This is what Dad looks like after a week of "family fun" on spring break. The whole family went back to our little slice of Heaven in east Texas for the week of spring break. Everyone but Dad who had to work all week but was down both weekends. While I was there I was constantly at work but the rest of the group seemed to have a good time. I mean look at me. You can see that they work me like a dog.
A month or so before spring break a freak tornado came through and blew over lots of trees on Bakersfield. Fortunately it didn't hurt Papa's barn or my camper but we do have a lot of trees to move. We started with the pine trees that had fallen close to camp.
This will make great seasoned wood when we go back at Thanksgiving. The whipper-snappers are usually ready to lend a hand. Especially if the tractor and a chain saw are involved.
Look at Sister. She's freakishly strong.
The Mrs. can't understand why her father and I won't let her use the chainsaw. She thinks that we think a woman can't handle a chain saw or that we think it's men's work. Actually it's just to much fun to let someone else do it.
There are really huge and heavy logs here. It was a lot of work to get all this done. That's why we decided that Thanksgiving week we would appoint my new brother-in-law in charge of fire building and maintenance for the duration of the week.
Here Bub backs the tractor up to hook up the trailer. He has been driving tractors since he was 3 years old and is becoming quite good at it.
The Mrs. dog "Butch". He found a deer carcass from last season and enjoyed himself all week with it. Here he is gnawing on a deer leg (hoof attached).
As is common when we head to Bakersfield we gather around the smoker for some day long cooking. Ribs and sausage were on the menu this particular day.
As I mentioned earlier, the tornado did some serious damage. Here Papa and his friend Claude stand in the hole where the root ball was torn out.
Sister in the same hole. This was a big tree but not the biggest on the place. That one was spared thank the Good Lord.
While Papa, his buddy and the Mrs. worked on cutting firewood (I was at work this particular day) Mimi and Nannie relax in the middle of the field. Why they didn't bring rocking chairs and iced tea is beyond me. Probably didn't think about it.
The whipper-snappers loved the tree being down. Makes climbing much easier.
I told you it was a big tree. Those are 1000 lb round bales it is sitting on.
Here is a pic of root ball and all.
Mimi and Papa got a new dog. This is Paris (I know) Both my girls fell in love instantly.
Bub letting Nannie rub his head till he falls asleep. (Big Baby)
The girls and Papa riding the tractor. Sister is driving. Scare me!
I thought this was a really good pic.
Mimi and Sissy scrap booking. Are you beginning to see how much playing happens when I'm not around? This is why I look the way I do earlier in the post.
OK, Dad is back and they put me straight to work making ice cream. These people are relentless. But oh that ice cream was to die for.
Two of my beauties making ice cream. You can use your new fangled electric ice cream makers if you want, but in my opinion it's just not as good without sweat and cramping fore-arm muscles.
Look at the grunt Bub's putting on it.
The Mrs. cooked deer steak that night as well. She also spent way to much time torturing Butch. That dog could have been deep-fried after she was finished.
It started turning cold the Friday night of spring break so we moved inside the barn. When you put the doors down and turn on some propane heaters it gets toasty warm in there, right before you pass out from the carbon monoxide. (just kidding Papa)
The next night (Sat) it was really cold. I mean first day of spring in Texas and we get a norther blow through.
She's sure purty ain't she? And cooks good to boot. I'm a lucky man.
Saturday morning we played this game like a cross between Jenga and Uno. It was a lot of fun but more interesting is the fact that Sister can't touch it with her tongue in her mouth.
Papa's telling me how not to knock it over. I think I knocked it over.
Saturday night Papa had a fish fry for us. I think I am just checking out his technique.
And the fish go in.
And the onion rings. (best on Earth I promise you)
Look at those bad boys. Yes they are as good as they look. But not as brown.
I have to build a new barn for the whipper-snappers show cows so I took advantage of that tornado to get some posts and some new fence posts as well. The Mrs. and I worked all day Saturday cutting logs in the cold rain. Here Papa and I are loading them on the trailer for the ride back to the Pearl. It was cold...
...and SNOWING!!! The 2nd day of spring and it snowed in Texas. Crazy. But another wonderful week with our family.
Babe is the newest addition to the homestead. He is 2 week old bull calf who was orphaned.
His owner (above) didn't want to bottle feed him so he donated it to clan Daniel. Knowing full well my beauties would be more than happy to help out.
Sissy was so excited to start mommy-ing that bull that she forgot to put on shoes.
Wait. I forgot. The whipper-snappers never wear shoes around here.
Now we are "planning on feeding this thing out and selling it or possibly even feed it out and put it in the freezer. How do you think that's gonna work out?
He's a cute sucker though. I bet he will be real cute next to a baked potato.
Look at my girls. They are beautiful!
I am gonna be in so much trouble one of these days.
I think Sister is already in love.
The girls are gonna love this calf too much I think.
How many kids are raised like this any more? I think the whipper-snappers are getting a really neat experience that I hope they remember for the rest of their life. I hope that they can pass a love of God's creations on for many generations to come. 
Babe is the newest addition to the homestead. He is 2 week old bull calf who was orphaned.
His owner (above) didn't want to bottle feed him so he donated it to clan Daniel. Knowing full well my beauties would be more than happy to help out.
Sissy was so excited to start mommy-ing that bull that she forgot to put on shoes.
Wait. I forgot. The whipper-snappers never wear shoes around here.
Now we are "planning on feeding this thing out and selling it or possibly even feed it out and put it in the freezer. How do you think that's gonna work out?
He's a cute sucker though. I bet he will be real cute next to a baked potato.
Look at my girls. They are beautiful!
I am gonna be in so much trouble one of these days.
I think Sister is already in love.
The girls are gonna love this calf too much I think.
How many kids are raised like this any more? I think the whipper-snappers are getting a really neat experience that I hope they remember for the rest of their life. I hope that they can pass a love of God's creations on for many generations to come.
