Welcome Back Winter

January 13, 2012

Snow ClothesWell hell-oo winter!

I guess you’ve decided to show up after all – and how!

After a very mild fall, and weeks of above normal temperatures, you finally arrive with below zero wind chills and snow flurries – overnight.

Really? Couldn’t you have broken us in gently?

One day I take a walk in jeans and a hoodie.

Just 24 hours later it takes me 15 minutes to don insulated coveralls, boots, a winter coat, ski gloves and a stocking cap just to get the mail. Talk about full battle gear!

All together that pile of winter wear weighs over 5 pounds.

You know there’s nothing like a pair of insulated coveralls and an extra 5 pounds of weight to make a gal feel ladylike and feminine!

And there is absolutely nothing very positive that one can say about “hat hair” – especially hat hair full of static from the dry cold.

Okay winter – I’ll admit that you hit us with hard left-hook, but you haven’t won this round!

Yes, I know that the electric fencer isn’t working, both the hydrant and the water in the cow tank are frozen, and the satellite internet is spotty.

But both cars started, the well is still running and the furnace is working just fine!

And the sun is out, the cows are staying in the fence, and I have running water in the house.

You may have knocked us for a loop – but you haven’t beaten us yet! You just make us tougher.

So there.

Anybody up for a winter walk? :)

By Country Gal | Posted in Rural Realities, Weather, Winter | Tagged , , | Comments (6)

Warm Coat, Light Coat, Rain Coat, Yikes!

November 18, 2011

coatsA friend wrote on Facebook recently that she was busy sorting coats for her large family -

“I felt a bit overwhelmed today. Today was “coat sorting day”. A warm coat for church, a warm coat for farm chores, a warm coat for town, don’t forget a lightweight coat for the days that it goes back up to 60…”

I can totally relate.

This is one of those rural realities that you just have to live with.

Everybody needs a warm coat to wear around the farm – one that they can do chores in, go sledding in and get muddy on four-wheeler rides.

But they also need a warm coat that stays nice to wear to church and to town.

Ditto for lighter weight coats for spring and fall and rain gear and sweatshirts and fleeces.

You start multiplying my family members and the number of coats per person and you soon see how overwhelming it can be.

And don’t forget the hats, mittens, overalls, boots and shoes – all in multiples.

It’s not just the outer wear! We almost need 2 separate wardrobes – one for going away and one for staying at home.

It is a known fact that whatever clothes are worn outside to do chores will get dirty, stained, ripped and otherwise made unfit for public wear. That’s why we set aside some clothes just for that purpose.

Trust me, the chickens and cows don’t care.

But we have other clothes that are saved just for going away where people will actually see us.

Although it never fails that the one day you don’t wash your hair, have on your worst looking jeans and the t-shirt with stains – will be the one day that you need to run to town to buy a bolt and pick up baler wire.

Never fails.

I get a chuckle every time I see a magazine article describing how to simply your wardrobe. Ha! What I need is some hints on how to practically store the gazillion coats, hats, mittens, boots, and shoes that are piled in my mud room.

But then – as my friend said -

“..multiply that times 12 and you get 48 coats in our closet. That is nuts- but thank you Lord for all 48 coats.”

So true! Thank you for Lord for each and every coat – and the healthy bodies to wear them!

By Country Gal | Posted in Children, Rural Realities | Tagged , | Comments (3)

How Much Wood Could A Woodchuck Chuck…

August 12, 2011

It must be the summer for varmints.

First the coon, then the bunnies, and now a wood chuck.

I remember reading that back in the depression hobos used to leave marks on fences and trees so other tramps would know the houses to avoid, which ones had good food and where the mean dogs were.

I’m thinking some varmint put a sign out in the back 40 saying, ” Try these humans – they’re an easy mark and worth a laugh!”

However he found us – a solitary woodchuck ambled into the yard a few weeks ago and decided to make a permanent home under the wood pile in the machine shed (the only outbuilding with a gravel floor.)

We did not realize his presence for awhile and by the time Pedro first noticed the large pile of dirt and gravel in the back of the shed – he had dug out quite a home for himself.

My husband was not happy.

At first I didn’t mind so much. He was kind of cute in a 4- legged varmint-y kind of way. Besides he stuck to himself and didn’t chase chickens or eat my edamame.

But then I discovered the partially eaten pumpkins and winter squash in the garden.

Cute little Chuckie had crossed the line.

Now – how does one remove an unwanted woodchuck from his burrow underneath a large pile of wood inside a machine shed?

Good question.  But – never fear – Google has the answer.

We set the live trap for him – right outside the front entrance of his domicile – and baited it with carrots just as the website said.

Within 4 hours little Chuckie was history and his home was blocked up so no other little varmint would move in.

Maybe I should add a “no vacancy” sign.

Or “vagrants not welcome”.

Take that you little varmints. These humans are getting smart.

Photo thanks to Matt Reinbold.

By Country Gal | Posted in Critters, Rural Realities | Tagged , , , | Comments (4)

Blackberries

August 10, 2011

Ahh..the wonder of the late summer blackberry.

Almost as big as my thumb, these beauties topped our ice cream, landed in our oatmeal, and were luscious in our scones.

BerriesBut ohh…the pain of picking the late summer blackberry!

It’s bad enough that it grows smack dab in the middle of the poison ivy at the edge of the ravine. But then you have the thorns – or should I say spikes?

Those bad boys are so nasty you almost need almost full-body gear for protection!

And of course – there’s the heat and humidity – making that full body gear almost unbearable.

So why do we bother?

Because the warm, sweet deliciousness of a freshly picked blackberry – that stains your hands, your tongue, even the kitchen counter – is just that good.

It makes that kerplink – kerplank – kerplunk in the bottom of the bucket music to our ears.

Some things in life are just worth the extra effort.

By Country Gal | Posted in Harvesting, Rural Realities, Summer | Tagged , | Comments (4)

Be Careful What You Wish For…

July 20, 2011

Just look at what happens when you confess on a blog post to being unable to grow zucchini…
zucchini

…in less than 36 hours you are given 9  zucchinis!

BIG ones, too!

As my friend Martha said to me as she handed me a bag full of the veggies, “Be careful what you wish for!”

Right now I’m wishing for roasted Italian zucchini with Parmesan cheese – and thanks to my sweet friends – I’m going to get it!

By Country Gal | Posted in Friends, Gardening, Harvesting, Rural Realities | Tagged , , | Comments (5)