7/14/26 There are always things to be thankful for!

We got about .20  of rain last night. More showers this morning.   The severe storm warnings have been lifted. Cloudy today, a stiff SW breeze, high 88.  partly cloudy tonight, low 68.  Sunshine tomorrow, a WNW wind, high 83, low 61.  PM showers Thursday, a light WNW wind, high 77 low 54.  Partly cloudy Friday and Saturday, WNW breeze, highs 77 and 81, lows 58.  Showers Sunday, a north breeze, high 81, low 58.   The rest of the ten day forecast is about the same as yesterday.  Some forecasts are still calling for severe storms this evening.

Early this morning the forecast said no rain today.  Now it looks like they shouldn't have taken the tarp off that last  wagon load of hay they didn't get in before last night's storm.

    Bekah and I got the tarp back on.  Mostly Bekah, all I could do was try to lift some so she wasn't pulling the whole tarp.  Jay and Azalea have gone fishing with Jay's Dad.  When they left early yesterday morning no one knew it was going to dry out enough to make square bales.

    Last night was chaotic for a bit.  They knew the storm was coming, they were able to get the load they were working on mowed away.  Large drops started falling as they finished.  They grabbed a tarp and rushed to get it over the last load.  Others rushed to roll up truck windows.  Wilson was running around barking at them.  Suddenly a skunk sprayed.  Wilson was trying to tell them they disturbed a skunk when they got the tarp.  There were people everywhere, the skunk didn't know which way to go so it cleared a path.  For a while they thought the skunk sprayed Wilson.  But Wilson was smarter than that, everyone else was just lucky..  The wagon got covered and it rained so hard that there is very little smell this morning.

   Pastor Cindy got home to New Hampshire just before dark.  The family was thankful she was able to come up to be with us Saturday.  On Friday she did a service for a long time friend and neighbor.  Then she got up early Saturday morning to be here before eleven.  A long few days for her, back to back services for two people she was very close to with a long drive inbetween.  Almost to the day twenty two years ago she was with our family.  Grandson Mitch died the first night she was in Corinth as a new pastor.  One in the morning but she came when she got the call.  Gilbert was one of the first ones she talked to.  A few years ago she married Tiffany, Gilbert's daughter, and Evan.

    Jay sent a video of Azalea trying to reel in a big fish, it broke the line just as she was reaching to grab it.  Now she has the fishing bug, she wants to stay and fish more this morning.

     It's raining lightly, it is supposed to start raining hard in a few minutes.  Some forecasters are still predicting a chance of severe storms tonight.  There are some volunteer sunflower plants under the feeders.  Today I want to move them to the sunflower patch by the horse barn.

     May your day be blessed, Sally

 7/13/26  Resilience isn't just preparing for the future—it's being a good steward of the resources, relationships, and tools already entrusted to us.

Sunshine, 62 degrees. Mostly cloudy today, a stiff WSW breeze, high 86, low 65.  Partly cloudy tomorrow, a strong WSW breeze, high 90, low 65.  Sunshine Wednesday, a WNW wind, high 84, low 63.  35% chance of PM showers Thursday, a light WNW wind, high 76, low 65. Partly cloudy Friday, a strong WNW breeze, high 76, low 54.  Partly cloudy Saturday, a WNW breeze, high 79, low 57. 44% chance of showers Sunday afternoon, a north breeze, high 79, low 56.   Partly cloudy next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, WSW breezes, highs in the low eighties, lows about 60.  35% chance of showers Thursday, the 23rd, a WSW breeze, high 83, low 61.  Partly cloudy Friday the 24th, a WNW breeze, high 84, low 63. Isolated thunderstorms Saturday the 25th, a WNW breeze, high 83, low 65.  Partly cloudy on the 26th and 27th, WNW breezes, highs 85, lows 64.

    Summer is almost half gone, time to start getting ready for winter.   The leftover firewood has to be moved to the front so it gets burned first.  We have to get next winter's wood inside and stacked so it can be seasoned.  Fall's forecast for us was published last week.  Cool and wet. 

   Bradford Days is this coming weekend.  They've been planning the float for the parade.  Saturday's forecast is good, let's hope it doesn't change.

   Jay will be picking vegetables this morning.  People stopping by on their way home from church emptied the cucumber cooler early yesterday afternoon.

   I need to wash and put fresh food in the hummingbird feeders.  They come to the feeders more on hot days.   A woodpecker was checking out the empty suet feeder yesterday.  I have a suet cake that is supposed to be good for summer feeding, I'll' put it in the feeder today.

   May your day be blessed, Sally

 7/10/26 Trust that if you honor the nature of your land, your animals , and your plants they will do good things for one another and for you.

Perhaps some light rain the next half hour as the storms move away.  It's calm, 67 degrees.  Partly cloudy today, a brisk NW breeze, high 63, low 57.  Partly cloudy tomorrow, a NNW breeze, high 80, low 57. Sunshine tomorrow, a north breeze, high 84, low 59.  Partly cloudy Monday, a stiff SW breeze, high 86, low 66,  Cloudy Tuesday, a stiff WSW breeze, high 90, low 72.  Partly cloudy Wednesday, a light WNW wind, high 86, low 63.  Sunshine Thursday and next Friday, stiff WNW breezes, highs in the low eighties, low about 58.  Partly cloudy next weekend and Monday the 20th, highs about 80, lows about 60. Perhaps a shower Tuesday the 21st, a south breeze, high 81, low 60. Cloudy Wednesday the 22ed, a WNW breeze, high 83, low 60.  Partly cloudy on the 23rd and 24th, west breezes, highs 86, lows 62.

    Not much rain during the night, the puddles from yesterday's short, sudden downpour have pretty much dried up.  Just enough rain to give us a day's break from watering.  The sun is breaking through the clouds now.  Mathilda is glad Bekah has figured out which side she expects to be milked from.  She has been in the same milking string for a few years and wants the same routine.

   There are red potatoes, summer squash and cucumbers on the stand.  Vegetables are self service just as milk, eggs and ground beef are.  Even when we are closed Jay harvests vegetables and maintains the stand.  Bekah milks the cows and I collect eggs, we keep the egg and milk refrigerator stocked.  We are usually open Saturdays but not tomorrow.  The family is gathering to lay Gilbert's ashes to rest in the family cemetery.  The cemetery is here at the farm..  This week tomorrow will join Sunday,  there will be no "loop" or Facebook weather report.

   May your day be Blessed, Sally

 7/9/26  Believe in the goodness of the world, and be good to it in return.

Partly cloudy, an east breeze, 61 degrees.  Occasional showers start about 3, rain overnight.  A west breeze, high 88, low 65.  Becoming partly cloudy tomorrow after some morning rain.  A NNW breeze, high 83, low 59.  Sunshine Saturday, a NNW breeze, high 81, low 57.  Sunshine Sunday, a north breeze, high 84, low 58. Partly cloudy Monday through Thursday, highs around ninety until Thursday, then a few degrees cooler. Stiff WSW breezes Monday and Tuesday, brisk WNW breezes Wednesday and Thursday. Sunshine next Friday, a stiff WNW breeze, high 81, low 59.  Partly cloudy next Saturday, a brisk NW breeze, high 80, low 59.  Cloudy Sunday, the 19th, a WNW breeze, high 82, low 61.  Partly cloudy Monday the 20th, a WNW breeze, high 83, low 62.  Cloudy the 21st and 22ed, WSW breezes, highs 85, lows 63.  Fog on Wednesday.  PM showers Thursday the 23rd.

    Mathilda, a pretty Jersey cow came to live at the farm yesterday.  Mabel was very happy to see her.  Mabel has been lonely, cows are herd animals.  We're all happy to see her too.  More cream for butter and ice cream.  More milk , partly because we keep getting more milk customers, partly because we want to try making cheese. Mathida walked in the barn to be milked last night and this morning like she had always lived here.

   In between unloading hay trailers the last few days all the lawns got mowed.  They are mowed short, ticks don't like short grass.  We don't like ticks, we especially don't  like ticks in the grass where little ones are playing.  The backyard is the only place there have been ticks, even there we don't have many. There are only a few spots left that the grass isn't under control. With everything else tamed and me feeling better I'll get to them.

   May your day be blessed, Sally

 7/8/26 If we seek peace and justice, it is up to us, in even some small way, to speak out and act for peace and justice. Pastor Bruce Young

Partly cloudy today, a SSW breeze, high 86, low 62.  Scattered thunderstorms tomorrow afternoon and evening, occasional showers overnight. A SW breeze, high 88, low 65.  

Partly cloudy Friday, a NNW breeze, high 83, low 61.  Sunshine this weekend, NNW breezes, highs in the mid eighties, low 59.  Partly cloudy next Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday 

brisk west breezes, high in the mid eighties, lows 64.  Sunshine next Thursday and Friday, brisk NW breezes, highs in the mid eighties, lows 62.  Partly cloudy the weekend of the 18th and 19th, highs about 83, lows 60, NW breezes, Partly cloudy the 20th, 21st, and 22ed, WSW breezes, highs about 85, lows about 63.  

    Mabel didn't do a good job of mowing the backyard.  There was enough grass so she could pick and choose, leaving some grass to grow tall and lanky.  She did eat the dandelions. Friends came by yesterday and turned the scruffy hayfield back into a lawn.  One of them helped Bekah in the haymow.  Another made good use of the repaired weed whacker.  All they would accept was milk and cucumbers.  Blessings come in many shapes and sizes.

   Yesterday was dumpster pickup day.  In the morning the kids took the piles of stuff in the garage out, some went in my truck for Community Closet, most went to the dumpster.  Jay made sure he was there to help throw boxes in the garbage truck when it camz.  People see this large family and bring us stuff.  Azalea did get a nice winter coat out of a box yesterday but there is a lot of nice "stuff" going to the closet.

   Another hay day, the sun and breeze means plants need water. More weeds are going to meet their end with vinegar spray.  May your day be blessed, Sally

 7/7/36  Whenever you are about to find fault with someone, ask yourself the following question: What fault of mine most nearly resembles the one I am about to criticize?

 Partly cloudy, 61 degrees.  Sun and clouds today, a south breeze, high 81, low 57.  Partly cloudy tomorrow, a SSW breeze, high 86, low 63.  Partly cloudy Thursday, afternoon/evening thunderstorms with a west breeze, high 86, low 66. Scattered thunderstorms Friday, a NW breeze, high 85, low 61.  Partly cloudy Saturday, a NW breeze, high 62, low 58.  Sunshine Sunday, a NW breeze, high 92, low 58. Partly cloudy Monday, a stiff SW breeze, high 85, low 65.  Scattered thunderstorms next Tuesday, a stiff west breeze, high 84, low 64. Partly cloudy next Wednesday and Thursday, brisk NW breezes, highs about 83, lows 69.  Partly cloudy Friday the 17th, through the weekend and the 20th and 21st, WNW breezes, highs about 82, lows about 60,

    Haying and watering fill the days this week.  In between unloading hay they've been going through winter's accumulation in the garage.  The dumpster is overflowing, it's good pick up is today.  My truck is filling up, I'll be going to the community closet tomorrow afternoon.  It is at the Charleston Baptist church, everything is free.  I can see at a glance that I mustn't look around, I'll be taking something home.

    Snow's Saw Shop dropped off our weed whacker yesterday.  All fixed, now they'll be looking for time to weed whack.  Maegin usually does a lot of weed whacking but she has weed whacking to do at home and she is driving a bus for summer school.

    May your day be blessed, Sally

 7/6/26  “May we think of freedom not as the right to do as we please, but as the oppprtunity to do what is right.” ~Peter Marshall

Sunshine, 60 degrees.  Partly cloudy today, an ESE breeze, high 83, low 56.  Partly cloudy tomorrow, a south breeze, high 83, low 56.  Partly cloudy Thursday and Friday, WSW breezes highs about 88, lows in the mid sixties.  Scattered thunderstorms Friday, a NW breeze, high 83, low 61. Sunshine Saturday, a NNW breeze, high 84, low 59.  Partly cloudy Sunday, a NW breeze, high 85, low 60. Possible afternoon and overnight showers next Monday, a brisk SSW breeze, high 83, low 62. Scattered thunderstorms next Tuesday, stiff WNW breeze, high 80, low 61. Partly cloudy next Wednesday, a brisk WNW breeze, high 80, low 60.  Fog next Thursday, a NW breeze, high 80, low 60. Partly cloudy Friday the 17th and Saturday the 18th, west breezes, highs 82, lows 60.  Perhaps a shower Sunday the 19th, a west breeze, high 83, low 63.

    It was a hard weekend.  Gilbert loved celebrating the Fourth of July.  His absence meant the day was celebrated quietly, finding  different things to do. This bunch went to the beach and baked.  The strong winds cooled them off when they got home.  I went to the boat parade.  "Santa" Gilbert always had his boat leading the parade.  Not only was Santa missing but not as many other  boats turned out.

   Twenty some years ago brain cancer took a grandson.  Yesterday was his birthday.  Mike, his father, and I spent some time at the family cemetery.  Doug and Nicole keep it mowed, Mike did some trimming. He watered the flowers on Mitch's and Violet's graves.  I pulled creeping charlie. Sally Jo had just weeded it out a few weeks ago! Gilbert's headstone is there now.  Barbie chose a beautiful stone. Saturday close family will gather to lay Gilbert's ashes to rest.  The greenhouse will be closed.
   Square bale hay weather is here..  They started filling our barns yesterday.  Many farmers are making hay, please be patient if you get behind a wagon load of hay.  Be thankful there was rain to grow the grass and now there is sun to dry it. 

   This weather is when we are thankful for soaker hoses in the gardens.  Saturday was the cucumbers' day for water.   Lots of water makes sweet cucumbers. Jay is picking some every day.  Yesterday was the mums turn to get watered.  Today  the potatoes' soaker hoses get turned on.  Have you planted shrubs, trees or some perennials? They need a good weekly soaking.

   May your day be blessed, Sally