Splash..We will miss you!

I want to do a blog to honor Splash, he was some duck! He passed away Sunday night. Splash was born into our farm family 14 years ago. His mom had left him in the nest at the back of the barn, when we found him he was out of the shell, cold and wet. We brought him in the house and warmed him up, gave him sugar water to give him energy and he perked up and 'adopted us'. The girls raised him and he became part of our family, literally. This was the first year we started to home school so it was easy to remember when he was born. I remember vividly when he would sit between the girls on our porch swing and help them do their school work. (he was a smart duck) When he grew up we took him back out to the barn and he ran with the other ducks. But when he was out in the yard he would come up to the screen door and peck on it wanting in the house. We would open the door, he would come in and go out and eat dog food. So cute! Splash we will miss you terribly, but he had a good 14 yrs. He was a Muscovy duck if you are familiar with your breeds.  I wish I had a picture to post so you could see him, but they are all packed away.  We lost our first goose we bought 23 yrs ago this summer too. I remember when we got her, Lindsay was 2 yrs old, and we were pushing her in a stroller. She held her on her lap as we pushed them both back to the car. :) She was a Toulouse Goose. She was the cutest gosling ever. We named her Cassie. It has not been a good year here loosing our feathered family. But they sure lived long and good lives. And we have lots of memories to remember them by.

 So on a happier note.... As most of you remember we bought a new (new to us) truck in Aug. of this year because we couldn't pull our fifth wheel with the one we have through the mountains.  Well we had that beautiful Ford 350 dually truck for a grand total of 11 days. As Hannah and I were driving home from Indianapolis a young woman who was stone drunk hit us and totaled the truck.  Thank God neither Hannah nor I was hurt. But now we are truck hunting again.  Art found one on the internet in Westfield, which is north of Indianapolis.
So we got up this morning and went to see it. Ah, no way!  The car lot was kind of scary and the lady that helped us.........I hate to say I am judgmental of appearances but she scared me. And I don't think she had a Halloween costume on! I didn't even sit in the truck as I kept shaking my head no to Art.  We left in a hurry needless to say. So that was a disappointment. But I know we will find one eventually.  I was in no mood to come home as we weren't gone long so I asked Art if he wanted to go look at fifth wheels at a dealership in Anderson IN., Modern Trailer Sales. They have Heartland and Keystone fifth wheels.  We need a larger one before we go full time which is coming next year I'm sure.
We found a Keystone Avalanche we liked. But we are not buying now just looking and trying to take our time and get everything we want/need next time.  I am always amazed at the amount of room and storage in these new fifth wheels.  Wow! But unfortunately they have a hefty price tag too. We have to sell our Sundance first. Anyone interested in a 2012 Heartland Sundance?  If so email me and we'll talk. :)

I wanted to include this picture I took in Charles Deam Wilderness area.  It sits across from Hardin Ridge where we were. It is still in the Hoosier National Forest. We started driving on this road and we drove and drove and drove and the road just wouldn't end!  We did turn off of it finally and got ourselves back out onto the main road.  This reminds me of Yellowstone.

I'm standing on the road taking this picture and I hear something coming through the woods.

 And it,

WAS NOT a deer!  I just stood there expecting a bear or moose :) then I saw them.

Whew was I relieved!!!  It was a beautiful site. The white horse and orange sweat shirt did show up better. :)

                                So from Thorntown we send hugs and best wishes.