Fall Cow Working

Every September we have what is known as "Fall Cow Working" or "Preconditioning." The herd is rounded up and all the spring calves are given shots that help them fight possible illnesses during the winter. We usually sell calves six weeks later, when the new buyers will then give them a booster shot. 

We also weigh the calves. Marty likes to have a record of how productive the mothers have been in raising their young. This year, with the drought, some people have had a tough time. There isn't as much grass to go around and there are a lot of ranches in South Dakota struggling. Our calves, however, have had some of the best weights we've seen. Especially considering this years weather conditions.

A few years ago when we experienced drought, Marty had told me that the dry grass is actually better for the cows/calves than the greener grass. The nutrients are more condensed/concentrated and the cattle tend to do better on dry than wet grass. The only problem is that a rancher needs more of it. This year we were able to lease some more land, which helped a lot, and Marty's really good at proper land management. This helps insure good grazing seasons by rotating pastures during certain times of the year. 

With that said, I thought I would share just a few pictures I'd taken of the day. I didn't do a whole lot this year as I've been feeling pretty sore. My busy day is always the one before when I prepare food for the crew.

My sister and brother-in-law and their two oldest girls helping to round up one of the herds.

Marty and our son, on the horse in the middle.

So thankful for this crew. They worked so hard all day long.

 I thought I would play around with some food photography, while I was waiting for the crew to come in for dinner. 

Deviled Eggs are generally a staple when I cook for a day of working cows.

Fresh fruit is, too.

Marty requested burgers and what good are they plain without the fixings?

I made them "Marty style". Thick and huge. They were over a pound each! Several of the guys had two! I could barely eat one...

What meal is complete without dessert? I usually make pie, but my sister-in-law's birthday was a few weeks prior and I'd been meaning to make her an angel food cake. Yum!

Also made Spiced Plum Tart. This was a new one. I think I'll add it to my repertoire.

  Would you like to join us next year? We'd sure love to have ya! :)

Some of My Favorite Things

I live in a little yellow house on the top of a hill.

It's not a fancy, elaborately built house. It's warm in the winter (except for a draft around the baseboard on the north side), and cool in the summer. It has wood paneling, which I've gradually been painting over the year that we've owned it. I've lived here for seven years. Six of them we leased it and just last September, we were able to purchase it and the 50 acres surrounding it. 

I try not to place great value in material things, as one day they will all be gone, as well as I. However, I do want to take care of the things we have, the things God has blessed us with while we are on this earth for the duration of our lives. 

Almost our entire house has been furnished from the kindness of others. Grandparents moving and passing on their items, a church giving away it's older piano. I sometimes just sit (I have to rest a lot more now with this baby getting bigger) and thank the Lord for all that He's provided through the generosity of others. I thought I would share a few photos of some of my favorite little places in my house. 

I love pictures of family. I love my parents. I love my grandparents. My great-grandmother, Jennie Tobiassen, traveled from Norway to New York when she was 19. She worked as a maid in the city and then eventually moved to Chicago, where she met my grandfather, Karl Jacobsen, who was also from Norway. He used to drive up to Wisconsin to purchase eggs from farmers and then he'd sell them to restaurants, grocery stores and families in the Chicago area. My grandmother, Shirley, grew up in NW Chicago with fields of wildflowers on it's edge. Those fields no longer exist as they now exhibit homes.

I love fresh produce ripening on my counter.

I love my little boy and how much he loves to snuggle and play with Sock Monkey. They are the best of friends.

This wooden cabinet was found in an old school house on my property. It used to be a hideous shade of turquoise. I've found that I very much enjoy taking old pieces of furniture, (or making something new from reclaimed wood I've found) refinishing them and using them in my house. I've fixed up a hutch and made a headboard for our bed, a coffee table and an entertainment center. 

On top of the cabinet sit a little blue vase my sister made in college and a green vase that displayed the most beautiful flowers from my husband. A good friend gave me the wine rack, which is another of my favorite things. It all makes much kitchen give a little flavor of Tuscany.

I love watching my little boy play. He loves his tractors. The green ones. Only. Any other tractor different than John Deere is cursing in this house. :) He imitates everything that Dad does. He loads "haybales" of wooden blocks onto his little flatbed trailer. He would do this all day if riding in the tractor while Dad actually does it wasn't more fun.

Everyone in this house has a hat. I love them. They make me smile. The cowboy hat is such a great piece of American history, yet still alive today.

My flower garden didn't do so well this year. The grasshoppers and the heat really beat us down. My husband has helped keep it watered and flowers are coming back and blooming! I feel like it's spring all over again! 

I planted watermelon for the first time and thought I wasn't going to get anything, due to the heat and grasshoppers. It's not the middle of the summer anymore, but we'll be eating watermelon! 

Although sometimes he appears gruff and mean, this is the first dog I've ever had and I love him. Bo. He's been with Marty for 12 years. He has arthritis. He was hit by a moving vehicle when he was young. As a dog, he has a right to be a little grouchy. He's loyal. He's lovable and no matter what kind of mood I'm in, he always wants to be scratched. 

This is Silver. She's a blue heeler, too. Bo is a mix of blue and red. She's very fluffy. It's not very common for her breed. She's a great dog. Very happy and loyal. She like skunks a little too much. 

This is my little boy. He's a great helper. He loves working with Dad. He also loves cooking with Mom. We love him. We'll keep him. I'm very proud of him. I think I love him more and more each day. We laugh and play together a lot. Mostly tractors. 

My Parents Ruined My Teenage Years and Now I'm Reaping the Benefits

My parents ruined my life. They didn't let me do anything as a teenager. I couldn't go to prom, I couldn't go out with my school friends on the weekends, I couldn't even have my own car. When I did, as a senior, I had to keep it in storage because they didn't want their insurance to go up until I left home after graduation.  

I wasn't allowed to go to dances. Not even homecoming, and I was the homecoming queen! They limited who I hung out with outside of school, but never once did they tell me not to be nice and friendly with those in my small town school even if I couldn't hang out with them afterwards. 

I wasn't allowed to drive around. Growing up in a small town (pop. 800), there wasn't a whole lot else to do after classes got out for the day, unless one was in sports. I was a klutz, at least back then, so I just went home.

My life was ruined. I spent most of my time with my other seven siblings. I went to youth group every Wednesday night. I learned photography. I played my violin. I read books. Lots of books. I got to spent time with my friends.

I missed out on all those wild parties I'd hear about on Monday morning. I missed out on getting all that's involved in getting a DUI, losing my virginity, immersing myself in illegal drugs and struggling to live a decent life now. My parents protected me from much unnecessary hardship. They were my parent first, not my friend. Man, they really ruined my life.

After I graduated high school, I moved to Illinois and lived with my Grandma to cut living costs. I had a full time job, I took college classes, traveled the world, made wise choices in who I allowed to become my friends. Slowly, I lost touch with most of my friends from high school. Now, thanks to Facebook, I'm able to keep in touch with plenty of them. That and the fact that I'm back living in my high school town/area. 

There's is friend I've kept through all those years that has grown closer and closer as I age. Because I wasn't allowed to run wild after school, she and I grew in our relationship. Thanks to my parents, who ruined my life, my closest friend is my sister. (Don't cry, Beans. :))

In fact, all the people closest to me are my family. It's not an artificial close. It's real. We had each other as friends, roommates, an entire touch football game or baseball. 

So, thanks a lot Mom and Dad, for destroying my life and teaching me values, respect for authority, how to make wise choices (please disregard the "few" that weren't :)), how to lead a family in Biblical character and values, the importance of putting Christ first and trusting Him (especially when things aren't going so great).

Now I know how to ruin the lives of my children. I only hope that someday they will see the great benefits as well. :)