Happy Birthday Grandma Angle

Today would have my Grandma Angle's 86th Birthday, a little over 23 years ago, she started celebrating those in Heaven. When I think about that I was only lucky enough to have her for not quite 19 years, it seems sort of sad. But I will say that in those years, my Grandmother was a big influence in my life.

I think about her when I am listening to my beloved St. Louis Cardinals on the radio. I think about her when I am making sweet tea. When I am watching kids play sports and MIGHT be one of the louder ones hollering for them. :) I think about her when my kids are playing ball in the yard. When I am going up and down stairs doing laundry. When I am making gravy. When we sing In the Garden at church and about million other times.

My Grandmother had 5 kids, my dad was the second oldest. There are 9 of us first cousins. I was the only Grand-daughter. 5 of the 9 us lived with Grandma (or she did us, however you want to say that) at different points in our lives.

She and my cousins Stephen and Jeff lived with us one summer, I look back and think that if she hadn't ran such a tight ship, I can't imagine how things would have gotten done. 7 people under one roof! With one full-sized bathroom. I remember she shuffled us kids through the showers throughout the day...........did umpteen loads of laundry in the basement. We vacuumed the carpeted stairs twice I week I think. All four of us kids played ball. Can you imagine what a busy place our house was that summer? Actually I can, at least sort of since until 2 yrs ago, we only had one bathroom with 6 people...............all of my kids are in activities, thankfully the only activity that they are ALL in at the same time is cattle showing and they all go the same place together for that!

We had a big garden and memories of canning lots of stuff is a vivid one from that summer, but in hindsight, feeding 4 kids, two of them teenage boys...........I am sure that the garden helped the grocery bill. We cooked, we cleaned, we listened to Cardinal Baseball. Grandma loved to listen to Jack Buck call the game. One thing we didn't agree on was TV.............I watched Days of our Lives on NBC................she watched CBS soaps, it was a problem, LOL Actually my best friend, who's grandmother lived next door also watched another channel, but we could get our channel to come in with a black and white tv that had 'rabbit ears' on it in her grandpa's shop, so I survived! :)

I am lucky enough to have some things that were my Grandmother's. Among them are her china, some of her pans from when she ran a restaurant, some Angels that she sat out at Christmas, plus many other items who's only value is purely sentimental and a lifetime of memories. For that today, I am thankful.

Running my busy household and thinking of those who went before me who did the same thing and appreciating their influence in my life on this Thankful Thursday,

From Tulip~

KH

:)

Welcome to my Dining Room----A look into what the Farmscape of H&K Farms looks like.

As a farm family, we probably eat more meals together than a lot of families. Truly one of the biggest blessings of being at home with my kids and having a self employed husband. Today The Farmer and the oldest sons are doing a big push to finish planting corn, which includes putting in a test plot and hopefully if I am lucky planting my sweet corn patch. There are only so many tractor drivers needed, so the way that I helped them today was to take lunch to the field.

Meals on Wheels--Tulip Style!

I fixed a pretty normal lunch. This was the menu, pork chops, mashed potatoes, gravy, mixed veggies, and watermelon with sweet tea to drink. Typing that last line reminds me of this show..........

Hee Haw's 'What's for dinner Grandpa?' GREAT CLASSIC SKIT, from a great classic tv show!

We got to the field and served our meal, we means the littles and momma as The Farmer and the big boys were working. We didn't have lunch with the oldest as he took his lunch break to run to town buy a replacement part.
As I got the food out here was my view...............

The Farmer's RIDE, who else has a work vehicle like that one?

Trees along edge of the field provide great shade!

This big bruiser, still wounded (smoke stack) but hard at it!

We ate off the back of my Expedition and sat on the tailgate of the truck............

Maybe not an ideal spot to all, but we didn't complain! 

I have come to think of seed bags as great seat cushions.

A quick siesta by The Farmer, and some texting to a female friend by middle son while the shorties and I went for a walk.............

Apparently flattened out fescue is suitable for napping!

See those BIG FEET? That would be middle son.............

As Seth and Jenna finished their last slices of watermelon, we went for a short walk. The field they are planting at the moment is about 50 acres, about an average sized field on our farm. I love that standing in the middle of it I can still see farmsteads of four neighbors, acres and acres of crop ground and lots of trees. There is a creek that is never farther than about three miles from me no matter where I am on any of our farms, that adds a little rolling-ness (is that a word?) to the land and adds lots of lush green everywhere. There is no horizon line anywhere on our farms, that doesn't include trees. What a blessing!

Who doesn't like a toothy smile mid-bite on some watermelon?

The Sass is also a melon lover! ;)

Neighboring farmhouse. 

Notice how EVERY SINGLE horizon line includes TREES?

Extra credit, who knows what made those lines and why?

Is this how crop circles begin? Nope, just the farmer's turn row!

My walking buddies showing you how tall the fescue is. 

Heading back to the car. 

Guess mom walks too slow! 

I think sometimes I forget how blessed my life is. Thankfully today I was reminded of this as I did something I have done time and time again, just a plain ol' everyday blessing. I think those are my favorite kind!

Blessed to be farming,

From Tulip~

KH

:)

Silent Saturday/Sunday

Busy day at H&K Farms, here's a glimpse....................

The Farmer kept the planter rolling all day long.

I think he got over about 100 acres

The boys started 'refilling' the near empty loft.

Our last group of heifers to be bred Monday AM

That elevator is a big help!

Dustin unloaded this load.

With some 'muscle' to help him! 

Those heifers are here to clean up what blew off the trailer.

That's it, that ALL I've got!

Now waiting for those hard working guys to come eat all this food I've cooked,

From Tulip~

KH

:)

A break in our regularly scheduled blogging............

A few months ago, I gave myself writing prompts thinking at the time that they would be the back up plan. They would give me an idea of where to start, if I didn't already have an idea. They have evolved into the subject I write about on the given day that the blog post is entered. Not sure if that is good or bad. The plus I know of is that when I have time I might write up four or five recipes ahead and then plan to take pics the next time I make whichever foods I have written about, so I can add them to the post before publishing, etc...........kind of the meal planning of the 'blog' world. During the school year when I was subbing, it was something to do on my breaks. Blogger is an allowed website on the school networks. The minuses I see are that for me as I scroll down through recent posts, they look a little boring. So I am going to make the goal that for summer, I am going to write at least half the posts about whatever I was thinking about, had happened that day, etc.............which is kinda what I used to do. I still like the What's for Dinner Wednesdays and Silent Saturdays or Sundays, etc.......... as they are easy to add interesting content regularly.

So with that thought in mind, here's what's going on here:

1. Planting has started back again! YAY! Happy Farmer, or at least too tired to be grumpy, jury is still out on that one!
2. Hay hauling will begin today, I 'get' to feed my hay hauling boys after they haul about 1100 bales today, love this time of year, love seeing those kids, love paying them for a job well done, am totally entertained by their banter as they sit around our picnic table and eat after they get done. 
3. Sam started summer weight lifting for FOOTBALL! Never in a million years thought I would be THAT excited about football! 
4. 3 of 4 kids made their annual trek to 4H camp last week, Seth for the first time, Cody for the last time and it was Sam's first year to be a counselor. 
5. Vacation Bible School at Tulip starts tomorrow night. I am the 'snack lady' I filled the freezer at church last night with perennial kid food favorites, mini corn dogs, pizza rolls, chicken nuggets, etc. We've decorated the church like one big luau. This next week is always a fun one.
6. I have written my first quilting pattern. I have some good friends testing it right now. I am hoping to get it published and start selling, so excited about that!  
7. Next week we take Cody to SOAR @ NWMSU, and get that guy signed up for college. I am  excited about it, just pretty sure that there will likely be more than a few weepy momma moments along with it!

Okay that's all for now, need to get things ready around here for busy-ness of life on the farm. Thinking tomorrow will be a 'Silent Sunday' filled with hay hauling and tractors planting, etc...........

Looking forward to all that summer has to offer and praying it will be a productive one on our farm this year,

From Tulip~

KH

:)

Thankfulness Thursday--Growing up in a small town and school sports

Today I am not blogging about our farm, or even the town I now call home, at least not mainly...........Today I am going to share with you what was a big part of my growing up years and that was playing school sports. I grew up in a town of 1,000 people, our school was a small one. We had enough kids to make up a Varsity and JV soft/baseball team and basketball teams, but no where near the size to play the game my boys love, football and for track, the only time we ran on an actual track was at meets, somewhere else, but you know I never felt deprived, not once.

I was a Sturgeon Bulldog!

I played Basketball throughout Jr. High (that's what we called middle school) and High School. I wasn't a super star, but I didn't care, I was on the team and got to play. And that's what mattered. I loved softball from the time I was big enough to swing at pitches my Uncle Hank tossed to me through the growing up years and past high school when I played on slow pitch adult teams. This was a close as I could get to my true love baseball, that love was fostered by a Grandmother who missed very few Cardinal games, did we go you ask? Nope, we listened to Jack Buck on KMOX call the games. That is a constant in practically every summer memory I have of my Grandma Angle.

I proudly wore that blue jersey!

I still love to watch my own kids play ball in the yard and join them when I can. My kiddos don't play summer league soft/baseball, as they have another summer love, which is showing cattle. When I think back to summers growing up, I can remember many a game that was played at the ball field in town. It didn't matter if there were 2 or 3 kids there, or 15, boys or girls, again didn't matter. We played till everyone got tired or had to get home. Such a different world than the ones my kids know.

I sit back and think of moments in games, and then try to remember, who won that game, most of the time I can't remember that, mostly I remember the fun and friendships carved with people I would know and interact with a varying levels the rest of my life. I learned that team means everyone. I learned to work hard and try your best.

When our own kids were getting big enough to start consider letting them be involved with organized sports, for me it wasn't even a question. They have been, maybe not the sports I personally played. But they have enjoyed being part of a team. They are wrestlers, football players, and golfers. Jenna looks forward to a time when she can try out volleyball.

They are making great memories with kids who will be their lifelong friends, learning great lessons from other adults and enjoying the ride. For that I am very thankful. It's something you never forget. When seasons end and teammates change there's a bittersweet moment. But the memories of that special time will live in your heart forever.

Recently, actually YESTERDAY, the baseball boys from my home town won 3rd in State. Did I go to the game or follow them throughout the season? No, not in person. I enjoyed every single picture that my friends posted on facebook. See those are the people I grew up and they remain my friends today. They proudly shared their sons' accomplishments and it gave me a chance to relive the 'Glory Days' a little and offer them some praise myself. A friend posted on one of the players walls, 'you boys make every person, past and present, who wore the blue and white jerseys, very proud' He was totally right, I am sure am proud of those boys!

Once a Bulldog, always a Bulldog, way to go boys, we are all so proud of you,

From Tulip~

KH

:)

What's for Dinner Wednesdays--Gooey Butter Cookies AKA Cake Mix Cookies

I guess when I am sharing a cookie recipe, I should probably call this What's for Dessert Wednesday? LOL The recipe I am going to share today is definitely a "6 Star" recipe. Everyone in my household LOVES these cookies. In fact I am not sure I have ever served/shared them with anyone who does not like them. This is the recipe that my boys both requested (along with homemade ice cream) for the dessert at their graduation party INSTEAD of a cake.

While this recipe is wildly popular, that's not even the reason I like to make these cookies. I like to make these cookies because its one of the simplest recipes I have, with the fewest ingredients, that are all likely ones I have on hand at all times.

Here are the ingredients: A cake mix, a brick of cream cheese, a stick of butter, an egg, and a little vanilla. Plus you will need some powdered sugar to roll the cookies in before baking.

Let the cream cheese and butter soften. Add them to the cake mix, egg and vanilla. I generally use a pastry cutter to mix these up. I have been known to throw the ingredients into a gallon zip lock bag and hand to a kid to mix up. Once the ingredients are well combined. Refrigerate to cool the dough, I have done this as short of a time as 30 minutes or as long as 2 or 3 days. Make sure you've covered the dough while its in the fridge, so it doesn't dry out.

Roll chilled dough into balls, or use a cookie scoop or however you 'make' cookies. Roll in powdered sugar. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. I use a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.

This recipe, using my medium Pampered Chef cookie scoop consistently makes 30 cookies.

Variations: I think when I originally saw this recipe, it called for a yellow cake mix. But I have made it with Red Velvet, Chocolate, Funfetti (Cody and Sam's favorite) and Lemon cake mixes. I don't think you can go wrong with any mix as long as the flavor is a favorite of your family.

These cookies are moist and simply wonderful. Try them soon.

You tell schools out and we are getting into our summer groove---will try to get back here more regularly than weekly--YIKES,

From Tulip~

KH

:)

What's for Dinner Wednesday---Pot Roast

Typed the basic post up last week, one day while subbing at school, kinda wishing I had started a roast this morning, as today, like a lot of my days, is a busy one. This evening is 8th Grade Promotion and tomorrow is the last day of school. It's still May and Beef month, so I really felt like even without pictures (you all know how I feel about the need for a picture with a recipe) I decided to post the following:



One of the greatest fringe benefits of being a farm wife and raising cattle, is that at any given time, there is about my choice of beef cuts in our freezer. Of course, like most people, ground beef/hamburger, is a quick go-to choice for supper, because of its versatility. When summer rolls around, we move through the steaks, as we enjoy cooking on the grill and do probably 3 times a week in warm weather, if not more often than that. Not having grown up on a farm, probably the cut of beef that I was least familiar with, would be roasts. Knowing now, what I didn't know then, at least as far as preparation, I am surprised my mom didn't make more roasts. But when I go looking at the retail meat case, I realize how high most meat is and figure my momma was on a budget and that's fine.

Roasts are best cooked slowly. They are ideal 'crock pot' food. In fact, they likely find their way to my crock pot about once a week. We have a beef butchered at the meat locker and have our roasts cut into 3-4 pound sizes.

This my 'recipe' such that it is..................roast, one can 'cream of' soup, one packet dry onion soup, one box beef broth, some chopped onion, season salt, brown gravy mix and/or Knorr beef stock packet. All of this goes into the crock pot with potatoes to cook supper for me while I run around in the craziness that is a typical day at H&K Farms. It is nice to have all the food for the day mostly cooked before lunch time. I tend to get caught up in a project and without my crock pot, a lot of nights supper would pretty skimpy, thrown together or likely something quick, so the crock pot and great cuts of beef, like a roast insure that my family has a balanced meal in the evening.



Stopping only for a moment to add this post, then its back at it, on with my crazy life,

From Tulip~

KH

:)

On the Farm Friday--History of H&K Farms, The Family

The family that farms together at H&K Farms right now is comprised of The Farmer and his family, his sister and her family and their mother. Let me elaborate.

The Farmer,DH, my husband who doesn't like be mentioned on any form of social media, including Facebook,blogs and the like, is actually the 'H' of H&K Farms..... his parents named him David. We got married 23 years ago. At that time, the farm partners were him, his parents and grandparents. The farm has evolved over the years with births and deaths, to now include our household of kids, the fab four, Cody, Sam, Jenna and Seth.

Now most of you know that my first initial is K, as it is part of my signature line at the end of each post. If you don't know anything else, you know that. But for some, I am about to whoop on you some big news, I am not, I repeat am NOT the 'K' of H&K Farms.................nope not at all. The 'K' or multiple K's as it would seem, would stand for Kable, the surname of The Farmer's baby sister. Hasekamp and Kable. They are the other half of the partnership.

Maybe it was so we wouldn't forget, or just habit, but for years, you rarely heard my brother in law referred by anyone as anything else but 'Kable' In fact I can remember my mother asking, what IS his first name? Well in time, he (Jason, in case you didn't know the answer to that trivia question) courted, and married The Farmer's sister, Beth AKA Aunt B. Then she was a Kable, so when a person mentioned Kable, who did they mean, it was so confusing........fast forward just a very few years when the Princess Jenna Claire began her reign over the land of Tulip, she began calling Jason/Kable/the brother in law/whats his name...............by his current 'nick name' Uncle Honey. No one is totally certain where it came from. Aunt B sometimes calls him Honey, but really not that often, she still gets to call him Kable, as she knows who she means. I secretly wonder if after getting in trouble for opening his Christmas gifts early the year that she recognized 'her name' (okay the letter J, but she was only 3 yrs old) on some packages and getting in trouble, she decided then and there that he needed a new name, so there wouldn't be any more confusion.

Many followers who read this blog know that our kids have some nicknames as well. The oldest, or Twig was actually named Cody. Next we have The Beast or Bubba; which would be Sam. Next up we have JH, The Princess, The Cattle Whisperer, Sis, Sassy or Sassafras..........that would be none other than Jenna. Now poor Seth has a nickname that has unknown origins, maybe subconsciously we wanted to name him something else, I have no idea................but he's usually Fred. Once in a while, he's Squealy Willie (kinda an off shoot of his middle name William, hard to say)

There are probably many people who think we are weird for using nicknames, or maybe even a bunch of rednecks, both assessments are likely correct. But you will be consoled to know that all names or nicknames are very much terms of endearment, as we love these people very much. In an occupation like farming, where many MANY hours are spent together, just the family and not many other people, we have to not only love each, but LIKE each other, A LOT. If not those long days, short nights would be unbearable.

Very proud that at H&K Farms its a much about FAMILY as it is about Farm,

From Tulip~

KH

:)

Tune in Tuesdays---Cody Graduation Video

This weeks post is featuring the video we had at Cody's graduation party. It was created by our friends at Gramke Graphics. They are local production company who specialize in photos and video.

This has been one those 'big memory' weeks last week at our house. Getting ready to jump into a new stage in our lives. As I watched to video I was reminded just how fast its all flew by. In a few months we will pack him up and spend him to college.

Trying come off the incredible ride of the last several days, is it back when 'just working' seems like rest?

From Tulip~

KH

:)

Silent Sunday (going to break the 'rules')

I usually do a Silent Saturday or Sunday post, mostly because its a great way to catch up if I haven't blogged all week with pictures and quick captions. But, this week its going to be hard to be silent, so indulge me a proud momma post, since's it's Mother's Day and all..........

Sam had his final Fine Arts night as a Band student. With all that they do in High School, he's not going to try and keep Band in the mix of activities, so this was his final performance, so to speak.

Sam had his 8th grade dance AKA 'Poo Poo Prom' His little date was Maddie Taylor, daughter of our good friends, Todd and Mandy, who are part of our 'cattle showin' family, for those keeping track.

Aren't they absolutely gorgeous?

Cody at Scholarship night, so after adding up what he's received and comparing to what the FAFSA 'says' we should be able to contribute, sitting pretty nicely FOR THIS YEAR.........the next three, yikes! ;)

Cody receiving Profiency Award at FFA Banquet.

Cody presents The Farmer and yours truly with Honorary Chapter Degrees at the Banquet.

Our oldest, in his cap and gown.

Our family=blessed!

Okay so a quick run down, 5 school events this week, plus a party at our house with over 120 people from three different states besides this one, now if I could only veg out tomorrow, but not too many opportunities to sub left, so its off to work I go. What a week!

Enjoying a bowl of 'leftover' graduation ice cream (yes Homemade) what considering JUST HOW BLESSED this Mother's Day has been,

From Tulip~

KH

:)