A bright spot in an otherwise drab landscape...

....and a very bright spot in my life...knitting! This weekend I started making baby hats for some tiny little ones, some of thom have just arrived and some who are soon expected; the larger one is for a sweet little almost-three-year-old, the big sister of one newborn.

Life on the farm, when it is this cold, is a matter of survival. We just do what must be done, and it sometimes isn't easy. Ice to break in ponds, machinery freezes up, silage even freezes inside the silos--many challenges, but they must be met. Thank goodness for a warm home to come into, a cup of something hot to drink, and a nourishing meal. Soup has been on the menu here for a couple of days now--potato soup, chili, things that warm you on the inside.

I had some unexpected company this afternoon--our daughter, Sus, and her little ones, Wyatt and Addie Dear, came over. Sus wanted something to work on with her hands, and so it was a good day to start a little sewing project. We searched through my stash, picked out some fabrics she liked in  creams, reds, browns and some pretty touches of teal, cut some squares, and then she sat down and pieced four simple four-patchquilt blocks...a good start! She went home with the confidence that she can do this, and she took a bagful of pieces to work on. A throw-size quilt is in the works! 

Before they left, we all had a tea party...hot tea and cinnamon toast. Wyatt really likes dipping his toast into his tea. Have you ever tried it? Quite good, yes, even Mimi thinks so. Addie tried it and dropped the whole toast triangle into her cup...a little messy but when you're two, life is just messy.

It's a very cold night--hoping you're all tucked in, somewhere snug and warm. Till tomorrow....

Ode to Duofold

Come, sing a song of praise for long johns,

Those garments so wooly and warm.

Knitted thick and dense and cuddly,

Keeping man--and woman--from cold's harm.

Under layers and layers of apparel they go,

When the mercury dips to a dangerous low.

Tops and bottoms, leaving no skin exposed

The most basic of garments, these hard-working clothes.

Underdrawers, longhandles, or flannels

Their name, it doth not matter.

The only drawback mine eye hast perceived

Is that they make me look fatter.

But wintry weather can be wicked

Causing colds, coughs and a sneeze.

But for these hard working underduds--

Our bottoms, they would freeze.

Yea, at spring last, when birds sang and luck was my lady,

I bought a new set on clearance.

My bargain bottoms and top I now boldly wear

With no vain worry for appearance.

Now, let the north wind blow, and flurry the snow,

The freezing it matters to me naught.

As long as I've Duofold next to my skin

With warmth and comfort I'm fraught.

by Dame Janette, Mistress of the Diamond T

of the County of Aux Arc

Nine days in January, so far, and nine posts--I feel as if I'm meeting myself coming and going! This will definitely be an experiment with an end. I am still committed to continue toward my goal of daily posting through this month, unless I get thoroughly sick of writing about myself.

Sunday morning dawned clear and cold but clouds were soon racing in. The forecast is for winter. Well, it IS winter, so I am prepared.

The resident farmboy left the house fairly early, in order to finish his feeding before time to leave for church at 9:30. I think everyone was working this morning, just feeding but also making sure things were in good order in case we do get some wintry weather. At 9, he ducked back into the house to say he wouldn't be able to make it to Sunday School, for me to go on without him--he would try for church. A water pump "went out" on a loader that is used on one place to put large round hay bales on the truck for feeding, so he was taking a different loader to substitute.

So, I picked up my mother-in-law and we went to church together. Our daughter and two little grands were also there, greeting us with bright and happy smiles. Sunday school was good, as was the sermon which followed, but neither husband nor son-in-law made it to the services. Cold weather can really wreak havoc on mechanized equipment, and it took out its spite on them today.

After church, it was four girls (great-grandma, Mimi, daughter and Addie Dear)--and Wyatt--who went to our local cafe for lunch. This is five-year-old Wyatt's favorite meal of the week--he loves to go where there is a "line," as he calls a buffet, because he doesn't have to wait patiently for food to be brought to the table. He loves the fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, vegetables and rolls with butter. Today he was particularly happy because his best buddy also was there. Wyatt and Isaac did lots of waving of utensils at each other and laughing back and forth and being a little bit silly. We smiled and enjoyed their cuteness, hoping the other patrons were not annoyed. They really are good boys, just boyish little boys.

The afternoon was quiet--very cold outside and a very good day to stay inside. I finished knitting two little hats for two adorable little sisters--one of whom is only 10 days old today. And since I still had some pink and green and cream yarn left, I cast on a little topper for our new grand-niece who is four months old now. We are planning to see her next weekend, so that will be the perfect time to bestow it on the little sweetie.

Just as dark closed in this evening, I went to the chicken house to tuck the girls and D.J. in, and even though it is very cold, they left me an offering of two perfect eggs, one brown and one green. I thanked them and made sure the window was tightly shut--chickens really dislike cold weather. They will get a rude awakening in the morning if there is snow on the ground. They hate snow worse than they hate cold.

I have a busy week ahead--the lists are forming in my mind. This day of rest has been good preparation for it. I do hope that it will be a good week for you, dear friends, wherever you are.

On Saturdays in winter, we don't work more than is necessary. Still, it takes all morning to feed all the cattle everywhere, with Stan, Phillip, Theron, Lee and Jim working this day, while Derek and Keith were off.

We have a very efficient way to feed the cattle--from silos on most of the places. There are 14 scattered over the farms, with automated feeders connected to them. If all goes well, the man feeding goes into the little shed with the controls, sets the amount of silage and the corresponding amount of grain, flips the switch, and the feed is distributed by a conveyor belt, up and down the length of the covered feeder. The cattle then enjoy a delightful (to them!) meal, in a restaurant (to them!) setting. Well, it's not sit-down but at least they're protected from the elements while they enjoy a delicious and fragrant meal of juicy silage laced with just the right amount of grain.

That's in a perfect world. Rarely does it go that smoothly at all locations. Mechanized workings have a way of being contrary. But after many years of doing this, the more seasoned employees know how to fix non-major breakdowns. They keep some very basic tools with them and can generally get the job done without too much trouble. But there are exceptions, things they cannot fix.

Yesterday was an exception. It does seem like the exceptions usually happen on weekends; that's one of Murphy's laws that applies to farming. I attended a meeting in town of a women's organization to which I belong, taking my mother-in-law with me. We got home at 1:00, and my farmboy was coming in the house just as I drove in the driveway. While he peeled off layers of cold-weather garb, I fixed a quick lunch of soup and sandwiches, and finally we both sat down to watch a little football, snooze, read, knit and, generally, to relax. In a little while, he pushed back his recliner and closed his eyes, sinking into a well-earned nap. But it didn't last long; a half-hour later the phone rang, and the message was typical. 

"Stan, that toggle switch that has been giving me trouble at the Van Voris place went out. I won't be able to feed in the morning until you replace it."

Sigh. We both sighed. It doesn't do a bit of good to be aggravated or to grumble. After another 30 minutes, he said, "I'll go on and fix it," and I said, "I'll come with you." So back on came the layers, and off we went. His farm truck is a veritable store of electrical, mechanical and plumbing supplies, and he already had a new toggle switch and tools to fix it on board.

I took my camera, hoping for some wildlife sightings, because this particular farm is way back there, but the only animal life we saw consisted of cattle. One lone coyote was trotting along a fenceline in the distance, but it was too far for a picture. While the resident electrician did his job, I walked down the lane past the silo, getting a little exercise and keeping warm. The cattle were curious about me, and the calves were frisky. It was so quiet and peaceful, and I again understood why this herd always does so well. It's a great place up there for cattle.

By the time the new switch was installed, the sun was getting low in the western sky. Since we were already there, we took the time to check the mineral feeders and creep feeders, and in so doing so we climbed up on a high place and were treated to an exceptional sunset. Clouds were streaming from north to south, escorting in some colder air, and the air was so clear and crisp. I stood out on that hilltop and was again amazed at how privileged we are to live in such a beautiful place.

Even though we didn't spend the afternoon snugly tucked into a warm house watching the Saints be upset, it turned out pretty good. In fact, I'm certain there are countless numbers of people who would have traded places with me in a heartbeat. But I think I'll stick with my job. It does have some pretty special perks.

I just handed a quick snack to my farmboy--he's too busy to take off his dirty boots to come inside for a few minutes' sit-down. Four--count 'em--four--loads of fertilizer are coming in, back to back to back to back. We spread fertilizer in February, and, gosh, that's just around the corner--already, we're gearing up for the busy season just ahead.

Farming is not for the faint of heart. There are many reasons that I say this. First, the amount of work and dedication involved would be daunting to someone who believes a workday should run from 8:00 in the morning to 5:00 in the evening. Second, if one thinks a job should come with tangible benefits such as an employer-matching 401K and a fabulous insurance plan and every federal and state holiday and a one-hour lunch break and scheduled coffee breaks, then don't apply! And third, if one believes the amount of income should be commensurate with the amount of effort expended, pardon me while I laugh. In farming, it just doesn't work that way.

The dedicated farmers I know are on the job almost every waking minute, from early till late. The farmer I'm closest to might take off a few hours for a ballgame or a movie, but on the way to and from said events, he is farming--in his mind. He's thinking through a problem he had that day and coming closer to solving it. "I think I've got it worked out-- the best place for that funnel fence on the Honeycutt Place, so those darn cows won't get away from us next time," or "I think urea is going to be a better choice than nitrogen this spring. Figuring xxx acres at xxx per ton, I believe we can save about $10,000. That might be enough to cover the cost of the a couple of loads of fuel--if it doesn't go up too much."

Benefits? There are plenty, but they don't come in the form of retirement plans or an expense account. We do get to enjoy lunch sitting on the side of a crystal-clear creek sometimes, watching baby calves gambol in an adjoining pasture. We try to avoid needing insurance by getting plenty of fresh air, exercise and and mental challenges on a daily basis. And sometimes, once in a great while, since we work for ourselves and we can, we take a holiday that isn't a bank holiday. lf things are going smoothly and the day is exceptionally nice, we might decide to forego the regularly scheduled work and just do something fun--like going fishing with a grandchild or saddling up the horses for a ride over the hills or exploring some backroads or taking the canoe to the creek for an afternoon float. Not often, but sometimes.

It's that part about income that truly demands a farmer be strong and have inner courage. Because, hard as we may work and carefully as we may plan, the bottom line is always determined by the price we get for the product we sell. Right now, at this minute, cattle are bringing a good price at the market. But the livestock market is notorious for dramatic swings, and today's profit can easily be next week's loss. We do our best and hope for the best.

Right now, the cost of feed is at an all-time high. We're paying almost twice the price for corn as at this time last year. We bite the bullet and buy the high-priced corn, feeling a tiny bit of comfort knowing that corn farmers deserve a better price than they've gotten in years past. And we listen to the predictions of fuel prices sky-rocketing again and we decide to order fertilizer now, knowing that fuel influences the cost of fertilizer.

Last evening, my farmboy announced that he had ordered several loads of fertilizer. We buy in bulk, blend our own and spread it ourselves. This is the cheapest possible way to buy commercial fertilizer, but still...I gulped and asked, "How much?" "Quite a bit," he said quietly but firmly. "Bear up," my strong heart said to itself. "You are not faint. You will write that large check when the bill comes in, and it will rain and the grass will grow and the cows and calves will eat it and it will make feed for next winter, and it will all be okay." And the fertilizer starts coming in, the very next morning.

No, farming is not for weenies. We operate with lots of work, lots of planning, lots of effort and lots of faith. If our farming history was charted on a graph, it would be characterized by high peaks and deep valleys, just like the landscape that surrounds us. But that is why I love where we live--that beautiful and varied landscape I look out upon--and it's why I love our life, even with its highs and lows. No boring straight lines here...

Multi-tasking: what did I do before I learned that word/phrase? Well, I did it anyway--just didn't call it that.

Today I:

a) Found out at 8:00 that I needed to be at the elementary school at 9:00 for a little awards ceremony. We live 20 miles from the school, a 25-minute drive. I made it. And loved seeing a certain little boy receive an award for being a CARING person. How that made a mimi's heart swell!

b) Spent a few hours at the Historium, sorting through more boxes of research materials that we moved from our old room in the library. Learned that I am more of a thrower-awayer than some people I know.

c) Delivered some of our books to places where they are sold.

d) Grocery shopped.

e) Visited a young friend who is a new mommy and an old friend who has a new knee.

f) Tried to work on my Sunday-school room but was unable to find anyone at the church. Tried again. To no avail.

On the farm, in addition to their everyday chores of feeding, the men built fence and gates, took some cattle to the local livestock auction and worked on equipment.

A casserole is heating in the oven, and I'm nearly done for the day. A little knitting, a little reading and a little rest--sounds like the perfect Thursday evening to me. Hope your day has been pleasant and productive.

(Okay, this is getting harder to do. It feels very self-absorbed to write every single day about myself. Going to try and keep it short from now on. My long posts are more than you want to know, I'm certain.)

It was a beautiful winter day in the Ozarks, a good time to go to "town." I had many errands on my long list, and I got through several of them. But sometimes one must stop and go home. So that is just what I did. The three or four other things can wait for another day.

Thankfully, I had prepared supper last night for tonight. On my way home, I called the culinary-challenged Farmboy and walked him through turning on the oven, opening the fridge, finding the casserole and popping it into the oven. When I got home, it was piping hot and ready to eat. I made a salad, warmed the chive biscuits I made last night and voila! Supper was served.

It remains a mystery to me that someone who can completely take apart any large piece of equipment, fix its most complicated problem, and put the whole thing back together--this man can walk into our HOME and suddenly his brain is a blank. Truly, he didn't know that the little red light on the stove meant the oven was pre-heating. Bless his heart. We do have our separate areas of responsibility, and heaven help us if the line must be crossed.

One of my errands today was buying a big, heavy box of nuts and bolts. NEVER let it be said that this Farmgirl went to town and failed to do something FARM. NEVER. It is a matter of principle--for someone.

Good night--I'm off to knit. Some lovely merino wool, smooth as silk, is calling my name.

P.S. I exhibited notable self-control by NOT going to a yarn shop today. I have vowed to use up a bunch of my stash. It was sure hard....

I passed one of my favorite old barns this evening and noticed a loft door was open. So I stopped, trespassed by climbing through a barbed-wire fence, got a load of stick-tights on my jeans and socks, but managed to get this picture in the fading evening light. Please don't report my crime to the authorities.

I'll do just about anything to avoid cooking and to get to eat out. Today I shamelessly hitched a ride with my farmboy in a one-ton truck pulling a lowboy trailer with a big tractor on the it and bounced all the way down into Arkansas to deliver said tractor to a dealership for some repairs. My reward was delicious! We had a great Mexican lunch at an authentic Mexican restaurant. And now, at suppertime, I am still not hungry. Wonder if I can get by with just popcorn to munch while we watch the Sugar Bowl?

The men spend these quieter winter months getting ready for the busy ones of summer. Every tractor and truck gets fully serviced and tuned up in anticipation of heavy work ahead. This particular tractor needed a little more than our hands can handle, so we hauled it in. We'll go back for it in a few days when they call to say it is ready, and I'm already wondering if I could manage to get lunch at the really good barbecue place (across the road from the Mexican place) then?

Do I sound scheming?

When we came back through town, I stopped at the P.O. and picked up the mail for our historical society, for which I am treasurer. Dues are coming in from our members, and it helps if I don't get too far behind. There were also three more orders for our book, Lard Buckets and Paper Pokes: Ozark County's Rural Schools. I am still thrilled to get a hand-written note from someone saying how much they enjoy our book.This subject (one-room schools) has really touched a chord with lots of folks. It was such fun to put the book together and even better to bring in some funds for continued renovation of our Historium.

It was clear and not too cold today, really quite beautiful. I love winter!

Having five-year-old grandson Wyatt overnight and today has been delightful! We are tired, though--his energy is limitless!

Monday mornings are a busy time for me. I go to our farm office and do the weekly payroll and pay bills, submit tax forms, open and answer mail, send and receive faxes...whatever needs doing. Sometimes it takes me all day, and sometimes I'm done in a few hours. Today, with Wyatt along, I wrapped things up quicker than expected. By noon, his patience was wearing thin. So, we found Farmboy and invited him out for lunch.

When one lives in the country, and the nearest restaurant is 20 miles away, one doesn't go out for lunch very often. Today we made the exception and drove to Drury, a wide spot in the road 19.5 miles north of our home. There is a country store there, and the newest owners have added a small eatery. The grownups had the daily special--a Philly cheesesteak, onion rings and a piece of homemade chocolate cake--all very good. The little guy ordered "a cheeseburger with ketchup and french fries with ketchup, please, and a big glass of sweet tea. No, thank you, I don't think I can eat dessert." He had spied the ice cream as we came in and thought that would be a good way to end the meal, but by the time we left, he had no room.

As we waited for our food, he looked around and pronounced the store " an old-fashioned place. You know, Mimi, I think I like this restaurant. Let's come back sometime!" And of course, we agreed to do so, the next time he spends the day with us. (I think it would have been rather ordinary if not for the exceptional company we enjoyed.)

Farm work of the day: Stan spent several hours this morning laying out an addition to the corral at the Van Voris place, one of our more remote farms. He is constantly thinking of ways to improve things, and he believes the new pen will help when they work cattle next summer. Two of our largest herds are on this place, and it is a real job to work one of them in one day. Just before noon, he left Phillip and Lee at work, setting the posts.

Here on the north, Theron and Keith spent the morning feeding everywhere, and in the afternoon Theron resumed the plowing of three hayfields. Last summer's extreme dry and hot weather caused almost all of our orchard grass to die out, so Stan has decided to replant with alfalfa. We've long raised alfalfa, a heat-tolerant plant because it puts down a deep taproot. But in good weather it can work you to death, needing to be cut every four weeks. So after we no longer had the dairy, we'd mostly moved away from alfalfa. Now we're reconnecting with our old friend. I love to watch alfalfa; it's a beautiful plant, and little yellow butterflies love it, too. So, since two of these fields are beside our home, I'm happy to wecome it back!

Down south, Derek and Jimmy fed the cattle there, and then Jimmy continued the year-round task of bush-hogging. Derek spent most of the day on the dozer, digging a pond on a place where water is in scarce supply. He reported making good progress and felt that he dug deep enough to reach good rock.

After lunch, I spent the rest of the day at my desk, doing a myriad of bookkeeping tasks (hooray! I've finally mastered that dreaded 940!) Wyatt spent the afternoon with his Poppy, helping in the shop. As we drove a tired little boy home this evening, his head rested against the seatbelt and his eyes reluctantly shut. And Stan reminisced that when he was just that age, he spent every minute alongside his dad; in those early building days, a little boy was the only extra hand on the place. But though he was young, he soaked up knowledge that has stayed with him to this day. He said, "Wyatt may not be big enough to do more than hold something, but he's learning--and he can be a real help."

All in all, the first Monday of this year was a very good, productive day! 

For Sunday, January 2, 2011

Typical me--didn't get to sit down at my computer on January 2--is that a record for breaking a resolution--the very next day?? Oh, well, I'll do it when I can and, hopefully, keep it up.

Sunday morning was COLD and crisp in our Almartha valley, about 10 degrees, but the bright sunshine made it feel warmer. We went to church, taking Stan's mother, Julia, along with us as we always do. Sunday School was GOOD today! I was so thankful for a roomful and many, many good comments. I teach a class of adults, mostly our age and a tiny bit older, and our lessons for January continue from Isaiah. I was a little dismayed when I saw that--December also was from that book, and I was ready for a new theme. But it turned out to be good.

We also talked a bit about why a new year and a new beginning can be so important and that God is the author of new beginnings. I shared that one of my resolutions is to spend a little more time this year on genealogy. Last year I spent LOTS of time on our new Historium, where people can come and do genealogy research, but I put aside my own family research, and so I hope to get back to it. But no matter how many branches on one's family tree, the most important family connection anyone has is his relationship to our Father God.

After church, we (someone--not me) rested for an hour, hoping futilely that the Chiefs would make a dramatic comeback. Then we headed out for a check of some of our cow/calf herds. It has been a mild, dry winter, a good scenario for cattlemen. The grass has held out well, although we're now feeding on most places. Our drive took us to a farm we call the Honeycutt Place, known, as is our custom, for the family from whom the land was originally purchased. It is a ridgetop farm, with some open fields that drop off sharply into some very steep hollows (the Ozarkian word is "holler.") We got out and walked to the very edge of one dramatic drop-off and looked down--way down. It was late in the day by then, but we thought it might be fun to sometime continue down--down and down. We'd need to get an earlier start, have a water bottle and I'd want to bring my camera.

When we got back to the house at dark, we found company--Derek, Sus, Wyatt and Addie had come over to get some things and drop off one sweet thing--Wyatt! He doesn't have school today so is spending it with us. Wyatt is going to help me roll our retired cedar Christmas tree into the lake this morning--he thinks that should be fun, and I do, too, having his help! A five-year-old puts a fun spin on almost anything, as long as it involves ACTIVITY.