Slaters' Funny Farm

I remember a little poem that my mom used to read to me that said: "Rain Rain Go Away, Come again another day, Jimmy and Joe want to play". I am sure she inserted the names but this is the perfect saying for today. Yet again, we are having rain that began yesterday morning and is continuing still. These are not just spring showers, but for periods of time, simply downpours. I don't mind spring rain and I know that the farmers need it. I am glad that we are not suffering through a drought, but it's becoming a nuisance because it is daily that we are having heavy rains. There are multiple areas of flooding regularly now and many activities are being put on hold. I know some farmers have had to replant many fields due to the heavy rains that have completely destroyed farm fields that were planted early. Those actions are only leading to less money being made and that means the difference between profit being made or just breaking even for many farmers these days. I ha...

As a mom, I can't say that I have always done what I should have in every situation. I had my moments of frustration, moments of thinking I was a failure, moments of not really wanting to be a mom. Did those moments make me a bad mom? No! Did it make me a poor example? No! Those moments were learning moments for myself and my children. That time, those short 18 years, were my time to teach my children to make choices and how those choices would have consequences. I know many parents that do not let their children make choices on their own, but we have a responsibility to teach them to make choices. If you are a Christian mother, you want your children to make Godly and wise choices. If you aren't a Christian, you still want your children to make wise choices. How can we expect them to if we don't teach them to do that? Small children can be taught to make decisions that will make choices in the future easier for them. Our failures can be lessons to them as well as their...

Hard to believe that the precious little body that I held and was totally amazed by that we had learned of only 19 hours earlier is now turning two! Yes, the child that was such a surprise still amazes me as to what she knows and can do. Now we are planning another birthday party. My princess will be the honorary guest today at her party. She loves Minnie Mouse and so that is the theme my daughter chose. After making some frantic phone calls yesterday, I was able to have a cake made by Kroger with Minnie on it. I thought the cake was ordered and found at it was not and most places wanted 48 hours to get it ready. UGH!! I did not have 48 hours. My daughter just thought that she could wait to get it until she got ice cream today. Decorations are a must at a party and so I was able to pitch in on them and found some nice centerpieces and other items that we can use for tables and for the room. I love the swirls that hang down and although I did not get Minnie Mouse, I was able to get ...

Happy Mothers' Day to all of the women in the world that enjoy this day. I realize that for some women this is not a happy day at all. Many have dealt with infertility, loss of a child, and have dealt with not being raised by a good mother. For the women that do not see this as a day of happiness, let me say I am sorry. Sorry for the loss or infertility, sorry for being raised with a mother that did not appreciate you for all that you are, and sorry that you can't enjoy such a special day of the year, as the rest of us see it. My mom lives with us and at 81 years old is still driving, taking care of herself, and very independent. She is a sweet lady, but she also can drive me to my breaking point at times. I know she has lived a very interesting life as she seems to have had a great childhood. ( Which is due to her parents being extraordinary people as I remember them) Her adult life has not been without problems but she has persevered and is enjoying life as a senior citizen...

I am heading out today, even in the rain, for a short weekend trip to Nashville, TN. I am super excited to be going with my friends. We are celebrating some of us turning 50. I don't see how that can be but they are. Nashville, TN is known for country music and we will be seeing some of that as we tour the Country Music Hall of Fame at some point during the weekend. We also plan to tour a plantation and some vineyards. It should be a fun filled weekend. You will be filled in on how it goes as I will be posting photos and details when I return home. There is lots of standing water around the farm here so I hope that the roads are fairly safe. I pray that the rain stops before we make it to our destination. I really don't want the entire weekend to be nasty. My husband will be home working so he will keep an eye on our property as I am gone. He will be watching the animals as well. I hate leaving the grandbaby even though they are no longer at home. It is nice to walk acros...

One big concern I have in the spring and summer here on the farm is the presence of ticks. For anyone that lives in the country, I am sure you are aware of just how much of a nuisance they can be. These little creatures can get on to your clothing or skin when you are outside and inch their way into your life. They become attached to the skin and can be hard to remove at times. Removal of a tick that has burrowed into your skin can be difficult because if you are not careful, you can pull the tick off, but the head will become lodged under the skin as you will just remove the body. This can be a potentially dangerous act if that tick is a deer tick and happens to carry diseases, as many do. It is very important that you completely remove the tick. You might ask why they are a big concern to me. My oldest daughter has chronic neurological Lyme disease from a tick bite. She has struggled with the illness for 9 years and will always struggle with it. The bacteria from the disease was ...