Santa comes to Mirror Lake on Christmas Eve.

Santa had just a few minutes to stop in here at Mirror Lake and visit the kids. Of course he had a bag full of toys too. Santa talked to each one of the kids encouraging them to be good and reminded them that there are a lot of children that have very little. But how nice of Santa took a minute and get his picture taken with a lot of the kids.

The ground was covered with frozen snow and the roads covered with ice this did make travel more dangerous, but everyone made it okay. Jed and I were again please to host my family for Christmas. Our tree somehow turned out smaller than normal this year, but when you add 70 people, lots of Christmas packages and all the Christmas decorations the house gets small pretty fast. We all enjoyed a great holiday.

The kids stay with Uncle Jed & Aunt Kathy at Mirror Lake and visit the Dairy farm.

After chores we took the kids to the Wind Mill Museum to see Santa and the beautiful display of Christmas lights and warm hot chocolate too. We then headed off to see George's working elves, some are painting, sweeping, blowing bubbles, wrapping gifts, sanding, you name it they are working to get things ready for CHRISTMAS.

After watching the cows getting milked in the milking parlor Uncle Jed tell Mitchell and Adar all about feeding the baby calves. The calves are little but sure looked big to the kids when they were feeding them.

After ALL that hard work in the barn the kids make angels in the snow. The cows in the background are thinking "What are they doing"?

As Jed colors with the kids he starts to tell a story, I don't know what he's telling them but they sure are listening.

Thanksgiving - A Day To Give THANKS!!

What a day to be grateful for, Jed and I again this year hosted my family for Thanksgiving. A few family members were out of town so we celebrated with about 66 people. Garrett our miracle baby and mom Angie were so excited to be here because last year they spent 4 months at St. Vincent's hospital. Mom (Kate) and Aunt Phyllis share the joy as well.

This is the main food and dessert tables. Tyler, Chris, Chelsea, Ashley, Cody and Joel enjoy visit in the kitchen while they wait for dinner to start.

Other family members visit in the gathering room, everyone brings food to eat and we all eat to much. After dinner there's lots of conversation and many of us play games. The ages range from 1 year to 84. I love my family and we're glad to share our home on all the holidays!!!!!

Opening Weekend of Deer Season with a gun.

The hunters were ready and fired up to go - November 15 was opening day for hunting deer (with a gun.) Northern Indiana brought deer season in just like last year cold, wet, windy & rainy. But our two hunters that stayed here at Mirror lake B&B were up and out to hunt the 18 acre woods. Along with Dan and Nate (friends of ours) that hunt the other wods. Opening morning Dan claims he saw many but waited and then took a 9 point buck, Nate wasn't so lucky all weekend. Mark and Cody saw deer, but not the big buck they were looking for. It did stop raining and the winds calmed down some for the hunters on Saturday night which made it alittle better when Mark got his doe. Sunday brought cold temperatures and alittle snow but it didn't keep the hunters away. I have added the pictures below it may be more then some want to view, view carefully!!

Mirror Lake Craft and Holiday Sale November 8, 2008

The antique sleigh and sled has been decorated with Sweet Annie, Winter Berry, Yarrow, Artemesia Colored Static, Bittersweet and or Hydrangeas blooms. All grown, harvested, dried and arranged by Kathy here at Mirror Lake.

We were so busy we all forgot to take pictures, so these are a few pictures of my things I took before the sale even was set up.

November 8th Mirror lake Crafter's had their 3rd Holiday Craft Sale. I could not believe how busy we were, many of the 8 crafter's are farm wives, but not all. Steve enjoys making hardwood shelves and step stools. Christy & I enjoy the more primitive crafting, Karla is ALL into the Aromatherapy and Essential oils, Rhonda likes that home made Pepper Jelly, Chris is HOT into those spice mixes & Cindy's cookin' those candles in the kitchen. We all had a good day of sales and a good day of visiting too. We plan to have our craft sale next year too looking like November 7th.

Combining beans at Mirror Lake

Today is kinda cold and damp not enjoyable fall like weather, so I thought I'd leave a post. Mid October "Big Boss Jed" combines the beans here at Mirror lake. Yields are not what the farmers were hoping for; but with the lack of rain (when it was needed) low yields were expected. With yields low you try to get as much as you can even if it means sometimes you get to close to the wet ground and oh well even the best gets stuck. Jed climbs out of the combine to see how badly he stuck!! Milk-in Jim is called to duty with another John Deere tractor our 4 wheel drive tractor is in the repair shop. If this tractor can't do it we'll have to call a wrecker. Just a minor set back but off he goes to finish many acres of beans here at Mirror lake. "Big Boss Jed" has finished the beans now Milk-In Jim gets to take so time out of the milk house and he picks the corn.

America The Beautiful

He must have known what he was writing about, oh how beautiful and cheery to see all the fall colors. I tried all day Tuesday to get this video on and could not get it. But today if finally worked for me, today is my birthday and I guess things are going my way (so far). Enjoy the fall video.

A Wonderful Fall Day In October In Indiana

It is October 14, 2008 a bit cloudy but a 68 degrees on a wonderful fall day here in Indiana. The leaves have really started to turn colors this last week. I hope the rain doesn't come and wash them all away, it's days like this that a walk in the woods is so relaxing. Enjoy the fall!!!

Deer Hunting - Season soon to open!! November 15

This is a sign of deer damage they can do this in no time to ALL the outside rows and more, that doesn't leave much corn on the cob!!!

Please remember everything is great in the right numbers. I love watching the deer, rabbits, and geese, but to farmer's and gardener's they are a pain- to put in plain and simple. They can eat and destroy your gardens and crops in no time. After regulated hunting seasons many people put meat in their freezers to feed their families. They have been hunting for hundreds of years and the animals rebuild for the next year season and there always seems to be plenty of them. I was riding my horse Tuesday evening and the weather was just beautiful. Of coarse I did not have my camera with me, but I saw 9 does and 4 bucks (6 pointers or so). The 4 bucks were all traveling together, the does were in about 4 different places. I was so excited and I don't even hunt. So Thursday night I went prepared to take pictures and of coarse I did not see one deer, oh well. I'll try next time! Hunters stay at Mirror Lake B&B and pay to hunt our 18 acre woods, they bring their own stands and normally scout the area for deer prier to their hunting weekend.
P.S. I should add we do have some family members and friends that hunt woods on our farm as well.

Kendallville Celebrates the Apple Festival

This is one of the largest weekend draws to Noble County, it is always the first weekend in October. If you enjoy old time cook in', antiques, primitives, war re-enactments, crafts, barber shop quartet, or the "Rise A Ruck Us" this is the place for you!!!
Come and visit it's always the first weekend in October, stay at Mirror Lake B&B and relax after your busy day in town.

Our Girls Fall Trail Ride

We have the "cowgirl role call" before we leave Karen, Cindy,Rhonda, Paula, Debbie, Dawn, Cowgirl Kathy & Annette.

This is our 4th year for this fall trail ride a girls weekend away without our men, right here in Noble County. But thank goodness for Kind Hearted Kenny (Deb's husband) he seems to help us out each year. We had great weather it was a beautiful fall weekend. And we had so much fun, but we did have a few things we could have done without. We ride our horses close to a practice Moto-cross track and that day a rider had an accident and hit a tree. He needed to be taken to the hospital by helicoptor, and it landed in the pasture right by us. We also had 2 of our awnings break on one side and blow over our trailers. Thanks goodness the horses were tired after a 3 hour ride so thay all took it okay. Check out the pictures

That ragged old flag...

God Bless America - I'm Proud

We have so many things in this country that we so often take for granted. We have good roads to travel on. Beautiful parks for our children to play in and for us to relax at. We all need to take time to enjoy our beautiful country. REMEMBER freedom isn't free!!!

Chopping Corn For The Silo

We haven't had rain here now for many weeks. The pastures and green grass is all dry, it is now time to start chopping corn for silage so the cattle have something to eat. This is all done along with all the other farm chores.

Got it going!!

Now that we have got the blog up and going I'll let you know my plans. I will try to update each week the new things that are happening here at Mirror Lake or farming adventures at Hog Back Hill.
We are filling silos and bags with corn silage and will be harveting crops, fall with its beautiful colors will soon be here.

starting this blog

whew... how did i get here?? and i hope someone can find me!!!!! Deb my friend and i have been working on this for hours...