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November 27, 2009

The company and the mission I work for

I often get asked what do I do as a Nurse Liaison. This recent article about the owner and founder of the company I am blessed to work for does not answer that question, but it does give you a glimpse of the mission, and the man behind the mission, Dr. William Schumacher.
http://www.theind.com/content/view/5263/71/

The answer to the question is: everything I can in collaboration with the team to fulfill our mission statement:
"To provide continously improving quality health care to all patients in a cost effective manner and to maintain the highest ethical standards by upholding patient's rights and treating them with dignity and respect."

I love my job!

no black friday, just sunshine!







The Thanksgiving feast yesterday was a feast. Mom, Stephen, Charlye, Josh and I enjoyed the roasted bird, mashed potatoes /gravy, cranberry, peas, rolls, and choice of two pies (apple and pumpkin). I just love the way the aroma of the baking turkey fills the house!



We did dishes, fed the animals, deboned the bird and then watched a chick flick (The Ugly Truth). It was a relaxed, enjoyable day! The only down side was that Dave had to work.






No black Friday for us, I just cannot get out in the traffic and mayhem of excessive consumerism. I will stay home today and enjoy the sunshine, do some reading, catch up on gardening and homework and have turkey for lunch!






No calf yet! We are not down to the daily or hourly watch yet, though I am anxious to be!



Her udder continues to grow, mucus continues to flow and the calf is just not ready yet.



Patience, patience I keep telling myself.



November 21, 2009

Fun times!

I love this picture.
It is a knock-out rose next to the back porch,
pic taken with the iPhone and the Camera Zoom app.
Vera and Hattie having a rest and a cud.



Hattie and I trying to get a self portrait!
I think we would have done better in a photo booth!





She gave up on posing and decided to try tasting!

I gave up and was laughing too much to concentrate!

Well there is nothing like a cow adventure to get the blood pumping! Last night I looked out toward the garden where the motion sensor light had been on for awhile (cats trip it all the time) and noticed a cow rump in the garden! Vera was out there having a grand time eating kale, carrots, sunflowers and comfrey (found all that out this morning in light). Another cow was laying down by the driveway under the peach trees chewing her cud and the third was still in the pasture wondering how to get out and join the rest! We don't have escape artist cows, just supreme opportunists--we had left the gate unlatched!

We had some great dinners this week: homemade sloppy joes, chicken breasts sauteed in garlic, ginger and turmeric, enchiladas, and this weekend will probably have another version of sloppy joe and a roast.
Vera is still about the same, slow and steady progress.
Happy weekend all!

November 16, 2009

Milking again!




I started trying to bring Hattie back into milk a few days ago, and we finally are getting 1/2-2/3 gallon of milk once a day. She is doing really well with the change in routine. We moved her to the other side of the pen in order to get Vera ready to be milked on the main stanchion side. Vera does not fit in the stanchion yet, she tried but her belly is still too round. That was a sight to see, a round cow tring to fit in a rectangular chute with her head and tongue stretched out trying to reach the treats! We compromised, she is eating at that bunk from the side now.


I worked in the garden this weekend and got 4 more beds cleaned out! I found a couple of tiny onions growing and one large (and unhappy) balck widow spider.


Our friend Shalali from NM stopped by on her way to the AI class at College Station. It was great to see her if only for a few short hours! She passed the class and is now a certified tech.


Dave got home from Iowa on Thursday, he was relieved to be back after 17 hours in the truck. He came in the door with a box of dutch letters from Jaarsma Bakery in Pella, Iowa. Dutch letters are a flaky 'S' shaped pastry filled with almond paste. A very special treat indeed!


We castrated the piglets the next day, and now they are finally trusting us again. They love eggs, milk and kitchen treats.


I made smothered pork steak in the oven, lentil soup and chili this week. My cooking took a downturn after the trip to the dentist. Thankfully I am able to chew again and no longer require advil to get through the day.
This morning a cold front moved through; it is supposed to get down to 37 tonight! If Dave gets off work on time we will see what that feels like from inside the hot tub!


November 7, 2009

Busy Farm Day






The hen's pen is clean, the cow pens are clean, the sheep pen is clean (and brush pile burned), the interior pen is cleaned, new shavings and new occupants--piglets! We got two red wattle piglets from Melissa, they are cute and very talkative! The sheep frequently went to the adjoining fence to see what the piglets had to say. They figured out their feeder and waterer quickly, and even though they are timid of me they did let me scratch their backs when they ate eggs. For those of you on facebook, I put up a video of them. They did not squeal and squeak as much as I wanted them too--but cute just the same.

The garden has a new look. Several of the beds are covered in black plastic now to kill the weeds and solarize for winter. I moved the grapes into what used to be the strawberry bed (I found 2 survivors of the drought!). I'll plant strawberries back there next spring. I also discovered one artichoke plant, so it was transplanted to the fall garden bed where I hope it will thrive.

Vera and Hattie stayed in the close pasture most of the day, munching and keeping an eye out for me, in case I decided to bring treats (I did). Vera still looks to be several weeks away from calving. I am looking forward to milking again!
The spa maintenance took me all day, but that is accomplished as well, it should be back up to glory temperature tomorrow! I made lentil soup for dinner, nice and smooth since my tooth still hurts from the visit to the inquisitionist (dentist)chair on Wednesday. I think I will make chili in the crock pot tomorrow.
Dave says he and Rylee had fun on the drive to Grandma's house (Rylee applied her make up); they have since driven the tractor, played with tinker toys, played with dolls and I am sure 100 other things! I wish I was there to hug and kiss her!

November 6, 2009

On the farm this week

NancyPants helping the garlic grow.

Monarch butterfly!

Breakfast at pondside.


Max and the bay leaf tree.


The weather continues to be gorgeous. The monarchs are here, flitting about on flowers and in the air. They are beautiful!
I have been trying to get outside several times a day to get little chores done here and there. I get a little stir crazy when at the computer all day. Dave is off to Iowa to help his folks combine corn and beans (I think the new combine was too much, he had to go drive it!) The weather there has been nice too. Dave is going to pick up Rylee (granddtr) tomorrow for a day or two, I am looking forward to hearing all about their adventures and imaginary playtime!
Tomorrow I plan to work outside on the garden and clean up the hen pen.
Have a great weekend!