The Savage Farmers

2009-05-10T19:24:00.002-04:00

It has been quite awhile since I last posted, but at the prompting of my daughter-in-law, Joanna, I am going to tell the story of my first turkey hunt. This is not the first turkey hunt that I have been acquainted with-I watched my husband shoot his turkey two years ago (I think) from my bedroom window, as he was set up across the field, and I watched the proceedings with my binoculars. :-)
Anyway, Saturday morning, I was awakened at 4:30, stumbled out of bed, and got into my "camo" clothing, and we set out. We had decided to go up onto the "ledges" , a place at the top of our hill, so we got into the truck and drove up through the back field to a spot where there is a small field that we have developed to encourage the deer to feed in. We got out of the truck, talking in our normal voices, checking gear, etc. We realized we had neglected to bring our decoy with us, but neither of us were inclined to go back and get it. So we started off, planning to go up over the ledge area to another small field at the top and set up and start calling.
We had not taken 20 steps away from the truck when we heard a tom gobble to our right, some distance away, but close enough that we knew we needed to get under cover-maybe we could call him in! We quickly crossed the small field and took cover on the other side of the stone wall that ran down the left side. There was a small pile of brush that we set our chairs behind so that we were pretty well hidden behind and yet had a clear view of the field.
Kevin began to call, and to our surprise, it was answered by not one but three or four toms, and all in the same general vicinity! He continued to call every three or four minutes, trying different versions, some low pitched and slow, and some high and fast. The toms would answer, but didn't seem inclined to move closer, which was OK with me at first, because I didn't think there was really enough light for me to get a good shot. After about 15 minutes of Kevin calling, and them answering without moving, Kevin tried a much more urgent and high pitched sound that seemed to get their attention, because their answering gobbles seemed nearer. I began to hear the sound of breaking branches and the deep humming sound that they make when displaying.
Kevin suggested that I get my gun into position with safety off, because they would see the movement and hear the click of the safety, so I did, and as I did, I realized I could see four blue/gray heads coming across the field. When he would call, they would put their heads together and gobble in unison. This was not a good situation, for the permit only allows me to shoot one. This behavior continued for a couple minutes, with them jostling each other and each trying to display.
They finally were close enough (about 25 yards) to start becoming suspicious, and began to circle,each trying to figure out what we were. This was what I needed to make a good shot. I singled out one and pulled the trigger. There was mass confusion as the other three turkey each took off in a different direction. Kevin asked me if I had hit one of them, because being seated behind me, he didn't have as good a view of the field. But there was one down in the field.
We had him tagged-weighing about 14 lbs, with an 8 inch "beard"-not a trophy by any means, but a nice, young, and tender wild turkey! Here are a few pictures of the "tom".

Lombardi Ranch and Other Happenings

2008-10-23T19:09:00.005-04:00

Here are some pictures from our trip to Lombardi Ranch. Seeing the animals was an interesting time for Vijay, who wasn't sure he like them-except for the pigs (which I never took a picture of). They were busy rooting in the dirt and pushing each other around, all the while making great piggy sounds. Cam and I had been making "oinking" sounds while playing with him the evening before.

Here is the pumpkin we picked out to bring home. I made a pie out of it for all to enjoy.

Last weekend we went to Huntington Gardens in Pasadena-at times I thought I was back on the east coast-the gardens were lush and green. The gardens cover about 200 acres, and are divided up into types-Japanese, Chinese, etc. with appropriate plants and buildings. It was a wonderful place to visit, and made me so thankful that I live in a state that has lots of green, growing things, and I am looking forward to being back in Maine to enjoy the cold weather and , yes, even the snow!

From California

2008-10-12T09:37:00.008-04:00

It has been quite awhile since I last posted, and this one is coming from the west coast-Yes, I am in California! I have been accused (and rightly so) of being quite slack in my posting. This will actually be out of order, since I haven't yet posted pictures from our road trip to Arkansas in September. These are just a few pictures of my precious little grandchildren. Vijay has become a smart little guy, very busy and on the go till he drops. :-) Vineetha is a cutie, and has filled out a lot just since I have been here.Kristen(a friend of Jo's) and Iris dropped in for a visit, and I snapped this picture of them.

Joanna tells me that Vijay's name means "Victorious" or "Victory" in Telugu, and that Vineetha means "Humble". Mom Savage-I hope this will suffice until I get the next post done. I read your email to Cam and Jo. The weather here was quite warm for the first couple days, but has been quite chilly today-much colder than I remember from past visits. I will try to post in a couple days with pictures from our outing to Lombardi Ranch.
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Sap House update and new "Wheels"

2008-08-02T14:25:00.012-04:00

For those of you that have been patiently waiting, I finally have time to sit down and compose a new blog. This summer has been very busy, with family events, work, and generally uncooperative weather. I have had to mow the lawns between showers, and am barely keeping up! :-)

These are the update pictures of the sap house.

The doors (and locks) and windows are in. Check
out the big , double doors on the right side. Once the siding is on (live edge-stained the same color), the doors will be one of the design details.

These are our new vehicles. The green one is a seven year younger version of our white Buick LeSabre (with a few more perks-and a cruise control that works)

The second one is a Cadillac DeVille and it is our "travel car". We don't intend to drive it much except for long trips ( like to Arkansas, Boston, New Hampshire, etc.) and will be keeping it garaged. We like to think of it as our version of a "travel trailer". :-)

Tag! Your turn!

2008-07-23T15:33:00.004-04:00

Since Joanna "tagged" me on her blog, I will answer the questions :-)

5 Things on my to do list:
1. Clean the bathrooms
2. Take the license plates off the old car.
3. Vacuum the house
4. Make a potato salad for tomorrow night.
5. Finish making the handbag I started this morning

5 Jobs I have had:
1. Waitress
2. Restaurant cook
3. Prep cook in a home for the developmentally disabled
4. Monitor for 5th and 6th graders at a Christian school
5. Clerk in a natural foods store

5 Places I have lived:
1. Union,Maine
2. Dover-Foxcroft, Maine
3. Randolph. Maine
4. Wilton, Maine
5. The U.P of Michigan

5 Favorite Snacks
1. Chocolate
2. So Delicious Soy Ice Cream
3. Blueberries
4. Strawberries
5. Did I mention chocolate? :-)

5 Things you may not know about me.
1. I am afraid of any stinging insect
2. I find it hard to trust people's words.
3. I don't easily reveal myself or what I am really thinking.
4. I love to go out walking in the dark (especially with my husband)
5. I hate a squeaky clean house-I want it to look lived in-not messy, but not like Better Homes and Gardens either!

5 Things I would do if I were a billionaire
1.Give half of it to the work of the Gospel and missions
2. See that our children and their families had financial help when needed.
3. Finish the work on our home.
4. Put some away for our later years.
5.( I think I'd have run out by then! :-) )

5 Things I love:
1. Learning more about God through private and corporate bible studies
2. Spending time with other Christian brethren
3. Spending time alone with my husband and working beside him.
4. Spending time with my children, their spouses and my grandchild(ren- soon to be!)
5. Traveling across country and sight-seeing.

5 People I tag:
1. Stacie
2. Meggan
3. Jennifer
4. Aaron
5. Kevin :-)

2008-06-16T16:21:00.003-04:00

Dad (who is spending the day on the couch with a bad cold) decided to take the quiz as well. We both agree that it pretty much sums him up!! :-)

You Are An ESTJ

The Guardian

You're a natural leader and quick, logical decision maker.

Goals are important in your life, and you take many steps to acheive them.

You enjoy interacting with others, mostly through work related activities.

Your high energy level means you are great at getting things done!

In love, you tend to bring stability to relationships.

You feel comfortable being in charge, and you enjoy being a provider.

At work, you take charge. You thrive in structured environments and don't mind enforcing the rules.

You would make a great teacher, judge, or police detective.

How you see yourself: Realistic, stable, and pragmatic

When other people don't get you, they see you as: Rigid, bound to rules, and a bad listener

What's Your Personality Type?

2008-06-16T08:21:00.002-04:00

Aimee had this on her blog, so I tried it. Let me know what you think about the results. I think it was pretty accurate!

You Are An ISFJ

The Nurturer

You have a strong need to belong, and you very loyal.

A good listener, you excel at helping others in practical ways.

In your spare time, you enjoy engaging your senses through art, cooking, and music.

You find it easy to be devoted to one person, who you do special things for.

In love, you express your emotions through actions.

Taking care of someone is how you love them. And you do it well!

At work, you do well in a structured environment. You complete tasks well and on time.

You would make a good interior designer, chef, or child psychologist.

How you see yourself: Competent, dependable, and detail oriented

When other people don't get you, they see you as: Boring, dominant, and stuck in a rut

What's Your Personality Type?

Spring Flowers in Maine (Part One)

2008-05-19T19:18:00.016-04:00

I thought that since Aimee was lamenting the fact that spring had come and gone in Arkansas, I would show some pictures of our spring. It's still pretty chilly here-mostly 50s and low 60s. Today it's only 48 degrees out and very windy. We have planted half of our vegetable garden, but have had no rain so I am hauling water for now. I need to get a couple more 100 foot hoses and then I will be able to water with a sprinkler.

These flowers (that are hard to see in the picture) are called "Dutchman's Britches" (sp?)and come up very early and bloom for weeks.

There were a few daffodils this year-they are an old variety with double centers with lacy edges. These were here when we arrived to live at the farm more than 20 years ago.

The Forsythia bush really bloomed well this year and earlier this year than the year Aimee and Nate were married. To think that for a few years, I was pulling up the shoots from this plant because I thought they were weeds!

The Rhododendron that Gene and Linda gave us to plant as a remembrance of the wedding (and them!) weathered the winter well and we hope to see it bloom this year.

"Sap House" update

2008-04-27T16:59:00.002-04:00

For those of you who have an interest, here are some new photos of the Sap House we are building in the hopes of going into maple syrup production in the near future. The next step is to get the windows and doors in, the vapor barrier on (called Tyvek or Typar in this part of the country), and begin the siding process. We are going to side with live edge boards that we mill ourselves and stain. This is a "pay as you go" process and takes longer, but we'll be mostly debt-free when the project is finished. The most expensive part of the project is buying the equipment and the saplines. As you can see, not all of the snow is gone yet!!

Spring Has Arrived!!!

2008-04-21T14:22:00.006-04:00

Just a few pictures for you to compare with an earlier post-shows how much snow we've lost in the last week or so. The temperatures have made it into the 70s this last week-today it's about 75 degrees. Mud season is in full swing, and the local roads are terrible for driving due to the frozen ground softening up underneath-takes twice as long as I'd like to get anywhere (if I still want to have any shocks and struts left!) Still, I am happy to see the warm weather come, even with the inconveniences with the roads. I have been trying to rake the lawns as they appear, instead of waiting till they are all melted out-it's easier to do them in increments. (Easier on winter-flabby muscles, also! :-) )

Saturday Projects and a Beautiful Sunrise

2008-02-09T14:34:00.001-05:00

This picture is for Joanna and Aimee especially (they will appreciate what this means) :-) As a 32nd wedding present, my wonderful husband decided to gift me with a new washer and a dryer (something I have never had before!). We spent most of Saturday getting them installed. I am excited! Now I don't have to go to the "wash house" to dry clothes in the wintertime. Yeah!

This was taken Saturday morning after a nearly solid week of snow, accumulating at least eighteen inches! We are slated to receive another six to eight tonight into tomorrow, but we were treated to a lovely sunrise and this view out our back door.

The Whole Family at Christmas - Savage Farm

2008-02-06T19:05:00.000-05:00

This is a picture of the whole clan taken at Christmas. Now they are back home (half-way and fully) across the nation. This was posted by Dad. :-)

More Pictures of? You guessed it-Snow!

2008-02-06T12:48:00.000-05:00

I realize that it has been awhile since I posted (after promising to do it regularly), but I had to get my computer fixed before I could do much on the net! So, here are a few pictures of what has been happening here lately! As you can see, we are not lacking in the snow department here in Maine this year. This has been one of the snowiest that I can recall in the last ten years or so. We were pleased to have it here for Christmas (especially for Jo and Nate to see), but now I am ready for it to leave. :-) I think I have "cabin fever" right now. The other pictures are of my Christmas Amaryllis, that never blooms until the end of January! It is supposed to have four blossoms, but since the first bloom, has only produced two at a time.

New Year, New Blog

2008-01-11T15:48:00.000-05:00

My children have been after me to create a blog so they can keep up and I can post pictures. So, for you Jo, and Aimee and all the rest-here goes.
We were blessed to have all our children home for the holidays this year. A special blessing for us was to be able to meet our new grandson, Vijay. He's a cute little guy! And he didn't keep us up at night, which I was very surprised at. (Not that he didn't keep Mama and Daddy up! ) Aimee and Nate were only able to come for a few days, but we had a great time with all. As soon as this computer challenged grandma can figure out how to post pictures, you'll get to see some of our activities.