Farm Sale Follies

My husband was changing the oil in the van today when his uncle drove up and uttered the sacred words "farm sale". I knew the day was over and there would be no more work done at our house. He left late this morning and came home with an orange motorcycle, a spare tire, a pickup trailer with a topper (bonus = it came full of junk) and a few other odds and ends. He spent $170 in all. It wouldn't have been bad except that I had just convinced a neighbor to buy a trailer for him for Father's day. I had to call him quick today to let him know the deal was off. It could have been disastrous. But, I guess it all worked out in the end. Except now I don't know what to get him for father's day. Maybe a subscription to farm sales anonymous?

Attack of the Grackles! UPDATE

Found a nest of ugly baby birds as big as baseballs last night. Actually the birds had fallen out of the nest, they were too BIG! Called the Game, Fish and Parks dude and it seems these annoying birds are actually covered by some federal migratory act and cannot be shot at. They are only protecting their offspring, he said. WELL SO AM I! So he told me to remove the young from my property. I live in town and so I could take this little black baseball shaped thing and walk 34 feet in either direction and rid my property of the whole family? Yep, he said. Well that would be stupid, now wouldn't it. I could still hear the annoying chatter if it was on the same block as me. Can I remove the nest? No, he wouldn't encourage that. Well TOO BAD! I am getting rid of these things as soon as I can convince some idiot to take them out into the country and release them, nest and all. I wonder what time my husband will be home?

Attack of the Grackles!

I swear we have killer birds! I took a snack and a drink outside so I could relax and the ?!@# black birds were circling and swooping down on me. The other day my daughter said one tried to eat her tuna sandwich and I didn't believe her. Now I think I do. I wonder what I could do to get rid of those annoying things? There must be a dozen of them and they are ugly. I am going to look online. I think they are called grackles and I just want to shoot them all. I am frightened to go outside and there is bird poop everywhere. AARRGGHH!

I think I am going crazy, I am a crazy old bird hating lady with a bad cough, which by the way I think may be caused by the drying bird poop, no lie I read it online!

Okay this is frightening!!!!

Hostile Grackles Attack People in HoustonMay 18, 7:24 AM (ET)HOUSTON (AP) - Like a scene from the horror movie "The Birds," large black grackles are swooping down on downtown Houston and attacking people's heads, hair and backs.Authorities closed off a sidewalk after the aggressive birds, which can have 2-foot wingspans, flew out of magnolia trees Monday in front of the County Administration Building."They were just going crazy," said constable Wilbert Jue, who works at the building. "They were attacking everybody that walked by."The grackles zeroed in on a lawyer who shooed a bird away before he tripped and injured his face, Jue said. The lawyer was treated for several cuts.

http://www.katv.com/news/stories/0505/229040.html

http://www.tcudailyskiff.com/media/storage/paper792/news/2006/03/10/News/Deadly.Skies-1683608.shtml?norewrite200605231151&sourcedomain=www.tcudailyskiff.com&xmlsyn=1

YIKES!

Blue eyes

blue eyes
Originally uploaded by nate23.

This is my adorable neice, photographed by her talented father. I love you Callie Jane! Blue eyes are so beautiful. Both of my children had blue eyes until around the age of 2 when my daughter's turned deep brown and my son's became hazel :(

The Orland Colony

Here is the 8th grade graduating class from the Orland Colony. I have been subbing in this classroom since Easter. There are 21 students and it is 4th - 8th grade. It is pretty challenging to teach 5 levels in one room. The teacher arranged classes in blocks so that each subject is only a couple of days a week for a few hours. Then mini-lessons are taught to each level. They are a dedicated bunch of students and I am having a ton of fun. I miss my own kids, but knowing that there are only a few short weeks of this really helps me prioritize. One student is deaf, so there is a sign language interpreter in the room all the time and I have to wear a microphone, because she just got a cochlear implant. There is also one classroom aide, who keeps me in line. I am amazed at how attached I have become to the children already. My last day will be a sad one. It has been a wonderful, rewarding experience.

Spring Planting

Well, April came and went and now school is almost out. We have been busy planting our garden and getting ready for Amateur Baseball. I have been subbing for a teacher on maternity leave at the colony. It is fun, but I am very busy again, neglecting my kids and my husband and my home. I am excited for the end of the school year to come. My husband's first ball game is this Thursday and then we will be playing twice a week all summer. I look forward to a little sunshine and swimming with the kids and a plentiful garden. This year we are trying to grow our tomatoes and peppers from plants, they are coming up, but I can't help but wonder if we will have enough to make salsa. We also planted lettuce, carrots, onions, beans, peas, squash, cucumbers, zucchini and sunflowers. The kids helped this year and they are full of excitement, it is a joy to see their faces as each little green spout that emerges. Maybe they will enjoy eating more veggies now, too?