Well, yesterday afternoon, we had a horse with an attitude. She kicked down the west pasture gate, and she, and 11 cows took a walking tour of the yard. Evidently the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, as least to equine and bovine eyes, as no one wanted to go back into the pasture. There are still a few stalks of things in the garden space so that is where their tour ended. Finally the cows went back, but the horse continued her attitude. Bucking, kicking, rearing....90 minutes later she goes back in. (at least they can't fly like when the poultry got out)

Of course, DH is at work...he is ALWAYS at work when something gets out. The girls got the gate back up. However, the cows all decided to sit beside the gate for 2-3 hours after. You could see them wishing that gate to come back down.

Then, at 1:34 a.m. (DH is home this time), our lab-a real farm dog, starts sounding the alarm. About the same time, I hear a very raspy breathing outside. I peek out the window (would have never done that if DH wasn't home) and see COWS in the front yard. Here we go again. So, we get up, get DD#3 up and we prepare to rodeo. By the time we get out there, the cows are heading down the drive, and across the road into the corn and bean field. Luckly, about this time we realize these are not OUR cows--they belong to the neighbor a road over, and they are heading home at a fast pace, with our lab & a neighbors dog running them the correct direction. So, around 2:30 we make it back to bed.

Dang dog won't herd our cattle for me, but does it for the neighbors cattle.

The girls & I got up early this morning and took a pickup load of food and winter clothing to the Ministers Alliance. It is an all on one food pantry/clothes closet/training center/crisis center. If there is a need, they try to fill it.

As part of our homeschooling, I have the girls do "service" projects, and that is what the girls chose to help. They have successfully organized 2 drives for food and clothing so far, and another is to start next Sunday at a couple of local churches. It has really opened their eyes to people in need, doing without, and the importance of getting a good education to get a good job, and budgeting.

Until we got involved here, my girls had no idea that some adults could not read. In fact, the 11 year old has helped teach an adult to read. I was very proud of her--she never told any of her friends or even me--the principal at her school 2 years ago caught her doing it--teaching a janitor after school in the library. Only the librarian who was in the room when the lessons were going on knew. I just thought she was reading after school.