Attached is a photo of my great niece, Riley Farris, showing her miniature pony at the County Fair pet show on Wednesday. It was a wild affair, more like a big can of fishing worms than an organized event! Riley is a joy, as is, of course, granddaughter Josey!

great spring break

Life in Madison County has been good lately, better than usual. I love spring. A few weeks back we finally got 2.3 inches of rain, and things are greening up, though we still need more rain. I bought a full slicker suit for myself at Christmas, since I put out round bales for my cows every other day all winter, and I never opened the slicker suit until March 13, that's how dry our winter was! I nearly froze March 13, on the tractor in cold drizzle, but I was still thrilled with every drop of rain! We've been on Spring Break this week and I've seen lots of Josey - she and Laney came and ate breakfast on Monday and lunch on Tuesday, and today, Wednesday, we went to the Outlet Mall this side of Conroe where we bought Josey lots of necessities - mostly every day onesies, but a few other darling things. Poor thing, she didn't have a bathing suit or a cardigan to put over a little dress -- now she has several more little dresses plus a cardigan, pink. She's getting so that she smiles at me a lot, and I'm sure at lots of other folks too, but I really love it when she smiles at me! Now I've got to get to the Fair - Pig Show! Maybe it'll rain tonight!

I love this little knit dress and bow -- Josey looks good in green, and in any color! I can just say it-- Josey always looks good! I didn't see her as much as I'd have liked to this weekend, but I don't want her parents to think they're tired of having me around. She looks so serious and thoughtful here in this photo - but I really love it when she looks at me and then starts to smile. Maybe she's starting to like her Mama Cannon! I can only hope! I saw Riley this weekend and she called me "Wara", not the "Wah-wee" of old -- if she doesn't start calling me Mama Cannon, Josey will probably call me Laura or Wara too. The good thing was, Riley said, "I want to go in Wara's house"- which I liked, but she was with Lana and they were in a hurry, so she didnt' get to come in.

This morning Nathan and others worked my mother's Windmill Pasture cattle, and then this afternoon they did mine. I really like the way these guys work - no hurry and no problems, just take care of business and it gets done quickly and well. Josey and Laney came to Mother's stock pen, and Laney sat on the catwalk by the pen and nursed Josey under her "hooter hider" while the guys worked. Josey's boots wouldn't stay on, her feet are so tiny, but she sure looked precious in her jeans. Now I will start organizing TAKS booklets for shipment - a real stinker of a job. I think I'm giving up on going to San Antonio for the show management training - too many irons in the fire. The Junior High teachers hosted a White Elephant sale (garage sale) in our teacher's lounge yesterday, and we raised $260, to benefit Madison County Cancer Association. We plan to do it again next Friday - everyone has things that are perfectly good but that they don't need any more. I got 3 neat items for $10, and I got rid of a little wicker table that I'd paid $10 for at a garage sale. It was really cute but we never found the right place for it at Laney's, and it brought $29! To TAKS now!

TAKS, sick cow, new students, etc..

7th & 8th graders took TAKS tests yesterday, today 3 had to finish the dyslexia versions, and 1 took a make-up, and I still have 2 more due to take make-ups plus 2 new students who must take a make-up, per Dr. Cope. Too much. Had to make 2 CPS referrals, they take SO long. Josey & Laney went with me to cube at Windmill yesterday, so of course I really enjoyed Josey, and Laney. Laney wanted Josey to stay and eat, but it was getting near dark and I really needed to feed cow Winnie her feed and medicine - her eye/wound is getting better, less drainage, but it looks to me like she's lost her eye. I felt bad for Laney & Josey leaving but I REALLY want Winnie to get well. Victor Moore trimmed up a bunch of low limbs in my front yard - looks more kept but much more open which I'm not sure I'm glad about. Got mailing lists for C/S horse show e-mailed to Brett Scott this morning, finally and thank goodness.