Diana is snuggling with the cat and reading comments.
Feb 23
Diana is showing Facebook to Mark
Feb 28
Diana just discovered that she can send hugs, and smiles, and tickles, and smiles, and hugs, and such.
Feb 28
Diana is having violent thoughts aimed at the two printers who are mercilessly crumpling up perfectly good paper and then complaining about having paper jams.
Mar 02
Diana has finished her printing - with both printers in tact. Mark came with his magic touch and soothed the evil machines - saving her... and them.
Mar 02
Diana heard that the hummingbirds were back, so she made a quart of sugar water, thinking that she knew exactly where the feeder was... only, it was not there!
Mar 12
Diana has just returned from the shed in a futile search for hummingbird feeders. She knows they are here some where...
Mar 12
Diana has found the hummingbird feeders! Mark thinks she needs to lose things more often, as she cleans and organizes in her search...
Mar 13
I'm going to actually take a day off tomorrow and spend time with the girls at the aquarium (they are having special exhibits) We're all very excited! :)
Mar 17
My printer must be busted! I just copied all 750 pgs of monthly marketing material without a single paper jam! Something must be terribly wrong! Never in the history of Diana has this ever happened!
Mar 30
Diana is tired after a day of starting seeds and transplanting plants. I also wandered around the flower beds and realize that I officially need to start weeding. The gardening has begun!
Apr 16
Diana is perplexed, because none of the things that she wants to do today are the things that need to be done today. :-( Maybe if she works extra fast, she can fit in some of the " I wants"...
May 06
Diana is avoiding doing more important things like dishes, laundry, cleaning, etc.... which is always evident when she is discovering what kind of animal or periodic element she is.
May 14
Diana is crunching numbers and filing papers today, but she'd rather be pulling weeds...
May 17
Diana just realized she put postcard stamps on envelopes yesterday, even after catching that she added 85.00 instead of 0.85 to the checkbook register! Some days...
May 18
Overs! Overs! I want overs! Does anyone know how to delete your posts?
May 23
Diana is having one of those days where she keeps working and working, but nothing seems to get accomplished.
May 25
Diana has just sliced her toe open on some metal thingy outside while watering her plants. What better way to ease the throbbing than to send jibberish out into cyber space?
May 29
Things are improving... I just tore my thumbnail too far down. Why is it that these things happen when you don't have time for them? (like I ever have time for minor annoyances anyway! Smile)
May 29
Diana has very imaginative children. One was just telling me how, when she grows up, she'd going to have a mountain lion and killer geese guarding her property. Now, if only I could get her to put such lavish tales onto paper (with legible handwriting, and proper grammer)
Jun 08
After weed-eating my way to the shed to retrieve a bucket to use for another project (yes, I spared the flowers! ), and making a mental list of all the work that needs to be done next week, I have decided that I need a few more children to help me...
For instance, I need to thin out 90% of the corn seedlings that sprouted (and here I planted lots extra, because I was expecting poor germination!).
However, I do not want to have to care for, feed, pay, bandage, refferee or supervise these extra hands at all. So, I guess, really what I want is some pre-programmed robots!
Thinking of children... mine are really enjoying our kittens (the dogs like them too!). Here they are giving the kittens a bicycle ride (see photo album).
Jun 13
Why do people, when learning that you can't see any thing but what is directly in front of you, suddenly look at you critically? I mean, is there supposed to be a sign on plastered on the forehead that says "Hey! I can't see you!", or what?
Jun 15
Diana is being reminded that crawling around for hours in the garden is a really good workout for the sitting muscles.
Jun 19
600+ emails and nothing worth reading...
Jun 30
Diana has been dwelling on freedom lately - freedom of speech, press, etc. - and how God gave us the ultimate freedom long before we had a national holdiay - the freedom of choice.
Jul 06
Arianna's birthday is July 10, but we celebrated a few days early so that Nanny and Poppy could enjoy the party - and so the girls could practice using their special gifts with a little supervision (last image)...
The dogs seem to think that they should have some cake too...
Yes, those are bows. The girls have drawn some targets, attach them to the hay stack in the barn, get back, aim, and... well, you get the idea! Smile
Jul 08
Diana has a small problem... a rat-like creature, that smells like a skunk, has decided to take up residency under the deck and the aroma is seeping into the basement...
Jul 14
Diana thinks she was misunderstood. Here is a picture of the odiferous creature.
Jul 15
Jul 15
Diana wants to know: Does every "No" really have to be attached to an explanation, followed by an argument of how the answer should have been "yes"? Can't No mean just mean No because I said so, and still be No when I'm wrong?
Jul 15
Me Woman. Me drive tractor with rake. Yee-haw! Of course, we won't mention how it was only two revolutions, how I mutilated a couple corners, or the permanent finger indentations in the steering wheel... the important thing is that Mark said I did good.
Jul 17
Diana just realized anew how difficult it is to create a grocery list for someone you don't know well.... I want the yellow jar of that stuff, on the second shelf, 1/3 way down the aisle that is 20 strides from the produce section on the register side.
Jul 20
Isn't it amazing how money trickles in, but leaves in torrents?
Jul 21
la de dah de da dah... da de da de da da dah... OK, it doesn't look very musical, but...
Jul 22
Father and Son: A sweet shot just before going to a new home.
Jul 23
Mark and Adora were out in the shop welding together a special project. Mark handed Adora a piece of pipe that he was certain was NOT hot (she wasn't wearing gloves), but... he was wrong. Very wrong. And very upset for causing an injury. There is a sink in the shop, so she ran cold water on it right away, I brought out a special spray for burns, rushed her into the house, and put an ice pack on it. And, even though we alternated spraying, and putting ice on it for the next 10-12 hours, she still had terrible blisters. (These pictures were taken a few days afterwards, and healing is well underway). Even now that the blisters are gone, we still put moisturizer on multiple times a day, wrap her hand at night, and try to keep her from getting dirty - much to the dismay of Arianna, who has had to clean the barn for her sister for over a week now!
Jul 24
A new batch of kittens were born, just one day before the previous batch of kittens all found homes, but not before Nanny and Poppy had to leave again. Adora got to watch the births, and she is the photographer. Mark calls this one Jersey, but the girls call it Chip.
Moving, and now being seperated from Nanny and Poppy, sure has put a kink in our available time. It's been a couple of years now since we've had the time to use the sewing machine, but this vacation, we cleared the sewing area (it was quickly becoming a dumping ground), dusted off the machines, and got to work (actually, Nanny did most of the sewing), much to the girls' delight. Adora was in desperate need of some dresses that fit, so that is where we started. The only problem was that the largest pattern I had was a size 14 and we were fairly sure that it wouldn't fit - even though her measurements showed that it would. We made a bodice out of "junk" material to check. Sure enough, it didn't fit Adora. But, when Arianna saw the material we had used, she fell in love with it, and wanted it transformed into a sleeveless shirt for herself. Then, she informed us that it would be a "perfect" match to the skirt she wanted...
We purchased a few new patterns for Adora and made her some clothes too.
Jul 25
Valley of the Giants
Not long after the campers departed for home, Nanny and Poppy (Grandma and Grandpa) came for a nice, long, eventful visit. One of the first places we went (in between hay harvesting and other work), was the Valley of the Giants - called thus due to the giant trees (not as big around as the sequoias in CA, but up to 150 ft tall).
Before taking to the trail, we had a bite to eat.
Some parts of the trail were easier for some...
than for others...
But, all in all, we had a wonderful time.
Driftcreek Waterfall & Suspension Bridge
I am afraid of heights. Mostly, afraid of falling. The icy grip of fear squeezes my heart, making it difficult to breathe. I become dizzy and start envisioning things like... cables snapping, breaking through boards, or any number of other horrible scenarios for a perfectly sound suspension bridge... So, it took a bit of coaxing to get me to cross. It helped that I did want to see the waterfall....
Waterfall from the bridge...
Waterfall from the ground (a much nicer place to be)...
Arianna running across the bridge as if it is nothing... Mark was sure to point out that there is so much steel supporting this bridge that you could even get it swinging properly...
Poppy waited at the waterfall for us to be back on the bridge for this shot.
Last one up...
Jul 26
A visit from Nanny and Poppy is never complete without a quick trip to the ocean. The girls had wanted me to see a small tidepool, and while we were examining the creatures that dwell there, the water surrounded the rock that we were standing on. Not to worry - we were only "stranded" for a few moments.
Way back in June (so much has happened over the last month that it seems like ages ago! ), our neighbor, whose property borders the river, had some friends camp on their place. These friends have 15 children (a couple can not be classified as "children" any longer) between two families, and our neighbor just knew that the girls should be able to find someone to be friends with! So, we were all introduced, and our neighbor was right - the girls were able to make some friends.
The girls had me take them to the river every day while the campers were here. I missed some wonderful photo opps though (like the dog looking sooo cool in sunglasses!), as I left my camera behind most of the time. Sigh I really should know better by now! Regardless, I hope you enjoy the few shots that I did manage to grab.
Jul 26
Thank you all for sending your birthday wishes in one form or another... I am truly blessed.
Aug 01
Diana has lost the gift of magic, and the printer is eating paper again with a voracious appetite! And all she wants to do is curl up in bed and sleep the rest of the week...
Aug 03
Diana is making a nonsensical comment about nothing just because she can...
Aug 11
Diana is far too predictable... Today I changed up my routine a bit, and my daughter asked: Mom, why are you cleaning today? (she usually cleans on Friday); Mark asked: Did you do this, this, and this? She replied: No, I cleaned today. So, he asked: Well, did you do that and that? She replied: No, I cleaned today... I didn't do ANYTHING that anyone wanted or asked me to do...
Aug 13
Diana is thankful for another week's end. This past week has been long and hard... Mark ended up in ER on Sunday due to chest pains. We spent Monday at the clinic. And plenty of sleepless nights... I mean sleepless! The pain is still there, but the docs don't know what's wrong yet. More testing scheduled...
Aug 15
Diana just read a prayer that she would like echoed in her life: Lord If like a fragile flower Torn petal by petal My heart must continue to tear Let there by fragrance. (Ruth Harms Calkin)
Aug 19
Aack! My need-to-do list and my wish-to-do list are clashing - and even the items on the wish list are vying for supremacy today!
Aug 23
Diana spent the morning at the doctor's office watching Mark walk on a treadmill. Tortureous. The nurse turned off the machine before he fell on his face, but also before he reached his target heart rate. Apparently, nothing is wrong... must all be in his head. Now, if his throbbing head would just tell his chest to quit hurting, then maybe we could all get some rest...
Aug 26
Diana's problem is that she gets started on a project and can't seem to focus on any thing else. If she starts sewing... the sewing gets done. If she starts cleaning... the house sparkles. If she starts working on her geneology... the rest of the world ceases to exist! ;)
Aug 30
Diana went back to bed after breakfast, and the kids didn't even notice! The cat, however, thought it cruel punishment to neglect his morning snuggle time... : )
Aug 31
Diana has been mourning the death of a friendship these past several days (it was determined that the friendship was unworthy of the time and effort involved in continuing). She is continuously grateful for all of you who find the time well spent
Sep 06
Diana has become one emotional girl - there were actual tears streaming down her face during "Facing the Giants" last night!
Sep 07
Diana declared yesterday that today would be our first "official" school day for this term. Wel.... here it is 11am and we are STILL not ready to start! Guess we'll be doing afternoon classes today, as we really do need to get started on the year!
Sep 08
Bring on the day!
Sep 14
Diana feels the need to hurry up and slow down!
Sep 17
Diana knew that she'd been slacking, but didn't realize how much, until she was gathering garbage bags for her daughter to take out, and the daughter asked, "Did you get the one out of my room? I've been waiting for CENTURIES!" What was wrong with her doing it? I do not know, but Diana obviously has been slacking for a looooooong time now! : )
Sep 18
Diana is having a mid-week crisis - How can it be Wed. already?!
Sep 23
Diana 's mantra for the day: I am not behind, I am just getting started. I am not behind, I am not behind, I am not... who's kidding who? There is no way I'm getting caught up!... oh yeah, I am not behind, I am not...
Sep 30
Diana has just returned from a painfully short horseback ride - a mere 20 minutes. Her horse has an injury that she didn't notice before and her daughter's horse is lame... again. However, 20 minutes on an injured horse is better than the usual no time at all! : )
Oct 01
Diana is afraid that if she blinks, it will be morning...
Oct 09
Diana is spending the day in the bedroom... well, mostly... I am taking a break to grab a bite and write this byte ; )... Mark has a very bad migraine and hasn't been able to keep much of any thing down. He is, thankfully, sleeping for now, but I best high-tail it back to the bedroom before he awakens. Not exactly how we planned on spending the day...
Oct 10
Diana is feeling lazy, lazy, lazy.
Oct 12
What should I avoid doing next?
Oct 13
Diana plans on avoiding a midnight ride on Pegasus over the wheel of cheese tonight... opting for some sleep instead... ; )
Oct 14
When Mark and I were first married, we had a three-minute limit on a radio phone (not even rotary!), because there were no phone lines; we had composting toilets that had to be emptied once a week (more once I got pregnant, then we put in a septic...); and we didn't have a single computer (now we have four!). So much has changed!
Oct 16
The girls are playing peacably, the husband is on the phone, and the cat is sleeping on my lap. Now, if only there were someone online to chat with... ; )
Oct 17
Diana applesauce, apple butter, apple cake, apple pie, apple juice, apple crisp... apple-icious!
Oct 22
Diana is enjoying the warm vibrations filling the room of Mark practicing on the organ.
Oct 24
Diana has been provided with a critical census document to fill out, because "of your high level of political involvement and steafast commitment to the Republican Party". Wow. I haven't even voted, have never filled out a form declaring myself a republican or any thing, and I have a high level of involvement and steadfast commitment?
Oct 25
Diana has enjoyed reading everyone's status updates without comment as I am too tired to. Only two more boxes of apples to go (one a day)... My fingers are sure that I shouldn't be cutting any more - it's a good thing I've had help! ?
Oct 28
We planted corn for the first time here in Oregon. It wasn't a large crop, but it did produce more than we could eat during that short window of time between ready and over-the-hill. We use blue corn; and, since the seed is rather expensive, we save what we can't eat and allow it to dry on the cob to use as seed. The was no problem in California, since it was so hot and dry, and we had wondered how it would work here with the humidity. The corn wasn't able to dry on the stalk as the rain was coming, so the girls harvested and shucked it for me. Mark put a hook in the ceiling in front of the downstair's heat vent (the warmest, driest place around), and I loaded the drying trays with the cobs. We figured that if the corn didn't dry, then it would mold. But, we never figured it would sprout! LOL Oh well, the cows and horses will enjoy this treat for a few days, and we'll try again next year. Smile
Oct 30
Despite telling the cats that no more kittens were allowed, we have had another batch! This time, the all survived, and they are ALL calico!
And, despite Mark saying that we would never have dirty, stinking, ornery, smelly cows again... They are rather cute when they are little. And, I guess, they'll bring a profit when they are big enough to send down the road again. I am trying to have as little to do with them as possible so I don't get too attached.
The girls on the other hand have no such reservation...
Since we're on the subject of critters, here are a few more pictures:
Oct 31
This creation is what Mark and Adora were working on when Adora burned her hand so badly (she has healed well, with no scarring). Mark had seen a cart pulled by a dog in a magazine, and since Beauty loves to pull Adora on her bicycle, he showed the article to Adora, who immediately wanted one. So, Mark created a cart for her. Sorry, I still don't have pictures of the dogs actually harnessed to it.
Nov 01
Diana has been helping with barn extension construction. All 10 of the poles are set for the section we are working on.
Nov 03
Diana tried flattening her nose on her bathroom door frame last night after turning off all the lights... she has spent most of the day in bed with swollen nose and eyes as a result.
Nov 05
Diana just finished spending the better part of 4 HOURS helping her youngest daughter clean her room. You know, there is actually a FLOOR in there? And now you can even open the closet door without an avalanche! : ) There is still more to do, but she was a real trooper for sticking with it for so long!
Nov 08
Diana is still here.... somewhere. If you need her, check the barn.
Nov 19
I've been doing a little cooking (2 pecan pies, 2 pumpkin pies, 2 loaves of bread, and 2 pans of crackers... hmm, maybe I should make three of something...Smile) today in preparation of the in-laws coming to visit. Now, I should be cleaning up the mess, but the cat said that it was high time for me to have a break... who am I to argue with the cat? ; )
Nov 23
I'm thinking the "thankful" posts should continue well beyond Thanksgiving...
Nov 24
Today I am thankful for a husband who is willing to get up at 2am to pick up a horse who can't get up on it's own. Thankful too for the dog who woke us up to let us know about the problem. AND thankful for naps! : )
Nov 28
Diana is thankful for soap. Sometimes plain water is just not enough. When you add a little soap magic happens! : )
Nov 29
Diana is thankful for... floss! Can you imagine life without it?
Dec 05
The barn extension project has been completed (for now) and the horses have moved in. There is ample room for our five horses to mill about and lay down, though Gypsy still needs help sometimes getting back up - a problem that we hoped would disappear with a flooring that wasn't so slippery. Oh well. Although horses take up the majority of the space, there is also room for hay, tools, and even the tractor!
The floor and temporary walls are made from special discarded fabric from the local paper mill (thanks to all who helped us obtain it!). Now, the horse area is warmer than what they had. It's fun to watch the steam billow out when there is frost on the ground! Smile
(see photo album)
Here are some of the calves eating in the feeder that Mark constructed. He used to use open bins, but they kept getting in and standing on the hay!
This is Fawn. She is part long-horn.
The red ones are limousine - the will grow to be much, much larger than the others.
Here the girls are playing with the ice that was fished out of the
water bucket. You can see the majority of our herd of 20.
Dec 06
Diana is sad. Mark is out burying one of our little calves. The day before yesterday the girls buried a little kitten. Sad. Very sad.
Dec 12
Another little cow has died. And Mark's not home. Tears.
Dec 18
Diana is grateful that God gives us the strength to handle the trials sent our way. I spent most of the day on the phone getting advice and co-ordinating the delivery of the calf's carcass to the university for a complete necropsy. She died of severe pneumonia.
Dec 18
Diana has a cattle epidemic on her hands... 10 of 18! Three more questionables...
Dec 19
Diana now has a sick child too. She was fine four hours ago. Now, she has a fever of 102.9 I gave her some medicine and I'll check again in an hour. Guess a herd of sick cows isn't enough for me...
Dec 19
Diana's quote of the day dumped in her inbox: "Times of general calamity and confusion have ever been productive of the greatest minds. The purest ore is produced from the hottest furnace, and the brightest thunderbolt is elicited from the darkest storm." – Charles Caleb Colton
Dec 20
I know you all are praying for me, but I'd like to ask for more. BOTH my girls are feverish. I don't feel so well myself. I have asked the neighbors to call us in the morning to see how we are. I sure am missing my husband, but he's sick too.
Dec 20
Diana finds the equine custom of showing appreciation of a clean barn by immediately deficating rather annoying.
Dec 21
Diana does not want to go do chores in the rain. Don't'cha know that she is made of "sugar and spice"? If the sugar all gets washed away, that only leaves the... spice. So not nice. ; )
Dec 22
Diana is sooo thankful that Mark and his parents are here now. The girls are feeling much better too! : ) We just got the medicine for the moo-moos last night, so hopefully they'll start feeling better too! : ) Then, maybe it'll be MY turn to feel better...
Dec 24