Where would you live?

If given the choice, where would you live? I often think about that. Given the 'perfect' conditions....like winning the lottery, or my kids being old enough to fly, etc etc.

I don't have a particular 'place' in mind. I guess I have criteria, though. I want nice weather all year round. Mid 80's for the highs during the day, and 60's-70's at night. Not terribly dry, but not raining everyday either. Lots of ground to spread out on, no real close neighbors. A place to garden, raise my animals, and have peace and quiet. A place where my actions don't infringe upon, or disturb my neighbors. A place where the only cars that come by are the ones to see me. Call me selfish, lol, but does a place really exist??

I often wonder.....ok, weatherwise, Hawaii has the closest weather pattern for what I want. Landwise....the north/northwestern states have the ground; Nebraska, North and South Dakota, Wyoming, etc, but not real good for gardening. That goes to the southeastern states, and even here in the mid west. Good rich soil, not too sandy, not too much clay. Colorado, where I was born and lived for 13 years, had the mountains that I will always love. To be surrounded by them is heaven.

So I ask, does such a place really exist? And what is YOUR ideal place to live???

Gorgeous weather

I just had to say, its been absolutely gorgeous here the past couple of weeks. Mid 80's, sunny, low humidity, light breeze...awsome! The kind of weather that you can go out and get tons of things accomplished with, and the kind of weather at night that makes you feel like you're camping! Waking up in the morning, all snuggled up under the covers and the temp in your bedroom is 55 degrees. Awsome!!

I have to admit, I've only been moderately following the Olympics. Yes, Phelps is awsome, and so are the gymnists. I am sick of volleyball, and basketball. And here where I am, the 'good' events come on so late, I'm already in bed!!

The garden is almost done, and I'll be taking down the fence soon. Beyond that, I've been helping in the hog barn again, which also entails listening to my BIL bitch that his wife won't do the things I do. What can I say to that? Not much, thats for sure.

Today, we finished up vaccinating, and I came home and mangaed to clean 2 bedrooms, and get the window sills upstairs vacuumed out of all the bugs. Thats 7 windows up, and 7 more downstairs to go. Tomorrow I'll go to the hog barn again and clean the heat lamps and get them delivered to the other barn for storage. Then I'll work on the sills downstairs, and maybe try to get the garage straightened up. Thursday and Friday I'll be at my SIL's babysitting my niece and nephew. Plus, Thursday night is Hot Mamma's Club night..I can't wait!!

Horse Power vs. Horsepower

This past weekend I decided to take a break from all of my 'to do's' and go to the Old Thresher's event. Basically, its farmers and exibitioners from around the tri-states showing off their tractors (antique and newer), women showing off their quilting and homemade wares, a small flea market, along with food, ice cream, and other events. It showcases the past, and how we've come to be. So I loaded up Ben, thinking it would be a great training/socialization exercise as well, and off we went. That big boy did soooo good!! At first he was a bit scared of the horses, but taking our time, he got used to them and was actually sleaping through some of the event, and we were mere feet from the pulls!! He also did really well with all the people and kids wanting to pet him...of course he loved it, and learned quickly to 'be easy'. Anyway.....

Among the different events are the antique tractor pulls (in low gear, hooked to a 'sled' the tractors of different classes see how far they can pull a progressively heavier weight), the kiddie tractor races and pulls, tractor races/games, and finally, the draft horse pulls. Anyone that knows me is well aware of my affection for the latter. I go every year specifically to see them. Of course, I go the day prior to watch the in-laws pull with their tractors. But the highlight for me is the horses. I take tons of pictures every year, and although its usually the same participants, I still sit in awe of the sheer raw power of these magnificent animals. Most of them pull on the farms; plows, wagons, hay racks, etc. But this event is different. They must pull a sled from a dead stop, and its 'dead weight'. The teams are weighed, then cinderblocks are placed on the sled in a progressive ratio depending on the team pulling. Don't ask me, thats all I can tell you..lol. Here is the sled:



On the back a 12 foot chain was attached and gathered close....when the sled was pulled, the chain unraveled and once it had reached the end, a whistle blew signaling to the drivers they could stop.

On the average, teams weighed in at around 3,500 pounds. They would start out pulling their weight, then go up with each pull, with teams being given 2 attempts per pull. If they could not or would not pull on both attempts, or pulled short, they were eliminated. They were 'whittled' down until the last 2 teams remained. Whoever pulled the full length after that was the winner. And would you believe it came down to a husband and wife competing against each other?? LOL SHE WON!! WOOHOO!!

Anyway, after the horse pulls I went to the car show for a different display of horsepower. Old cars, new cars, fancy cars, you name it. I like the 1940's hot rods, and the Camero's. So, here are some pictures for your enjoyment...

















Ben after the pulls and on our way to the car show:





And here are a few shots of the other horsepower!!







Needless to say, the 2 days of playing really set me back, so I spent all day Sunday, and part of today catching up!! LOL....but I wouldn't miss those horses for the world!!