Stacy is "Queen of the Furrow"

Stacy plowed in this years New Brunswick Provincial Plowing Competition, and did very well. So well, that she won Queen of the Furrow. Congratulations, Stacy!

I have to admit, that looks pretty straight.

And here is the crown. Will she wear it while grading eggs?

Saint John's "Marathon by the Sea"

Today we rushed through morning chores and headed in to Saint John to try and catch Tanya cross the finish line in the half marathon. She did it in 1:52 in Halifax, and we arrived at 1:53. But she found it a little more hilly than Halifax, so we were in luck, and made it just a few minutes before she landed in.
Congratulations Tanya! A time of 2:00:42 and in the top half.

After the run, the kids all went swimming at the Delta, where Tanya had stayed overnight. Then we took Carrie and Melissa to see the Reversing Falls.

Emma is staying with us for the week. She was quick to hop on the Gator and take everyone for a ride.

First school dance this past week. Garrett was chauffeur.

This week, Jesse and I finished up 3rd cut, did one more load of hay, had another excellent herd health visit with the vet, and started putting machinery away for the year. And I was told in no uncertain terms, that I should give this fellow, and his buddies, more pasture, or I might get poked. So I did.

And this picture is a week old. The week before last, Tanya went to Portage in Manitoba, to the McCain plant for work. Sarah and her sister, Ba Ba went up and looked after the kids all week. Tanya got the girls some new hats while she was there.

Hampton 5 Miler

I found some pictures on the Hampton River Runners website.
Here is Jesse & Sheila.

Jesse is looking like he is hurting. Maybe he is only Superman on a bicycle?

But a sprint to the finish, and he actually beat this fellow by 4 seconds, good going, Jesse!

And Grandma leisurely strode in, to be first in her age class...Grandpa would have been proud!

Melissa & Carrie

Yesterday we picked up Melissa at the airport in Saint John. She will be here for 3 months, and then at the end of January, Carrie will be going to live with her for 3 months. After chores last night, we enjoyed a bonfire.
A few more stories about our Quebec trip. When driving north from New Brunswick, I am always excited to see the St. Lawrence River after we pass Riviere de Loup. This time it was quite foggy, so it didn't make the same impression. But Sarah was still excited when she pointed out to Carrie and Beth..."Look at the snow on the mountain!!" I must have had the air conditioner on too cold, as it was 27 C outside, or she was missing her glasses...
We won't even mention how excited she got when she saw a milk truck...
But I might let on how embarrassed we all got when she ordered milk from the french waitress...she started milking a cow and yelling MOO!!!...yikes


But the best...
We were driving along Rte 185 in some road construction area, the traffic was at a crawl, cars bumper to bumper and workmen all around. So in an effort to embarrass Carrie, I put all the windows down, opened the sunroof, and cranked up the Bluegrass on the satellite radio. She hid under her pillow until we cleared the construction, and then all of a sudden we were going quite fast again. Now. how was I to know that she had a box of pads and panty liners with her in the back seat. As we reached highway speed again, the cover of the box flew off and out the window, there was a whirlwind of pads and panty liners in the car, and then they followed the cover of the box out the window. All I remember, before I couldn't see a thing due to tears of laughter , was the fellow behind me with his windshield wipers on...We found one panty liner...

Anyways, Good Luck to Melissa tomorrow at school, she has already fit in well here.
And Congratulations to Jesse, he ran the 5 miler in Hampton today(ya, go figure), and finished ahead of both Sheila and Grandma. His goal was to beat his 81 year old grandmother, but he was really impressed(and still bewildered) that he beat Sheila.
Oh, so much to post...I mustn't forget that Sarah and her sister BaBa are at Tanya's, looking after the little darlings, while Tanya travels to Manitoba for the week, to examine the McCain plant in Portage la Praire, with the thermal imaging camera. I think she might need that camera to check out her own place when she gets back...

Back to School...Just Carrie...

Here is our annual picture of our kids heading back to school...pout, it is just Carrie, as it has been fo the last 4 years.

Condolences to the Neill family, on the passing of Lloyd...

Done Haying

Hey, it's September 11th and we are finally finished haying. Wow...When was it last year? July 19th last year...check the blog. Here is a picture of the last bale going up the elevator into the mow.

And here is a pic of Jesse building one of our last loads, (Peter asked for this) and one of me trying to hit him with a bale.(and drive and photograph all at the same time)


Yesterday we had the chicken barn inspector in and got a score of 95% which was good I think. Today I saw an ad in the paper for the second issuing of new entrant quota. It brought back memories of when we first saw that ad, in the spring of '07, and the process we went through to get started as egg producers. Tanya was on the phone with Jesse when I read it, so I immediately grabbed the phone and informed her. She is filling out her application forthwith.
I found some pictures on my phone that I took at Mike's, for some reason I couldn't get them until I turned my phone off and then on again. Carrie & Beth were out in the paddle boat, and were coming in for a rest, (any one that has ever used a paddle boat will understand what an effort this is) when Mike & I arrived at the dock. I suggested they go back out so we could get a few pictures. Like fools they did, so Mike & I had fun trying to swamp them with his boat.

Our next stop was Jim & Mary Ann's in Ottawa to celebrate Mary Ann's 50th birthday. Our first clue that we were in the right place were the grey balloons...never seen grey balloons before.

Here is a pic of all of us enjoying a great meal on Friday night. Jim, Mary Ann, David, Chris & Emily, Lorna (Mary Ann's sister), Carrie, Sarah & I.

And party day...And the morning after before we left...

After we left, we headed for a visit with Carrie's Quebec exchange student.


We had a great visit with Melissa and her family, and were happy to find out that there is a dairy farm in the family that Carrie will be able to work on when she feels the need.

Costco

Yesterday we stopped at Costco in Quebec..gotta love it...

Mike's

We had a great day with Mike. Mike had the proper idea, and strapped a beer cooler to the catamaran.
Then Carrie, Beth, Mike, Kendra (Mike's neice), and I all boarded the 3 person catamaran.

But you know what happens when you mix beer and an overloaded sailboat and a good wind...

So after we got that all sorted out, we went tubing.

And Mike wasn't satisfied until he lost us both. Fun times!!

Road Trip

Today Sarah, Carrie, Beth and I left for Ottawa, we didn't leave early, and only came as far as Quebec City today. One exciting point of our trip was passing and waving at Tanya at km. 178 on the highway near Woodstock.

We stopped and visited the park at Les Chutes de la Chaudiere.

And tested Sarah's endurance. I carried the cane for her...


Sarah, Carrie, Beth, and I enjoyed the bridge.


Tomorrow...Mike's.