Category Archives: Pond

Possible “Daisy” Sighting

Pond, Reflections, Turtles

Several years ago in the spring I got a phone call from my niece. She said her children had found a turtle in their yard and were concerned about  finding it a good home. She told them they couldn’t keep it and wanted to know if they could bring it over and put it in our pond. Since it was a harmless painted turtle we said “yes”.

When they arrived we discovered that it was a baby turtle – no bigger than a fifty cent piece and very cute. We walked to the beach and before releasing the turtle into the pond the kids were asked what they wanted to name it. They decided to call it Daisy.

Every since then when the kids visit the farm they always ask if we have seen Daisy, and of course they keep an eye out for her when they are in or near the pond.. We usually see turtles of varying sizes throughout the summer months but really have no way of telling which one might be Daisy.

Yesterday as my husband and I were walking in the field he spotted a turtle, in fact I think he almost stepped on it because the grass was so tall. We decided to reduce it’s risk of getting stepped on or run over by a lawn mower or tractor and put it in the pond.

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I really don’t know how fast painted turtles grow but I would guess that this one may be several years old. Perhaps it is Daisy.

 

 

A Dip In The Pond

Dogs, Pond, Reflections, spring, The Farm

Our weather has not been warm enough for me to even think about going for a swim yet. In fact it will take a few consecutive days with temperatures in the 80’s Fahrenheit to warm the water to my liking.

Trooper on the other hand found the water most refreshing. Every year he is the first one in.

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He also enjoyed some time laying in the shade.

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I did get some yard work done this week while soaking up some vitamin D (sunshine) and starting on my tan. 🙂

My dip in the pond will just have to wait.

Staycation and My Favorite Things About Summer

Pond, Reflections, Summer, The Farm, Wildlife, ,

I am really not in to trendy words, or a trendy lifestyle for that matter, but I think the word staycation really does describe our summer recreation. In 2012 when my husband said he would like to vacation somewhere “where we could just sit on the beach with our dogs and relax,” I chuckled, “they don’t allow dogs on public beaches, honey. Why don’t we put in a pond with a beach,” I suggested.

We knew it would be costly to have a pond dug, but we agreed that the money we saved on vacations away from home would easily pay for the pond in a few years.

The farm has many other features that you might find at a campground in the country. We have a campsite/ picnic area with a fire pit for cooking or just sitting around a campfire in the evening. We have both field and wooded areas with paths for walking or riding the 4 wheeler. There are hundreds of species of wildlife that live on or visit the farm and it is a peaceful and relaxing atmosphere. Thus we find it perfect for our staycation or summer recreation.

Our staycation is different than most as we do not have a week or two off from a job and cram all of these activities into that time period. Instead our recreational activities are interspersed throughout the day(s). It might be taking time out for an afternoon swim, spending an evening sitting around a campfire or inviting friends or family over for a day of fun. What I really love about our method of (v)(st)acation is that I don’t have to stress about it. We don’t have to make travel plans. We don’t have to do things according to schedule. We don’t have to pack what we think we will need for our time away. We don’t have to find people to take over our responsibilities at home (dogs and chickens) while we are away, and one of the most important parts for me is that I can sleep in my own bed at night.

With all that being said I wanted to share some of my favorite things about summer. They are not listed in any particular order; it is the combination of these things that make our summer enjoyable.

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Gardening – Planting, weeding, water, – there is something therapeutic about having our hands and knees in the dirt. The results of gardening are also very rewarding (see flowers and fresh produce below).

Riding the 4 Wheeler – A slow scenic tour around the farm, wielding my way though the winding paths through the woods or opening it up on the straight away, this is just pure fun!!!

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Swimming in the Pond – The best way to cool off in the heat of the day.

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Wildlife – The sights and sounds of wildlife create an environment that is peaceful and serene. While I am certainly not the best photographer I love trying to get photos of the wildlife. You can see more of the wildlife on our farm here.

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Flowers – No doubt they beautify their environment but there is so much more. You have probably heard the phrase “stop and smell the roses'”, well roses are not the only flower that deserve this recognition. By stopping and smelling, I have discovered that Canadian Thistle flowers have a sort of sweet scent and the Purple Irises have a spicy scent. This year I discovered that milk weed flowers have a pleasantly fresh fragrance.

While the flower may first draw my attention I will probably observe closely to see what type of foragers it may attract, and if I am not familiar with the plants I will likely try to identify it along with it’s potential usefulness.

Fresh Produce – We are currently picking and enjoying many fresh vegetables, among them are green beans, potatoes, Swiss chard, beets, carrots, celery and tomatoes. The flavors and textures of fresh picked produce simply can not be found in a grocery store. Even if you haven’t grown your own garden I encourage you to find fresh locally grown produce to enjoy this summer. Shop at a farmers market or a roadside farm stand and support your local farmer.

Campfires – Dinner always tastes better when cooked over a wood fire, and sitting around a campfire in the evening, listening to the frogs sing, and watching the moon and stars appear in the sky is far more entertaining than anything you may find on TV.

Visitors – This could be the elderly neighbors who dropped by Friday night for a tour of the barn and gardens; it could be the kids and grandkids coming to celebrate a holiday or a group as large as the family reunion we hosted last weekend. Regardless it is always a pleasure to share the farm with company.

Going Barefoot – Even though I put these in no particular order I did save my favorite for last. I love to take off my footwear and walk barefoot in the grass or on the beach.  According to this article there are many health benefits to going barefoot. I personally don’t care whether they are scientifically proven or not. Walking barefoot in the soft grass or digging my toes into the sand on the beach just feels good. While it feels good physically on the feet and has the potential to relieve other aches and pains, the emotional benefits are probably the greatest. I find walking barefoot to relieve stress – even more than that when I walk barefoot I feel young and carefree. It’s amazing that taking your shoes off can also take a load off your mind.

Now it’s your turn my friend. What are your favorite things about summer? How do you make time for them? When was the last time you stopped and smelled the roses or kicked off your shoes and connected with the earth? If it’s been awhile – I challenge you to make some time to do it this week. You won’t regret it.

Happy Summer! 🙂

 

 

 

Nice Catch

Catfish, Pond, Reflections, The Farm

Yesterday evening our youngest daughter, Lindell along with her beau Brycen, took some time out of their busy schedules to visit us at the farm. After dinner my husband, who has been wanting to do some fishing for some time now, dug some worms and he and Brycen, who had brought his own pole and tackle, went fishing.

Lindell and I sat by the campfire and chatted, not paying much attention to our fishermen until we heard somewhat of a commotion. My husband was coaching Brycen, “hold it, give it some line, do you have your drag set?” Lindell and I headed toward the pond knowing there must be a big fish on the line. I quickly doubled back to grab my camera but still arrived in time to capture some photos.

Whatever was on the end of that line was bending Brycen’s fishing rod and pulling the guys in the paddle boat. Realizing that they were not going to be able to lift this fish out of the water on that rod and line my husband decided to take the boat to the beach and pull the fish in from there. This took several attempts as the fish kept dragging the boat in the opposite direction.

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My husband and I suspected that he may have hooked one of the 12 to 15 inch walleye that we had caught last year.

 

but we were all surprised to see what he had actually caught was this monster.

 

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We knew that there were large catfish in the pond, but even using catfish bait we had yet to catch one. Brycen was fishing with just a worm on a small hook. It was a clean catch hooked perfectly into the corner of the mouth. Since we were not prepared to skin a catfish this guy did not become tonight’s dinner but was released back into the pond.

I am so glad I had my camera so this did not become just another “big fish” story.

Nice catch Brycen!!! 🙂

 

We Can Dig It

Garlic Harvest, Pond, Reflections, The Farm, ,

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This post isn’t really about sitting on the beach or playing in the sand but I thought I would show you where we spent some time relaxing and celebrating Independence Day. Unfortunately by the time I remembered to snap a picture the beach umbrella had been blown down by the wind.

We decided to give our beach a little upgrade this summer, so when we had the stone delivered for the barn floor we also had a load of beach sand delivered. The sand was dumped on the beach and since we haven’t yet had time to spread it we haven’t been able to sit on the beach.

Yesterday my husband fixed that. He just took the tractor bucket and pushed through the middle of the pile of sand forming a small peninsula of sand in the pond. We then spent the late afternoon swimming and relaxing on the beach. It was a very enjoyable day.

Now what the title of this post is really referring to is our garlic harvest. It started today. If you are not familiar with how garlic grows, it is a bulb that grows under the ground. In order to harvest garlic it must be dug out of the ground. While 7000+ garlic plants may seem like a huge number, it is not nearly enough to be able to afford any fancy planting or harvesting equipment. Thus we dig each individual bulb by hand.

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Despite the brutal temperatures today we were able to get one of our three varieties harvested.  We only had two and 1/4 rows of this variety, Red Toch, planted – probably between 1400 and 1500 bulbs. We were thrilled to be able to move them directly from the field into the barn to keep them out of the hot sun.

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Once they were all harvested my husband began tying them into bundles and hanging them from the rafters. Our barn was finished just in time and we are so grateful to have it.

While I have several posts that I am working on and would like to publish soon, this really is a busy time for us. If I seem to be MIA for a while there is probably no need to send a search party. If you do, however, decide to send one make sure they bring a shovel. LOL!

Bonus Photo

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We are not the only ones who enjoy spending time at the pond.

Thanks for visiting and until next time be well. 🙂