Yellow Rock Farm

I've been asked where the name came from: Yellow Rock Farm.  Here's the story - Before Paul and I married and for a short time afterward, we square danced!  Great fun and we traveled all over Georgia dancing - until Paul broke his foot - end of dancing.  But during one dance I heard a new call (well, they were all new to me; Paul was the expert) and it was so unique: "yellow rock your partner."  It meant "hug your partner" as "yellow rock" was square dance terminology for "hug".  After the dance that night I told Paul if/when we ever had a place I wanted to name it Yellow Rock Farm.  I think he agreed hoping I'd forget but I never did!  In 1995 we bought 22 acres in Twiggs County that became Yellow Rock Farm!  We love it out here - so peaceful and quiet - and the stars are so bright and the sky so clear - sounds like a song, doesn't it?

We got grass, man!

Farm work is hard - let's just say that's two 4-letter words right there together!  Ok, I admit that I'm kinda lazy but seems like anything that involves working outside is going to be heavy, hard, and dirty!  We do yard/farm work at our place with BIG tools, like tractors and 4 wheelers!  So we had someone come and do some major timber cutting and firepile burning so we could have places that resembled pasture and garden, not woods and overgrown fields.  When the tree uprooting and burning was done it was time to seed rye grass.  But the little darling seeds are not tough enough to come up without some help so "PaulandLindastrawmatplacers" had to cover them up to give them an edge.  I certainly hope they're grateful!  But from brown dirt did little green grass grow and now it looks great.  God gave the rain and sun and rain and cold - hope the warm overpowers the cold until their tiny roots grab hold!



Front pasture after



Front pasture before





Garden hillside after



Garden hillside before



Anniversary


 






November 19, 1983



Thanksgiving 2010



Anniversary - a time for remembering - could be annually, could be daily or anything in between.  Can be remembrance of a happy time or sad one.  Or just something remarkable.  I've marked several anniversaries lately: Aug 25 is Daddy and Sis's anniversary; Sept 10 is her birthday and Sept 20 is his birthday - I am thankful for every single day I have with him on this planet!  Oct 12 was 13 years since John Denver died; Oct 14 is my baby's (ha!) birthday and Oct 22 is my baby daddy's (husband) birthday; Nov 8 was Alan and Ashley's 2 year wedding anniversary; Nov 27 will always be my mama's birthday even though April 16 is the anniversary of her home-going.  And November 19 is mine and Paul's wedding anniversary - 27 years this year.  I am so blessed to have the love of the man God literally put in my path back in 1982.  It was truly love at first sight - the best part is he says the same thing!  We met in Sunday School at Sherwood Baptist Church, Albany, GA, and I knew from that moment we would be together.  After our first date, I told my roommate that I'd just had a date with the man I would marry - I believe God put us together forever.  Hasn't always been easy, but every year on our anniversary I'm glad we're committed to each other.  Paul, I love you more every day and am thankful to God for you!





Breast Cancer 3 Day

pretty feet - blister free!

I'm in training - for the October 2011 3 Day Atlanta Breast Cancer Walk!  Yes, you heard/saw right - 3 days, 60 miles for a cure.  I've done it 3 times before and it's the hardest, most rewarding thing I've ever done.  This journey will begin on a Friday morning with an inspirational semi-service after a (large) group warmup/stretch.  Then women (and men) of all ages, sizes, shapes, etc will begin an emotional adventure that will culminate 3 days and 60 miles later with an equally emotional end honoring all walkers/crew/survivors and donors.  I'll be walking 20 miles a day for 3 days with thousands of my closest friends and raising at least $2300 before the walk begins.  Stay tuned for an opportunity to give to the cause!  We'll live in a pink tent city with huge trailers for meals and showers - low on the comfort scale but worth every ache.  The first year I walked with my best friend, Denise, whose long strides afforded us only occasional catch-up times during the walk.  I also didn't know then what I know now about the right fitting shoes, the best socks to wear and trusting what you've trained with - I came home with full feet blisters!  The next 2 years (thanks, RunFit Sports!) were blister free and a lot more pleasant.  I hope you'll consider taking this trip with me...

Race for the Cure

Breast cancer has just got to go!  We must find a cure for the sake of all the women we love!  I'm combining 2 of my passions this weekend: walking and breast cancer research by walking in the local Komen Race for the Cure.  Please join me - walk if you can or give if you can't.

Hunting Season!

Tis the season!  No, not Christmas - HUNTING!  Just one more great thing about fall!  My husband does his grocery shopping in the woods and I love it!  He processes his own kills - can you say "fresh?"  A lot of hunters are trophy takers and Paul loves the pursuit of a big buck too, but he is such an ethical hunter that he won't shoot what we can't use.  The great thing about this love of his is that he passed it on to our son, Alan, and they regularly hunt together.  In fact, they've been hunting together since Alan was 3 and Paul has taught him a love of the outdoors and a respect of God's creation.  That truly is "Church in the Wild Wood."

We had the trip of a lifetime a couple of years ago - went to New Zealand for a week's tour, then another week at a hunting lodge where Paul and Alan brought home 7 trophies between them.  Couldn't bring the meat, but it was donated to the locals and fed the lodge guests, too.  No waste for our hunters, even overseas!

More updates to come on the hunting scene.  Our freezer awaits the game!



Paul and his chamois, Alan and his tahr



I'm in the 21st Century!

I have finally joined everyone else living and blogging in the 21st Century by creating my own.  I can't imagine that anyone will care about what I have to post, but it will give me a place to organize and collect my thoughts and memories.  I've never been much of a journalist, but lately I've thought I'd like to try.  So, I invite you to come with me on this journey and maybe learn something amusing/interesting about me, my family, and our lives.  I can't wait to see your comments, that is if anyone's following...