First picking!

The first of the garden crops have come in!!! Cucumbers, peppers, tomato's...
squash and zucchini...

and glorious green pinto beans!

Monday evening fun!!!

OK, so I'm out in the barn messing with the horses and I look over and see a 5 foot rat snake making his way across the corral. He heads to a pile of cedar posts and I go after him.... the Mrs. comes out about this time with a hoe (I use the handle end/ don't want to kill a useful snake) and we get him moving along. Then we turn around and BAM! There's a second one! This one isn't as big as the first one but the whipper-snappers thought the ol' man was pretty cool catching it.
Of course Bub had to man-up and hold the snake as well. All three of the whipper-snappers were there but you notice the smallest one is no where to be seen. She wanted nothing to do with this snake!

On to the garden. A squash plant! Sissy's amazed! Sisters just happy that snakes gone.

Things are getting bigger!

And look at that corn! Man I hope we have a bumper crop!

This week w/ clan Daniel

Thought I might let everyone get a glimpse into an average week here for clan Daniel. Outside of working our daily grind stuff, this time of year always involves heavy garden time (when the whipper-snappers schedules let us!) and ballgames. We are probably 2 to 3 weeks from eating something (besides herbs).
Corn is gonna be awesome. We've had rain the last 2 days and it is coming up like gangbusters.

Sister is playing softball for the 1st time this year and doing great. Here she's coming home!

Sister at bat. She's still a little nervous at this. She does really well in practice but gets the jitters in games.

Here Bub is playing 1st base. He moved to this position this year from catcher and really loves it. He is really coming into his own this year.

And he's batting better than ever!

Finishing the corral. Steers coming Tuesday!

Another weekend comes and goes here in the Pearl. We completed the corral for the show steers Sunday evening. The first one arrives Tuesday. The horses are fixing to lose their barn. Temporarily at least. My next project is adding on to this barn to have an area for the horses. Eventually a separate corral for them as well, but for now maybe a little break. It has turned out pretty nice I think. I guess we shall see if it holds up or not.
Jake and Trigger are really enjoying it. For some reason they have segregated the goats. Dang goats!

After we finished the corral this evening Bub decided that a ride on Babe would be a fine way to celebrate a job well done.

The Mrs. thought that seemed like a fine idea so she tried as well. If they get this calf so gentle we can ride it I'll never be able to eat it.

The little hick. Shorts and mud boots to feed horses.

A final view. We have worked hard on this. The Mrs., Bub, Papa and me. This is what the Mrs. and I have always thought we would have. A place to keep show animals for the whipper-snappers.

Finally, a sunset in the Pearl on a Sunday. God continues to Bless clan Daniel.

My Mother's Day Gift!

The Mrs. here, I decided after I received my mother's day gift that I should make my own post to show off how wonderful my family is to me! Yes, ladies hold on to yur boots, they bought me...

A TOILET!!!
I know what you may be thinking, but I was ecstatic! I have wanted a new toilet in the master bath for oh, I don't know, about eight years! That is how many years we have lived in this house! This model is the extra tall and oblong seat for added comfort, only the best for my tushy. My man is such a handy guy that he does his own handy work. He seems to really be getting into his work here, ahhhhh how sweet, he is hugging my gift.

Even the whipper snappers got involved or at least the one that thinks it's fun to work with daddy. She is still young enough to not know any better! Pleassssse don't drop that, I waited soooo long!

It seems I got my pictures out of order, but that's OK, I am new at this and I will learn. But do notice all that mess on the floor, after installation he even cleaned up! I just love him!

I had an excellent Mother's Day full of everyone waiting on me. I was served breakfast and coffee in bed. After church the Mr. grilled me one of the best New York Strip steaks I have ever eaten! Later that evening we had ice cream sundaes.

I feel extremely blessed more and more everyday by what God has given to this family of His bounty to enjoy. I am so very thankful for each member of Clan Daniel !

Another Saturday in the Pearl

We worked on the corral again this Saturday. Much progress was made as we are within a week of having the steers here. One more Saturday and it should be ready. All that's left is a bottom support similar to what's on top.
The gate went up without a hitch (after the Mrs. came and told me all I was doing wrong).

Jake and Trigger really seem to like it. Too bad they are about to lose their barn for a while.

The Mrs. worked in the garden all day. It is coming along nicely.

We'll be eating fresh veggies in no time!

67 Tomato plants !

Corn!

Peas and pinto green beans!

Our beautiful home. We are Blessed!

Monday evening in God's country

This evening God Blessed us with a nice little rain. Not enough to make a mess of anything but enough to do the garden a whole mess of good! The Mrs. and me went walking around the homestead after to check things out (and escape from the whipper-snappers) and we took some cool pics of the pretty pictures God had painted for us. Here is our humble abode with some great looking clouds moving off to the northeast. It was really pleasant and cool out after the showers passed , a nice night to take a stroll with my honey.
Look close and you will see a double rainbow. The Mrs. took this pic and made me promise not to crop it. She was "framing" it. Whatever! It was neat to see a double rainbow. Is that like getting a double helping of God's Grace?

This is the other end of the rainbow over the back pasture. That's Trigger and one of those dang goats.

A little closer of Trigger still with the rainbow. He was heading to me since I had a bucket of sweet feed with his name on it.

This is a shot of garden #1 after the rain. Looks good. I can't wait until we're eating fresh veggies. Especially tomato's. There is no better tomato than a home-grown tomato. Sounds like a song don't it?

This is garden #2. We really got to get in this one with the tiller. All this is is sweet corn, pinto beans and purple-hull peas. We decided to expand the garden this year specifically for the corn.

This is the progress we have made so far on the show barn. The 2x6's will be along the top and bottom of the cattle panels when we're done. The Mrs. had a good idea of putting cedar posts all around the outside. Not really needed but will make it look "pretty". Oh yea, more work! Anything for you sweetie.

While Trigger was eating he let me stand right next to him and he stuck his head in the bucket. Trigger was an abused horse so this is a really big step for him. I'll win him over before I'm done.

Bovine Section 8 housing moving along

A beautiful Sunday here in the Pearl. What a glorious day! We started the day as most Sundays, at church. After church it was home, choke down a bologna sandwich and back at it getting ready for show steers. Here I pose with Sister. The Mrs. was yelling at me to get out of the picture but I got in one with her. She sure is cute.
Sister is about to go feed the calf. This is what the calf eats...4 times a day. Probably another month and he should be eating all solid foods.

Before we were able to put up cattle panels I had to do some trimming on the posts. Man I love chain saws.

The Mrs. can't understand why I won't let her use the chainsaw. Because it's too much fun.

Nailing the panels to the cedar.

The Mrs. lends a hand. She is my biggest helper. Not afraid to help with anything.

Dang goats!

Bub comes out to help so I put him on poop patrol. My whipper-snappers didn't know animal husbandry would be so much work for them. City kids don't shovel poop. I think it's good for them. They disagree.

Sister posing on top of the truck. She tries to help but tuckers out pretty quick. Sissy was not with us most of the day as she was at an all night sleepover birthday party with some school friends and then had softball practice but she did get to shovel some poop when she got home. Another great day here in Gods Blessing to clan Daniel.