Slaters' Funny Farm

I pray that you all had a Merry Christmas and I wish you the best in the New Year. Christmas 2020 looked different for many families as CO-Vid 19 remains in our everyday lives and has taken so many loved ones from families this year. It seems that I am hearing of so many people testing positive in just the past few weeks. It is sad that many families are not able to be with their loved ones when they are passing from this world to their forever home.  Many family members have not seen parents, grandparents, and other relatives that are either in a nursing home or hospital struggling with the loneliness that we have all struggled with as part of the quarantine to keep ourselves safe and healthy. Many families did not get together in traditional form for the holidays due to the spike in cases recently. It makes for a very different or sad, in some cases, holiday season. Many adult children work in fields that are considered high risk positions, especially to their elderly parents. Many a

Surgery went very well with the granddoll this week and I am so blessed by those of you that remembered her and I in your prayers. I am happy to say that I believe this will be her last surgery and I am hoping we may have her last appointment with this doctor in March. Praise God for His miracles and blessings!! My update from the surgeon on Thursday was not as good as I had hoped. He said my x-rays look good, but he is very concerned that the swelling has not gone down any, but seems to keep swelling. I am keeping it elevated and iced as I can, but it just doesn't seem to be helping. I am thankful that in a week, I get to remove the bulky bandage and that I can sleep without the surgical boot on. I will need a compression tube on it during the day as well as the boot.  I can't believe Christmas is less than a week away. We are not prepared at all. I still have gifts to buy and things to do and nothing is wrapped at all. UGH! I will make it happen though- one way or another.  H

Good Sunday Morning! I pray that God has blessed each of you this week. I am considering starting a new blog where we will concentrate on God's blessings, but I might just add it to my weekly posts as I have started a social media plan for the new year. I will be here more often as well. It is going on my daily to do list! I am making some changes in my life next year and I hope that social media becomes a way to connect with many new people! Onto the news in our neck of the woods... my recovery is going well. I am sure missing being able to walk, but I know it will come soon enough. My husband and my daughters have been helpful, but no one cleans as I do or feels the need to have well balanced homemade meals as I do. My husband is a work acholic and feels that he must be in his garage from 9 a.m. till dark and that just is not a good plan with me here during the day. I am beginning to be very judgmental of him due to I stopped everything when he had surgery and he has not for me.

 I hope everyone had a very nice Thanksgiving and was able to somehow connect with their loved ones. CO-VID has made it difficult to be with family, friends, and loved ones; however, I hope that with the creativity that I often see here, you were all able to create a way to be together. I spend the day with my oldest daughter and her fiancé and his mom, dad, and grandma. I was able to talk to the rest of my family,  but most of them will be here Sunday to have dinner. I sure miss being home, but I am well taken care of here and I enjoy time with my daughter. Of course, being homesick has been an issue and I miss my granddoll so very, very much. She is literally my heart and soul!!  For those that aren't aware, I had foot surgery a couple of weeks ago and I am staying with my daughter for a couple of weeks to recover, Recovery will be a few months, but I hope to go home on Sunday after we celebrate Thanksgiving. She has limited internet and limited phone service and it makes updatin

Hello! I have been MIA again for quite awhile due to many things happening. I wanted to let everyone know that I will be having a basic reconstruction of my foot tomorrow and will be non mobile for several weeks and truly not back on my feet for several months.  It will be a welcomed surgery, but I am very nervous as the hospital just called and due to the increase in Covid cases here, there are no visitors allowed in with me. I had been told that my husband could be with me the entire time except in surgery. Now, no one. I have to be at the hospital for an hour and a half before surgery and then I will be in surgery for about 2 hours and then recovery for about an hour. Makes me extremely scared that I will be alone before surgery.  I will be posting some updates following surgery, but it may be a couple of weeks as I am going to my daughter's house to recuperate. I am going to stay with her for 2 weeks and then I will return home. I don't like that arrangement really, but fee

Good Saturday Morning! I decided that it was time that I share my news with you, my readers and friends. On Tuesday morning, I set out to deliver some Pink Zebra orders and have brunch with a friend. I expected to have a nice morning, do some work and then return home to work with my horse for a bit.  While enjoying my brunch, my husband called ( I will admit that I thought about not answering because I was with my friend). After I said hello, he said "Bridget ( our youngest daughter- the grand doll's mom) just had a baby in the toilet. Paramedics are on their way." I just set there stunned and MAD! I had questioned her about if she was pregnant and she said no multiple times, plus I did not want another grandchild as my grand doll is certainly my second half of me. I literally said, "I will be home later" and hung up! After a few minutes of a breakdown of being so mad, I could not talk or cry. I explained to my friend what happened and she was shocked, but agre

Amazing how busy life can get and you truly don't realize how much time has gone by until you look. I truly am amazed that July 15th was the last time I wrote on here. I am actually shocked that it has been that long. I love my blog family and friends and just can't imagine all of the wonderful things I have not shared with you.  The farm is going strong. We have added a few new animals since my last post. I will share them another day. Life has been crazy busy with summer being here and so many things to do around home and with the animals as well. We raised some tomatoes, potatoes and peppers this year and that was the short crop list this year as things are just to hectic at the moment.  COVID really threw a wrench into 2020, but I have started living life outside my home and have enjoyed a few camping trips as well as a vacation with my daughter and my grand doll and I must say that it was pleasant and so much fun! Oh the energy of a 5 year old!!! I also must say that I enj

I have been very silent here lately and mostly due to having to have some time to think and recollect on life. I needed some time to look at life from my own standpoint and not allow the craziness in the world to affect my thoughts, beliefs, or my attitude. 2020 has been a year that I feel like we are slowly losing who we are as human beings to things like Corona Virus, riots, protestors, racial divide and inequality, etc.  My biggest question is are we not American's and are we not all human? Are we not all governed by the same laws as well as the same flag that flies over many buildings, ball fields, and in many yards? Do we not all bleed the same color? Can we not respect that we are all a little different and that is what makes America "the melting pot" that so many of our immigrants desired and would chance a loss of life to come too in many cases?  Why do we have to be so racially divided? There are white criminals the same as black criminals, there are Asian crimin

As I sit at camp, with a gentle breeze blowing and the sun beginning to break from behind the clouds, I am reminded of all of the beauty around us. The green grass bedazzled with clover, the magnificent size of some trees, the beauty of a sunrise, the beauty of white clouds against a blue sky, even just the smell of newness the morning brings. Isn't it amazing to think that God created all of this artwork for us to see? Early mornings listening to the birds sing and chirp, squirrels scattering along the many branches of the trees, the crackle of a campfire, no traffic, no big city sounds, just nature at it's finest. How special a morning can be! Add a talk with Jesus to the mix and you have a perfect day! No riots, no protests, no murders, no bad in any way will affect the early morning here. Praise God as I truly believe we hear too much bad on the radio, television, and even this amazing net that I am writing this on.  I will have to get photos from here today and send them t

Welcome to Sunday Blessings! I would love for you to share your own blessing on your blog and link to this one, but I can never get the Mr. Linky link to put the box here for everyone to link too. I will gladly read any links that anyone shares in the comments below. Blessings come each day if we are just willing to see them. Open our eyes to the many good things that happen daily and try to allow them to override the bad. I believe many times we concentrate on the negatives in life till we can't see the blessings anymore.  These days it seems that the world has gone crazy and each day we hear more about racial divide in our country as well as the tensions in Washington, political agendas, wars, terrorism, and all the other bad in the world. The good gets overlooked, which is sad! It doesn't matter to me what race you are, what your sexual preference is or what nationality you are, there is a place on the Earth for you, God loves you, and you are a human being the same as I am!

Dec. 1, 19555 Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white man on a city bus - Her one choice began a movement, the Civil Rights Movement, which led to African American people being allowed the same freedoms as white citizens and led to Dr. Martin Luther King's famous "I Have A Dream" speech in 1963.  In the 1830's, the white man removed many American Indians from their land and moved them to land within the United States that had been identified as "Indian land". This move, known as the Trail of Tears was a forced removal of these Indians from the land that they knew as home and the trip was brutal , leaving many starving and sick along the way. Many of the Indians died before ever reaching their new home.  In 1619, a private ship brought 20 people into the United States that had been seized from a Portuguese slave ship into the Jamestown, Virginia area. These people were reportedly the first slaves in the United States, although many people slaves wer

SUNDAY BLESSINGS BY CAROL Welcome to my Sunday meme where I will share my weekly blessings from here on the farm. I have changed my photo and may continue to change it a few times before I get it just as I want it. However, I welcome you to join us and share your blessings as well.  With all the chaos that has been happening in the world that we are living in, I feel now is a perfect time to share some happiness with others. My friends and loyal readers here are welcome to share this meme as well. Let's offer the world a more peaceful and blessed day once a week.  My daughter has returned to work and my granddoll will be back with me four days a week starting Tuesday. What a blessing I hope to be for her. She struggled this past week after going home with her aunt and staying as she missed her mommy. Something that she had rarely ever said before since she was with me so much since birth while mommy worked, but Co-Vid hit and mommy was home a lot more.  I am thankful and blessed th

Hi! I am so sorry to my faithful readers that my posts have been so sporadic lately. I am so preoccupied with so many things these days- plants, flowers, weddings, the grand doll, Co-Vid, school preparations, etc. that my days never seem to be long enough.  I am currently resting from mowing and decided that while I was able to do a quick check of things that I had online for sale, I would also write a post. I miss you my friends as I have not even been able to read things these days. I just find that the computer seems to be a desk occupant these days as my life is crazy busy with all of the things that I love about the country, but that certainly take my time.  On my to do list today, I still want to be able to spend some time with my horse and I want to finish some of the yard work that I know my husband would do, but he truly doesn't have time for either. It has been a busy week with the daughter returning to work. Luckily, the grand doll wanted to go home with her aunt so I ha

Hello! My daughters and I are going to attempt to leave all of our corporate jobs and earn our own money our own way. We have decided that we will to things that we love and that can be accomplished being on our own mini farms.  Several years ago, I opened an Etsy shop, but I really haven't ever done much with it. I have decided to reopen it and attempt to do many things with it now. I will be listing and advertising quite a bit over the next few days. I am hoping that I can even list my daughter's homemade dog treats that she is making from there. If not, I will list them someplace else. There are very popular around her and I, so I know others will like them too.  Please visit my shop HERE ... Brown County Naturals will be adding many additions to it daily for the next few weeks. Thanks for your kindness!!

My Sunday blessings post today is written with a lot of pain in my heart. I have written a post as to why my heart is broken and so for this I just want to share a few photos and a Bible verse.  Thank God he is my strength today and everyday! This little lady is my blessing each day! Please share your blessings with us each Sunday! Just link up below! <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="all" href="//www.blenza.com/linkies/styles/default.css" /><script type="text/javascript" src="//www.blenza.com/linkies/loc_en.js"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="//www.blenza.com/linkies/opt_defaults.js"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="//www.blenza.com/linkies/misterlinky.js"></script><div id="preview-31May2020" style="text-align:center;border:2px solid #bbb;color:#bbb"><b>Mister Linky&#39;s M

My heart is broken for so many reasons this morning and I am finding it hard to write my thoughts down. The farm is my happy place and I am thankful to be here this morning. My safety doesn't feel threatened here and my heart feels blessed here, but still broken.  First of all, a dear family friend lost his mother last night. Please say a prayer for Marge's family. Her son and my brother were childhood friends and so her and my mom became friends as well. Later in life, ( I was 22 or 23), her son and I dated for awhile and when he left for Desert Storm, I was thankful to be able to be with him as he left and visit with her as she struggled with him leaving. Although, we did not continue dating, her son and I have remained very close friends and he has even lived with my husband and I several times where he has struggled with life. Marge and her husband allowed me to travel to North Carolina a couple of times to see him while he was in training there and they remained a close pa

Hello! Most days by work begins early and continues until around 11 p.m. I am usually up around 5:30 a.m. and I begin my day by having a cup of coffee and my devotional. I will also usually spend 30 minutes or so reading before Mr. F is up for the day as he likes to sleep till 7. I always have his coffee made before he gets up and starts his day. Call it old fashioned or crazy, but I feel it is my place to have his coffee ready. I am already up and having coffee and it is not hard to place a K Cup into the coffee maker and make a cup of coffee.  Since mornings are the only time we really have to talk to each other, this is our time to share what is planned for the day. His phone usually starts ringing by 8 a.m., so we usually chat for an hour before my work begins. First chore of the day, usually occurs around 8 a.m., as animals are wanting to know where their food is. LOL! A trip to the barn to feed horses, cows, chickens, and the pigs followed by feeding the dogs, cat, and checking o

Many of you are fully aware of the work that comes with the animals that we have and all the other aspects of living on a hobby farm, but I wanted to share some photos of the things that we have been doing while being quarantined due to Co-Vid 19.  The nice thing about living in a rural area and on this small farm is that there is plenty to do while having to stay home and plenty of land to roam around on, while being home. We have taken plenty of walks on the property and we have found many plants and other fun things while doing our walks. With the grand doll being next door, it is easy to see her and since she had been with us when things started getting bad, we continued to see her as if we had been exposed, then she had as well.  She was very proud of herself for getting these plants ready for us. Plus, she loved the wild flowers (the yellow plants) that she chose for me.  She was careful to get the seeds exactly where she wanted them. It is so exciting to see her learning while d

Mother's Day- a day to celebrate Mom! What an honor that we have a day to celebrate the woman that gave us life. I am combining my posts today to include a tribute to my mom who I am blessed to have in my life and what a better Sunday Blessing post.  Feel free to link up to my Sunday Blessing post and share your own blessings for today! Mister Linky's Magical Widgets If you are participating in Sunday Blessings , fill in the form below and press Enter. Your name:   Your URL:     Check to accept use/privacy policy (click to read) Please leave a comment after linking... Thank you! Click here for Mister Linky's name/URL cookie removal tool. Many of my readers will remember that a few years ago, my mom suffered a rare medical condition that placed her in ICU for a month and then in rehab for another month. Her life hung in the balance for a long time as she was only given a 5 % chance of surviving the surgery that she desperately needed several hours before our local hospital

Another week has passed while we are still dealing with the Co-Vid 19 virus and the many changes that it has brought into our lives. As I hear unemployment numbers and the death toll that this virus has brought with it, I am deeply saddened. I worry that we will see many more spikes in unemployment as companies begin to attempt to reopen under new guidelines as to how to operate businesses and that some will find that the guidelines are just not workable. I worry that many employers will find new ways to run their businesses with fewer employees in order to cut back on expenses and the number of people in offices and other work spaces.  What accomplishments have you made this week? I have not felt well most of the week and so I have been taking life a little easier than in the past. I have still accomplished a bit this week. Normal housework is finished and normal cooking has been done. I have also managed to keep my office space organized and I am still working on some of it. I also h

For many years, I have made annual trips to the store to purchase peat moss cups, potting soil, as well as seeds to start our garden vegetables for the season. The past couple of years, I have been a little more frugal and decided that I should share these ideas to help someone else. Recycling can save a family plenty of money and we all know that, so this is a time saver and a money saver. Depending on what the cups cost at your house and whether you use the items that I am going to tell you about will depend on if this saves your family money or not. Normally, a large part of our supplies each year are these small brown earthy type cups that are called peat moss cups. You are able to purchase them, add potting soil, and then put your seeds into them, and even add the cup to the dirt as you plant in the garden as they are decomposable.  However, I am truly not a fan of these as I think that they are such a waste of money each year. I would rather have something reusable or use somethi