Baby is gone

Baby, the little chick that hatched out here last month, is gone. I did not find her body. She disappeared yesterday, and I hoped I would find her roosting in the woods this morning, but there is no sign of her.  I suppose a hawk got her.

I am sad.

Cow play

Diana, one of our shareholder/milkers, took a couple of pictures tonight.  The cows always get a little frisky when the weather begins to cool down, and two of the girls were having fun today "fighting," then licking one another.

Diana writes:  "I took a few pictures of Delaney and Lucky with my cell phone tonight while I was milking. . . . I thought you might enjoy them.  While waiting for the other cows to catch up, Lucky went up to Delaney, and Delaney started licking Lucky's face.  Lucky tolerated this for a while, then wanted to butt heads and chased Delaney around.  They alternated grooming with "fighting" several times.  They were pretty funny to watch..."

Delaney and Lucky

Delaney and Lucky

The River House

Okay, I promised some pics.  I finally got them uploaded to my desktop from my cell phone.  There has to be an easier way than how I do it.  I can probably just beam them over.  But anyway, it is done.  You will see why I can leave the farm.  This little jewel has it all - location, location, location.

Tell me what you think.  :)

Street view - I want to add an atrium to this side.

It's in sore need of some landscaping, but I will enjoy doing that.  The foundation plantings can be salvaged.  I will be bringing armloads of blooming mums to put out here just as soon as we close. Front steps need some work, too.  Not much curb appeal, which is why this gem was probably sitting on the market for so long.

Nice hardwood floors throughout the house

I even like the color of the walls.  I'll repaint, but probably keep the green in the main living area.  I am hoping I can get my hide-a-bed into one of the small bedrooms upstairs, will make it into a library and a place for guests to sleep.
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The view to the river - who could ask for anything more?

Back of house, going to river

The walkout has plenty of room for my soap and lotion operation, plus a laundry room.  My friend Stan and I are going to do a layout, then I can see how much of my furniture will fit, how much has to go.  I have already sold some stuff, and my big huge glass dining room table has to go.  That's okay.  I have my mom's gate-leg table sitting in my family room now, and I can hardly wait to set that up in the dining room.  Will need to find some chairs, though.  That will be fun.  Maybe attend some estate sales?  I'll have a little more time once the farm duties are gone.

The shoreline

Needs some weeding, but this is a sand beach, and the river bottom is quite nice here, not at all mucky.  Once the farm is sold, I will be putting in a dock and getting a small pontoon boat.  Oh, joy!!  I used to live on a lake, and I am really looking forward to living here.  

Why I have been silent lately . . .

My farm is for sale.  It has been very difficult for me.  I've looked at other places, looked at lake homes in Michigan, driven by homes in nice neighborhoods in South Bend and Mishawaka, found a river home in Mishawaka that I liked, but just couldn't wrap my mind around it.  I walk around here, have been nearly in tears thinking, "I don't want to leave this."  And yet my body is telling me I have to.  I have fallen three times on my new knee, and it is swollen and painful.  I have a torn rotator cuff that needs to be repaired, but there is no way I can do that with the garden to take care of.  The shoulder causes me a great deal of pain, but the recovery from surgery is difficult, and it just won't work so long as I am here dealing with escaping cows, chickens and rows of potatoes to dig.

I have been moaning and groaning to my friends that I missed a great deal - I should have just cashed in my IRA to buy the little house on the river.  My friend Phyllis, who I suspicion was getting tired of me moaning, finally insisted that something better would come along.  I kid you not, within two weeks of her telling me that, I found another house on the river, one I like better, a yard that is nearly a half acre, with a gentle sloping lawn all the way to the sand beach at the river's edge. 

We are set to close on October 12.  It will be a bit of a stretch for me financially until this place sells, but I will work around it.  Also, the river house needs some work, and I am busy with contractors and work plans.  Hence, my already busy days are now packed with even more tasks. 

Now, it is not that I am looking forward to leaving here, but that I am looking forward to my new home!  I like the layout of the house.  I'm already dreaming of putting an atrium on the south side as soon as the farm sells, and adding a dock on the river, with of course a pontoon boat!

So right now, garden is in full swing, the pullets have started laying, I'm cranking up inventory in the soap room for the holidays, AND I am making drawings and work lists and scheduling contractors to give me quotes.  When I find a minute, I will keep you posted of my progress.  Pictures will be coming soon.