Slaters' Funny Farm

Well, the weather has certainly changed today here. This morning before daylight, it was dry but cold. We have since had freezing rain, snow, sleet, and possibly even a few showers. The temperatures are now above freezing and let's hope it stays that way. I would like to go to the hospital soon to see mom. When I called to check on her earlier, the nurse said that she had set up today and walked the hall. They also said that she might move out of ICU tomorrow. That would be great news! I am proud of the progress that she is making. She is surely sore, but she has been through a major surgery. Her recovery may be going smoother than the doctors expected. This is going to be a  short post, but I have so many things to do today. I wish everyone a happy and productive day!

We'll after a high of 60 yesterday, it seems winter has returned as today brings a high of 32 and some sleet. It isn't supposed to last long but will be a nuisance. I am not a fan of winter as I have stated before and I especially donot care for the sleet and freezing rain. Mom had a preop appointment today and goes for surgery. She is anxious for it. However, her surgery is 7:30 tomorrow morning which means we have to be there at 5:30. Ugh!! Farm life means early mornings but usually not that early in the winter.  I will keep my readers informed of her progress. I'm making this short and I hope you will return tomorrow. Have a day full of sunshine.

Saturday morning is upon us and normally, I would be home for most of the day. However, due to taking the day off yesterday to be with family, I will be working some today. I really do not mind except that it just seems to throw everything off. My plans for later today are to catch up some of my online work the same as I did yesterday and then I also plan to get Christmas decorations up. Many people will be shopping today as it is Small Business Saturday, but I currently am unable to do that as I just do not have the money. I will be surprised if I am able to buy anything. I think that it is nice to honor the small businesses like this and I hope that part of the money that people spent yesterday on Black Friday will trickle into the small businesses today. For many bloggers and others that earn online, they are a small business. Maybe we should all visit just one new blog today and click on the ads there in order to help the views of that site. I hope the day brings you peace and jo...

Just like many others this week, I celebrated Thanksgiving with my family. We have discussed what we are thankful for and we have talked about the upcoming Christmas season. I have really became discouraged with Christmas as it seems that each year we are trying to outdo the year before. It also seems as though each year the money becomes harder and harder to come by although I do work outside the home. However, I know that I have many things to be thankful for and I will focus on that. I am thankful that I have family that loves me and that will allow me the time to write online and have this amazing blog. I am thankful for the fact that they do not care if I write about them. I am thankful that God has allowed us to have horses and other animals here. I am thankful that I have children that have been fairly obedient even during their teen years. I am thankful that my oldest has struggled with Lyme Disease but has not allowed it to control her life. I am thankful that my nephew an...

For several months now, I have been thinking that I might want to find a new job, but I have been praying about where I would be the best suited and I have been asking God to show me where He wants me. I feel that my heart is being led in a totally different direction that I thought it would be. I feel that God is leading me to writing more and I feel that he wants me involved with an agency that helps either homeless families and especially women or with an agency that works with abused women or even into an agency that works with sex trafficking victims. I have no idea as to how to get involved in any of those agencies and I do not know of any near me, but I would like to find a way to follow my heart and be where God can use me. Abused women are heavy on my heart as my mother was abused. I was a child that was raised in an abuse filled home and it was a sad way for any child to grow up. I think that the child truly suffers more at times that the abused. The child suffers in a sile...

Many Indianapolis, Indiana firefighters found themselves in an odd predicament last night as they were called to save over 2000 piggy's when the tractor trailer hauling them turned over along a busy interstate. Most of these men and women have never lived on a farm so knowing how to handle pigs is not one of their strong qualities. The fire departments and others that responded to the call have to be praised though as they successfully managed to get these piglets moved to the state fair grounds until another truck could be found to move them to the right destination. At least one Wayne Township firefighter does have some knowledge of these animals as he once raised pigs and possibly still does as his son shows at a nearby local fair each year. Can you imagine how surprised both the pigs, the truck driver, and the crews were when there were suddenly that many piglets to be taken care of along the interstate? I am unaware as to whether the animals were ever loose ...

My Scene Out My Front Window   Old Man Winter is seeming to poke his nose out early this year. Normally, our temperatures are around 54 degrees Fahrenheit here at this time of the year, but not this year. We are actually having an extremely cold snap and we are set to have record cold temps as they will reach temperatures that we have not seen in over 130 years. That is crazy! We already have some snow on the ground and although is not a large amount, it is enough to make travel a little tricky. It seems that people here forger each year how to drive in snow when we get out first one. I find that interesting considering we have quite a bit of snow. The above photo was taken out my front window last year during one of our large snowfalls, but as I look out this morning, it seems to look similar to this. I am thankful for the beauty that the snow here makes. With the house settled in the woods, it makes for a beautiful scene.   Not sure but I believe this is anoth...

Today the farm has been rather quiet as I have not felt well. My husband had many places to be today and my daughter worked. My nephew went with my husband and so it has just been me here most of the day. My mom even ventured out today. Of course, my Jazzy (dog) was here with me but she slept most of the day. I have felt ill all day and decided that I would just rest for the majority of the day.  I have done a little work online but for the most part of the day, it has been a quiet lazy day. I found a couple of new recipes and I was going to look on Pinterest for Halloween decorating ideas but just did not feel up to it. I need to get busy as my daughter wants to plan a party for her friends.  I have meatloaf in the oven for dinner as my daughter enjoys making it and we are having garlic mashed potatoes and some kind of veggie with it. I usually make cheese biscuits but I just don't feel up to it today.  Hope the rest of you have had a fun and exciting day!

Sunday morning is upon us! It is a cool, crisp morning with lots of sunshine here on the farm. There are many things that need to be done and I have some cooking that I would like to do. However, I really want to spend some time with my horse later today.  We got a nice load of firewood yesterday and I will want to stack some of it today as well. I am thinking I might have a nice bonfire tonight as I can sit out by the fire this evening and enjoy a little of this cool weather. I like autumn and I enjoy wearing my sweatshirts, but I also enjoy the warmer days of autumn.  The leaves will soon be changing colors and that will bring tourists to our area. We just happen to live near an area where people flock in the fall to see the leaves change colors. We will see many reds, yellows and oranges in our leaves in the next few weeks. As I look out the window, I see that many are currently changing colors now in our yard.

The weather here on the farm has turned a bit cooler and so what makes for a better dinner than a pot of beans? Yes, bean soup and cornbread is dinner for tonight. I am thinking that I might make a pumpkin pie later today as well, but I know that the beans are going to taste delicious!  My daughter and her friend and I attended a horse show today and visited with another friend of hers. The girl who was showing had several ribbons already from the show. Her horse, Whiskey is a Saddlebred and he is beautiful. He does amazing in show! However, we had to purchase hot chocolate while we there due to the cool morning. I believe the low today was 42 degrees F and the wind chill made it feel even cooler.  Autumn is upon us it feels like and we will soon be sliding around on the slick icy roads of winter, which I am not fond of. The weather can be very different here in a matter of a few hours and that makes dressing for the day a little harder.  This photo is of a bison that...

Just as football season is beginning and country music superstar, Carrie Underwood will be heard singing the football theme for many of the games she has made a big announcement. Carrie and her husband, NHL Hockey star, Mike Fisher have announced that they are expecting their first child.  Carrie was first discovered as a star on "American Idol". She was a sweet young girl from Oklahoma that had sold her horse to get to the show to audition. She rose to the top of the show and won it and was instantly a huge star. Many concerts and tours have followed as well as portraying Maria, a nun on a live episode of "The Sound of Music".  This was the first time that a live production of such a show had been done and she faired well in it.  Carrie and Mike are thrilled with the news and country fans will anxiously await the birth of this child. I am sure like many other country music moms, her career will continue without a large change.

Today is a much cooler morning on the farm than the past few days have been. It even seems that the humidity is down some from yesterday and the day before. The weather team on the local news station is saying that our high today will be 75 degrees. That is such a welcome relief from the 90's that we have been having recently.  There are many outdoor chores that need to be finished today and some I have actually been putting off until the temperatures broke. I know the grass needs mowed and that weeds need to be taken care of. However, with fall around the corner, we certainly need to be busy with preparing our wood for the winter. Many predictions of cold temperatures again this year have me concerned about making sure we have plenty of it cut and stacked for the cold and snowy mornings here on the farm.  I would also like to build a new duck pen before winter arrives and get my cute guys into a different shelter than they currently have. I want a pen large enough that I ca...

The farm is abuzz with activity today as we have several chores that need to be finished or at least worked on. We have finally almost finished the bathroom and we are currently in dire need or cleaning that mess up and finalizing the cabinet purchase so that I can put everything back in its place.  Grass needs mowed and weeds need trimmed and I have all the indoor stuff to tend to as well.  As I have been listing stuff on Amazon and Craigslist for some other friends, I have found that I also am trying to update several of my sites as well. I also have noticed that I have been fighting gnats in the house today.  I am not sure where these aggravating insects are coming from, but they really need to be eliminated from my house. I am not a fan of bugs to begin with, but these are even more annoying than some. They are small enough to be a real hindrance. They fly around my nose and eyes as I am attempting to work online. They also seem to be near any food that is out in th...

As I am up before dawn enjoying the quiet of the morning, I can say that I love mornings. However, as I let the dog out today I discovered that we received some well needed rain, but it is extremely foggy out today. It almost makes the entire property look as it if should be in a movie. The rooster is now crowing and so it must be time for all the animals to wake up. It is almost time for my nephew to wake up and prepare to go to work. He is working in the kitchen at a nearby lodge and seems to really like it. I believe that it is good for him to work. He seems to be maturing a little since he moved here. There are still things that he needs to work on. It has been a cool summer here, but it is suddenly getting hot and humid so it will be an air conditioning day later. I am enjoying the windows being opened this morning though. I hate having the house closed up for days on end as I enjoy the outdoors air. The weather has been much less humid and cooler this year than in previou...

As many of you know, my mom has been very ill in the last few months and suffered from a ruptured esophagus on May 13. She was rushed into emergency surgery and has recovered nicely from what seemed like near death. She had a wonderful surgeon, Dr, Kenneth Keslar at IU Health and thanks to him she is still with us today.  However, having thoraric surgery is not a simple thing to recover from and at her age, the dangers become even greater. She has a g tube for feeding and she has a spit fistula to allow her to eat soft foods and drink some as well as to catch the mucus that we all naturally have. This has been an adjustment for her and the family. She currently is having some problems with keeping the spit fistula on and that has made her quite angry at times. Although, she has great nurses that visit her and a home health aid, it does seem as though there are days that her spirits are low.  our journey down the path to recovery is seeming slow,but we also are very aware tha...

This is not a great photo of me, but it is showing me with my favorite pony, Miss Fancy Pants. She is a quarter pony and I love her so much! She rides wonderful and always does what you ask of her. She was my replacement after I decided to get rid of my older horse, Stormy. Stormy was getting to be unpredictable and would like to try to pin you between her and the trailer or the rail when you were trying to cinch her up to ride. She was always good on the trail, but it was so hard to get her ready and getting dangerous with the way she was acting. We made the decision to give her a new home and purchased this pony. I was not sure of whether I wanted a pony as they have a tendency to be ornery, but she was a good choice for me. Of course, Stormy was the replacement for Tyson. He was the love of my life (sorry dear husband) but he was failing in health and just was not able to recover from a stifle joint injury. He was such a sweet horse and so willing to learn and do, but he just was...

Spring that wonderful time of year when the trees and flowers begin to bloom, baby animals begin to arrive, the weather begins to warm even when the mornings may be cool. It is a beautiful time of year and as the sun is rising here on the farm at 6:30 in the morning, it seems that the days are just more beautiful now than ever before.  Most of us in the US had a long, cold, snowy winter and so it is nice to enjoy some of the warmth that we are having. As I was outside yesterday moving around, I noticed that many of our trees have cocoons in them and one tree that I can see outside the window has 7 of them in it. I also noticed yesterday that there are many small worms everywhere and I wondered what will come from the cocoons and if they are the reason we have so many worms out.  We have a few new animals on the farm. We were lucky enough to purchase a couple of new turkeys last week and we also have purchased three new Silkie chickens and 2 fan tailed pigeons. The pigeons ar...

My husband and I have a new pony to add to our farm. She is a beautiful little bay mare that is part Mustang and part Colonel Spanish Horse by what we were told. She is branded so I know that she is part Mustang. She is about 14 hands tall and a smaller build pony, but she has been mistreated in the past and she is very untrusting of new people. Someone my husband knew had the pony for his 17 year old daughter and they were moving and unable to keep her so they spread the word to their farrier and he told us about her. My husband went to get her and said the girl was very sad that she was having to get rid of her horse, so he brought her home. I had only seen her in the trailer until yesterday. I spent some time with her yesterday evening and she is a very gentle pony, but scared. She would not go into the barn when we first got there and gave her feed. However, after a little time talking to her and allowing her to see that we were not there to hurt her, she finally came to us. My hus...

The sun is up, the roosters on the farm here are crowing and it is going to be a beautiful Wednesday! My wish for each of you for the day is to enjoy the day whatever it brings to you. We need an optimistic look to the day and some days that is hard when times are hard and dark, but try thinking of ten things that you enjoy and that will usually brighten the mood. I am looking forward to today. I will be spending part of the day inside as we are going to Incredible Pizza for a home school education day. For those who do not know what Incredible Pizza is - it is a pizza buffet restaurant geared at kids and they have games, laser tag, go karts, etc. Today, there will be a room or two set up with activities for the home school kids to learn from. It is always a fun day! My daughter and I usually go, but we will be taking my niece with us today. Her and my daughter are only a year apart in age and so they always enjoy the time that they are together. I think that we will a...

Chumlee, one of the four stars of the reality show, Pawn Stars is taking to Twitter to confirm that he is not dead. Earlier in the week, it was reported that he had suffered a heart attack and passed, but he assures fans that he is alive and well. The 31 year old actor has lost weight this year and is proud of that accomplishment, but he is not dead! Like many other stars, some website posted that he had died and it instantly becomes news around the world and the world wide web and like so many other stars, he is not dead. He has for some reason became a victim of a cruel hoax and fans are relieved to know that it is a hoax. The star comes across as lazy or slow on the show, but he has thousands of fans that would be upset if this story was true. As a lifelong friend of Big Hoss, Chumlee takes a lot of heat from Rick and the Old Man on the show, but he is funny and finds love with many fans of the show. He has been with the show since its debut in 2009 and has no plans to leave th...

Chicks are here! That is the sign that we seen at Tractor Supply  yesterday when we went to stock up on food again. Each spring we anxiously await the arrival of the chickens, ducks, and other small fowl that farm stores like Tractor Supply and Rural King offer! This year I am looking for ducks, guineas and possibly turkeys. Each spring brings plenty of opportunities to move new animals onto the farm. I enjoy the babies each year and look forward to seeing them grow. We usually have chicks hatch each year and so the chicks are usually in bounty here, but we don't have the opportunity to have turkeys hatch and this is the first year that we might actually have our own guineas. Our only turkey died this past year and so the turkey is for sure on a list of must haves this year. Each spring, I go through a period of wanting plenty of small animals and some larger ones too. I personally am still wanting a zebra to add to the farm. I also am wanting to add a lamb this year. I would ...

Well, as if we are not tired of winter as it has been one of the snowiest and one of the coldest on record, we now have another winter weather alert across the Midwestern United States beginning this weekend. Forecasters are predicting snow and ice beginning this weekend and as we are still have temperatures in the single and teen digits during the night, it is bound to be nasty. We have had over 51 inches of snow here on the farm and have suffered through temperatures below zero for several days in a row, but the animals have all made it through without many problems. Our ducks and goose have even survived without too much trouble, but I am sure that they are ready to fly south. I personally, am ready to fly south too. The horses have been eating to stay warm and they have thoroughly enjoyed the barn this winter. Luckily, my husband and I prepared by purchasing extra hay last year and so we have been able to feed extra round bales and we always feed grain along with the hay. With ...

With the new year upon us, one of my resolutions was to eat healthier. I have always liked oatmeal and known that it was good for me, but just never really took the time to fix it. I have also made a commitment to add more dairy products to my diet and one of those choices was yogurt. I had tried it a few times, but never liked it and so just refused to eat it. A friend of mine had suggested that I try it as a smoothie. I did that and found that if I added fresh berries or bananas to it along with spinach and a little milk, I could eat some of it. I had these for several mornings in a row before I decided that I wanted a warmer and more filling meal for mornings that I leave home for work. I remembered that my grandmother always fixed oatmeal for us in the winter and said it would "stick to your bones". A warm and healthy option sounded like what I needed to face this cold winter that we are having. I did not want to buy the flavored packages of instant oatmeal, but I did...

As I stare out the window, I wonder just why we all complain so much about the weather. Yes, I am tired of the cold. Yes, I am tired of the snow, but I can't change it and it is the work of God, so why should I complain. He knows what is best and I don't question him on the other many things in my life that are not in my control, so why the weather? I believe that we have some beautiful weather in the other months of the year and I believe that he gives us a season for each part of our lives and so the weather is just the same. He gives us cold and snow to kill insects and germs from the air and land and we should be willing to accept it and not be upset about it. I feel that we should appreciate the beauty in each day and if that happens to be a winter wonderland, then be thankful that we have seen another snowfall. Be thankful that you are not blind and can see the beauty of the snow on the trees and the white that represents cleansing. Be thankful that  you are not paral...

As I sit here in my chair with my coffee in my hand, I am watching a beautiful sunrise and thanking God for the sun and warmth. The United States have been cold this winter in this area of the country and I know many others have as well. We have had several snows that have made travel treacherous and everywhere I go I hear someone say, " I will be glad when winter is over". I have said it myself, but I also catch myself being thankful for the warm home that I am in. Recently, my brother has been homeless. Yes, homeless is a scary word to myself and I am sure many of you reading this. He has yet to have to stay on the street , but he has struggled with where he will stay and how he will pay for another room at a local hotel. Some churches have helped and the United Way is currently helping him, but the county that he is in just is not very resourceful when it comes to those who are homeless. He is willing to work, but he has had some legal trouble in his past and that haun...

19 years ago today I married my friend and the love of my life. It was a decision that I am thankful that I made and one that I am sure stunned my friends and family. I had known this man for a few years , but we had only dated a few months. We were very different, but I just knew I wanted to marry him. Luckily after 19 years, I can say that I look forward to more with him. Have we had problems? Yes, we are different people with different views on things in life that matter a lot, but that is part of being in a relationship and it is part of learning to handle differences. We see many things in life differently, but we have learned that it is okay. I like to travel, he doesn't. I like to attend social events, he doesn't. He likes having company at our house and I only like a few people, He loves last minute Christmas shopping, I hate the crowds. He is very mechanical inclined and I am not. I attended college and he didn't. Many difference, but that is what makes each of u...

After 4 days of snow and bitter cold, we will finally get above freezing today and may finally break from this bitter cold that has griped many states in the last week. In Indiana, we are finally going to reach the freezing mark today and start a swing upward in temperatures. After the negative 14 degrees with a wind chill close to 40 below, today will feel like a heat wave. Indiana was actually colder than Alaska and Antarctica in the past week. We are used to cold, but this bitter cold really seemed to take its' toll on everyone. We are just not used to it being so bitterly cold. My daughter loves the snow, but she did not want to be out and I would not have let her out because of the danger associated with the cold. It was even miserable to go out to feed the animals without being really bundled up. Water for them was the hardest issue because the pump outside was frozen and all the water would freeze within a few minutes of filling the containers. The rabbits were the easiest...

Help! I need my blog to make me some money. I am not great at computer technology and I need someone to help me get my blog set to make money. I am a member of adsense and I have tried to make my blog better, but it seems that I am making it worse instead of  better. I hope that someone here can help me. If you know a lot about blogging and making money with it please let me know. Thanks! Do you work your blog so that it makes money or so that you just have a place to write? Mine is for both . I enjoy writing and I enjoy being here sharing stories with all of you, but I am also hoping to make some money here. I would like for this to make my car payment each month. I am hoping that someone can help.

As I sit here with my cup of hot tea, I am wondering where summer is. I know that it is about 5 months away, but I am ready for it. As it has been below zero all day and going to be near record cold overnight tonight I am daydreaming of warm sunshine, the beach and even the humidity that we complain about so much in the summer months. I do not hate winter as much as I have in the past and have actually enjoyed the snow that we have had this year,but these temperatures are just a little too much. I don't mind the snow as it is beautiful on the trees, but I hate driving in it. I am not enjoying this latest round of snow though and I am really tired of the cold. Our wood stove is going full force and yet, I am still cold. Usually, it is so warm in here that I am complaining about the heat, but that certainly is not the case tonight. Being snowed in could be fun though. I am thinking tomorrow that my daughter and I will get school work done early and then we will find time to play ...

BRR! It  is cold outside. Many parts of the United States are currently feeling the wrath of Mother Nature as there is cold and snow many places and a lot of it. Our temperatures this morning are below zero and it is just a taste of what we are going to have. Forecasters are predicting that a few days next week our temperatures will be 15 below zero with wind chills of 45 below zero and as I see it, there is no way to stay warm on days like that. I care for elderly people and I just hate seeing temperatures like this as I know that it is hard on them. I also worry that one might attempt to get outside for something and fall, which would be deadly with temperatures like that. The funny part of this weather is that my nephew is coming to visit for about a month from Florida. I warned him to bring warm clothes and be prepared for very cold weather, but I truly don't believe that he knows what he is in for. He won't be used to the heat we use (wood) and he sure won't be use...

  Out with the old and in with the new is an old saying that fits the beginning of this blog post well. I have been thinking of what I want to do with this blog and whether I want to start a new one or not and I have also been thinking about changes I want to make in my life and changes here on the farm, so I hope my readers will continue to visit here so that I can share those changes with each of you.  As I am sitting here, I am looking out the window at a beautiful blanket of snow covering the yard and trees.    Yes, it interferes with the plans I had for the day, but I am thankful that I am inside and warm. I am thankful that we have weather changes and I am thankful that I can look at it from that viewpoint. I dislike snow, but I know it has to happen and that it is a beautiful sight. God has given me the opportunity to see it so I must enjoy it. Life is too short to make complaints about it.   I have decided that I am going to start another blog that ...