Tuesday, June 30, 2009

What Happened to JUNE?



Ok, I know that I am getting OLD, and I have been BUSY, But did they shorten this month and not tell me? Now that I am RETIRED, time is just flying by. I cannot keep tract of what day it is, I know, but somehow it seems that someone has been stealing days off of the calendar.




I know that I have spent a few days butchering chickens and re-designing the interior of the chicken coop. A few more gardening and lumbering. And wasted a few at the Dr.s and shopping.


And then there was Father's Day and my Birthday. And some time helping my son remodel a room, and then Owen's birth. But surely there had to be less than 30 days used up.




And what happened to all of the fishing I had planned???




Yes, there were rainy days and too hot and too HUMID days, and days that you didn't DARE go outside because of mosquitoes and other biting bugs, but somehow it doesn't seem possible that this month is GONE.




My canoe hasn't seen any water but rain and dew, and my fishing poles have been moved from the car to the shed and have cobwebs and dust all over them.


My Grandson Ethan has been having fits because we haven't gone fishing yet! And I PROMISED him we would go!!!




Well that tear's it...Grandpa had better get his sh--stuff together!


The next nice day we get if the conditions are right, I have GOT to get him fishing. Everything else will have to wait.




Grandpa WILL NOT go back on his promise.

Monday, June 29, 2009

My New Grandson


Meet my new Grandson.....Owen Ryan.
He has a firm grip on Wifey's finger.
He was born yesterday, three weeks early.
He weighted 6 pounds 11 ounces, and was 19.5 inches long.
Grandma was overjoyed!!!

Grandpa was in awe.



The tired but happy family is doing well.



Three generations of Dillon's.


My Dad would have been so happy if he could have been there too.
He was really looking forward to seeing his heir to the Dillon name.
He missed by exactly 2 months.
But I am sure that there was much celebration in Heaven yesterday.
Yup, Dad is probably still bouncing from cloud to cloud!!!
Thanks for the photo's Ang.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

A Series of Events



Don't try to adjust your monitor....




or re-focus your eyes.


These photos were taken with my ruined camera.


It was a series of unfortunate events that caused the problem. First was my failure to put away the camera from the night before. Next was the dogs waking me up very early.
After letting them out for their morning constitutional, I proceeded to crank up the computer. While it was doing it's thing, I got me a glass of water and set it in the computer desk (something I don't normally do) and sat down. Immediately our 16+ year old cat Grace jumped into my lap for her morning caresses. As I reached to pat her the phone rang, startling us both. Unfortunately she jumped from my lap to the computer desk, landing on the mouse and sending it flying. This startled her more and as she jumped to the floor, she hit my glass of water tipping it over.

All 16 ounces poured right on to the camera, the force of the water tipped it in it's side. I immediately grabbed the camera and tried shaking the water out of it and removed the batteries.

I set the camera in the windowsill to let the sunlight and gravity get rid of the moisture left inside. I waited 3 days before trying it out. The two photos above are the results.

I wanted to cry! Especially when I had to tell Wifey that HER camera was shot.


So from now on I will have to use our OLD camera. And from the quality of the photo's I think you will agree, I have to buy her a new camera.



Believe it or not, these are flowers!



Saturday the grandkids came to visit and spent the night.
They wanted to build a tent.


They gathered poles, but I had a better idea.



A tarp over the loosened clothes line worked just fine.



They put on some leaf hats and totally agreed that the tent was just fine.
Monday we started butchering our Vantress Cross "meat blob" chickens at the ripe old age of exactly 7 weeks old. We were surprised to discover that they dressed out over 6 pounds. We did 4 Monday, 4 Tuesday and 7 today. Yesterday it rained all day, so I worked with my farm log and discovered that they were some very expensive birds and cost over $2.45 per pound just for feed.
I oven fried a half of one for supper last night (without using any spices not even salt and pepper, to test the true flavor, just flour and a little Pam spray) and I was very surprised that it was very tender and tasty. I can't wait to stuff and roast one of these mini turkeys.


Wifey finishing off one. And no the water wasn't that dirty looking. But in order to see the photo better I had to darken it. This old camera HATES sunlight!



Just look at the size of that monster "meat blob."
BTW that IS another one in the sink too!
I am not sure we will try raising these again.
Only 7 more to do...(unless we decide to TRY to raise one to maturity)...YIPPEE