Happy Birthday Emma!

Today our first grandchild, Emma turned 10. One decade old. Happy Birthday Emma!
And here she is with her cake!

 I hope she doesn't mind sharing the birth date. Emma was born at 12:07 AM, and today at 12:09 AM, Dan and Katelyn welcomed little Sophie into the world. So that makes her exactly 10 years and 2 minutes younger than Emma. Congratulations!

Happy Birthday Sarah!

Little Sarah turns the big 04 today! This picture was taken back in the winter, when we had the privilege of looking after for a few days. She always has her funny face on for a picture. She had her birthday cake last night, so I've already got a picture of her with her cake, Madilyn, and Emma.

I wonder which one had that beer can in the front of the picture? I also have a cute picture of Chloe and Hailey, reunited again. Hailey spent the last half week with Tanya and family, while Chloe was over at the IWK in Halifax again for a check. All news is positive, so that is good to hear.

Got some Manure Out

We started spreading manure today. The below average precipitation this past winter and spring may turn this crop year into a disaster, but it did allow us about a month extra storage in the pit. Jesse had been going at it since mid afternoon, and already has the pit down 2 feet.

Yesterday we finished beating the hedge back. I think we have taken 5 or 6 ft. off it since last fall. Now I hope it grows back in a little. Marty has been out grading our roads and filling in ruts. If anything will make the heavens open, that will. Every time we level out a road, it rains so hard it all washes out again.

Jesse got a cute picture yesterday. We wanted to blow out a water line with our air compressor. The closest tractor was the big one. So we have a 125 hp. tractor running a 50 kw. generator, with a little pancake air compressor plugged into it.

Vicky sent us some pictures the other day. Chloe seems to be responding positively to her treatment, and we are happy for that.

 As expected, Hailey had a second birthday party with her family. Lucky girl!

And in this picture of Hailey, I see little Sarah.

And while I was looking for a picture of Sarah, I found this picture of Jack. I could be here all night if I keep doing this. This is the first picture Tanya sent me with her new IPhone 4S. Cute, huh?

Happy Birthday Hailey!

Hailey Lynn turned 2 today. I'll remember her birthday forever because Tanya called us in South Carolina, at some ungodly hour, to announce it.

Hailey has enjoyed the past 8 days with her Aunt Tanya and cousins, and of course Uncle TJ, while Victoria and Brad were in Halifax at the IWK with her sister Chloe. So I'm thinking she is going to celebrate her birthday twice. Today in Glassville with her cousins, and tomorrow with her family at home in Fredericton. But she deserves a few extra pictures for her birthday, as she has been such a good house guest for Tanya.

Firstly, I must apologize for the laundry piled up on the couch in the background of the last picture. One would think that a woman on maternity leave, with 5 children in her care, would have her husband better trained to have the laundry done and put away. But more importantly, Chloe has seemed to have had an improvement, and we are excited about that, and we are all appreciative of Tanya and TJ for the care they have given to Hailey.

Happy Birthday Hailey!!!

Got some Cows Out

We got an early start on the spring work this year. Last weekend we put some dry cows and heifers out. Actually Jesse got 2 out when we were in Bangor, then a few on the weekend, and a few more Monday. So that means we had cows out in March. Wow. And he spent several days this week spreading ash. This is a few of the piles, we have them everywhere, about 500 tons worth, about 25 tons per pile.

Also needed to put up a picture of our new tractor. We got it just after New Years. A new 7330, to replace our old 7420. 125 HP, which is 10 more than the old one. And we added weight so it would have more traction, over 18000 lbs.

And while I was looking, I found some random pictures. George the cat, Emma playing hockey in Saint John on March break, Carrie, Mariah, and Daniela acting to fool on the icy driveway with the Gator and a tube, and Jessica checking out a picture of Silas on my phone.

Bangor

On Wednesday, Sarah and I drove down to Bangor, for her Thursday appointment at the Eastern Maine Medical Center. She is supposed to get an ultrasound of her veins every so often, to see if they are remaining open after her CCSVI procedure. We had a few extra minutes, so we went and visited with Paul Bunyon. It's been awhile, we remember visiting with him when we stopped overnight in Bangor on our honeymoon.

So we thought we had a few spare minutes. Truth was, we had that and an extra hour, as we hadn't changed the time in the car. We were plenty early for the appointment. And the good news was that her veins were still 100% open. So a nice meal was in order. And although Tanya had begged me to go to the Texas Roadhouse, Sarah chose the Longhorn Steakhouse. And supper was great! We had it all polished off before our waitress had a chance to take our picture.

On another note, we will all be thinking of, and praying for Chloe this week, and Victoria and Brad, as they head for Halifax and the IWK. Sarah, Grandma, and I went up to see them last Sunday. Chloe is one happy baby!

Good luck Chloe! And let's not forget Hailey. She is going to stay with Tanya and family for the week. Good luck Hailey!

First Bonfire of 2012!

With a few spare minutes today, we went back at trimming up the hedge. That only went as far as the last of the chainsaw gas let us go. But we did have enough trimmings to make a mighty bonfire.

So tonight we had a bonfire. Carrie is still out there with Jessica and Mariah. Also I should mention that seeing as the outside temperature almost reached 28 C today, we tried out the AC option on the heat pump. Brrr.It worked.

First Day of Spring... Geothermal Heat Pump

I must admit that I've been more than a little slack about getting some posts on here. So with the first day of spring here, I thought I had better mention our new geothermal  heat pump, that we are really happy with.

We put the loop in the week after Labour Day last September. 3000 feet of pipe, in 4 runs, so our trench was 750 feet long. Almost to the mailbox, and halfway back. They are filled with water and 25% methyl hydrate. When we tested it in January, the water coming in was 35 F., and going out was 29 F. so we were getting 6 F. out to heat the house. How you ask? Not sure, but it works. 40 cents per hour of run time, so like 4 bucks a day. Gotta love it.

Grass looks pretty green doesn't it? The heat pump sat on our back step for awhile, then in the basement for awhile, but we waited patiently, and we finally had it going on October 31. And we got the field all leveled out and ready for seeding with this years spring work. Which might be coming sooner than we think, with this warm weather.

Not so green today, huh?
The same day as we started the loop, we also joined the ranks of farmers that pay a lot of money for sawdust. After spending the summer running all over the country with our dump trailer behind the truck looking for sawdust, we paid $1500 for a tractor trailer load. And $1700 for one since then. For sawdust. Keep that in mind the next time you cut a board and sweep the sawdust into the garbage.

Leap Year Baby!! Grandchild # 10

I got a text at 3:56 this morning from Stacy, "On our way to the hospital".  Sarah and I were in Fredericton  at the NB Egg Producers Annual meetings, and due to an enjoyable open bar the evening before, I was only aroused to the text at 4:17. Too late... Her phone was off, and no news all morning; it wasn't until after 11:00 that we finally got word of the safe arrival of Silas Reid. 6 lbs. 15 oz., at 10:46. Thank you Tanya for passing the news on to us. We picked a different route home from Fredericton, and stopped to see Stacy and Silas at the Saint John Regional Hospital.

Happy Birthday Bradford!

Today grandson #1 turned 4. We went over tonight for cake, and it turned out to be quite the cake. Stacy is becoming an artist in the kitchen. Bradford was pretty excited, it was hard to get him to stay still for a picture, until the cake!

It was good to have so many of the family gather for his birthday celebration.