Minus the pretty red geranium...
It's January. Here at Wheely Wooly Farm, January means smashing out frozen water buckets, double layer wool mittens and an extra 20 minutes to get ready to go outside...each time. It means fishtailing down to the barn, shoveling drifts away from barn doors, and sad chickens who cannot go out to scratch. Are we experiencing that today? GIGGLE, GIGGLE! No!
Today has been the most remarkable January day in memory. It was 51 degrees out there today, with bright sunshine and calm winds to boot! Seems the big storms are to the SE of us, and NW, with a huge, warm, blessed gap in between, right over us. No snow, no mud, no slush, and no frozen water buckets! Today was a gift.
So what do people do on such unusually nice spring-like days? This is a multiple choice question...remember those? :)
a) keep on with the daily grind
b) go shopping 'cause the drivin's easy
c) eat fudge bars on the front porch
d) both b and c
If you chose d, you are correct! Now, now! I know that might not have been the most RESPONSIBLE thing to do! But the way we see it, we were making special memories that will last a lifetime, and it was FUN! While we slurped on our chocolatey bars, the hens chased each other in pursuit of a good cranberry off the bird feeder. The chickadees were calling back and forth, and the finches were singing spring mating calls. Every tractor in the neighborhood was puttering off in the distance. We didn't need to wear coats. It really did not feel like January!
I did get back to responsibility shortly thereafter by cleaning out the barn. I organized, swept cobwebs and picked up things left after the busy holiday season. I did the same in Coopville. Then I spent some nice time with everyone out there, cause I DID hear the news at noon. Gulp.
Seems our AprilJanuary is coming to a screeching halt in about 12 hours...good thing the sled is waiting so patiently by the back door, and the mittens are nice and dry. I have chicken and dumplings ready to go and we're stocked up on chocolate. The snow shovels are strategically placed all around the farm and wool has been stuffed around the windows on the coop.
Speaking of chocolate as a little side note: I sacked out just after the holidays for a little "paws in the air" reading time myself. I picked up Sheepish, a book about people who have sheep, like me. In a chapter about lambing, I was struck with profoundly wise words. You see, when we lamb here at Wheely Wooly Farm, we're organized. I make main meals, breads, and blueberry muffins ahead of time, wrap them individually, and throw them in the freezer to be ready in an exhausted moment when I'm more worried about a little lamby than I am about when I last ate something. Problem is, I completely forgot I did that! I was so attentive to the ewes and their lambs I completely forgot to even grab a muffin! Weeks later, I realized my really dumb mistake, but then we ate good for awhile! So what were those profoundly wise words? Skip the healthy stuff!!! Just go for the cookies and chocolate! Just send them out to the barn! Fill your pockets! Profoundly wise. Things will be different around here this year.
Switching topics, I thought Swifty was too young to snore, but here he is, paws midair right next to me, snoring away quite loudly! I'm shocked! Obviously, he enjoyed this AprilJanuary day, too! He did sail around the farm a lot while flinging crispy pumpkin shells around. I hope he's dreaming about drift surfing, for that just might be what he'll be doing in the next day or so!
Brace yourselves everyone!
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