The Farm, Bike Trip, Concrete, and Red-Headed Stepchildren

Posted on May 4, 2026 by Donna

Thursday evening had a full moon rising over the hill.  Unfortunately the iPhone does not do it justice.  It was impressive.

The turkey poults continue to grow and develop.  I am fascinated with them each day.

Jameson started eating some grain on Friday morning.  Unfortunately not eating much but is also nibbling on hay and grass.  He is continuing to nurse on Sonja, his grandmother.  But he does not seem to be getting enough milk, and we are having to bottle feed twice per day.  I have kept trying to get Summer to accept him, but it is not happening.  So today she is moved to a far field and will be allowed to dry up.

Tom took his 2025 Honda Trail 125 out on a spin on Saturday.  He went to Anacortes and enjoyed the sights including the halibut derby.

On Sunday we decided to participate in the Mountain Film Festival in Concrete.  I particularly wanted to see the Mountain Runners.  They had showed it before, but I wasn’t able to see it.  I had read about the story but now was finally able to see the movie.  It is about the marathon race that was held between 1911 and 1913 that ran from Bellingham to the summit of Mount Baker and back to Bellingham.  It is a crazy, fascinating story that was well presented in this movie.  Highly recommended.

We then headed next door to the historic Hub Tavern for a late lunch.  The backbar and matching 30 foot mahogany front bar were brought here in 1912.  It is impressive.  We had nice meals of hamburger and halibut and chips. The plan was to see the third movie of the day, Train Dreams, but we decided not to wait until 5:00 to see it.  So instead we cheated and watched it on Netflix at home.  It was a hauntingly beautiful and tragic movie that I also would highly recommend.

Today we rotated the critters and were able to let the old skinny sheep onto pasture for the first time this year.  I think they really appreciated it.

There is a little bird that has been hanging out on the lilac outside the window by my computer desk.  It was attacking the reflection in the window, but it now just flying near it.  It is not a great photo but wondering if it could be a nuthatch.

I have been exploring cocktails from a book that Tom got for me for Christmas.  It is Home Bartending Mastery.  I have been enjoying the book until today when I read the introduction to chapter 4.

The “red-headed stepchild” comment hit me hard.  I am a red-headed stepchild and have two red-headed step-children.  This phrase is meant to imply neglected, unwanted, or mistreated.  It was born out of anti-Irish sentiment in the United States and concerns that a red-haired child born to non-red-haired parents led to suspicion of adultery.  There is also the phrase “beaten like a red-headed stepchild” which is even worse.  I definitely know that there are worse phrases to use about people with much worse history and implications but still.   Can’t we stop using these phrase that are based on stereotypes and an ugly history?  These terms are hurtful and unnecessary.  I did send a message to the author of the book. Not sure if he will read it or respond.

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Root Beer, Farm and Duvall

Posted on April 29, 2026 by Donna

I noticed some Sassafras root in my kitchen stash and decided that I “needed” to make root beer again. So I ordered other roots and exotic to me ingredients and made 4 different recipes of root beer with the variety of ingredients. I will let you know what happens.

So there’s still farm work. The turkey poults continue to do well and develop. We moved Jameson and Sonja into a new field with grass with Summer in the next field. And Wally continues to act regal.

Tom purchased a Trail 125 two days ago. Unfortunately he didn’t get the mileage written down on the title to transfer it. So today we got to go back to Duvall to get this rectified. We had some time so we had dinner at The Grange. It was great. The beagle got to walk around Duvall, and the title mileage is corrected. All is perfect.

Posted in Farm, Trips | 2 Comments

Grass, Cows, Grandkids, and a Quad

Posted on April 27, 2026 by Donna

The grass has been growing well.  So I decided yesterday that it was time the cows started eating it and not hay.  We have been keeping them close to the barn in case of calving, but I am feeling less and less optimistic that there will be another calf,

Jameson actually has been nibbling some grass as well.  He is still adorable.

The grass in the middle back field is almost up to the cows’ bellies.  They seem happy with the decision.

I left the gate open so they can still come to the closer field.  And Summer has been licking Jameson through the fence still.

I finally was able to catch the three black (gray) sheep’s noses in a photo.

The peacock was looking at me so I took some photos his head.  He is a funny bird.

I still have one small spaghetti squash left from last year’s harvest.  Pretty impressive that I was able to keep them that long.  I am slowly figuring this farm thing out.

We are still bottle feeding the calf.

The turkey poults are starting to get more feathers.

The grandkids came over on Sunday.  They wanted to see Jameson.  He was a little nervous initially but then warmed up and was petted plenty.

They also checked out the turkey poults.  They enjoyed holding and petting them as well.

But the main reason they were over is because Tom purchased a quad for Piper.  Here it is after he brought it home.

And here she is sitting on it for the first time.  It fits her perfectly.

This is her riding it for the first time.

And getting her photo taken with Tom and Uncle Tom is the background.

But then she was tired.  She looks exhausted here.  We hung out on the back porch for a bit.

They brought their three dogs over. Initially Ryleigh was not a fan but slowly she warmed up to them.

William looked tired too.

They all went home to get ready for a week of school and work.

This morning I had Jameson nurse on Summer in the stanchion.  I let her out again after, and she fled the barn.  But Sonja was outside the barn.  Jameson walked up to her and started nursing her too.  And she accepted it.  Previously she had butted him away.

Then it looked like Summer wanted to nurse too.  I had seen her nurse a few month ago but wasn’t sure if she was still nursing on her mother (at 2 years of age!).  But neither attacked Jameson.  Now I am again starting to get hopeful maybe they can all get along.

I then turned my attention to the garden.  I got the Swiss chard and turnips planted.  Wally was supervising.

She stayed there after I was done and heading to the house for lunch.

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