January? Nope. April? Maybe. No...

It doesn't take a degree in meteorology to realize that this weather is crazy.

I love Facebook posts about the weather as much as I like writing about the weather...translation: I loathe them, and would love to comment once in awhile along the lines of, "Thank you Mr. or Mrs. Obvious."

I guess my snarkiness in regards to the weather is because for us it isn't just an inconvenience for us. The weather affects every decision, aspect, plans: day-to-day, long-term, social, meal time, etc., of our lives. We are at the mercy of the weather always. Period.

Especially now.

It's calving season, and while we have had success despite sub-zero temps, 65 degree temperatures, now muck and mud, and soon to be frozen snow and ice, the weather and its ups and downs can create challenges much more great than just for my hair and shoe choices (I did love wearing flats with no socks yesterday, by the way).

Take today, for instance. Joe has mamas calving left and right. He has been checking them, shutting in the "heavy girls" (strike me down if he ever refers to me as that...actually HIT HIM!!!) who look like they're ready to pop. However, on a day like yesterday, while the rains were welcome for the water supply, calving in the muck and mud is hardly ideal. Now today, while it is still muck and muddy, it's now cold and getting colder and windier, thus creating an even less than opportune environment for calves to be born. Instead, days like today are especially stressful for Joe, as he is constantly hoping, thinking, checking those mams that are ready to birth, hoping they don't end up somewhere they shouldn't.

Joe is really good at keeping calving in less than comfortable circumstances at bay, however. Joe has prepped an area for prime calving conditions with skills that would rival a professional interior designer. While the conditions inside this area are prime, some times, some mamas are just...well...for the lack of a better term, not very intelligent. They are still not smart enough to get in to the area where Joe has spent countless hours re-strawing, checking, fixing, and then shutting them into this fenced, sheltered area in order to stay safe and healthy.

Thus, our life is now a series of stops and starts, as he goes out every few hours to check and recheck, shut in, restraw, feed, etc. While a typical work day during our non-calving season is pretty predictable: chores in the morning, and a flexible, although labor intensive day, and then in for the evening, during calving season, we see each other and enjoy events in small, short bursts. Tonight, in order to get away for a work event, Joe has scheduled his day to the milli-second, and we will not tarry at the end of the festivities...we will need to be home by 9:00 in order to do checks, possibly in dress pants and rubber boots on the way home to save a trip.

Ahhh...the life, huh?

Regardless, this is an exciting time. The kids are pumped about the new babies around here. Even Jack got in on the checking last night. While it may affect my social life and dinner times, this is the time when Joe gets to see the fruits of his planning and breeding schedule.

So, if you want to get together with us, good luck...give us a two hour time frame and a babysitter, and don't mind the smell of manure and straw if you want to ride with us.