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Monday, June 6, 2011

The Family Graveyard




These are photos that I took of the Sowell-Dobbins Family Graveyard. It is located at the farm next door and in the winter can be seen from our farm. It is said that it was also the final resting place for the family servants, but no graves of that sort are marked. However there is a rather large area to the right of the gate that appears to have graves in it. The last family members were buried there in the early 20th century if I am remembering correctly. We have a goal of making a Tate family cemetery here at Laughing Fox. It takes going through some hoops with the local zoning commission, but I think that we will pass muster, just have to get to it!

Saturday, May 7, 2011

The Graveyard

As you may have read in much earlier posts, Laughing Fox Farm had been in the same family line for over 150 years until we bought it in 1999. The family, the Sowell's and the Dobbin's family graveyard is situated between our farm and the farm next door, and is located on that farm owned now by Bob and Alexa Doyle (formerly the Russell Farm). Andy, my sister, Carol and I visited the grave site a month or so ago and I took a couple of pictures of the head stones. (However, the Blogger Photo Uploader is Down, so will post later...gotta love cyberspace)

Why I Haven't Posted for so Long! (Andy and Lucy)


Gosh, has it been since February that I wrote? Well, I have two good excuses. Andy had been in Tulsa, OK with his police supply company since August of last year and came home in February! Also, I bought a new field hunter in March. So between the two, I have just now slowed down enough to return to my old friend, the Laughing Fox Farm blog.

The spring has been fabulous, albeit WET! The Duck River has not flooded like last year, thank goodness, but it has been high enough to see from our second floor window. It is beautiful, but am glad that it is far enough from our home to not be a threat. Our flowers have been beautiful, and even now I am looking out our kitchen window at yellow, lavender and peach colored Irises. The Peonies have borne big, fat white and fuchsia flowers and I have been able to cut many of them for the church's altar, and the table in our foyer. They smell like heaven!

It is green, green, green here, but those lovely Cow Weed yellow flowers that the mares will not touch have invaded my front pasture, so I spent yesterday cutting, pulling and spraying like a mad woman. Andy said I won't eradicate them this year, but to be diligent and they should meet their Waterloo next year. I am a Dead Eye Dick with the Roundup sprayer!

I am so glad that Andy is finally home and he promised me that he would never again bid on a project that would keep him away from home that long again. I enjoyed my independence to a point, and did get a lot done (all of the out buildings are cleaned out, and the old fence row in the back yard is gone), but I like his being here more than I like my independence.

I spent the entire hunt season without a hunter. I had looked for a year and upon my ninth attempt, found my field hunter. I bought her from Carrdian Farms in Monticello, FL and had her shipped up four weeks ago today. Her name is Lucy, she is a solid Chestnut American Paint with a perfectly formed diamond on her forehead (did I hear someone singing, "Lucy in the Sky With Diamond", no s) and a near hind sock. She is a bit tall for me, I refuse to believe that she could get over 16 hands tall, so will not put a stick to her - lol. She is 5, so very young and learning quickly. She can be a red headed mare at times, but over all she has a very sweet disposition, AND Nancy LOVES her. I have attached her "head shot". I have started lessons with her under Meg Hilly, she does trails like a superstar, I hunted her with the Live Oak hunt, and was very impressed with her interest in hunting.

I sold Molly to a most wonderful young lady, Marlena Jenkins. They are a perfect fit! Lucy loves to show and so does Marlena. As a matter of fact they are at a show now! She went to a wonderful home.

I will close this entry now. I have more to tell under another topic later.

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Spring Has Arrived at Laughing Fox!



The first Daffodil has arrived at Laughing Fox. We will be covered with them in less than a month. What a joy to see nature at work!

Monday, January 31, 2011

The 2010 Floods at LFF and How the Dogs Reacted to it

This is a video that I took from our backyard on May 2, 2010 at Laughing Fox during the floods in middle TN that May. It was quite the experience. The water never threatened our farm, but we were trapped for two days because of flooding at both ends of the road off of which our road runs. It was said this flood was considered a 500 year flood. OK with me if it doesn't happen in another 500 years...but the dogs did not mind at all which you will see in the video!

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Clarice and Nancy Last Wed. Hunt of 2010

This video is bitter sweet. It was the last time I was able to hunt my dear Nancy. She has been diagnosed with Cushings Disease which has rendered her unable to hunt. She has earned her retirement, though and is now comfortably living at our farm with her friend, Molly. Nancy was the best hunt mare I have ever ridden. I love her very much, and miss hunting her more than anything.

Calm on the Farm


Gracie and Duchess enjoying the outdoors at LFF.