Friday, May 30, 2008

What a hectic 5 weeks

So life in Leicester has been pretty crazy lately, sorry to those of you who regularly check the blog. About five weeks ago, our friend Adam and his girlfriend came down for the weekend, the following weekend we made a quick trip back to Indiana for a funeral and Saturday after the funeral we headed back south and stopped/spent the night in Cincinnati at the Marriott on the Ohio river in the Newport area. We went to the Haufbrauhaus, a HUGE German beer hall. There are only Three of them in America: Newport, Vegas, and Miami. The next weekend we had a blast camping at LEAF(Lake Eden Arts Festival). WHAT A GREAT TIME!!! There were local musicians and some big name acts(Arrested Development). When we got back from Leaf, our buddy Andy Hodge was here, so we got home Sunday from Leaf then on Monday, I took Hodge camping for a few days. The next weekend we actually spent it at home, playing catch up, doing laundry, regular life maintenance stuff. I took Hodge to Charlotte to catch the train back to Boston that Monday. Spent the night in a nice hotel downtown Charlotte and came back to Asheville the following morning. Memorial day weekend we back to the woods and camped with Seth and Amy. That was very relaxing and the weather couldn't have been better. Within in the past couple of weeks we have been invaded with cicadas. What a creepy looking bug, and their steady drone sound in the distance resembles a 50's sci-fi movie. I remember a few summers ago, when Trish and I moved back to Indiana, that the cicadas were all over the place. But this is a first for us here in Lester. Trish joined a kick-ball league through Buncombe County parks and rec. She signed up with a bunch of people that she works with and they have one game a week. Her season is coming to close, only one game left. Anyone can enter a team and I vote for getting some friends together next year and signing up. I've managed to stay really busy with work and have lots of painting to do before our trip to Salt Lake City and Camping in Yellowstone June 14 through the 22nd. I also bought a work vehicle. I AM SO HAPPY!! Now I can keep the Grand Cherokee looking nice and clean and not put 30 thousand miles a year on it. I bought a 92 Jeep Cherokee. The following pictures are a recap of the past five weeks. Enjoy.........


We had beautiful weather for LEAF!!!! Except for the thunderstorms at night while we were sleeping.


Camping and Hiking with Hodge.

Camping with Seth and Amy
Beautiful Sunset at our house last night
Creepy Cicadas!!!!!
The work beast.
Prost!!!!!!!!! Gotta love drinking liters of the dunkel at the Haufbrauhaus





Sunday, May 4, 2008

Bessie's Baby

After being away for the weekend, we came home to a surprise. Bessie had a baby!!!!
Here are some pictures of my favorite neighbor cow Bessie (found out her real name is Molly, but I refuse to call her that) and her new baby boy. He was born yesteday, 5/3/08, and was standing up and nursing after only about 45 minutes. He has been playing today, and running! Of course he waits to do these things until I am already back up in my driveway....but I got some decent pictures. I asked Bessie's "dad" if I could take some pictures. I know he has seen me down there talking to Bessie and taking pictures before, but since he was down at the barn I figured I would ask.....he probably thinks I am a big weirdo, or some city girl who has never seen a baby cow! Little does he know I was chasing cows (not tipping them) at a young age of 7. Do you remember that mom?

According to Bessie's dad, Bessie has been a good moma, and she is very protective. She used to let the dogs (their's not ours!!) come in her fence and she would even lick them, but now she chases them out and kicks at them. She watched me very close, so I did not get too close to her. I tried to stay down the road a little and not right in front of her.

The neighbor also updated me on all the wildlife sightings in the area, including the "cat" he thought his dogs were chasing. The "cat" turned out to be a very powerful skunk that got all three of his dogs! He also said that there have been a lot of coyotes coming around lately, and that he actually had to shoot one in his pasture not too long ago because it was out in the middle of the day and he wouldn't leave. It's good to know your neighbors!

I'm sure there will be more cow pictures to come! I might have to rename the blog to "Tom and Trish, and the trees, hills, cows and dogs of Leicester"....what cha think??? ahhhh, I love this place!!