Hay delivery

Because of the drought this summer, we needed to buy hay this fall, and lots of it. I had pre-ordered it from a friend before the price sky-rocketed. It arrived last week. Fortunately, the boys were happy to combine work with play.

Since we don't have a tractor with front-end loader, the bales of hay came off the trailer the old fashioned way - heave ho with muscle power.

There she goes! First bale down.

Once all the top bales were pushed off, the bottom row was easier to roll off the back end...

...the last two...

...then play time began for the boys.

I borrowed a hay spike to attach on the back of the tractor, so I could move one bale at a time by backing into it, lifting it, and driving it into the corral, then backing it into place before dropping it. 

The rest of these pics are of the boys jumping and having fun.

Is that a size 14 shoe coming at the photographer? 

The day started out chilly, but it didn't take long for the jackets to come off. 

I particularly enjoyed seeing the brotherly togetherness and helping of one another.

Ham or Hamlet?

Do you trust me?

Of course, I never doubted you brother.

Somebody call ESPN. Do they have a hay jumping team sport? We're ready for competition.

Leave no man behind - especially your brother.

No thistles allowed

We are proud of our Scottish blood and heritage. K7's middle name is my Mother's Highland clan name. The thistle has  been the national emblem of Scotland since the reign of King Alexander III (1249-1286). Yes, we're related to him, but no, I haven't been contacted about inheriting the crown.

Despite the royal connection with our ancient heritage, when these prickly weeds start growing in my small pastures, with our limited amount of grass, the thistles have got to go! We do not use any poisons on the Wanch, so the only way to permanently remove them is to dig them out by the roots with a shovel. You can not touch any part of them, even with leather gloves, without getting a painful "prick". 

Not the boys favorite farm chore, but they did it without any complaints, for which I am grateful. We are also grateful to have K6 return home last Sunday. He has pitched in and begun helping with farm chores.

Bedlam Game!

K7, K8, and I had the opportunity to attend last weekend's football game between OU vs OSU, the two biggest college football powers in the state of Oklahoma. They  began playing this interstate rivalry back in 1904. OU has won most of the games against OSU over the years, leading the series with 83 wins, 17 losses and 7 ties. Most people think thats too lop-sided, but since I graduated from OU, I think we let OSU win too many games - it should be 107 OU wins to 0 losses. But that's just me and all of the other OU fans.

K7 took his buddy Taylor along for the big game experience, and to check out the two god marching bands during halftime. There were over 85,000 fans in the stadium, 98% wearing OU red!

K8 enjoyed the game as well, and was dressed a little warmer than K7 and Taylor.

This was one of the most exciting games in the history of this series. OU trailed behind OSU the entire game, but scored a touch down with only 10 seconds remaining in the game to tie it up and go into overtime. 

OU won it in overtime 51 - 48, and the OU team members was all over the field waving to the fans who were all cheering wildly. Great fun after a nail-biting roller coaster ride of a game.

We attended the game as guests of my best friend Dan. We were roommates at OU back in ancient days, and OU won Bedlam all fours that we attended OU.

It was a special night. We later had dinner at Braum's (best ice cream in Oklahoma), then headed back to spend a fun evening with my Dad and oldest sister.

Brotherly love? or wrestle mania on the tramp?

The boys had an extended recess from school last week. They spent over an hour on the trampoline jumping and wrestling. Sometimes K7 had the advantage,...

...and sometimes K8 had the advantage.

"No Dad, I'm not hurting K8..."

"...am I?"

"Is recess over yet? I'm dying to get away from K7 and get back to school!"

"You're not going to buy that line are you? We're just having a good time playing make believe games!"

"Like surfing."

"Shark attack!"

Lets play OU vs BYU wrestling tournament.

Who's your big brother?

Hodgepodge pics from last week

The boys brought home a second deer of the season. Hopefully, K7 will bag one on 29 December during the end of year youth hunt. 

A view of our upper pasture - across the stream and over the hill.

This is how I spent some of my time at K7's Eagle project.

K8 joins the cavalry.

Getting rid of excess leaves.

Feeding animals in the dark the night before Thanksgiving.

Are those zombie sheep sneaking up on K7?

Our Thanksgiving grew from a very small gathering into 65 family and friends, so we moved it to the church. We set-up the tables and chairs the night before, after which K7 decided to practice his Agent Phil combat moves.

K7's Eagle Project

His project involved clearing out an upstairs jumbled storeroom at our regional theater, and building a neatly organized and permanent costume room.

He presented his detailed plan and budget request to the theater's executive board, and they approved his project unanimously.

He spent many hours planning and making arrangements. Here, he is phoning the lumberyard the day before the project day to verify they had all the material ready for delivery early next morning.

He laid on a nice sandwich lunch for his crew.

He even provided an entertaining skit during lunch.

He had quite a few friends from church and fellow scouts show up to help. Maddie is not in the photo because she had the camera and was taking most of the pictures.

He was roaming everywhere checking and supervising his crew's progress.

He was not a harsh taskmaster and everyone had fun.

He jumped in wherever needed to lend a helping hand.

After emptying the cluttered room of piles of stuff, they swept and got to work building. 

As each section of clothing racks was completed, his crew was moving costumes into their new home.

The finished project left the room looking neat, clean, and well organized.

All of these pics were taken with a good camera, except for the last one... 

...the final shot, taken with my crummy cell phone camera, of the the Theater Board rep giving her approval and thanks for a job well done. Now he has to finish his Eagle paperwork and get it turned in next week.