) and hit the road a couple of weekend's back.  I am not much of a hunter with a gun, but I love to walk the fields and hunt for the perfect pictures with my camera.  After many miles walked and many reprimands to the dogs, my mighty hunter got his first bird. 

Lucy our youngest pup has never been hunting before and was quite the character.  She does not like to go into the brush; she prefers the easy way around; she does not like the feathers in her mouth and she is very protective of her catch. 

Doesn't she look so proud?! 

We had a great time, ended up with two pheasants, lots of great pictures and many memories. 

Great idea hubby, lets do it again next year.  :)

TJO

JUST CANT GET ENOUGH...

Back to the old Okerson farm for today's blogging expedition.

Something tells me that my 2006 GMC Envoy will not be the center of pictures and running someone's imagination crazy with stories any time in the future.  Do you ever wonder what our kids and grandkids will have to treasure from our current days?  An iPhone, Nintendo DS or Wii that no longer work? 

I hope that someday when I have kids, they enjoy walking the old farms and thinking back to all of the history.

Many happy memories,

TJO

MY LATEST PROJECT

IMAGINATION GONE WILD

My curiousity and imagination always get the better of me when I get to walk amongst history. 

CEO and I went camping this weekend on his family farm.  His great-grandfather was the original homesteader.  I can just see him bumping along the fields on these old wheels.  Coming home from the fields just in time to put the horses away and make it to the dinner table while the food is still warm.

Back then, air conditioning was a breeze while you road behind the horse and if you were lucky it stayed fresh.....if you know what I mean.

They were tough people back then, but also had short, hard worked lives. 

Where does your imagination take you??




We are not makers of history. We are made by history.
Martin Luther King, Jr.


Stay tuned for more farm news....

OCTOBER CAMPING

We are heading out to brave the cold this weekend on a family camping trip.  I could not be more excited.  This will be the first weekend in a VERY long time that my hubby and I are taking the time to ourselves with our kiddos.  We are going back in the day for CEO.  He is overly excited to walk me through his childhood memories on the farm he grew up on.  It got me thinking about our past camping trips and how much fun we have together.  We have been on the go for months now with working on the house and volleyball, so this weekend away we go to enjoy us and our puppers.

Happy Trails to all.......

TJO