Big Wet

We had two days of steady rain last week, which caused the pond to overflow down into paddock #1. The day after this picture was taken, K8 killed a cotton mouth snake just to the left and below the black waterbubbler along the fence line. The next day, K6 killed a copperhead snake in the upper left corner of picture near the bridge across our stream.

The water flowed down and west across paddocks #2 and 3, and...

...kept going into paddock #4, creating a few new ponds. In the upper left of photo, you can see where the water from the stream overflowed and left debris along the fence line. I had K6 rake the stuff away from the fence Tuesday, and on Wednesday he burnt it with a flame-thrower. 

The day after the rain stopped, Danny was in the orchard and noticed something moving along the fence line behind the pond dam. He found fish flopping! Big ones and little ones. He came in and got the boys. They saved several adults and hundreds of babies. He put some more in his aquarium. We will have to rig a net across the pond's overflow sluiceway to avoid this in future.

Planting trees

Digging in Ozark soil is not easy. After a few minutes with a shovel, you soon need a pick, and then a giant digging bar.

K8 had a task to get a hole ready.

K8 is admiring a quartz rock he split while digging this hole for a pecan tree.

K7 and I thought he had a great location because the dirt was rich looking and came out in easy shovelfuls...at first.

Then he had to use the pick, and finally the digging bar. He hit a solid layer of rock. Several of us took turns and eventually broke it into smaller pieces and got it out.

Equal opportunity digging.

Our bees are out and about. We will get a new bee nuc in mid-April to re-colonize our 2nd hive. 

Basement apartment is progressing

The plumbers came last week and ran water lines in the new bathroom.

The shower & tub are ready.

The toilet and vanity sink are ready.

The electrician came this week and totally wired the bedroom, bathroom, storage hallway, and the mechanical room with outlets and switches.

This is the bathroom ceiling light fixture and the exhaust fan box. He returned yesterday and ran the exhaust vent line to the outside. Now we need to drywall and build shelves in the storage hallway.

Woods, boys, and matches...

Our first small steps toward opening up the heavily wooded hillside. Cutting and...

...burning the under growth. Normally the month of March is still cold and dry - the perfect time to burn. But this Spring is warm and wet. The vines and trees are greening too soon, so we had to get out there and try.

Had a little success.

Looked cool! Eventually burned itself out.

Earlier in the day I had K6 and K8 use a friend's gas log splitter on a bunch of logs that K2 had cut up during Christmas time. This week K6 will be using our heavy duty weed-eater with a saw blade to clear all the thorny brush you see behind him on either side of the road. 

Wanch Barber Shop

The boys love it when their sister, K4, comes for a visit. One reason is her free haircuts.

Doesn't K8 look happy? 

Or does he look like another "H" word - a ham?

Either way, she does a great job, and he looks like a new man. K6 also got a trim, but K7 missed his appointment because he goes to bed early every night in order to get up at 5 A.M. for Seminary class. His sister K5 is coming this weekend...maybe she will want to experiment with the scissors?

Sold our little red heifer

Darlin's beautiful little heifer was sold in February. The boys had started calling her Little Darling.

A sweet cow. We'll miss her.

But she gave me an idea. Maybe I should be breeding Jersey/Dexter-cross heifers to sell as family milk cows? 

Fish Pond

K4 visited us last week with her 4 children and her youngest sister-in-law. Dan showed them his fishing cast net technique. The weather was in the 70's most days.

He pulled out Hybrid Bluegill Perch and Black Crappie of various sizes, but these two were the biggest. We stocked the pond only last April, so give 'em another year before they reach good eating size. He added a few small ones to his aquarium.

We have several good sized frogs in the pond, so we'll add frog legs to the menu as well. Yummy. Dan also added some bull frog tadpoles to the aquarium.

Bass Pro Shop

Most of the family visited the Head Quarters of Bass Pro Shop yesterday. Located about an hour from the farm, this place has so much cool stuff, like this big alligator!

This entire wing is just boats and fishing gear.

There are several giant aquariums filled with big fish, like this alligator gar.

KT holding her nephew Joseph.

Big bear.

Big wolf.

Big pregnant woman talking to the Momma bear.

Basement project

K2 got all the walls framed in the basement apartment before heading back to school. The real test was when K6 and Dan moved the tub/shower unit into the bathroom.

Did K2 get his measurements correct? Will it fit?

Perfect fit! After seeing if he would fit in the tub, Dan got all the headers installed over the various doorways last week. Then he and Jayson got the ceiling framed two days ago on Thursday. Now we are waiting for the plumbers to come and run the water lines. Making progress.

Boy Scouts hit the trail

Our Scout Troop headed out yesterday to hike and camp on a 10 mile stretch of the Ozark Trail. Temperature was in the 20's last night. This is the parking lot at trail's end today. 

This is the bear warning sign.

Where is everybody?

Here they come, or at least the first of four batches. K7 always carries 2 sleeping pads because he likes his comfort when sleeping.

23 Scouts and adults had a great time. K8 is the tiny guy directly beneath the sign. He wanted a nap, and K7 wanted a snack.

Load 'em up.

They will do this several times this year.

Staying Busy

Working in the Park.

Bringing in the hay

Mom getting her garden ready

Ensuring the raised garden beds are weed-free

Spreading more wood mulch over the garden

Our 2 big dogs

K6 moving another pile of firewood

Happy ducks

Waiting for the pastures to turn green

Did someone say, "Squirrel?"

Time to "band" the baby rams

It's never too early in the season to sight-in the rifles