March 8, 2011

tales from the cow keeper

Okay, so I totally stole that title from my good bud, Jayme.

But she doesn't mind. She's cool that way.

Plus, she consulted her lawyers and they said she couldn't stop me without extensive litigation.

It's true though, I am a cow keeper. For the moment anyway.

More on that in a minute, because I found a surprise in the greenhouse yesterday. A fully blooming, lush and gorgeous bleeding heart. It was in my old potting soil bucket under the bench. Apparently this bleeding heart was going incognito last fall when I was dumping out pots of dead, shriveled up flowers. I'm pretty sure I didn't purposely try to kill one of my very favorite plants of all time.

I love, love bleeding heart.


Bleeding heart is also one of my favorite plants to photograph, what with row after row of adorable little hearts all lined up and waiting for a photo shoot.


See? Adorable.

But, back to the keeping of the cows.

The Meadowbrook Farmer has been gone since Saturday, which leaves me in charge of the farm. Sounds like a big job, right? Are you envisioning lots of chores and tractor driving? If you are, you would be mistaken.

Basically, my job consists of taking a walking tour of the back field to make sure everyone is present and accounted for, and also keeping an eye out for any mama who might be entertaining the crazy notion of having her calf a bit early.

At least that's the official job description. My version adds the task of keeping an eye on the bull at all times, (without making eye contact), while dodging cow pies and keeping my daisy boots mud free.

Here are my daisy boots a year ago. They do not look like this anymore.


So sad.

So, even though I failed miserably on the mud front, the upside is that the bull didn't even look my way today. Yesterday, he looked my way and that always makes me nervous.

I don't like the bull. I don't like the look in his eye.

I'm pretty sure he's up to no good.

But I do like my bleeding heart, and it doesn't make me nervous even one little bit.


In other farm news, my refrigerator is dying. It's freezing things that aren't in the freezer, and in case you were wondering, frozen lettuce is not happy lettuce. Apparently, this is a sign that its days are numbered, so I'm in the market for a new one.

Any thoughts on the french door top, freezer drawer in the bottom style? It seems like a pretty good design, but I'd love to hear from someone who actually has one.


With my hubby gone, it's just been me and Junior Number Three. Which pretty much means it's just been me. Junior has quite the social life lately and if he's not with his friends, he's at five hour play practices (opening night is next week).


He was sweet enough to turn down a Saturday night invitation to spend the night with a friend because he didn't think I'd want to spend the night all alone in the house. I guess he didn't know I'd made my peace with the Boogie Man years ago. At this point, I'm all, "Bring it on, Boogie Man! Give me all you've got, because I'm tired and I'm going to bed."

It did, however, make me think back to my babysitting days when I'd get myself so freaked out that I'd sit in a corner with a fireplace poker in my hands. That level of paranoia may directly correlate to the fact that after the kids were in bed, I'd watch all the scary movies that my parents were smart enough not to let me watch at home.

Word of advice to any highly imaginative teenagers out there....don't watch baby sitter themed horror movies whilst baby sitting.

You will pay a very high price.

You will also pay a high price if, as a newlywed, you choose to watch The Shining with your new husband. Because you know what? Those new husbands? They go to work the next day, and it's hard to get Jack Nicholson and his axe out of your mind even in broad daylight.


For the most part, I stay away from the scary movies these days. However, a couple years ago, my bff and I did go to see the new version of "When a Stranger Calls" just for kicks and ended up watching the whole movie through our fingers.

Did you know it's scientifically proven that if you watch something scary through your fingers it makes it less scary?

Okay, maybe it's not scientifically proven, but it sure sounds like a study that Congress would spend our tax dollars on, doesn't it?


Well, I have no earthly idea how a post that started out with flowers and cows ended up with boogie men and scary movies.


But now you've got me curious.

Are you a scary movie watcher?

Do you let your imagination get the best of you when you're home alone and hear a noise?

Or, are you brave and strong and down to earth and no nonsense about such things?

This will be fun!

84 comments:

  1. I love scary movies! Even if i have to watch with my hands over my eyes.

    I get almost zero sleep if my husband isn't home. I'm CONVINCED someone will break in at any moment. I think my dog senses it, he barks at every little sound when hubby isn't here. (in my defense, we lived in an apartment a few years ago, and it was robbed one night when we weren't home)

    I am convinced that ghosts, demons, and monsters are real, not down to earth about it at all.

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  2. NO, NO, NO, NEVER been a scary movie watcher and not goin' there now! This actually applies to our whole family including the 6'6" ones (3)!! I'm not scared of much and we live way out in the country and never even lock our doors, but scary movies..... well they're just not our thing! :-) --Debra

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  3. Teresa about the fridge, going on 6 months with a cabinet depth, french door - pull out freezer and LOVE IT. I don't miss the space one minute in face it's much easier to see what you have, nothing get's lost back there (being cabinet depth). And same with the freezer, you can see down to what's there. Definitely a good choice.

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  4. The bleeding hearts are like a ray of sunshine to me today!
    {we are buried in snow and won't be seeing bleeding hearts for months}
    They are also my favorite flower!

    Thanks for sharing and for making me smile,
    Dolly

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  5. I have one of two reactions to scary movies: Either I sit calmly while on the inside I am totally repulsed and trying to think of a way to leave without making my brothers think I have no spine, or I absolutely love the movie... but am STILL repulsed, in which case I endure of my own accord. Movies like Lord of the Rings or The Patriot fall into the latter category... :)

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  6. I've had an Samsung french door freezer on the bottom fridge for 3 years now. LOVE it! It always seems so huge and I can fit way more in to....fridge and freezer!

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  7. I was going to say "When a Stranger Calls" (the original) ruined my babysitting days/nights. Ruined them. Then "Halloween" came out. And I went to the theater to see it. Dumb, dumb, dumb. That was enough of the scary movie genre for me.

    When we got married, my husband worked nights. I thought I would die of fright some nights. (I was 17 at the time.) I ended up staying with my parents so I could get some sleep. The other night I was here all by my lonesome and everyone (my parents, kids, husband) called and asked how I was. I got over the fright years ago. Nowadays I trust the Lord to take care of me. It's as simple as that...until I hear something and imagine what it could be. Ha!

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  8. No scary movies here!! Give me a good romantic comedy any day. Sorry I can't give you any advice on the fridge-- good luck! And your eye on the bull :)

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  9. These pictures are amazing....I feel spring is coming!! A I dont like scary movies...and when I do give in and watch them I have bad dreams....I feel you

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  10. LOVE the Bleeding Heart. I am not much of a scarey movie fan. My husband likes the suspense kind, but not the hack and slash screamers. These days, the news is almost scarier than I can handle!
    Blessings,
    Lorilee

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  11. I've had two french door frig/freezers...one at our lake house and one as an extra frig at our home. I hated them both because I was the only person that put things in the frig where they "belonged", therefore I had to open both doors of the frig to find what I was needing. It ALWAYS was on the opposite side that I guessed. I also noticed that the doors had a tendency to not close readily..perhaps because the weight of the doors were less heavy and didn't automatically slam shut? I love my side by side sub-zero, counter depth. I'm sharing this with you because I disliked the french doors on the frig so much, and this is a major investment.
    I stumbled on your blog a couple of months back and have enjoyed it. More photgraphy tips, please!

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  12. i used to l.o.v.e. scary movies, but as i get older, my mind starts to wonder and i haven't seen one in a long time. when hubby is gone i set up boobie-traps at each door, there are bars that go in the windows, and i don't get any sleep. every little noise makes me think someone's out there. i'm such a chicken in my older age. probably because i watched to many scary movies as a teenager. go figure..

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  13. What a delightful post. This reminds me of home on the farm and miss Springtime on the farm. Thanks for sharing your wonderful pictures of your plants.

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  14. LOL. I busted up laughing out loud when I read the part about babysitting. I have never watched scary movies. The previews and trailers alone scare the heck out of me. But I do recall sitting in the middle of a family room in the dark with the t.v. on, and pillows piled all around me. I could only see straight ahead to the t.v. I was totally buried in the couch pillows so that I couldn't see anywhere else in the room, while I totally freaked myself out waiting for the parents I was babysitting for, to come home. I could not move! Even when the television shows for the evening were over and all that was on the screen was fuzzy rainbow lines and loud static! LOL What a dip.;o) LOVE bleeding hearts too!

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  15. Love all of your gorgeous photos!! Oh how I am so ready for spring! I used to be a scary movie watcher back when I was a teenager, but no so much anymore! I get freaked out when I am home alone without the hubby...I don't need any scary movie to make things worse! In fact, most of the time I end up staying at my parents' house with my 2 boys!!! Yep..that's right..I'm a total chicken!!!

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  16. I used to watch them but now I am a sissy. Sometimes I watch tense parts of shows thru my fingers. It is true, it is less scary. The Shining scares me still... I'm home. Yikes I was the scared newlywed too. And I can never run thru a corn field, even if I know no one is chasing me, I still get freaked out.

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  17. I've had a french door fridge for about 3 years now. I will say that this fridge has good features and bad features. The good is that you can fit a wider tray in the thing but I really don't think it has as much room as our old side by side. If you have to defrost a 20 lb turkey in it, there isn't much room left over for anything else. I like that everything is more or less eye level in the fridge but things get buried in the freezer. The doors do seem to not shut tightly and for that reason they've added a little beepy thing that tells you to come shut the danged door! I always open both sides to find whatever it is I'm looking for because it's always on the side that you don't open. Good luck finding a fridge. Mimi

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  18. First, just let me say, The Shining is by far the freakiest movie of all times. That kid on the big wheel in the hotel....aye!! Major creaps me out!!! Secondly, my husband travels all the time for his job. Like four nights every week. So, I had to make peace with the Boogie Man as well. I always double check the locks before bed and say a prayer that God keeps us safe. I figure He is the best watchman for me. :) p.s. frozen lettuce is awful!!

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  19. Scary movies...NO...fear is not good for my health. Or anyone's I think. Stick with me too long. We've had the french door frig for about a year now. I love, love it. The freezer actually holds more than our old side by side. Yeah, the doors don't swing shut the same but the beepy thing helps. This frig actually belongs to my parents and I definitely want one of my own when I move out (as well as the purple Dyson but you didn't ask about that.)

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  20. Hubby and I LOVE scary movies and LOVE our fridge with the freezer on the bottom! LOL Halloween is one of our favourite movies (and one of my favourite holidays... especially when it comes to stitching). I also like to watch Ghost Hunters (too many re-runs lately though!). Hubby doesn't like it quite as much as I do, so I'll sometimes PVR some and watch them while I stitch after he has gone to bed :^)

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  21. I don't do scary movies. Never have liked them. I hold images in my brain and then I wake up screaming in the middle of my room running from Hannibal Lector. No joke, true story.

    Gimme a silly chick flick anyday, and I'm happy.

    Hugs,
    Jill

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  22. Teresa, I am afraid of the boogie man, still! Always have been, always will. For some reason when I am alone at night, the walls start making noises it never makes when others are around. I swear they know when I'm alone. And I hate the ice-maker! I could never live in a house without blinds or curtains that I can close tight because if I picture someone looking in I would scream bloody murder! So to answer your question, do I watch scarey movies. Never! Can you see why? : )

    You made me laugh reading your post and listening to you go from your beautiful flowers and boots to cows to refrigerators to scary movies! I so enjoy reading your blog!
    Julie

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  23. Haha you made me laugh! I usually go to bed and say the boogey man will have to come get me. I'm not waiting up for him! Love love the bleeding hearts!

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  24. No way, no how will I watch a scary movie. The rest of the family love them. Me, I've freaked out for weeks on end and have finally figured out it not worth the high blood pressure. LOL

    Your bleeding heart photos are so pretty. They are one of my favorites, yet for some reason it's been years since I've added one to my garden. An oversight I will have to take care of this spring.

    We purchased a french door/bottom drawer type fridge, a Samsung, and have had it for a little over a year. It's a great fridge but I still haven't got use to the two doors on top. Truth be told I'm not a fan. If it was at all possible I would replace it with one door.

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  25. Although I must admit I love scarey movies... I don't like the aftermath. I remember going to see The Shining with my cousin and we were so scared we were afraid to get out of the car, in the garage even, when we got to her house that night. I also seem to remember watching Halloween, the original one, while I was babysitting. Really, someone should have had the courtesy to tell me that Jamie Lee Curtis is BABYSITTING in the movie!! I was scared to walk home that night and I lived right next door! I must say, even all grown up I'm still a little afraid of the dark...and being all alone at night. Fortunately I have 2 large dogs that bark at everything at night, oh maybe that doesn't help, hmmm.

    On to something much more fun. Love the bleeding heart pictures. You've inspired me to be sure to get some close ups of mine this spring/summer.

    ~Chris

    PS my mother in law has one of those french door/bottom drawer fridges and she loves it. She is tall and she like not having to bend down to get stuff out of the fridge in her "old age".

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  26. Too funny! So sad about the daisy boots. If we lived closer our 14 year old would so love to be your cow keeper! He can hardly wait until 4-H starts up again in the spring.

    I'm dating myself here, but in my babysitting days (or I should say nights) the Saturday evening tv lineup included 'The Love Boat' followed by 'Fantasy Island (de plane, de plane!)"

    As for the fridge, I love our bottom mount drawer freezer but we have the single door upper.

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  27. I love scary movies, but not gory ones.

    Just before my Husband & I got married we went & saw 'The War of the Roses' with Kathllen Turner & Micheal Douglas. Which was pretty scary as we both walked out of the cinema looking at each other out of the corner of our eyes going Hmmmmmmmmmmm. 'Is she going to run over my car? Is he going to piss on my fish'?? So far, neither of those things have happened. So FAR!

    Thank you for sharing such beautiful photos!

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  28. I loved scary movies until I had kids. Then I just wanted the world to be perfect and no one, not even pretend people, to get hurt. But now I watch zombie movies with my husband sometimes, because he loves them, and those aren't even pretend people, they're fake pretend people.

    I have never seen a light pink bleeding heart plant. Beautiful pictures, as always. I love to look at your blog through my fingers and pretend I live there. :)

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  29. Oh my, well first off--that bleeding heart is a beauty and a sure sign spring is coming. It is my favorite spring flower--it’s so dainty and fragile looking and pink--I mean pink is always awesome! You really are a farm girl, staring down bulls and checking on mamma cows and all--you have outed yourself :) LOL
    As for the boogie man--I am a big follower of boogie man movies. I was terrified of “When a Stranger Calls”--oh my gosh-terrified and so fabulous. I like the cover your eyes--method of watching. If I cover my eyes completely I don’t have to see the horrific, scary scene--I just have to “hear” it---oh that music that takes my bp from 120/80 to 180/120. I slept many nights in the floor next to mom and dad’s bed. I considered sleeping with my mom when I saw "The Strangers” a couple of years back with my step-daughter. She said I scared her more than the movie by praying out loud the entire time :) LOL Yes, I am a great follower of the boogie man movies!

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  30. Hi Tre, I have a refrigerator with the freezer on the bottom & I love, love, love it. In fact I had one only two years old that I hate, hate, hated. An anniversary was coming up & when asked what I wanted - he was expecting gold, diamonds, Hawaii - I said I wanted a new refrigerator with the freezer on the bottom. He was so relieved he ran right out - with me in tow - & bought one. I'm sure you would love one too. As far as being home alone & watching movies, I don't. I come home, lock the doors, lay my handgun on the night stand & go to sleep confident that I'm safe & sound only to find my keys still in the outside doorknob just asking for company. Only did that once! Love your bleeding heart. Velcro lady.

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  31. It didn't seem odd to ME that this post just kept evolving from flowers to refrigerators ... I think it made perfect sense.

    Surprise greenhouse flowers? LOVE IT when that happens. I have a couple of buds on roses in my greenhouse that I probably should have snapped off ... but I didn't have the heart to do it.

    Scary movies and TV shows? No, thank you.

    Home by myself? Love it. It's just me and the dogs and cats. I can have what I want for dinner and watch what I want on TV ... go to sleep when I want ... you get the picture.

    Speaking of pictures ... your greenhouse pictures, especially the ones of the bleeding heart (which is also one of my favorite flowers) are fabulous!

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  32. I am a scarey movie watcher, always have been. The one that got me the most was the Exorcist.. that is just plain hideous.

    I have the refrigerator you're asking about. LOVE it. Great choice, plenty of room, easy access.

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  33. I am NOT a scary movie watcher. My birthday is October 30th so I should be a prime candidate for watching scary Halloween movies, but I'm more of the Sleepless in Seattle type. Enjoy your quiet time home....keep tending to those cows.

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  34. haha! I love your random thought process today! Your so funny! Yes, I do love scary movies! They do not induce nightmares for me at all. Sometimes there are a few disturbing ones that are based on things that actually happened or actually could happen, and I really don't like them especially if they involve children. But for the most part, I love a good scare! Your pictures are beautiful...and now I'm dreaming of spring!! Watch out for that bull!

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  35. I'm not afraid of the Boogie Man or of staying home alone. I have a lot of friends who are but it's never bothered me. Now, about scary movies, I've always loved them and loved feeling scared by them. But I'm finding the older I get (I'm in my 40's now)the less I can watch them. They're just so disturbing. I don't get scared so much as just disturbed and have bad dreams and such. Maybe the movies are different than they used to be?

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  36. Love the photos! So pretty, makes me crave spring.. Love most scary movies., couldn't watch the Hills have eyes thou.. that was awful

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  37. Well, THIS was an educational post. I love bleeding hearts as well Teresa -- but I REALLY appreciated the information all your friends posted about their refrigerators. You see, I am also in the market for a new one. I have been defrosting my freezer for months now -- I know, you didn't think people in this day & age did that, did you? Well, it's true. Ice builds up QUICKLY on the floor of my freezer, and ends up melted on the floor on my kitchen...drip, drip, dripping out the door. I just ASSUMED that french door/bottom freezer was the way to go (read: everybody's doin' it!), but now I'm not so sure. I have side by side now, and LOVE it. Sometimes, I wish I could fit something bigger in the freezer (like a 9x13 dessert -- but truthfully, I've gotten used to not baking those kind of things "ahead" -- so what's the difference, right? Hmmmm - I may be looking for a newer version of my side-by-side afterall. Can't wait to hear what you decide on -- DO TELL! ~Sally

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  38. I am not a huge fan of scary movies - I am a huge fan of all those gorgeous flowers though! I want your greenhouse. I have the fridge you are talking about and love it.

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  39. I like a good scary movie BUT I do not do demons and junk like that. That stuff is WAY too scary for this girl. I also don't do abusive movies really well. SO I guess it is safe to say I do lightly, softly scary movies, lol.

    About your fridge... ours was doing that too. Hubby got into the freezer part and defrosted the coils and it runs like a dream again. I know you want a new fridge but at least that may help the old one last longer :)

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  40. I used to love and watch scary movies for a long time. But I had to stop watching them. They lingered on and on and on with me and caused restless nights! Who needs that when you got kids! So I stopped. The last scary movie I watched was I think a couple of years ago with my cousin and it was the "story of Emily Rose". We had a girls' night in over my house, and I watched through my fingers with the volume down the whole time! And needless to say my cousin wasn't too thrilled to watch a silent movie! :)

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  41. No scary movies here. They don't 'bother' me - unless they are a scary that can really happen - but 'horror' - eh, just not my cup of tea. Your flower pictures made me nearly fall off my chair. I could just smell the soil...ohhh sooooonnnnnn sooooonnn things will be green and tender. I'm going to need a dollar for every comment posted here due to the name infringement. My people will contact your people.

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  42. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my French door frig!! I actually have one that has two bottom freezer drawers. Love that because it makes finding freezer stuff so much easier!!

    Love scary movies, but my pilot husband is gone quite a bit and this empty nest makes every little noise very suspect(at least,in my fraidy cat mind)

    Love the photos today. My pilot hubby got me a new DSLR camera because I go on and on about your photos. Would you care to share the settings for these pics?

    LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your blog! Lots of love in my post, today. Thanks for setting a great tone today in my life.

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  43. Oh, you are cracking me up!! Bleeding heart is one of my all time favs and ours won't bloom for ages. Your photos are gorgeous. That may help hold me over till spring comes. Last year it never came. No scary movies for me. I'm a chicken. And I hear all kinds of things when alone in the house at bedtime. Even when hubby is asleep I hear things. Unfortunately, one time there really were some kids in the back yard. So my fears were validated....ugh.
    Annette

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  44. Hi Teresa!
    No scary movies for me. Real life can be scary enough :) Oh, and definitely no animal movies, I cry during the opening credits.
    Love the bleeding heart photos. You're right, they are such a photo op! Can't help with the refrigerator, I have a basic top freezer model with no water dispenser. I keep things simple :)

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  45. I could hardly soak up what I was reading because I was so distracted by the beautiful pink bleeding hearts! Oh.....All that pink and green....candy to my eyes. I'm still sitting in 2 feet of snow and ice. Thank goodness it really is spring somewhere!!

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  46. First of all, can I tell you I love those daisy boots!! Mine are blue with pink polka dots but I've been in the market for a nice flower style for Spring. I loved your post, so funny!

    I love to watch scary movies for one reason only. My husband is scared to watch them but doesn't want to admit it and thus I love to watch him as he gives every excuse in the book not to watch or why we should stop watching instead of just saying they scare him. :) Apparently, I have a bit of an evil side to me...well just a bit!

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  47. I have a freezer on the bottom and I would never go back. I only have a single door on the top and that's okay with me. Not a scary movie watcher. Life is already scary enough. Love you photos.

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  48. I LOVE my french door fridge! I can cram tons of stuff in there, like three months worth of food at a time. The freezer has lots of space, but I only keep a few things in it that I use all the time. I have a 6 foot deep freeze in the basement wehere everything else goes. I like the fact that I never loose anything in the back of the fridge like I used to with a standard fridge. Here is a link to my fridge stuffed full.

    http://littleredhen4.blogspot.com/2010/05/preparing-for-your-cook.html

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  49. Oh Teresa I'm with you! Scary movies scare me to death! I stay far far away from them...I watched the movie Scream in high school and swore I'd never watch another scary movie ever! And then I saw Blair Witch Project..on a date of all places! Needless to say that relationship ended. BIG mistake. And about my frig, I have a bottom drawer freezer with the french door top and I LOVE it! I wouldn't trade it for another frig in the world. :) Well that's a little bold but I really feel that way. I just love your blog! Thank you for bringing sunshine and laughter and beauty to my days!!!!! You are hysterical and very talented in so many ways!!!

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  50. I am the biggest chicken on earth. On the few times I have *had* to spend a night alone in a house, I have literally pushed chairs against all doors, locked doors both outside and inside doors, and taken a little something to knock me out. I am not making this up. The only scary movie I ever saw was Birds (Hitchok, right?) in my teens, and I had to sleep in the room next to my parents that night as a result. I never watched another scary movie. But I gotta say I seriously love your bleeding hearts. :)

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  51. I haven't watched a scary movie in years...as my daughter days, they give me "night dreams". I don;t have the french doors on my fridge, but I do have the bottom freezer drawer and I dislike it immensley! Things get dumped in and are never seen again...when I get ice cubes out,one usually slips and falls in the din. Not a fan. Your Bleeding Heart photos are wonderful!

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  52. NO scary movies here! My imagination is too overactive, fingers or no! Sweet of your son to stay with you though.

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  53. I guess I'm a "no nonsense" gal. Has to be bigger than a strange noise to scare me! On the fridges, I don't know. I have a traditional side-by-side a year old. And from what I can tell, nothing much made in the past 20 years can hold a candle to the old stuff. (That's what the repairman keeps saying anyway.) Gotta love Jayme the chicken keeper, huh? And I REALLY gotta love your flower photos!
    Brenda

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  54. Oh, forgot to say this! I love your narrative a lot!
    Brenda

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  55. Please! I have to avoid the local news channels because I am certain every rapist, thief and murderer is coming to me! I absolutely cannot watch horror movies and I regularly wake my husband to go check on "that sound"! : )

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  56. LOVE my french door fridge with the freezer on the bottom. If I had the money for a sub zero --maybe I would have gotten that but let's face it....who am I to need a sub zero? We did a major kitchen reno last year and I still couldn't justifty one. My HUGE regret is not getting a counter depth fridge. I'm still kicking myself about that and we even had a kitchen designer. HOW could we have missed that. I still need to do a "final" post about the kitchen but it's her if you'd like to check out the fridge. http://willowandpaisley.typepad.com/willow_paisley/kitchen-renovation/

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  57. I HATE scary movies. Sleep is impossible if I even see a preview for one. And sadly enough I am home alone with out the hubby tonight. I hope I sleep soundly....

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  58. When I was 11 I was staying with my cousins for the summer...girl a year younger and boy seven years older. He thought it would be funny to put on the Exorcist, hide the remote, turn off all the lights and chase us around the house. To add to the 'fun' their parents weren't home, they live in a country-ish setting with no street lights. It was d.a.r.k. outside! We slept with their mom for a while and after that, on our own. I was tired that summer! :)

    I am STILL scared of that (and any scary movie) and I'll be 39 next week. My 14 y.o. son is also a scardey-cat and had a similar experience with his friends at the same age except the movie was The Messengers. Poor kid. Couldn't sleep for months.

    Now he tells me he 'needs' to see The Exorcist because (read in a duh, mom tone) "it's old mom, and I know that it isn't real and that they have way scarier special effects now." I had to tell him repeatedly that there is no scarier movie out there and that even if made today, I honestly don't think it could be made any scarier.

    I just remembered that during that same summer trip, I found a copy of Amityville Horror and thought it wouldn't be a big deal to read before bed. Boy was I wrong...it was a bad idea indeed!! Needless to say, I didn't finish it!

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  59. Hate staying by myself! We also live in the middle of nowwhere. Just did this last night and had to walk into a dark house with two little kids. Flipped on all lights, locked all doors, checked all closets, and still laid awake thinking I could hear something!!

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  60. I HEART my Samsung French Door pulout freezer! It's the best fridge in the world and SOOOOOO spacious which is great for all the entertaining we do.

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  61. Well finally someone who thought like I did while babysitting... I would fall asleep thinking I would not wake up alive again. Hated the big scary houses, and dark spaces...

    And I am so glad to hear that others are scared of staying alone.

    We had our condo neighbors broken into, while he slept, first they visited our deck, then went next door. When what you always worried about actually happens what do you worry about next?

    Embarrasedly, Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

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  62. Just came across your blog! I love it. I'm a girl that grew up on a small farm that now lives in the suburbs. I so badly want to return to country life and be closer to family. Seeing your farm makes me yearn for it even more! Thanks for sharing!

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  63. I'm a big baby. I used to brave back when I was a teenager. Now? Not so much. I actually cried from being scared while watching Sixth Sense. Seriously? Also, it helps to watch a scary movie from behind a pillow. Save that one for next time.

    Riley is in a PLAY? Do tell!

    I am hoping the fridge at the new house dies. It is a gigantic black fridge in a kitchen with no other black appliances. Actually none of the appliances match! As for the over under fridge, it's what I'm buying next time out. I had a side by side in the old house and it was okay but awfully hard to fit wide things in the fridge like cookie sheets and platters and giant pizza boxes. I love having the freezer on bottom although I think you need to look at how that freezer is organized. My sister-in-law had one that was basically a big drawer and it was a chaotic mess. I personally don't need as much stored in my freezer cuz I have a free standing freezer in the garage. Okay, that's enough babble for now. Miss you.

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  64. HI... I'm Leslie and I've enjoyed reading your blog. I HATE scary movies. I have such an imagination...I can't get them out of my head, and I conjure up all kinds of scary thoughts for weeks after I watch them. NO scary movies for me!

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  65. I used to love to read Stephen King books and watch scary movies. Do you remember..."Are you in the house alone?" That was some scary babysitter stuff!! Now I think, like you said, I'm too tired to be scared. :)

    My grandma used to have her freezer on the bottom and my aunt does now. They would both give you a big thumbs up on that one.

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  66. Love bleeding hearts (especially the type to survive against all odds). Love cows. Especially early wee baby ones curled up tight in a patch of sun. Love my french door, bottom freezer by Maytag. Hate that the first one's computer board fried up after a mere *two months* and I lost all my very special allergen free/organic/ home made baby n mommy foods... THAT made me cry. Not scary movies. Hate them. Hate mud too. We've got water almost up to our porch steps this minute, so I bet I get to do a lot of hating tomorrow, IF it ever stops raining/snowing... Maybe a trip to get cute new boots like yours would cheer me up!
    hugs,
    Leslie

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  67. I'm a chicken these days! I'm much less brave than I used to be. But I don't get afraid of the house, or being home alone.

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  68. H#ll, NO!!!!
    Life takes my
    breath away just
    as it is....No
    scary movies, roller
    coasters, bungee
    jumping OR skydiving
    for moi, thank you
    very much. Not that
    I didnt' see my share
    or ride my share in
    my younger days. Right
    now I have a girl about
    to get her driver's license,
    and that is about as SCARY
    as it gets!!!
    xx Suzanne

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  69. I no longer watch scary movies. I loved them decades ago but now I prefer action movies or a good love story.

    DI

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  70. Your bleeding heart is making mine bleed!! I so long for spring but alas...we are still having a dose of winter here! Your pics are purely gorgeous!!

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  71. Awe - those boots are so stinkin cute! & love the flower photo's too! I'm your newest follower & would love to see you link up to Cottage Flora Thursday's sometime....oxoox

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  72. No, No, No, NO scary movies; NO!
    I do however LOVE your photos of the Bleeding Heart, one of my favorites also.
    The boots are awesome!

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  73. Scary movies; NO thanks. I prefer not to make my hands sweat, heart palpitate, and loose sleep over Freddy Kruger.

    Bleeding hearts are a favorite. They grew wild in the forest behind my childhood home. We'd go out and pick fistfuls of them for my mother. It's just so sweet that God created a heart-shaped flower!

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  74. I don't think I've ever seen Bleeding Hearts before. They are beautiful and I love that God made a flower like a heart.

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  75. Mercy, I sure wish I knew how I got here but oh so glad I did. Its late and I cant sleep so I took some time on the computer to blog hunt. I was knocked out of my chair seeing your photography. I hope you don't mind if I come back with a glass of tea and visit more. I love reading about farms, its my hearts desire to have a small place one day. I want to read more about your farm and your photography.

    As far as the frig. I am tall, bending over to get into the frig was awful, I an not one for having the blood rush to my head while hangin' upside down to dig in the produce drawers or to find something that gravitated to the far back on one of the shelves. With much research and I mean we did research, we opted for the Kenmore Elite French doors above and freezer on drawer on bottom.

    We chose to have the water dispenser on the outside of one of the french doors and have the ice maker put in the freezer. With the ice maker in the door, It took up way too much room inside the door and with it positioned there, you lost 2 valuable inside door shelves which for me, I needed them. I do not mind bending over to get ice from the freezer and over all, it does not take up that much space in the freezer. We found this frig has the most room both in the frig part and the freezer. Its pricy but so well worth it.

    Have a blessed week and happy frig shopping.

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  76. I have never posted before, but I stumbled upon your blog sometime ago and I really enjoy it... It's something I look forward to and it always makes me smile!

    I thought that I had also made peace with the boogey man, that was until 6 years ago when we moved into and renovated an 1882 Victorian home. It's a big house with a lot of new noises that I had to get used to. Needless to say 6 years later when I was home alone overnight all by myself... I ended up sleeping (if you could call it that) with the closet light on!
    ~Dana

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  77. What beautiful flowers and I'm totally lovin' those boots!
    Not too many scary movies, but I do like scary boots!

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  78. There are very few scary movies I'm willing to watch... it takes a lot out of me, physically and mentally. I managed to psych myself up to watch The Amityville Horror one very sunny summer afternoon. Ended out actually enjoying it, 'cuz it all just seemed so fake I couldn't take it seriously. I also love a good ghost story. I'm all over Ghost Hunters. It's just good fun.

    I'm very envious of your flowers, BTW... all so happy and blooming. I'm sure we'll get some here soon enough, but it feels a long way out yet.

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  79. Thank you for sharing your lovely photos!
    I love bleeding hearts, too!

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  80. Am I a scary movie watcher? Ha! No. I run to the bathroom and stay there until the scary movie is over and the others tell me it's safe to come out. Yes, the bathroom, because the only time we have scary movies on at all is when we are traveling and staying in a hotel and there is no place else to go to get away from the tv!... Moral of this story: don't take me with you when you travel, if you like to watch scary movies. ;-)

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  81. I enjoy scary, but not gory movies. My daughters love to watch them with me!

    I don't get scared though, even when I am home alone. I have a very large dog, with a very big bark that doesnt like strangers that are not "mommy approved".

    I sleep well!

    I love your blog though. I too have a small farm, and it is heaven on earth.

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  82. Okay scary movies are just, well, scary so I don't do them. Love your humor and love to laugh out loud...thanks! As for the fridge though, my mom has one and I love it. It's on my wish list. More fridge room, and less freezer space. But we have an extra freezer and I can never find stuff in my side by side freezer anyway because it's to packed and too low. I prefer to bend rather than squat anyway so this will be ideal for me. Good luck!

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  83. Hi Teresa,
    I LOVE Bleeding Hearts...they remind me of my Nana. BUT I LOVE/HATE scary movies. Since my hubby works nights and I'm all alone...theres no way I can watch anything REMOTELY scary or I'd never sleep. We live in the country too...and you know what creepy scary things could be lurking around out in the country...especially around ponds and creeks...gulp.
    Maura :(

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