December 4, 2009
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It’s an anniversary, of sorts. As I came over to xanga to see about y’all, I noticed that it has been three years today since I joined this site. I began as ozarksfarmgirl, and a while ago I changed my name to AmericanJanet. Cyberspace is the only place I inhabit where this sort of identity change can take place so easily. Kind of a make-believe land, where we can be anyone we choose….
But changed names aside, I’m still the same…an ozarksfarmgirl who loves to share my slice of the world with you. And if you’ve been visiting me for a while, you’ll recognize some of the places in the pictures I’m posting today, because they are right in my own back yard. They’ve been featured before, in other seasons and other times. As familiar as they are to me, they are still intriguing.
Yesterday was a cattle-working day, and I was called upon to help gather up the herd. It was a frosty morning…my father-in-law used to call this sort of icy accumulation “jack frost”.
On my way to the corral, I encountered this lucky survivor of our recent deer season.
This fellow has a very important job on our place. He (along with others similar to him) is responsible for being the sire of our “crop” of baby calves. If he fails, we have nothing to sell. No pressure, Bully…but DO YOUR JOB!
My favorite cowboy, doing what he loves best. Today he’s riding Tex across a frosty pasture.
After the cows and calves were securely in the corral, I walked back to my truck and found someone else was here before me.
Now let’s take the long way home. This little cemetery always makes me want to stop for another visit. Someone, a couple of years ago, took the time to build the low, split-rail fence around it. And flowers, though never real, always adorn the graves.
Only two have “real” markers; the others are marked by fieldstones. One of the markers designates that a Civil War veteran lies here. He was a member of an Iowa unit.
This bluff towers above the creek and always makes me think that it would be a good lookout for injuns.
An old cellar was commonplace and necessary on Ozarks’ homesteads. Imagine this one filled with baskets of sweet and irish potatoes and onions, enough to see a big family through the winter.
Our creeks are beautiful in all seasons.
My mother-in-law remembers, as a very little girl, her family visiting the German man who built this barn. She thought he was very strange, speaking with a thick accent.
Another of my favorite old barns, fronted by a wonderful stacked-stone fence. Think of the work that went into building it!
Blue Boy checks out some berries on a deciduous holly.
This is my favorite bluff in the whole world. It’s not as dramatic as some others, but it is special because of the masses of maidenhair fern that exist on its face. This time of year they are brown, and today they have a few icicles hanging on them. My photos never do this place justice. Wish you all could see it for yourselves.
Back at home, the chix are hungry…”Why is breakfast so late???”
It’s a busy Friday, in a busy season. Better get to work. Hope y’all have a good weekend…and come back soon, hear?
Comments (9)
I so envy you your creeks!
We still have the old cellar on this place right next to the house. Guess we should use it but I’m not much for going into cellars. Wil made me and the dogs go in once during a bad storm and it was worse to me and the dogs going out in the storm to get there and then down into the dark and damp than waiting out the storm would have been. Now he assures me he will put chairs down there for a place to sit etc. should we need to use it again. He needs to build us a safe room in the garage!!! lol
Loved your tour as always!
I loved going on this walk with you. What a beautiful place. I love the picture of the jack frost. Never seen it before. I am envious that it’s so easy for you take a pretty walk. I step out my door and walk 15 feet and almost get hit by cars who are allowed to drive 35 MPH in my suburb!
Janet, as always your photos are superb! My man likes to build stacked stone fences and we his endavors all over our property. How’s the remodeling coming?
Delightful! The bluff is gorgeous – looks like the bluffs on the Buffalo. What a wise woman you are, to treasure your world with such a grateful heart.
love the root cellar
congrats on your 3 yrs-I have been on here since Jan 07
I’ve always loved hanging out with you and your favorite cowboy–and always will. Thanks for so graciously bringing me along, in so many different ways, for all these years. I loved rounding up the herd with you today and visiting all these interesting and beautiful spots, and I’m happy to share my spot in the back of the truck with all these other tagalongs. We love being part of your tribe.
Well, I’ll be darned!!!! THAT’S who you were. And here, I thought there were TWO people. (o; Loved your tour!!!
Enjoyed the little trek around your farm. And you take such wonderful photos. I enjoy seeing photos of old barns as one set of my grandparents and 2 sets of great grandparents were dry-land wheat farmers and all had barn and they all were a little different. The area is Odessa, WA……..lots of Germans and German-Russians…………my culture hertiage.
Thank you for taking the time to show us around your beautiful area. It is indeed beautiful. We have what is called a cave here…..a cellar in our area is under the house and not as nice as a basement nor as large. The “cave” we have here was built in 1932, it is dated in the cement and with my father’s initials. When my husband and I bought this place in 1970 my father told me to look in an area above the door frame of the cave. There were his initials and the date. He worked as a carpenter and builder and if there was any cement for him to leave his mark he’d do it. Although it might be unsightly to some to have a cave( somewhat like the one you pictured) so near the house we like it for the history of it and also when it storms it is a safe place to go. Did you get those cattle worked?