July 2008 Trip to Chicago: Day Three

On Saturday, Jes was off work and we all went to the City on the train.

Claire was excited to take her very first train ride and bus ride! Below are the revolving doors at Ogilvie Station on Madison.
We walked to Millennium Park and saw the "Bean".

Here's ClaireAnna playing in the face fountian. These faces change and then spit water out. It's weird.
We stopped in front of the Art Museum but didn't go in. We walked to the Shedd Aquarium. This shot below is just outside the Shedd.

Beluga WhalesThis is inside the oceanarium, looking out across the dolphin pool, through the window at the lake. Our favorite things at the Shedd were the dolphin show and the sea dragons - very elaborate sea horses - crazy looking animals! After the Shedd, we walked to the Field Museum.

Looking out at the city standing on the steps of the Field Museum.

After the museum, we took a bus back to Olgilvie and then a taxi to Ed Debevics. For those who don't know, Ed's is a 50's type diner where the waiters are rude to you and dress up and act crazy. Every so often, they jump up on the counters to dance. Here's a shot of some of the wait staff dancing to YMCA.

Yummy! Cheeseburgers and Chocolate Shakes!

( Jes got a quesadia??)

The train ride home with an Ed Debevic's hat on.

We got home late, close to 10:00 Pm. What a fun day!

July 2008 Trip to Chicago: Day Two

On Friday, the girls and I slept in a bit and then went to Congo River, an adventure miniature golf course we used to go to. Claire had been there as a toddler, but didn't remember it, so she was very excited. Mom won the game!

From there, we stopped by Temple Baptist Church to chat with my home girl, Judy. ( She works there) We went to her house to say hi to her youngest son, Caleb, and meet her new dogs, three giant Golden Retrievers! We hurried up to meet my sister, Laura and her oldest son, Nathan, at Cousins and had yummy turkey bacon subs. Then the five of us drove the the lake front and let Claire play at the park and in the water a bit. We stopped by Laura's house to see her dogs and new kittens and then headed back to Jes's for Pizza and games.

July 2008 Trip to Chicago: Day One

The girls and I were finally able to take a trip home for the first time in over 4 years. We had a wonderful time and were excited to see Jes. We left on Wednesday, July 23 and drove straight through, about 12 hours, arriving at Jes's new apartment about 10:00PM.

On Thursday, we went to Baxter to have lunch with Jes and my mom and sister ( who both also work at Baxter)

This is the building Jes works in.

Jes was pretty mad at me for taking this picture of her at her work station. She'll get over it. After lunch, the girls and I drove all over Kenosha County, taking pictures of every home Ted and I shared during our 20 years of marriage while living there. I just had to see them all for probably the last time and get a pictorial record of them. ( See future post) It was fun for me but a little boring for the girls.

We had dinner at the China House, a sort of fast food Chinese place we used to frequent. They have the best Egg Fu Young in the world and Kate and I had fun tasting it again. Yummy!

We also stopped by Pfanstiehl to get a picture. This is where Ted spent 18 years of his life and the source of the money we used to buy the farm. Hence "Harmon PFarms" The PF is a tribute to the years of blood, sweat and tears that were spilled in order for us to be farmers!
Thanks Hon!

Later that night, we all went to one of my favorite places on Earth. Tinseltown! I LOVE this place! I LOVE going out to the movies, the popcorn and soda, the reclining chairs, the colorful decor! I just LOVE it all. This night we saw Dark Night and Grama B. met us there and took ClaireAnna to Wall-E. We all had a great time!

Spring Concert

I'm behind on my posting so upcoming are several from this spring! This is from June. ClaireAnna and Ms. Shirley, music teacher.

Spring Music Concert for ClaireAnna's homeschool music class. She tried out for a solo and was given a part!

Two Girls In a Creek

ClaireAnna and her friend, Kirsten, spent a beautiful June morning splashing in the creek behind our house and picking blackberries!

Jack Frost

***UPDATE**** We have changed our minds. Jack is no longer for sale. He is such a sweetie that we just couldn't part with him.****UPDATE****

Jack Frost was a Christmas Present for ClaireAnna 2 years ago. He was left here by Santa, who asked Claire to take care of him. Anyway, Jack has been fun and is a sweat heart. He is very good with people and kids, is easy to catch and loves a treat or a scratch. Claireanna could lead him and bath him by herself when she was five as the pictures show. Jack gets along with cows and even bulls, horses and our Llama. Unfortunately, he is VERY territorial and does NOT get along with dogs or smaller stock. He will chase goats and sheep and he will attack calves and dogs. He is fine with cats and poultry.

Because of this, we are trying to find him a new home. We have so many different animals here and it is getting difficult to keep Jack away from the ones he may hurt. We love him very much, but playing pasture roulette is getting annoying. Jack has spent the last year living in the bull pen with 2 full grown Red Angus bulls and he has done just fine. He would be a GREAT companion animal for a bull, a horse or anything bigger then himself that won't run away from him. He would be a wonderful guard animal for a poultry flock. He will NOT let a dog or predator in the barnyard, PERIOD! Jack has been to several petting zoo events with our 4-H group and did very well. He is tiny and cute and makes a big to-do with his EEEEAWWWW when anyone visits the barnyard. We will be sad to see him go and are looking for just the right home for him where his sweat personality and protective instincts are both assets. ClaireAnna understands that Jack may be sold and why. She has so many other pets and a new pony foal that I don't think she will feel a void when he is gone. She also now knows that Santa is really Daddy, so she won't feel guilty about that! Jack Frost is a gelding. He is only 3 years old and could live well into his 30's. If we don't find just the right home for him, he will continue to be a companion for our Bull, JT.

You Can't Go Home

Well, It's been a couple of months since she left. She's been busy. I've been busy. The time has flown by. I'm outside so much now that I don't usually answer the phone when she calls. She probably thinks that I don't notice that she's not here. But she's wrong.

I was listening to the radio yesterday and heard the Bon Jovi song, "Who Says You Can't Go Home?" I thought about how much she wanted to go "home" and how happy she is there. I know it's the right thing for her. But......the down side for me is.......I don't live there anymore.

I am having a hard time accepting that our separation is so permanant. The other times she left me, I always knew she was coming back.....in a couple of months. But now I have to say, "She lives in Illinois." And I live in Arkansas. And.......I can't go home.....to be where she is.......Because home means something different to each of us now.....and that is hard for me to accept.

Jessie, I love you and I miss you more then I could ever say. Mom

Duckling Cuteness

APHA Solid Paint Bred 2007 Chestnut Filly

"Chigger" is an APHA Solid Paint Bred Chestnut Filly, D.O.B. 2/2007. She has two small white spots on her barrel that are not big enough to qualify for regular registry. She is a very lovely girl with a great personality and an excellent pedigree that includes Impressive (2X) and Te N Te. She is HYPP N/N.

These pictures just don't capture her beauty, she is a very pretty yearling. I will have video of her up soon to show her lovely floating movement.

Her front legs are very streight. She just moved this left hoof as I took the picture. Will try to get another one more squared up.
Pretty, pretty face!


She is a bit toed out in the back. But she has a really nice rear!

Chigger's sire is Prestigious, an APHA halter champion. You can see a picture and get info and his pedigree here:

http://www.allbreedpedigree.com/prestigious4

Chigger's Dam is Te Totally Mine. Her pedigree is here. "Te" is 19 years old, still producing and sound and healthy.

http://www.allbreedpedigree.com/te+totally+mine

This filly is easy to catch and loves grooming and attention. She will pick up her feet and is getting used to the farrier. She has been trimmed twice without too much fuss. She is current on vaccinations and worming. Chigger leads well and loads and backs out of a step up trailer. She has a great personality and will make someone an excellent riding horse some day. She will be between 15.2 and 16.1 hands. I think she will be particularly suited to English but could go any way.

Chigger was sold to Diana Evance who never paid for her in full.  I'm still owed $60.  Diana traded her off to someone else.  Hope she's okay.

Ducklings!

We had bought a trio of Bantam White Calls, a breed of small domestic duck for ClaireAnna for her 3rd birthday. Ted had them shipped all the way from New York State. Unfortunately, soon after they arrived, the male died. We have had no luck in acquiring a new male for the last 4 years. ( It just costs too much to ship a single bird ) This past fall, a 4-H friend heard we were looking for one. He called and said he was going to Louisiana to his grandpa's for Thanksgiving and he could bring us back a male. (Grandpa raises ducks) Ya! Finally, we had our trio again.

So, about a month ago we started collecting the Call eggs and when we had enough, we put them in this box.

Grandpa Harmon kept them sprayed with water once a day. 28 days later, we heard peeping!
Unfortunately, out of the 15 eggs in the box, only 3 hatched. (Ted had to help them get out of their shell ) Humidity in the incubator is apparently a very tricky factor.

ClaireAnna is raising her 3 new ducklings in her bedroom, at least until they are a little bit older. She decided she needed to get IN the box to bond with them.

They are so tiny - smaller then a tennis ball and weigh even less. The littlest ducklings we have ever seen.
This is an adult pair of White Calls. This is what our ducklings will look like when they grow up. Aren't they cute?! There is even more good news. Both White Call hens, our Chineese Mandarin hen and our Ancona hen are all sitting on thier own little nest full of eggs. In a couple of weeks we should have our first batch of home raised ducklings!

Alexandar All Grown Up

Well, he's not ALL grown up, but he sure has grown into a handsome yearling. Alex is 12 months old now and Kate got some nice pictures of him today.

Post Script: We sold Alex soon after these pictures were taken.  Big mistake.  He would be the perfect horse for me now.  Sure wish I kept this pretty boy.