Just Ducky!

 

Remember Aaron's fuzzy little ducklings he got last April? They are all grown up now! Two males, two females - and one of the females even laid some eggs last fall! We have had several days of HEAVY rain this week and there is enough water in one of the ditches for them to SWIM in - they are the happiest ducks ever! I worried about them being loose with the dogs, but one of the males makes sure the dogs get no where near them!

In Memory Of . . .

 

. . . my dear Auntie Caroyln. She lost her short battle with cancer last May and is surely in a better place. My family was expecting Paul home on leave from Iraq at the time of her memorial and didn't get to go be with the family - and then Paul got hung up overseas afterall.
We will all miss Auntie Carolyn and our fun antiquing adventures and visits.

Band Concert

 

Aaron decided to try band out this year - he was hoping to play the drums or other percussion but those slots were all filled. So we came home with a trumpet. He often has a shortness of breath and even with his inhaler, can't come up with enough air to play very long parts. So, he will be switching back to choir when the new semester starts. The Holiday Concert was his second performance and he and the rest of the ensemble did an excellant job along with the High School band and the combined Jazz band.

Trans Siberian Orchestra

 

Aaron can earn extra credit in band by attending an "outside" concert, so we went to the TSO matinae yesterday afternoon. I waited too long to order tickets and had to go with the more expensive floor seats but it was worth it. The show was sold out and kudos for starting right smack on time! A bit much bass guitar but other than that it was a great show with stunning lights and special effects. Aaron was talking about "next year" before the show was even half over! Took these with my cell phone, so not alot of detail but some neat patterns to look at.

I LOVE ThRiFt StOrEs!!

 

I love to go thrift store shopping and the thrill of the hunt! Mom and dad like to go with me and Paul even spent a day following me around from store to store! Things I like to look for are books that I can donate to the library where I work or to Aaron's school, dog collars for the goats, any kind of livestock equipment, scrapbooking stuff, shoes, and anything else that catches my eye - LOL. Some of my recent finds are a pair of "maybe" used once Oster horse/goat clippers - in box with all of the extras for $10, a pair of New Balance leather shoes in "just my size" for $4.50, the biggest plastic dog kennel there is is for $30, and these adorable plates that are a)Plastic b)match my yellow kitchen and c)were BRAND NEW!! Dinner plates were $1.99 each and smaller plates .99 cents each and then I got a 10% military discount too!

Another Great Year in 4-H!

 

October begins a new 4-H year each year. I had to miss Aaron's recognition night this year - just wasn't up to it after surgery. Gem/Boise County piloted a new program last year - the "Award for Excellence" - at the beginning of the year, kids who wanted to try to win the award had to "declare" their intent - they had to decide if they wanted to compete for the Large Animal, Small Animal or Non-Animal award and which particular project they wanted to earn it for. Aaron of course chose dairy goat - which is in the large animal category. He had to then participate in Communications Rodeo (which is pretty much county demonstration day), attend a field day (he in fact attended three), and participate in a judging contest. They then factored in placings in showmanship and quality classes and I believe have a "gold" interview and "blue" project record. Well, Aaron WON the Award for Excellence in the Large Animal Division!!! He had to compete against a lot of Beef, Swine and sheep kids to win!! Then, his doe winning Best Jr. Doe in Show at the Western Idaho Fair (considered our state fair) earned him a belt buckle from Purina/Honor Show chow - we had to pay to have it engraved but it is a very nice Montana Silversmith buckle. Congrats Aaron and best of luck in 2012 as you move up the the Intermediate division and compete for the Award for Excellence in Small Animal with your Pygmy goat!!

Don't Litter - Please Spay and Neuter!

 

A mama cat showed up here in late July and had four kittens out in our hedge. Mama and one of the babies disappeared about a month ago - found the remains of the baby out in the pasture - not sure what happened to him. The three babies that are still here are wild - this little guy we can SOMETIMES get a hold of but not the other two. Now, since two people were not responsible enough to "fix" the mama cat and daddy cat, I will get to fix and feed three more barn kitties - sigh . . . Somehow these drop-offs always seem to know to head to our house - what is up with that?