Sue and her Kids at Christmas

I thought this was a very good image of Sue and her kids.

Caroline and Brody on the Swingset with Bryan

I really like this photo. It was taken at Christmas but I thought I'd share.

Brody's little accident

Brody figured out how to climb the stairs Wednesday evening while Amber was changing Caroline. What he didn't figure out was how to come back down. Amber called out to him to see where he had crawled off to, and she heard him coming down the stairs. At the end of the ordeal, he has a fractured Tibia in his right leg and is in a soft cast until the swelling goes down. Then, they'll move him to a hard cast and he'll learn to walk, no doubt, with it on. He has to wear it for 6 weeks. As soon as I get a photo, I'll post it.

Wouldn't you know it...

It didn't rain for a year, well, maybe 2 inches the entire year at Go Away until we started construction of the barn with a deadline for completion. And again this week, we lost the entire week to rain, ice and sleet. Not one day worked:-) Maybe they'll work Saturday. But I can't complain about our ponds being low. They are to the brim.

It Rained, and rained, and rained.....

Mikki and I got to the farm Friday night late, expecting the barn construction crews to arrive the next morning early. So I was awake and up and about when they arrived at 7:15 am. Shortly afterwards Dale Rinn delivered a load of red-clay that I needed to spread. At about 1:15 pm the crews left due to the beginnings of what appeared to be rain setting in. Llewel and Shane had come up to get a load of firewood for the impending cold-snap headed our way. It was 71 degrees at that time. By 4:00 pm it was about 50 degrees and flooding. Mikki and I dressed in slicker-suits made our way out to get all the tasks accomplished before leaving to head back to Houston. But by 6:00 pm it was too much rain to try to leave. The water was literally flowing down through the pastures. We had had 1.45 inches of rain at 6:00 pm based on the Piney Weather Station in Bellville. By 8:30 pm we'd had about 2 inches. This morning we awoke to the lakes completely full and 5 inches of rain. The water fell so fast that the lakes have a mark that is about 1 foot from topping the dam. The spill-way wasn't enough capacity to handle all the water. So, the lakes are completely full. And the ground is totally saturated. And the barn project is obviously on hold:-) The weather folks are forecasting 26 degrees for Bellville tomorrow night and rain / sleet / snow. And that is forecasted for four days. So I don't expect to see a lot of accomplishment when we get back Friday evening.Thank the Lord for all the rain. We so needed to fill up the ponds before we got to Summer. Last year, we had a drought and were low when summer came. It was very scary to see the ponds so low.

And it's Standing!

When we left Go Away Sunday, there was nothing but a dirt pad, and the bases of the posts in the ground showing. Today, only five days later, the frame is 90% complete. I watched in amazement today as they hoisted the entire front of the building with a boom on a New Holland Industrial Tractor. Pretty cool engineering. We should be about 4 weeks until we can begin the interior work. Aiming for late March for completion.

Jumpy Thing and a Hay Ride at Go Away

This is the photo we can show and it is Jody and Kelly Jo sliding down the slide. There is a host of images that are almost obscene when the ladies of the family decided that they coudn't stand it anymore and rushed the jumpy thing. They ended up in a heap at the bottom, literally. I do have the photo... just maybe:-)

What fun!

Full Moon Rising!

I was at the chicken house late Thursday evening when I looked up and saw this moon. What a beauty! Full Moon's are my favorite time to be at the farm.

Not quite a barn raising, but almost

Just the beginnings of our new barn facility that is under construction. We'd have been farther along but for the rain. But, the rain is so needed that we're just fine with the delays. I expect we'll be up and dried-in no later than mid February if we can just get a few dry days in a row.

Brody, Caroline and Bryan at the swingset

I love this photo

The Grandbabies at Go Away at Christmas

Caroline riding horseback on Bandaddy's 1984 rocker with Coal looking on with that jealous look in his eyes

Caroline on the steps of the old house

Bryan and I took Caroline and Brody out to the swings and had a great time with them

PapaG and Brody fitting nicely on a see-saw. Well almost! Brody seemed to like it.

Bryan and Brody at the see-saw

The Walters 2006 Christmas at Go Away

Miscellaneous photos of different one's around the place. If everyone had made it this year we'd have had 65 there. Instead we had about 50. A fun time seemed to be had by all who made it. If you missed it, you missed a great time. The weather cooperated with us and it only sprinkled a little all day. It was about 60 degrees and overcast but perfect for being around the fire.


Laci Castleberry, Jordyn Ingram and Chesney Dial down at the barn

Kelly Jo McClendon and Claire Walters

Matthew, Melody and Michael Walters, or Michael, Melody and Matthew with the horses

Harold Borup and Larry Walters at the firepit

Horsing Around at Christmas at Go Away

We decided that this year we'd forfeit the gift giving (since it is about the third of fourth Christmas family celebration most of the participants have, in lieu of horseback riding, inflatable jumpy thing with a slide, sitting by the fire, eating wonderful food and having a good time playing games and just general fellowship. We really had a wonderful time together.

Jordyn Ingram on Tank (Sue and Harold's grandaughter – Charles and Jenny Ingram's daughter)

Matthew (or Michael, sorry, I can't tell them apart) Walters (Llewel and Sherry Walters' grandson – Rusty and Fiz Walters' twin son)

Lanna Dial on Wempe (Sue's daughter)

Charles Ingram on Dolly (Sue's son)

More Horsing Around at Christmas at Go Away

Mr. Tom O'Connor of Shiloh Ranch and one of his hands were with us to make sure no one got hurt. They obviously did a wonderful job as everyone was happy and there were no injuries. Pretty good for a bunch of kids around horses they've never ridden. We used three of our horses, Tank (Brian's Palamino Quarterhorse Gelding), Wempe (Jonathan's Black QuarterhorseMare), and Dolly (my 21 year-old Missouri Fox Trotter Mare), and a Domino (Tom's Shetland Pony). Domino was a beauty and wonderful with the kids. Tom has done a fabulous job this year working with us on our horsemanship.

Camille Castleberry on Domino

Kaci Green on Domino (Llewel and Sherry's grandaughter – Kami and Shane's daughter)

Ill equipped but happy to ride Chesney Dial (Sue and Harold's grandaughter – Lanna and John Dial's daughter)

Jodi Ingram on Domino (Sue and Harold's grandaughter – Charles and Jenny Ingram's daughter)

Laci Castleberry on Tank with Tom O'Connor in the lead (Diane Young's grandaughter – Keith and Melissa Castleberry's daughter)

The Walters' Family at Go Away 2006

Karen McClendon and Diane Walters Young at the big table

Jody Ingram and Camille Castleberry posing for Jenny

Lacie Castleberry, Jordyn Ingram, Cory Dial and Ethan Castleberry... cousins!

Gallileo's Mexican Food is served!

Florence Fritz (deceased brother's wife), Diane Walters Young (sister), Sherry Walters (Llewel's wife), Larry Walter (the eldest brother), Keith Castleberry (nephew), Karen McClendon (niece), and Reisha Walters (neice by marriage). Wow, I didn't think I was going to get through that one.

It's Christmas 2006

The fireplace and tree at Go Away this year. We have had a wonderful Christmas season, but I am glad it's almost over. We have the Walters shindig here on Saturday, the 6th of January (a sore spot for some who failed to weigh in when they had the chance:-).

There's so much to be thankful for! We had the grandbabies this year and they turned one December 19, so Brody and Caroline were aware that something was going on, but I think they felt it was just another big meal and get-together at Papa G's and MikMik's. We spent Christmas in The Woodlands this year and our kids were at the house Christmas morning. Mikki prepared a fabulous brunch and then we dove-in. We are thinking that maybe next year we'll be at Go Away for the festivities.