The Adventures of the Farmers Daughter ~ Part 6 (Sorry for the long post .... not really)

Sunday: I took this picture right before the rain (downpour) comes:

Sunday afternoon, I thought that I was going to have to build an ark ;) It's not as bad as it used to be since Daddy installed the drain tiles a few years back. Front yard:

Side and back yard

This is what the river looks like on any given day (when there is not a drought up stream):

** ~ Photo credits go to Wilson Oppert Photography

 ** ~ Wilson Oppert Photography

This is a bonus photo** We've had to replace this fence 3-4 times because the river has been washing away the bank.

After the rains on Sunday afternoon, this is what the river looked like (the 3rd one up) was taken in the same spot as this first photo):

The river came into the corner of the field

Daddy's irrigation pump. This is what we use to pump water 1 mile up the hill to the fields.

I don't know if it flooded since I was not able to go down there Monday morning. I hope that it didn't

Daddy created a low spot (or did it form naturally ... ) so that when the river got up out of its banks, it weaved itself through the middle of the (river bottom) field. I had to go through the field on the left to go check the pump.

I was coming back from the river and I was going by our cow catch pen and I saw this:

 *Monday enters stage left* 

My day started at 4:30am!! For those of you that know me, something really important has to be happening for me to get up that early!! :D

Smokey: "Where are you going, Mom?"

"Maybe if I sit right here, she won't leave me!" ~ Smokey

Beautiful sunrise!

Cow day!  We separated the Momma cows from the baby cows. I did not get a picture of that but, I did get other pictures:

2 separate pens (there were more behind me). Sorted cows on the left (we did keep some of the wee calves, unsorted on the right.

Nice cow!

Our donkeys!! I'm sad that I didn't get a picture of the cute baby!

They came up to sniff my hand. We hand feed them corn when they let us.

This donkey let me pet it and hug its neck! :) <3 br="">

I stood so still for this picture (below ... it was hard too)!

Cows walking in the swamp that invaded the cow catch pen

*Wednesday enter stage right*

Again, my day started at 4:30am!!

Sorry this is blurry but, coffee is what gets my day started on early mornings! :D

 Daddy was going to have to go to Georgia to get some tractor parts and since he just had knee surgery (and is not supposed to be on his knee like he is anyway), I volunteered to go for him. I was excited as this was my first time going to get parts in Georgia!  It was so much fun! I even got a free t-shirts from the tractor dealership over there. :)

Goodness! I've not written since I got my car???

Man, time flies when you are having fun! Some things that are worth mentioning happened since I last wrote. I think that in June I started working on a "massive" 2,000 piece puzzle that my wonderful boyfriend gave me for Christmas last year:

The above picture was completed by Momma and I within the last 2-3 weeks. Amy really got us going again.

In late July, the Kirkland Family went to the beach:

My niece Lia and nephew Liam

We learned (Via Facebook .... we didn't care. We are just glad that we found out)  that on August 3, my Uncle (who was living in Australia) died in a motorcycle accident. I'm not going to get into it but, it was a hard process getting his body back here for burial. Thankfully, we were able to get his body back here (2 weeks after).

That brings me to today .....

In August, Mom, Lia and I went to the mall for Momma to buy and return a few things and so while she did that, Lia and I walked around the mall. Well, Lia and I saw this kiosk for people to sign up for auditioning for stuff like modeling and extras and stuff like that. Well, I did it for kicks and giggles and told Lia that they would never call me. Well, they called me today and they want me to go to a location and look "cute and casual". I do not want to go by myself (Chris wont want me to either) so, Amy is going with me. :) I was shocked when they called me because I was not expecting them to. So, please say a prayer for me :)


I will try to be more faithful to write in here ........ I'm sure I said that last time though :/

Getting my new (used) car

As y'all may not know, I totaled my 2011 Chevy Cruze on May 14. The post that I posted about buying the car can be read here.



The short story is that I was not paying attention.

The longer story is that I was coming home from my boyfriends house in Troy and I got to Ozark and I saw a light was red and I took my foot off the gas and so, I was coasting (during which time the light turns green). I was speak to text-ing into my phone (to tell him that I was going to stop at a gas station less than a mile up the road *kicks self*) and then I looked up from my phone and BAM! This is what happened:

 I went to the Chevy dealership (where I take my car to get serviced) the next day and took the following pictures. It looked even worse in the daylight *sniffles*

All I can say is that through my stupidity (and yes, I did know better), God protected me and I'm so thankful for that! Like my SIL (sister in law) would say: "I'm sorry it happened but, I'm glad no one got hurt. Like Chris would say: "The car did what it was designed to do and that was to protect my baby" Like my Mom would say: "Kate, you hit the best thing you could hit. If you had did something like hydroplane (it was raining), we could be having a completely different story.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

This is where today (May 28) comes in.

This morning, Mom and I got in the rental car (that we rented yesterday (May 27). We decided to rent one because the mere thought of me driving in Birmingham traffic in one car while Mom was in another was horrifying to me) and drove up to Huntsville (we left at 6:30am). Of course, going down the road I took a picture when we started down the road from home ....

 

...and then I took another when we were driving by the US Space and Rocket Center!

 

This is the car (below) that I BOUGHT with the money that the insurance gave me. Daddy and Momma DID NOT help me purchase the car. The only thing that Mom will do (IF she needs to) is pay for my tag and title to get transferred (and I will reimburse her when I get the money because, I'm broke). I have the remaining balance on my extended warranty (that I did not use) coming soon though. Here is the picture:

It has all the bells and whistles that my car had (well, give or take a few) and it is a newer year (2012) and model (2LT). I feel like I'm cheating on my car! I feel guilty because I feel like I should downgrade, not upgrade. I'm incredibly blessed that I was able to buy the car with the insurance money with just a smidgin left over!

On the way back, stopped at of Mooresville, Alabama. You can also visit this site. It is a quaint little town that dates back to the 1800's. You can read more about it at the above link! We toured the area and it was all nice and pretty. I took some pictures:

If you can't read that, you will have to zoom in! :)

 Mom took a picture of me with my new purchase in front of the church! 

 

This is a yard with what looks like an enclosed gazebo. I'm not sure what it's purpose was. Maybe a greenhouse?? It is not attached to the house.

The town also boasts of the oldest working post office in the state! I got a picture of the old fashioned mailbox:

This place was getting ready for a wedding so, I could not take a picture of it. I could only take a picture of the sign. The sign alone is gorgeous and the property is gorgeous also.

Coming home, Momma drove. I'm still squeamish about driving through Birmingham but, I will have to get used to it now ;) Anyway, Momma drove until we were on 231 South of Montgomery and she pulled over and let me drive. That is when I saw this cloud:

I drove through the torrential downpour. I had to face my fears of driving in rain. I just had to! You know the saying that if you fall off a horse you have to get back on or else you will be scared to get on a horse again? Well, it is the same principle! 

I drove until Troy and we stopped to see Chris. It's awful hard for me to drive through there and not see him! Afterward, I was gonna drive home but, I started yawning so, I pulled over so that Momma could drive the rest of the way! We got home at 9:30 Wednesday night! Driving all day sure makes for a long day! I am/was glad to be home with my new car!

The End!