I don't know what it is about a day of working hard that just makes me feel good.  Maybe it's because with my "real" job the most strenuous work I do is stuffing envelopes, really, no kidding!  By the time I get home in the evening my brain has turned to mush and I really have just enough time to throw some food on the table and do the daily chores.  So, it should go without saying, by the time the weekend rolls around I'm ready to do something physically productive.

It's usually necessary too.  With so many projects on the farm, I generally enter a weekend with a laundry list of things that need to get done (laundry included).  This past weekend was no different.  On the list for Saturday was weed pulling, digging potatoes and garlic, vaccinating and tatooing goat kids and preparing some pens for breeding.  All this had to be done in the morning because I promised my mom that I would act as a sommelier (the wine server) for a dinner party she was planning for the evening.

Fortunately Bill was home so he was able to sleep in with the kids, they needed it after a week of late nights.  And I went out *by myself*  to get some work done.  First was the goat babies.  They were all due for their second round of vaccinations and I had to finishe the tattoo job I had started when I gave the first round of shots.  I had unfortunately lost my letter "C" after tattooing the first goat that time around.  Since every goat kid needed AOC in their ear I had to replace it before I could finish the job!  Despite having no good way to pen up my goat kids and keep them contained until they're worked, this task went off pretty well.  I only have nine baby goats so I can still keep track of who's been done or not.  That will change next year when I have 8 does kidding at the same time!

Next on the list for the morning was digging potatoes and weeding the garden.  THis chore too went off without a hitch, for the most part.

If you look next to the milk can in this picture you'll see my problem.  With two rows left to dig, my favorite potato fork gave out on me.  I had to finish with a spade which was a little harder but I got it done, nonetheless.  I am now in the market for a new potato fork.

After the potatoes I finished up the garlic and loaded everything in my garden cart to cure in the garage.

I typically allow the potatoes and garlic to sit in a cool, dark area for a week for the skins to cure.  This makes them more durable for cleaning and storage.  One year I tried to scrub the potatoes right after I dug them and the skins rubbed right off!  This procedure seems to prevent that problem.  This weekend I'll clean everything up a little more and store them in the root cellar.  The potatoes usually keep through half the winter this way.  Bill and I are going to try something else with them this fall.  Using the dirt auger we're going to dig a deep hole and store the potatoes in sacks in the hole, cover it up and hopefully we can get them to last a little longer.  I've also heard that putting an apple with the potatoes will help to keep them from sprouting, so I may try that too.

After all of this digging I was exhausted.  It was getting to be a little warm out and I probably over did it a little.  Despite having an awful headache from heat and dehydration,  just the fact that I was able to get something done made me feel good.  I was also able to pull enough weeds to find my beets and pumpkin plants in the garden.  There are still plenty remaining.  I've been using them to supplement by goats that are on hay right now.  The breeding pens are coming along.  Tabitha and Thunder, our pygmies are now "marrying"   according to my kids.  Sugar Daddy currently has two wives living with him.  We'll be expecting babies as early as Christmas this year.

The next weekend is fast approaching and the list is already forming.  Fall will be here before we know it, have you seen the back to school sales already?  I have a lot to do in the barn before I can bring the girls in from pasture, including cleaning out the bedding pack from last winter!  I'm planning to make better use of the space in the barn by taking out the old tie stalls and filling the gutter.  There's so much to do before winter!  I certainly won't be doing too much relaxing these coming weekends!

I always love the THOUGHT of hard work and I like it while I'm doing it and I LOVE the feeling at the end of the day. The only thing that is difficult is the STARTING of the hard work. If I can get off my tushie and just begin it, I can enjoy the day.

Today I did dishes, made lunch, (did dishes again!), changed bedsheets, cleaned out the bathroom shelves, chased toddlers (changed toddlers, read to toddlers, fed toddlers, held crying toddlers, etc. etc.) and have accomplished laundering a few loads of clothing.

I have NO idea how you'd get any of this stuff done when you work M-F. It exhausts me just to think of it.

Right now I'm enjoying a few minutes of sitting time. My legs hurt to walk, but nothing feels too much better when I sit anymore. Can't wait for next week! lol