Happy Birthday Carrie!

Today our little girl turns 17. Seventeen. Wow. All growed up. Mature. Ready to move on in life. Glad to see she put a brave face on. Happy Birthday to our little Care Bear!

Frankline Dec. 2, 2011 - Dec. 15, 2011

It is with a heavy heart that today we announce the passing of a great little piggy, Frankline.

Frankline was born on Dec. 2, and came into our house on Dec. 3, after a horrific tradgedy ended the lives of her 12 siblings. Carrie was quick and eager to accept the role of mother sow, and patiently fed her every hour, day and night.

Frankline stayed in Carrie's room, and felt quite at home there. Not saying her room is a pigpen...

It is hard to express how much joy Frankline brought to our lives this past 2 weeks. We are also very proud of Carrie for the care and dedication she showed looking after Frankline.

Frankline was on her way to providing this family with an endless supply of bacon and pork chops. We are sad to see her pass. Tonight she is resting in the kitchen. Burial is set for tomorrow.

Happy Birthday Madilyn!

Guess who turned 6 today? Madilyn! Enjoy your birthday supper tonight, we all hope you had the bestest birthday!

Happy Birthday Victoria!

Today our little Vickster turned 23. And she had the pleasure (we hope) of waking up with her mother in her house. Some of us met for lunch in Fredericton yesterday, at Jack and Andy's, a bit of a celebration of Sarah's recent birthday. And Sarah stayed up with Victoria and her family. Our newly licenced driver, Carrie, is heading up to get her tomorrow. It was good to see Vic yesterday.

It was also good to see Hailey and Chloe...

We all hope you had a good day, Vicky, and enjoyed your Mother's company.

Happy Birthday Sarah!

Happy Birthday Sarah. You are now a senior, and eligible for selected discounts. Congratulations! May I come shopping with you?

It was good to have Stacy over to help celebrate her birthday with us. Here is Nanny with Carrie, and grandchild #3, 4, and 7. Kara, Bradford, and Cecily.

Thanks for bringing the cake Stacy! We thought we had found the right combination for candles, but looking at this picture now, I think we might have been short one. Don't think Sarah noticed.

All Done for this Year

We should keep a diary of important events, but why, if we can just check the blog? And when your manure pit has not grown in pace with your herd size, some dates are important. So last year we had it empty on Nov. 20th. This year it was yesterday, Nov. 30th. Hopefully that will give us an extra 10 days next spring. But we had it empty on Nov. 23, and put 9 inches since then. So if I do the math, we have 112.5 days until the pit is full again. So check back here March 22 at  noon.  At least it will be spring! Here is a pic of our washed up spreader and pump. What a beautiful morning it was today.

Everything got greased, oiled, and put away today. Except for Billy and Bobby...

Jack, at 24 hours of age

Jack must be special because he already has two blog posts. And I had two drives to Florenceville. But I'm not that special that he would open his eyes while I was there. But he IS cute!

Tanya did well, looks well, and is happy. Looking at the before and after pictures, I guess it was no big deal for her.

Sarah is enjoying helping out, she can't wait to get the kids on the bus tomorrow morning.

And the proud parents. Does Tanya actually look like she needs to stay another night in the hospital?

And Then There Were Nine

Announcing Jack Thomas ( B. Bob. or J T ). Weighing in at 7lbs. 12 oz. No pic yet, but here is one of Tanya, just an hour before.

We just happened to be in the area at the right time. Sarah was going to stay with Tanya, and look after the kids when she went in. But plans change, and Carrie and Sarah found Madilyn and Sarah in Woodstock, I got to see Tanya in a hospital gown, and tomorrow I get to go back up and see our newest grandson. It was good to hug her before she gave birth, sorry my joking caused enough pain to be asked to leave, but happy T J got there in time to do what fathers do. Congratulations to you both!

And what exactly were you doing on this ball? They were everywhere...

 Just found this pic in my inbox, what a handsome young fellow, and a proud Mom.

 Emma went off to the States to play hockey,  but Madilyn and Sarah got to show me their new home.

On a sadder note, on my drive home, I got the news that our best friends, Jim & Mary Ann, had had a loss in their family. Mary Ann's mom had passed away earlier today. So very sorry for your loss Mary Ann.

Found an envelope with some pictures today.

And it's been 10 days since my last post. I was up in the apartment, just picked up an envelope. So here we go...This is a wild one of Carrie... Maybe she'll choose this hair style for the prom this year?

Tanya is a proud Brownie...Nice glasses...

Stacy is just cute...

Jesse is too, but we know better now...

Victoria is all lady...

Another one of Carrie....

One with her big brother, and one with Kitty... Anyone remember Kitty? Stacy will...

Victoria knows how to keep her bottle close...

Tanya, I wonder if she looks as slim today, 4 days before she is due to pop out her 4th child.

Tanya and Buster, and our first pool...This is an old picture, who had them up there?

Sarah, and I with Stacy, I know they all looked alike, but I can tell them apart.

I think that was Stacy, but I know this is Tanya and Stacy, and Sarah, and Betty... Jim and Archie Taylors sister.

 

Remembrance Day 2011

Today we were able to attend Remembrance Day ceremonies in Norton. Sometimes our workload has kept us home as we thought we didn't have time, but as we get older we realize the importance of honouring the sacrifices of so many. After the service, we met Grandma at Fernhill, to lay our poppies on Grandpa's grave, and Great Grandpa's too.

This is Jessica's 2cd year coming with us, and Mariah's first. Thanks for coming girls. Carrie knows her way around Fernhill better than I do, so if anyone needs a tour?

Before I move on to yesterdays news, I'd like to share a picture of Willard, upset with me as I had shut all  the barn doors. It is raining, hard...He came right to the kitchen window...

Yesterday Carrie got her drivers license. Here she is getting her first taste of freedom. But she did find out that it costs a bit to put the gas in.

Only other news this week, is the arrival of flock number 4. When they arrived late Wednesday night, we all pitched in and got them settled into their cages.

We had several escapees, I think we found them all...

 Glad Jesse kept things straight.

Randoms...

 

We got a call from a couple that had a few alpacas. They were looking for a home for them, and wondered if we might be interested. We were, but didn't figure we had the extra room. But we knew someone that might be, Lisa. Sure enough she was. They spent a few days here while she got her barn fixed up, and then she took Molly and the little one home in her car. 

Lyle was lucky and got to stay on for a bit. Well, he thought he was lucky until he saw Brian coming towards him with a scalpel. Here he is after the procedure. 

 

One event that I failed to recognize, was the marriage of Sarah's nephew Scott, to Ariane. The wedding reception was on Thanksgiving weekend in East Bay. I took Sarah and Carrie down on the Thursday, and returned home on Friday to spend the weekend doing corn silage. Stacy and Gilbert and kids went down for the reception and  brought Sarah and Carrie home. Apparently everyone enjoyed themselves at the reception, especially Gilbert. I left the camera with Sarah to get lots of pictures, which she did, but I was hard pressed to find one of Scott and Ariane.

On October 22, I met Sheila and family to celebrate her birthday. With Peter home, it was a good time to get a family picture.

Here she is with Arla and Katelyn, and one big cake.

Lisa had promised to take me kayaking, and the next day the weather was quite nice, so we put in the Kennececasis River at Bloomfield, and paddled as far as Hampton. I thought the kayak was pretty tippy at first, but Lisa was right, I guess it was not as tippy as a canoe. You sit a lot lower in the water. We had a good time, and I'd like to do it again. Thank you Lisa.

Peter met us in Hampton, and Lisa took him out for a hour or so. 

That same evening, Peter and Grandma came over for a bonfire and I got to enjoy some of Peter's beer.

Keep in mind that these last few pictures were taken on October 23rd. This next one was taken exactly one week later. I had given the dry cows a piece of woods to go to in event of bad weather, but they decided to tear the fence down and go everywhere else. That is Jesse in the middle of the field chasing them towards the woods. We have been gradually bringing them in, there are only 5 left outside, not including Billy and Bobby. Willard is still wandering around outside too.