October has been a month of lots of company and we love it. It also keeps us busy....but we have still been able to accomplish a lot of things......many of them thanks to the company.
We now have a garage door in the big barn - which houses
Garys' work shop. So he figures he won't have to shovel snow out of the barn now when the wind howls. We had about 3 men out in Michigan looking for a used door for us. The opening was 16 x 14 ---- however, that was a hard size to find....so Gary went with a 12 x 14 and put a service entrance in the extra space. My sister Linda and her husband Dave brought it out for us and then left with another old truck. It was a win / win situation. :)
Right now we have two young men from our
Overisel Reformed Church - Ross and Lee - out for a Prairie Dog / Pheasant Hunting Trip. They are having a blast - literally :) !!! And the area is minus a BUNCH of prairie dogs!! They have seen several coyotes but haven't connected with one yet.
For a while we were concerned that our dog, Toby, was gun shy. But that's no longer the case. He just has to work through some things I guess. For his first season he's doing pretty good. And anyway --- we are really enjoying being able to have a dog that doesn't have to be in a pen or tied up all the time!!! He roams here free and stays close to home.
Our garden was totally put to rest today. We pulled all of the old tomato plants and vines and leftover zucchini (cow killer size - as Hazel puts it) ......put it all on a pile - covered it with a tarp and hopefully it will be "mulch" by spring.
It's interesting how the pheasant arrive just before hunting season -- where were they all before that???? And the deer are also arriving -- where were they????? We didn't see them most of the summer. Now we see lots of bucks ....so excitement is rising. We have had a wonderful fall ---- such beautiful weather. I suppose it will end suddenly and we will be shivering in the cold. But for now we are totally enjoying the days.
Release Time continues --- seems to be at a fast pace. It seems to be coming easier for us....but if anyone has some "tips" for handling K-2 -- we would greatly appreciate it!! They are the ones that are the most ?? stressful. And, of course, the group that WERE our best singers last year are now that much older and singing is embarrassing to them and they fear looking stupid to their peers.......
ssssooooo...
Our time with the
JDC kids continues. We were asked by one of the guards if our church would be interested in putting together a Halloween Party for the kids. We asked --- and yes - we had enough people interested in helping. So we have the plans in the making. I think we will have a lot of fun and the guards are willing to help us in any way we need....."just let us know what we can do". How I wish we could take pictures.....but that's out!!
Well, I have visitors that I have to put a meal on for......so on to the potatoes!!! We are having pheasant tonight......
God Bless and Thank you for your interest and your prayers!!
Gary and Barb
A dog box for Don Schellhaus..........
Our friends Sally Kreuze and Carla Kraker----- their husbands are working on the garage door. But they really came to hunt - and they did :)
We don't think Toby really likes to ride on the quad.....rather bumpy and the box doesn't fit him --- he grew too big!!!!
Ross Nagelkirk and Lee Lubbers. Boy Oh Boy! They are doing a number on those prairie dogs!!
Some of the 7th and 8th Graders.....missing Jasper.
And this isn't all of the 5th and 6th graders.....don't remember the reason why they weren't there. Could have been sport physicals.
These are the 3rd and 4th graders......the best singers this year.....are they cute or what!?!?!?!?
Dale and Barb Becksford came with their John Deere Gator - boy did we have fun. Went and explored a HUGE pasture out in the canyons.....had a picnic lunch by a pretty lake too :)
This cat is awesome...goes down the ladder NO PROBLEM!!
Linda and Dave with another old truck from the prairies.
And, of course, pictures from South Dakota wouldn't be complete without a gorgeous sunset!!!