Scoopin' Poop

Hello

It is very windy here today. VERY windy. We spent most of the morning reading and writing letters. Then this afternoon we scooped cow poop ( for our compost pile ) from the old cow pasture, because we moved the cows to the new pasture yesterday.

Tracy planted some seeds in some styrofoam cups so later she can transfer them to the rabbit garden. She planted Cabbage, Lettuce, Endive and Turnip Greens. Jennifer and Robert planted Echinacea and Sarah planted Rosemary for our own use. We are still working on our second bed.

We can now sing ten of the Psalms. We love to sing!

The rabbits are doing well and the kits are growing fast. Well, we will write more later

Gardening and Rabbits

Hello

Today it is a little chilly, 38 degrees, but we have been keeping warm.

Tuesday we (as in the community) went to Homestead Heritage at Brazos De Dios in Waco to have a tour. That is where dad took his woodworking class. We saw a few demonstrations, saw their dairy, and their sweet potato root cellar, and had lunch at their cafe'. It was fun, and we got home at about 7:00.

We worked on the big garden yesterday, Jennifer and Robert sifted compost, and dad planted lettuce, onions, and cabbage. This year we are doing a double dug garden, so our onions will probably do better. We have planted about 400 onions. Lots of onions.

Today we worked on our own little garden, which is going to be a little mini version of a double dug. It is a 4' by 4' square, and we dug it out to about 1 and a half foot deep, and then we borrowed the compost sifter and sifted the dirt back in, so it is light and airy.We will be putting in carrots, lettuce, parsley, and broccoli for rabbit food. Every year we do a little garden of our own, ( last year we planted all herbs) and dad gives us leftover seeds, and, this year, we got about 50 onions to plant there. I wonder if rabbits like onions? Anyway, we will hopefully do two, if not three of these 4' by 4' beds. Next winter, Lord Willing, we will move the rabbits cage over the bed so they can fertilize it ( rabbit poop does not have to be aged as chicken poop does) and then move them back in the spring.

Santa Monica the rabbit had a litter of four kits, but one was rejected. So now we have 3 little bunnies. Two of them are a odd gray color all over, and one is the normal white with gray on the ears, nose , tail and paws. One in Jennifer's and she named it Bugs. Another is Robert's and he named his Vegas. Tracy named the last one Taco. Since they will probably be butchered, we did not name them in the theme of Californian cities. Those names are only for breeding rabbits. The rabbit left over from the last litter is probably a female and if so will replace Monica, because Tracy is going to butcher Monica. She is a crazy rabbit. She always finds a way to get around the wire latches on her cage door and makes us chase her for at least ten minutes to put her back. Also, she is a bad mother. She steps on the kits, and almost killed one the other day because she just does not pay attention like Clara did to her kits. So this new replacement will be named Santa Rosa. We just call it Cutie right now, and for a good reason.

If you have time, run over to the Irby's Irbs and Stuff blog (www.132not123.blogspot.com) and try to geuss what they found on their land Tuesday. We don't know yet, but we guessed eggs. Hmmmm.

Well, have a nice day.
The Bunker Gardeners

Wonderful Help

Danielle Again. I just have to say that it has been a wonderful week watching Tracy work. Really, if it was not for the driving she could have done this job without me. She cooks, cleans, and is a great help. All the training she has been through is paying off now. She will be a wonderful wife and mom someday. She is always helpful and eager to learn anything new. She also seems to be blessed with a good memory and is always ready to show me how to do something I forgot how to do. Especially with all the new technological gadgets I have been around this week. And of course Sarah is eager to help whenever she can. And we were watching a game show(Deal or No Deal) with my dad while he was here and Sarah asked, "Why don't those girls wear dresses that fit them?" For her, the longer the better.

Cloudy and cold day here today. It will be even colder when we leave tomorrow. Sounds like it will be rainy when we get back to the ranch.

This Week in Smyer

This is Danielle again. Grandma continues to improve. I bet she is pretty glad to have that since she has always been pretty independent. This week has been interesting. I did get to have a wonderful visit with my dad and stepmom. It has been awhile since I have spent this much time here. Usually I am busy most of the time working on our old house(I did some work on the house too.). This time has been filled with more time in town at physical theapy visits, doctor visits, and in the stores picking up necessities. It is kind of ironic that the Mennonite community gives me the glances instead of the other way around. And now I know why they avoided eye contact with people most of the time. Tired of the prolongrd glances like there was something growing out of your head. It is just a headcovering people. But I gave them too before I knew the biblical principles behind headcoverings. And then then encounters with a few friends from my college days at Texas Tech. But the strange feeling aside I have enjoyed one thing while I have been here - ice cream. With freezers that run continuously, ice cream is always around. But bad habits aside, I am looking forward to seeing Michael, Jennifer, and Robert on Saturday. I miss the folks at the ranch too. We will go to a few more appointments tomorrow and then Grandad will be home and my week will wind down. On Saturday we will meet Michael half way and then home, Lord willing.

Thursday Morning

Hello

A semi-chilly 48 degrees here in Smyer today. The sun is shining and we have already seen a beautiful male pheasant and many, many doves. (Yummy!)

We are doing well, and hopefully going over to our old house today to pack up some of our old stuff to take home to Santa Anna. We miss the Ranch alot. The children are doing a lot of chores toward preparing the garden for our spring planting. If you read Dad's blog, you will know that they have already planted many onions.

Our Papa Jerry and Nana Judy (our Mom's parents) came down from Amarillo, Tx for a visit on Monday and left Tuesday afternoon. We had a wonderful time visiting, and they went over to see our old house. They said it really looked nice, and I agree with them. They took us to Sonic in Lubbock before they left. That was nice. Thank you, Papa and Nana!

Sarah can spell her name now with the magnetic letters on the refridgerator here. But sometimes she puts Sahra. Oops!

Lord Willing, we will write more later!

1/2 of the Bunker Children

In Smyer...

Hello,

Monday morning, a warm 52 outside here in Smyer, TX. Sarah, Mother, and I are here to take care of our Grandmother who broke her leg awhile back. Our Grandfather had been taking care of her, but he works out of town ( actually all over the U.S. ) and had to go back to work. So we are filling in.

We saw the work on our old house here, and it is coming right along. Our Grandfather is renovating it to sell it.

My Aunt Vada offered me a quilt my Great- Grandmother made for my hope chest, and says she has quite a few to choose from. So later on I will go over to her house to pick it out. I am excited, because that is what is supposed to go in a hope chest, and I have things I have bought, not heirlooms. My Grandmother is also giving me some silver that was also my Great-Grandmother's.

Robert and Jennifer are taking care of the chores and the rabbits, and they are doing very well.

Well, I will, Lord willing, write more later.

1/2 of the Bunker Children

Week in Smyer

It's me again - MaBunker. I know it has been awhile but computer time is limited for me. Tracy, Sarah and I are in Smyer this week helping grandma, which equals more computer time. Last week was pretty good. Michael had gotten home from his woodworking class, we had community work day, and the children got ready for mom to leave for a week. Robert, Jennifer and Michael are home this week without us.

One of the breakfasts we had this week struck me as pretty neat. It consisted of eggs we had preserved last April, bacon we had canned last November, hash browns we had in storage for a few years, and freshly ground wheat tortillas(Michael prefers wheat over white because white flour is so bad for you.) Before last year I had never canned meat. I heard it could be done a few years ago but had never actually tried it. It is a good way to clear freezer space after butchering a large pig. We have also canned smoked turkey. It turned out really yummy. And since we were using the preserved eggs this week the fresh ones we got I just preserved for future use. The eggs don't last as long as the canned meat - about 6 months. This agrarian lifestyle is such a blessing because I am always learning new things. And a few years ago I had made a decision to learn something new every year but now it seems to be every month!!! Danielle

Workday

Hello

Today was another Community Work Day, the first Wednesday of this month. The ladies piled rocks in the ruts of the community dirt roads so it won't be so muddy in the rain. We also pulled about 20 trashcans full of fireweed. The men measured the property lines and fixed the fences.

The other day Santa Monica had a litter of four kits but rejected one, so we are blessed with three more rabbits. We think out of Santa Claira's litter we got 1 male and 1 female, so we named the male Fresno and the female Anaheim, and gave Anaheim to the Guraus, since their female, Mama Sita', died. Fresno is lonely, but cute.

After fellowship this Sunday, Dad, Mom, and Tracy are going to meet Grandad halfway to Lubbock, so Tracy and Mom can go to Lubbock with him and Dad will drive back. Tracy and Mom will take care of Grandma, because she broke her femur, while Grandad goes to work out-of-town.

Well, more later

Bunker Children