Surprise Barn

I pulled over on a side road and zoomed in 

with the camera on this old barn.

The place was abandoned.

Imagine my surprise when I zoomed in closer

to get a look at the wood inside the big door

and this horse stepped into view.

It was actually quite startled by him
and then laughed to myself about it.

He had heard my vehicle, from as far away as I was

and came to see.

I felt sorry for him out there all alone

listening for vehicles.

But he looked plenty healthy,

had a tank full of water, pasture to graze in

and this old barn to keep him out of the weather.

All horses should have it so good.

Linking with Barn Charm.

.

Good Sports

Linking up with Farm Friend Friday.

.

Farm Income

Grain bins are a farm asset

if they are in good condition.

These are

and these aren't.

Not for storing grain anyway.

They are good for storing dogs.

I keep thinking of making a

chicken house out of them.

If they were bigger

I could make house for myself.

But, I digress.

Back to the farm asset part.

The neighbor rents these bins from me

to store soybeans each year.

Now that harvest is over,

and they are full again, 

I will be getting a check.

This is what I would like to do with the check:

Buy a tiller.
or

Carpet the living room.
or

Buy an new hot water heater.

Those are not the big items

and I could do one of those with the check

and still have a little left over.

But what I must do with the check

is pay the second half of the year's property taxes.

The lyrics to the Rolling Stones song come to mind.

"You can't always get what you want.

But if you try sometimes
well you just might find.

You get what you need."

                                             

And I am truly thankful.

.

Random October Photos

Sheep in the meadow.

Cows in the corn.

They stand on the sides of the dish,

sling their heads, and wonder why their water dish flips over.

Mr. Rooster has frostbite.

This turkey has been hanging around the farm

helping himself to the guinea's corn.

He is welcome to stay as long as he'd like.

The hawk was sitting on the second cross,

but by the time I got the camera out he had flown.

I like this even better than him just sitting there.

How to eat a Frosty.

 October has been a delightful month.

Perfect weather, beautiful scenery,

and bountiful harvest.

Halloween is just around the corner,

as is winter.

I feel ready.

Do you?

.

Season's End

The 2011 marching band season

has come to a close.

Tonight was parents night.

The seniors and their parents were recognized.

And they put on one last performance for us.

Some parents may have been a tad late.

But everyone eventually showed up.

It made my heart so proud of them

to see how far they have come

since their first performances.

The band got three Excellent ratings and

one Superior rating in their competitions.

This put them into a higher competition 

class for next year.

I think tonight was a little more lax.

It was just the "parents" after all.

No instrument?

No hat?

No "Parade Rest" for the girl in the middle?

Seriously though,

these kids worked SO hard

and did SO well.

They also got a standing ovation from

all the proud families in the stands.

I only got pictures of Rikki 

after it was over as I can never find her marching.

Here she is trying to call me,

while I am busy taking her picture.

Here is another girl I am very proud of.

The house was being shown tonight,

so she had to come with me and 

wait in the car.

Poor funny Tess.

Okay, time for your McDonald's drive-thru.