Meet Ginger Rose!

Gotta love new farm babies! And little cow cows are one of my favorites! After what seemed like forever, Miss Ellie had her little heifer. She is just too darn cute! 

 First, a flashback to when her Mama was born! Ellie was the first calf born here on the farm. So we were pretty nervous, and sat many freezy hours in the barn waiting for the big moment! When Flossie finally had her it was so exciting! Ellie has always been such a free spirit and is still such an independent thing!

And she comes around on the outside!

Flossie had her hooves full with her little spitfire! Every now and again, she would have to get out the "Hoof of Justice" to keep her in line! Seems like yesterday it was ELLIE running around the barn lot, and now she is a MAMA!

Settle down kiddo!

Ellie is such an excellent mommy to her little Ginger Rose. But dang, how time flies!

Mommy Love!

Awww!

The day Ginger Rose was born I was in town getting a tooth pulled that had broken off the week before, plus a few errands too. Trina and Joy were keeping an eye on Ellie since she was ready to pop any minute! The next thing I know I get a message from Katrina on Facebook that says:

                                                        Mom!!

Look what just happened!

Ellie had delivered her baby! All by herself and she looked just as surprised as we did! We were so proud of her since she did such a great job! We rushed back, ( As much as riding with Pud'nin could be called rushing) and when we got there Ellie was still cleaning her little bundle and making the sweetest little noises to her little girl. We call it their " Mommy Moo" and it is just so touching!
Everyone on the farm was  excited too, and they were rushing in to see the new arrival! Baelfire was super excited and kept pacing along the fence trying to get a better view, :)

Taz says " What do you mean she is RED?!"

What the heck is that?!?!

 After a few false starts, faceplants and total roll overs she was up and nursing, lol Who knew walking was SO hard!? And of course, all babies have to nap in the hay ring!

SO soft and fluffy!

 As you can also see in this picture, she is VERY red! So, with so much red we just had to name her Ginger Rose in honor of that beautiful bright color! We are also thinking that she may be polled like her Mama. So yay, no worries with pokey horns or having them removed. :)
Here are a few pictures of the proud Mama and her little bundle! She looks so much like Ellie when she was a baby, down the the little snub nose! 

Kisses!

More lovies!

Taking a little walk!

What are YOU looking at?!

Thought I would throw in a few random pictures of things here on the farm too! :)

Finally...GREEN!

Myrtle and her brood!

I think Myrtle was giving me the eye...I know I was not gona push her, if you know Mama Banties..you will understand! They will get your booty on the move!

Lazy boy!

Itchy Miley

Baelfire holding food in his mouth for later, lol

Almost open!

Pretty Peony!

Look how nice they are sharing!

Pretty!

Duck, Duck..well Duck, since we don't have a goose!

Breakfast time!

Squirt

Wilbur and Charlotte

Look closely! Taz is reaching high for leaves!

Well, there you go, a little peek at the newest addition, hopefully I can get back on track with posting soon. Things have been so crazy here and with Mom having a harder time these days, finding time to post is difficult. Add in that spring/summer is such a busy time here on the Backwards Homestead!
But I gotta say, I am LOVING the green! Much better than the drab brown and white of winter!
Drop a comment and let me know what you think of little Ginger Rose! See you later, God Bless!

Goodbye Winter! Hello Spring!

Loving the beautiful weather here on the farm! Everything is blooming and the grass is so green! Although the thought of mowing season is a little LESS than appealing! I love the first few times, getting everything all clipped and neat. Then, as summer progresses, the bloom leaves the rose so to speak and mowing becomes a chore and trimming a real pain!!
But for now, YAY GRASS!! It is so much better than the snow, ice and mud! I really think that Spring is my favorite season. Well, minus the storms and tornadoes! Boo tornadoes!
Speaking of Spring, these are some of the blooms here on the farm, some smell so yummy! Some, while beautiful, actually smell kinda icky..Tricky little boogers, draw you in with their beauty, and them BAM! Stinkiness!

Pear blooms! They actually kinda stink..

Apple blossoms! Smell divine!

Texas Roses, so so I have been told. So pretty!

Narcissus? Not really sure, but so pretty, and smell so good!

Tiny little hyacinth, so purply!

Animals here are also enjoying the green grass and warmer temps. As usual spring brings all sorts of energy and friskiness. The calves are running around, the cows are hopefully all expecting new little bundles of joy this summer/fall. Taz, having done his job, is just hanging out waiting for his next assignment!

Ellie come lately saying "LET ME IN!!"

Flossie having breakfast!

T-Bone!

Cow kisses!

Busy Busy Busy, These little guys are really bringing in the pollen!

BUZZ!

Busy as well...Bees!

Sadly out of the three hives we started with last spring. only one made it through the winter. I am so bummed! I love the bees, even when they are stinkers and sting me! Losing two hives was not only sad, but very frustrating! I thought all was well, but it seems one starved during the winter, and the other is sort of a mystery. They had more than enough honey, but they were very weak and we found them in a small cluster in the center of the hive..dead or barely alive. There was only a handful of bees where a few weeks before was a busy hive. Robber bees had also moved in and decimated what was left. I did manage to thwart their efforts at taking all the honey, but still it was so upsetting. I have ordered two nucs to install this summer from a local Apiary, so wish me luck! I am determined not to give up!

Come on in little bees!

With Spring comes a overabundance of eggs! Lots and lots of eggs! I made a pound cake and an angel food cake to use up some of the excess. The family was divided on their opinions of the cakes. They either really liked it, or disliked it and used it as an opportunity to tease me unmercifully about how much they disliked the cakes, lol Darn family...But again! I will not be swayed, I WILL make more of these cakes! Naysayers beware, this farm will  again be graced with a the fluffy goodness of angel food, and the oh so heaviness of a well flavored pound cake! I will say though, the pound cakes should be many pound cakes, those things are massive!

Pound cake and cooling Angel Food cake!

TaDa!! The angel food cake freshly unpanned!

Now see, they do not look so bad, and they were pretty tasty! And no Pud'nin..you may not wash the car with the angel food cake..or use the pound cake as a jack stand..
Well. as uninformative as it is, I hope you enjoyed this post. Maybe with the end of winter there will be cool stuff to write about other than busting my booty on ice and snow! New cow babies on the way and gardens to plant! Leave a comment to let me know you were here and if you enjoyed the post!
Have a blessed day! Thanks for stopping by!

All Dogs Go To Heaven

I think everyone has that one dog. The one that totally steals your heart away, and leaves you devastated when they are gone. Blu, for us, was that dog.This post will be a tribute to our little buddy. The only dog that has ever softened the heart of Pud'nin. So here we go, an Ode to Blu!

One of a kind!

Blu and his sister arrived here one August day, dropped by someone who for whatever reason thought they were not worth their time.Their loss, was our gain. He was a little ball of energy, so fuzzy and just adorable.

Love him

He was always laying in tight spots!

 I have to say, Pud'nin was not to happy with the little furball that first day. He said he was the ugliest puppy he had ever seen. He actually threw a fit, screeching off down the road in the truck leaving black marks streaking all the way to the house. Little did he know, that ugly little puppy, was going to become his constant companion. Even turning him into a "dog person". Blu was special like that, it was impossible not to love him.
In spite of Pud'nins protests, Lee and I knew, Blu was staying. And our lives were forever changed for the better. Even Brandy could not resist him!

What a fuzzy little guy!

 Blu quickly became a part of the farm. He was everywhere. All you had to do was start a vehicle, tractor, the Jacobson. Anything at all..and he would appear out of nowhere waiting for a ride. Of course he made you crazy sometimes being so darn slow to actually get IN the vehicle! I spent many mornings yelling : " Come ON Blu!!! Over here! Get IN the truck!!" While he just sauntered over, slow as you please. Then up he went, then looked at you like "What?!"

 Love that smile!

Yes...Pud'nin softened quite a bit.. If Blu was out too late or too long, he was the first to go out looking for him. He loved that dog and Blu never missed an opportunity to join him in the shop or take a trip back in the field to dig through the many treasures stashed in the trove. They were best friends. I mean really, they even started looking alike!

My guys..

You got a little something right here!

Mmm Bones!

 Sleeping! He must have been dreaming about a big pile of bones. He has a toothy smile! If I remember correctly,  Lee had him on the couch. lol

So cute!

 Cayce even took him to the Spa, he was so cute! She said he was such a good boy! He loved being spoiled and pampered. Every time Joy and Katrina gave him a bath, or a haircut, he was so proud! He would prance and spin, coming to find me making  sure I saw how amazing he looked! He was so spoiled by everyone! He was so silly and full of life. He was loved..
Blu had enough personality for ten dogs, all rolled up in one little body. I still look for him on the porch swing where he liked to sit in the summer, just swinging with his head hanging down. I see a flash of white and I jerk to attention, for a second I think he is home. To see his little puff butt bouncing up the walk just one more time, tail up, grinning from ear to ear....

What?

This is my good side!

Must roll!

He always threw his cuckleburrs on the floor, after carefully picking them out. They were placed in a pile in front of his bed. Then, we would step on them, and remind him that he needed to put them in the TRASH!  What I would give to step on one of his burrs now..

See those little spots? Yea, Burrs!

 I know many people say " Just a dog" But those people have never met the right dog.."that" dog. The one that has your heart forever. Blu was our dog. But he was my friend. I cried with him when things were rough, teased him about his self cleaning fur, held him while his seizures made him helpless. I loved him. I needed him way more than he needed me I am sure.  I will never forgive myself for letting him out that day creating the opportunity for someone to take him away from us. I failed him so many times. But that time was the one time that mattered. Then, when whatever killed him, that ripped the life from his little body, I was not there to save him. To hold him until it was better. He was almost home. So close. He probably felt safe. The smells were familiar, he knew the territory. But it was not to be. I am so sorry Blu.
They say at the end of a humans life, their life flashes before them. I do not know if that happens with dogs but I hope if it does Blu, your vision was filled with our unconditional love, warm sun shining on your face, my fingers on your ears that last day you were here, spinning in circles after your bath because you were just so happy, and hamburgers on the way home from the vet...
Rest in peace sweet Blu, see you when I get there..