PCA concert.

 It was pouring again when we got up but stopped at 7:30 just in time for the walk. We had just a little over an inch in the rain gauge. The storm did a number on the maple tree. 

That poor tree is losing limbs left and right. The branch was much to big to drag off although Ruth tried and then Mark. Joan got her chain saw out and cleared just enough to get it off the road. I quit to drive to Casey's to pick up a dozen donuts, picked them out, got them to the counter only to find my wallet was not in my purse. I left the donuts drove the 4 miles back home, grabbed the wallet and back the 4 miles to Casey's quickly paid for the donuts then drove back the 4 miles to mom's to pick up Aunt Jinnie then left for the Berean office.  Mom was staying home today to help Karin with planting the new flowers.  Right when we turned onto Radnor Road Aunt Jinnie asked if I knew where to buy carnations. She really wanted mom to have some. We walked into the Berean office and there were 2 dozen beautiful red carnations AND the were FOR Aunt Jinnie.

Talk about a quick answer to a request. Becky called Pat who called Kroger and Skip brought them to the Berean office. Pretty amazing! We had another wonderful productive day at the Berean office actually giving out 160 Bibles today.

Below Skip and Marvin are giving us an update on the jail ministry.

We stopped at the Hanna City post office to drop off the Bibles and studies. Mark had a very productive morning. He found the end of the buried culvert and dug that up. 

Then he got some well composted horse manure and planted marigolds.

He also got a lot of that never ending weed whacking done. We left just before 6:00 pm to stop at Sam's club before the PCA concert tonight. We took Cameron lane to 116 but were stopped by an accident. We just had to wait for the fire truck to leave.

I only needed to pick up 3 eight packs of white bath towels for the barn and apartment and one set of king size sheets. I have a group staying in the barn on Friday then another group coming in Saturday at noon and only have 2 hours to flip it. I will just take all the laundry to the house to be done later and bring out the new towels for the second group. Mark is going to help with the flipping. The concert was well attended and very well done.

The video below is just missing the 3 songs. My phone was dying. Mark has those on his phone and we are determined to get those posted later. 

 

Hard Labor

 Mom called this morning so I took the golf cart over but by the time I got there Karin had everything under control. Instead I spent some time taking pictures of the beautiful flowers around mom's house. 

The flowers aren't just beautiful their fragrance delights the nose. Ruth and Fedi arrived for the walk and Fedi had his superduper walking stick with him. He had to show us the super powers this stick has.

It comes in sections and each section has a weapon or a tool on the end.

Breakfast was served after the walk. Then it was time to get busy cleaning the barn from the weekend. The crowd last night was kind of a rough crowd, they were all family.  This morning I spent some extra time on the game room, straightened up the gym, got all 3 bathrooms cleaned up and then finished up the kitchen bringing the left over food over to the house and getting putting away all the dishes. On the way back to the house I met Aunt Jinnie who was out for a walk. Mark wanted my help on his next project.  He was digging up the culvert to replace the 4 inch pipe with a 6 inch PVC pipe for better drainage. We both spent time digging.

We had to hand dig to find the pipe and release it from the mud.

Below is a short video of some of the excavator work.

Mackenson came to help about then. Below they have installed the pipe and are covering it up.

Mackenson put the 6 inch pipe in the bucket of the Kubota so Mark could take it over to Mike's house.

I left to go work with Lily's colt. He was taken into a stall, stood well while I put the halter on and didn't fight being tied at all.

What a smart colt. It helps that he really enjoys scratches on his neck and chest. On the way back the goose family had all 6 of their goslings out grazing in the pond pasture.

There were two other pair in the pond fighting and were noisy with their wings hitting the water. This pair was just grazing quietly with the gander keeping a close watch.

Rhonda and Spark arrived with flowers. They went out to Fairview to find flowers for planting at mom's on the mother's day work day. Mark asked if they would pick up some marigolds for him.

The two golf carts needed to be put away. We have some bumble bees making a nest where they go and are so fascinating how they hover.

Mark got the snow tires off of my car and the regular tires back on then came in to get ready to go to Aldi for a few groceries. We are both tired from all the physical labor of digging in the mud today and will have an early night.

 

Beautiful Sunday

 Braelyn was dropped off at 6:35 am to go to church with us as the rest of her family had to drive to Davenport, IA for the day. We also needed to bring Berlica and Mackenson with us as Joan and Faith needed to be at the senior breakfast early at church. When Rhonda asked for a ride I had to turn her down and recommend her going with Ruth who was taking mom and Aunt Jinnie to church. We had a really nice day at church. Craig Stickling had the morning message. Click HERE to watch that. Then after an amazing lunch Tim Funk had the afternoon message which was a recognition of the 2023 new babies and their families. Click HERE to watch that.  After church we took Nancy with us and dropped her off at mom's house. As soon as I got home the potatoes were started and as soon as they were in the oven Berlica, Cheyanne and Braelyn were ready to get the horses ready for the second trail ride of the season. Mika, Missy and Cookie were taken to the cabin to tack up then ridden over here so I could work with them first in the outdoor arena just to make sure all would behave. Below is the video of the ride.

They stopped at the creek so I could get a picture.

After the ride the horses were put away and we came back to the house to make chocolate chip cookies. Right then Nolan and Sarah's family arrived so Zion, Eden and River helped Braelyn and me make the cookies for our dessert tonight. Lily and her colt had been left in the field while the trail ride was going on and she made her way over to the big barn about the time the rest of the family came for dinner.

I got a halter on Lily and took them back to their paddock. The colt was glad to run along side the golf cart. 

Dinner tonight was really delicious. Mark grilled T-bone steak and that was served with new potatoes, steamed broccoli, salad, Hawaiian rolls then apple pie and chocolate chip cookies for our dessert. 

After supper the day was so nice we all played outside.

The girls took one golf cart while the boys took the other. The girls came back with their golf cart but the boys got theirs so stuck in the mud I thought it may be stuck there until tomorrow. BUT I used girl power and between me, Braelyn, Taegan, Kensley and Berlica we got it out of the mud and back up to the top of the trail where we had to stop and get pictures.

They were so muddy that I took them up to the hydrant and sprayed off as much of the mud as possible then drove them home. They were pretty happy with their success. Below is a video of after supper.