Makin' Memories

     Well, the weather was so PERFECT this past week-end, we went out to the farm on Saturday AND again on Sunday. Saturday, it was just Sheri and her boys, Craig and his kids, and me. Alicia had gone to Philadelphia (PA) for a long overdue visit with her family. She gets so homesick sometimes being so far away. She had a wonderful time. I know she missed the kids, and I know they missed her. But it was probably good for all of them.

     We didn't plan to cook or do anything too "strenuous." We just wanted to BE there.  After Russell died, I really had no interest in even going out there. I was so afraid it would remind me too much of him. I know it was over a year before I finally went out there. What I found was that, yes, it did make me miss him more. And yet I could feel his presence there and have every time I've been there since. Does that sound weird? Even though it makes me sad thinking about how much he is missing with his grandchildren, especially at his farm, I think that he knows how much they are now enjoying it now. That is his legacy to them. I just wish he could enjoy it with them. Maybe in some way he is. Hope so!

     Last week-end, we sat, watched the scenery, and just enjoyed the outdoors. Craig played football with the boys. The most exciting thing was finding that some of our trees had already started dropping pecans. We picked about 3 or 4 pounds in about 30 minutes. The kids really enjoy picking pecans--which is a good thing 'cause that's "cheap" labor.

     I had planned to go back on Sunday to check the other trees. Landon, Luke, and I were the only ones who went on Sunday. We had so much fun. I had given each family a trail camera this past Christmas and Landon has had his set up for quite a while. On Friday, he brought the memory stick home and we looked at his pictures. He had a total of 795 pictures, and lots of pictures of deer. I am inserting a couple here. Craig got his set up on Saturday also. Landon and Luke wanted to plant some feed in the areas in front of each camera and do some other "hunting" thing to attract deer so we can get more pictures. It's so much fun to catch them on camera! Landon said he could tell there were already new pictures on both cameras!

It's so much fun viewing these pictures!

Isn't this a pretty picture!

This 10-point was the biggest we saw.

The camera caught Landon "baiting" with whatever!!

     

"Brother bonding" at the farm

  Landon and Luke and I also "explored" the orchard and inventoried the pecans, so to speak. I was not sure how many trees we had and I get a call every year from the Agriculture Department wanting information about our harvest, how many pounds we harvested, how many trees, how many pecan varieties, etc. I just gave them guesses. This year I will provide accurate information.

They counted trees for me.

Bags labeled "Row 1 Tr. 1", etc.

     I had always said I thought we had about 20 trees. Well, we counted 33 trees. We only had time to pick the pecans that had fallen from 14 of the trees in the pasture that the horses were not in that day. We will pick from the other trees next time. I had brought some small lunch bags and I labeled each one, for example, "Row 3, Tree 4" and we put the pecans from each tree in its respective bag. It looks as though we have at least 3, maybe even 4, varieties on that side of the orchard alone. I want to find out exactly what varieties we have. Some trees are producing more than others, and I think some of them may just be a little later producing. I think it is really still a bit early for picking the pecans, but I want to go back as often as possible so we can get as many as we can and try to get some money from the sales to continue maintaining the farm.

     I am late with this blog because I got really sick on Tuesday afternoon. I started with a sore throat and it just got worse quickly from there. It developed into a terrible sinus condition. My whole face ached, even my teeth! Then later that night I developed flu-like symptoms. Anyway, long story short, the boys and I had planned to go to the farm Tuesday afternoon after school but my getting sick axed that. I went to doctor, got two shots (it's not flu; just serious sinus problems!), came home and slept for 3 hours. Feel so much better today. I guess the only reason I'm even talking about this is that I think all the time how perfect our lives would be if Russell were still here. There would be two of us keeping Anna and Megan, so we wouldn't be so tied down. One of us could take Megan outside while the other watched Anna, same with taking kids to farm, or anything else. It's what we worked for all our lives and it really would have been perfect! Sometimes I feel I'm being bitter about it; but "single grandparenting" can sometimes be difficult.

     Don't get me wrong. I wouldn't change anything for the world--at least anything that I COULD change. So to end this blog, I have to share with you one of Megan's "performances." She was cutting up one day while her Mom was in Philadelphia so I videotaped her and e-mailed it to her Mom and her "Meemee" in Philadelphia. Megan keeps me grounded, and I'm so grateful to have her in my life. I love ALL my grandchildren, but Megan has filled a void. I hope you enjoy these short videos as much as I did. The second one is even shorter than the first one; she was standing on a stool in the first one and almost fell. I made her get down and she had to "finish" her routine! She is such a ham!!!

     Can't wait til next week's blog!! Thanks so much for reading!!