Christmas on the Farm

If you're anything like us, you're still recovering, potentially digging out and trying to ignore the piles of candy and boxes and other Christmas cheer that still surrounds us. We're finishing up our Christmas extravaganza tonight with Joe's family, so as our celebrating comes to an end, I wanted to thank you all again for reading, enjoying, commenting, sharing and just keeping up with me.

Our Christmas tradition of sending a letter has gone more green this year, according to Joe, so if you would like to read a little more about our family, you can click here.

I am taking the rest of the week off, and will start the new year with lots of deep thoughts, engaging posts, and always entertaining posts, mainly about Joe (poor guy).

Thanks again for reading, and for making this part of my "job" fun!

Happy New Year!

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Layering

I'm all for it. I love layering. I have been rocking the chambray shirt under a sweater, little jacket over a t-shirt, etc. for most of this mild season.

However, as a farmer, layering becomes imperative especially during these first cold winter days. This morning, while Joe was dressing to head outside, he practiced the fashion practice I believe in...only a with a little more function than fashion.

When it's 15 below zero wind chill, Joe says one should always consider the first layer. Like a base layer in running clothes, a good, thin, wicking base layer is imperative. Atop that is a t-shirt and some flannel lined jeans. Think he's done? Nope...Joe considers his farmer fashion options again. While I may be wondering if something makes my behind look fat, or isn't the right cut or color, Joe considers the temperature, wind speed, and wind chill.  If it's truly, truly bitter, then a flannel lined jacket is chosen over the base layer, however a sweatshirt and windbreaker ensemble is completely appropriate if the wind isn't as cold. Considering his own movement the morning, he will decide coat or no coat, but never forgotten are the Carhartt bibs. These dudes complete the ensemble, and must be perfectly broken in, as movement is imperative.

Socks are also to be considered. Like a good pair of shoes, these could make or break an outfit. Depending upon the boots, whether insulated or not, your socks could cause great discomfort if not chosen wisely. So, on a day like today, Joe has chosen thin socks with boots that he calls, "Tundra Boots," meaning boots with a liner. One does not want sweaty feet, so these boots are left for really bitter days...like today.

Finally, head gear...Joe is currently sporting a red Tractor Supply Co. hat, but once he is out in the elements he may be mistaken for a bandit. A bandanna is a multipurpose accessory. It is tied around the neck like a scarf, mostly, but when it's bitterly cold, Joe pulls it up over his face for extra warmth.

This is all for days that are like today, pretty cold, but not super cold.

Bibs that are lined and a big coat are left for those miserable days...even though I think today is pretty miserable, and skipped my run because no amount of layers will keep me warm enough.

It's all about movement. Layers like this require thought, which is something you might not think Joe put a lot into, based on the appearance of cow manure and mud on his bibs, but he really thought about his outfit, bless his heart...it just isn't that obvious, and he shouldn't roll into church or a Christmas party in this get up, but for this morning, it's fabulous.

So, if you ever see a farmer, instead of scoffing at their not-so-fashionable looking get up, ask them to explain their choices. You might be surprised at the answer.

I Have a Kindergartner

I have a kindergartner. My Josie is 6. There was a Josephine in the classroom at Sandy Hook Elementary who was killed. She was 6.

And I can hardly process it.

I can only imagine her mother. I can see her how I would be, or so I think and hope to never go there. Lost, hollow, so sad, and angry.

In light of all that has happened since Friday, I feel like I should respond and take a minute to show respect for these innocent children and teachers who had to endure the most awful thing I can think of, as a former teacher and now mother. As a teacher, you are trained to keep your kids safe, practicing fire and disaster drills, locking down if necessary, never once thinking you'd use these skills.

As a mother, you send your sweet six year old bouncing to the bus, lunch box in hand, praying only that she is kind and good and eats her carrots and clementine, saving the dessert for last, because you want her to grow up big and strong and healthy, never once thinking the unthinkable. Never once wondering about her basic safety, her protection against a "bad guy," because those are just things she talks about from bad dreams.

This is a nightmare, but is reality.

A lot of chatter has been out there, in conversations at family birthday parties this weekend, on Facebook, in the newspaper, that our country is going to hell in the hand basket (excuse the phrase). But, I don't think it's the country. I don't think it's necessary the legislation, or the President, or the gun buyer or seller (I'm not getting political...just hear me out). I think it's mankind. At the core of humankind are innately selfish, jealous, entitled, and confused feelings, and if led down a path, or not allowed to feel loved and accepted and cared for, by a parent, by the love of friends, by the belief that God loves them for who they are, things like this can occur, and, tragically, be acted upon. I pray for this young man who did this, but frankly, have a lot of anger towards him, and it wasn't even my kid, or my school where this occurred.

While we all have hugged our kids and family members tighter, thinking about the unopened Christmas gifts for the lost little ones under the tree or, as our President spoke of, the bright futures that are now extinguished, I ask you to not just love your children and family, but teach them to be good in the world, to do good in the world. To understand other people's feelings, to love unconditionally, and know that they can do great things, even if they seem small in the grand scheme.

I love my children fervently, especially in times such as these, and will enjoy the holidays with them, surrounded by cousins and grandparents and family, but I will continue to pray that the mothers, especially the mother of Josephine, and hope that they will be able to find some joy in light of something that has been so awful, I can hardly get my head around it, and I'm not even there. When my kids have questions, I will answer them, but I will also continue my plight to fight against the innate tendencies of humankind, and teach my kids to be kind, loving and generous, and hope that other parents will too, and that nothing like this will ever have to be addressed again.

God bless you all.

Life and Death, Again

Well, we lost our dog yesterday.

Yes, that makes three dogs we have lost to our stupid, dusty, seemingly untraveled road (if you were just to look at it from a glance, but if I put a counter on it, you would think we live in a city...and don't even get me started the stupid drunks who travel it during the weekend nights. Gah.).

Sadie was hit we think yesterday morning, and while part of me wants to believe that whoever hit her didn't know that they did, she was hit, right in front of our house, and no one came to the door to tell us.

That makes me so sad...both about the dog, and the person who hit her. I wish they would have come to the door, instead of me finding her as I was pulling out of the driveway on my way to town with two little ones who loved her in the car.

"Is Sadie sleeping, Mom?" Amelia asked.

Uhhh.....I considered telling her yes, until we got home, but on the farm, we deal in life and death more frequently than the average family. So I told her.

And then proceeded to cry...I did, not Amelia.

I'm done with having dogs. I am done having this discussion with my kids, explaining to them about Doggie Heaven (again). I feel bad about complaining about her seemingly endless supply of poop and barking at everything that moved as well as the garbage cans. I'm such a jerk, and I'm sorry she had to die like this.

Even though she was difficult to love at times, jumping on guests, scaring the daylights out of the Fed Ex man, we did love her. We will miss her, but the crazy thing is, is that my kids are pretty resilient when it comes to stuff like this. My dad and I and Joe are the big wimps in this discussion. Dad's in California this week, and he's sad...and she loved to jump on him, which, as I may have mentioned before, Dad is NOT an animal person. At. All.

Joe is sad to not have his choring buddy, standing in the back of the truck, face to the wind, free as a bird.

I'm sad today as she didn't greet me in the early morning darkness in the back as I bundle up for my morning run.

The girls walked to the bus, sans barking dog, but trudged out into the cold, I know, thinking about their dog.


So allow me to have a sad, I miss my dog post today, but don't offer up a puppy as a consolation prize.

I'm done having dogs.

Dusty Roads and Dry Lakes

Did you know we could use a rain?

Do you feel like you have read this before?

Well, you have, but considering it's December and we haven't had a rain, a good, soaker since, well, Joe can't even remember, we're in dire need.

Again.

Again with the freaking drought.

I thought droughts were just summertime concerns, like mosquitoes, sunburns, and sweaty everything.

But no, droughts are year long concerns, and if you take a look at the back of my car (whichever niece or nephew wrote the smiley face on the window...you're hilarious), and peer into the pasture and it's lakes, you'll see how dry we still are.

Chores in the winter are already tedious, cold, and more labor intensive, but if you add in hauling water to them, that's a whole other ball of wax that will not only make Joe's workload increase, but my free time and opportunities to get out and about less than they already were!

Then there's the crop side of our operation. Moist (and I hate that word...along with junction, slacks, and pervert...I know, I'm weird.) soil that freezes will help our crops have a better start in the spring. However, if we get a hard freeze before we get moisture, be it rain or snow, the soil will not be in a good condition to allow for good growth.

It's a fun, viscous and oh-so-lovely cycle, huh?

So, while I have enjoyed running Christmas errands and literally running without worry of rain or snow, I now feel guilty. My prayers are pretty heavy as of late, and now let's add rain to them.

Could you please add it to your list, too?