It seemed like a good first day of school as they kids dribbled in from their activities. First JW and Jake came home at the regular time and they had full reports of how their day went. Then Sarah showed up in the barn from volleyball practice and she gave a good report, the only thing she could complain about was her locker is so far away from her classes….keep in mind there are 500 kids in this school……K-12.

When Luke got home from football practice an hour after Sarah I called him on my cell from the barn and he said he wasn’t feeling well…..too hot at football was my guess. But he said his day went well too. He’s happy because his BFF Brad, (don’t tell him I used that term!) is in almost every class.

I had a busy day at home. I ran the hedge trimmers back to the rental shop…I hate bushes that need to be shaped and trimmed! And then back home to wash the show string and back in the house for dishes, laundry and a quick nap. Then it was back to the feed store and Walmart for a couple of school necessities. Then it was pork burgers on the grill for dinner and out for chores. After chores I worked with our summer yearlings then Bobby and I delivered a bull calf to Mr. Kyser’s farm. That was a fruitful visit…I brought home one of their muskmelons…boy do they grow good melons!

I popped the popcorn and Bobby and I sat at the table filling out forms, signing papers, visiting with whatever kid came to the kitchen table while munching on popcorn.

Today I’ve got to get to my garden…the tomatoes are calling…I can here them from here!

It was a busy weekend here on the Knolltop, mostly because of the tractor show in Waldron yesterday. Luke and I took our tractors down on Saturday night. He pulled me with his tractor for two reasons. One, his tractor is faster than mine and it saves on gas! It took us an hour and 25 minutes to drive down there and what a nice evening it was to travel at 18 miles per hour.

Yesterday we were in the parade and had a great time. There were a boatload of tractors in that parade….and really there was a boatload of everything in that parade! Then we watched the antique tractor pulls all afternoon until it was time for Big Daddy and me to milk. We didn’t get to watch Luke pull, but he said he didn’t do very well anyway. As competitive as Luke is in every other part of his life when it comes to pulling his tractor, I think he just likes to participate.

Today was the first day of school and typically the only one who was really happy about returning was Sarah. She was ready to get back and see her friends. The boys would be happy to never darken the doors of another school as long as they live. Although I think deep down inside, they wanted to see their buddies too.

Over the weekend, my computer crashed….which means I lost everything…..all my writing….all my emails….all my email addresses……everything! So I want all of you to email me so I can start collecting addresses again. Just send me a quick email, so I can save your info.

Nana, Carole and Joann…this is for you especially, if you have any of my past columns that I’ve sent you….please send them back to me so at least I have those. Send everyone of them that you’ve kept, please and thank you bunches!

Now I’m headed out to work with the show string now that the clan is gone!

One more thing… please continue to pray for the lady in Kansas, she’s had bad days and good days, but isn’t improving like they thought she would. I will update you when I get them…but as of this morning she was a little better, but not as good as they’d hoped. Keep praying please!

Okay, now I’m convinced that I need to start a prayer blog…in all my spare time, that’s what I’ll do!

All you prayer warriors out there must have prayed up a storm because I just got an update on the Kansas lady and apparently she’s had a 100% turn around. This morning she is back to her old self, demanding as ever and she doesn’t even remember yesterday. So thanks to your prayers, God’s grace and modern medicine….this 90 something wonder woman is doing splendidly!

Keep praying for the other lady with back trouble. She will see a doctor today to see what the next step is.

In the mean time, I’ve been out with the kids working with the show string, I’m a complete mess and ready for a nap. We were up late last night going to a football game and then out for ice cream with some friends. WE have no business gallivanting around like until 11 pm!

The real excitement began when we got home and Jake came running downstairs screaming about the bat flying around in his bedroom! I crept upstairs, shut their bedroom door and had everybody camp out downstairs. Except JW, he was asleep during the excitement.

The funny part was when I woke up to make the coffee and Jake was laying on the floor beside my bed and when I stepped over him to open the door he jerked up and said, “Where are you going?” Feeling like I was in a western with a gun held to my back, I said, “I’m just going to make the coffee.” He handed me the Lacrosse racquet that he’d been sleeping with and said, “Here, take this, you might need it and don’t forget to shut the door behind you!”

When I came back he asked, from underneath his covers, if I had seen the bat and I confessed that I hadn’t seen a thing. He promptly shut the door behind me and fell back asleep. After the coffee and a little news, we went to the barn and left Jake and his Lacrosse racquet in charge.

As of this minute the bat is still in the bedroom…..I’m going to send JW up to get it, he has the best track record of killing bats. The other night I was awakened from a deep sleep to hear cheers….he had just killed the first bat that came to bother us in the middle of the night. Yes, as you might have guessed, we affectionately refer to JW as batman!

Okay, while I realize this is a farm blog and I should start my own prayer blog…..you all are really good a praying….so I have a couple more requests that need your attention.

One lady in Kansas in ICU with pnemonia complications needs prayer. She was doing fine, but then went downhill, she’s quite elderly.

And another lady in Michigan with back trouble who is going to see a doctor tomorrow about an on going condition.

Please pray for these two ladies. And as I’m updated, I’ll update YOU!

It was a beautiful evening for the opening football game last night. It’s too bad the ending of the game wasn’t as beautiful for our team as the weather. Luke’s team lost 31-0. What’s worse is his team is mainly made up of Freshmen who were undefeated as 8th graders last year. So these boys were a bit disillusioned when they walked off the field wondering to themselves, “What happened?”

Luke played fullback and tight end and then the third quarter he was the quarterback. He said his ankle felt fine…of course under 18 layers of tape….it couldn’t move! JW was the go to guy for me. Bobby left the barn early to work the chains for the game and JW stayed home and finished up chores so I could get to the game on time. It’s so nice to have an extra hand so I don’t have to miss out.

The kids are out working with their heifers, Luke has gone to bale hay and JW went school shopping. Today is a writing day……that’s why I’m not out helping Jake and Sarah with their heifers. Sarah has one less to work with today because Sandy, her 4-H project that was to become a cow any day now….became a cow yesterday when she delivered a bull calf. I sure was glad it was a bull since it came just four days before September 1st! Sandy is doing find….and looks good but will have a few days off from the show string workout.

And that’s what happened. JW walked in the door and immediately took the pictures to his dad and they looked them all over. Here are a few of them.

This is Brookview Brightstar Hattie. I don’t remember her story…but look at how skinny Bobby is!And this is Brookview Kit Danelle. I’ve heard this name quite a few times but if you think I remember what her story is….think again! I’m lucky that her name rings a bell. But look at those tight jeans on Bobby!This is Brookview Christopher Cheer. Her name doesn’t ring a bell, I remember nothing about her. So that means she was just an average milk cow and must not have made it to very many shows. Look at that rump…who would want to take her to the show! (Sorry Eric)This is Brookview Valiant Honey-ET. I do remember Bobby saying he really liked this heifer. And I really like the guy in the picture.And this is Knolltop Aspen Honey. Yes, her name does ring a bell, I know her personally, I even take her for walks and give her a bath….she’s Holly’s daughter! We just got our pictures back from Frank and I had to share them…I’ll share Pontoon’s picture tomorrow!

Thank you, thank you, thank you for your prayers for Sara! She emailed me this morning and said things went so well yesterday with their situation it left people scratching their heads wondering how it all happened. Well those weren’t her words, but that’s what she described! So things have calmed down a bit, but she still needs prayer. God is so good to us!

I have to comment about the wonderful breakfast I just had. After I cooked the bacon on the griddle, I poured some pecan pancakes on and they just fried up so crispy and nice. Oh my, pancakes cooked in bacon grease is so unhealthy, but oh….sooooo goooood! And wasn’t I just saying yesterday how fat I was? I guess I’d better walk more!

Okay, this is what I want to ask today. Where on this blog does it state or even slightly imply that we have an organic dairy? Do I sound like an organic producer? Do I look like an organic farmer? Do I act like one? No, I don’t think I look, act, or sound like an organic dairy farmer yet the man who hosts the farm blogs website wrote that I had an organic dairy farm. My friends….this is the perfect example of how rumors get started!

Well, I’m off to walk and then the kids and I will go work with the show string. Yesterday we had a new recruit working with the cows. One of Luke’s best buddies decided he wanted to rinse all the heifers off. So he stood there with the hose in hand while we brought him heifers. This wouldn’t be so funny if it weren’t for the fact that he’s not from a farm. In fact, he’s the local athletic director’s son and his life revolves around….what else but athletics! So to see him standing in the barnyard rinsing off the heifers was quite a sight.

Tomorrow we will head down memory lane with Bobby and Brookview Farms.

Hey everyone, Sara in Missouri needs some prayer today….actually lots of prayer. She is facing a very difficult situation and needs a miracle. I don’t want to get into details, but I’ll let you know how God answers when she let’s me know. In the meantime, please pray for her! Thanks!!!

It’s a clear cool, almost fallish day here on the Knolltop. The sun is shining and it’s only about 60 out.

I’ve finally got tomatoes! I picked a few yesterday and put some in our stir fry, along with the cauliflower I picked and some potatoes I dug. It’s so much fun to eat a dinner made almost completely of things you grew in the garden.

This morning we had a surprise in the pasture. A calf was born from a cow that wasn’t due for a few more days. She didn’t even look like she was close to calving, but she did and I don’t even know what it is yet. I’ll find out when we head out to wash and work with the show string. It’s time to get back into the groove of working with the heifers again. And this year we are taking a couple of cows to the fair as well. Sarah’s 4-H project will freshen in the beginning of September and she wants to take her in the worst way. So I said, if we take one cow we might as well take two! So we’ll have right around 9 head at the fair. Bobby says, “You’re crazy!” I say, “Why not?”

JW will be working the Agriprize sale, a Burton-Fellers sale during World Dairy Expo. Because he’ll be gone for a week, he won’t participate in the fair with the cows, he’ll have to go to school…bummer!

Well, it’s time to head out for my walk…I’ve gained weight and I don’t like it one bit! I guess that nightly bowl of ice cream is catching up with me!

Good Friday morning from the Knolltop. Bobby and Jake are off to a cow sale. Bobby wanted Jake to go in the worse way, I’m not sure why….maybe because Jake talks non-stop and if Bobby gets the least bit drowsy Jake will keep him alert. He even called from the gas station in town to see if Jake was up yet and if he wanted to go. So Jake got around in the time it takes to get from town to the farm and they are off to drive north to a sale. He’s already called twice with instructions for me.

Did anyone see the comments from Pryorvu the other day? Oh my heavens….he makes me sick! With all the canning, preserving and freezing he’s doing…and I haven’t even gotten into full harvest yet with my garden! The worst part of it is, he lives in Montana…in the hills….where they get no rain! I’m sure he irrigates his garden…..FROM A RAIN BARREL! Here we are in the midwest with lush green surroundings, plenty of water at our disposal and I can’t even come close to his pace!

And Shady Knoll: You’re welcome for the memory…I think everyone can remember that favorite rocking chair from their past.

Well, instead of school shopping today, we are going tomorrow because Sarah doesn’t have to babysit. So today I will catch up on a few things that I’ve let go and prepare for tomorrow. I’m waiting to hear from the doctor about Luke’s ankle. They thought he might have a hairline fracture, so they took more X-rays and we will know more this morning. JW called from his judging trip and he’s having a great time.

Better get to my “To do” list!