Since the last posting, Christmas has come and gone with all its festivity and merriment. Now, back to life on the farm....
We received enough snow last night to merit a snow day from school. Once the snow slowed down, David cleared the drive with the tractor and blade. In an effort to shake our children from the house, we soundly cut the umbilical cord to electronic devices. I modeled how to prepare for the great out-of-doors and began shoveling sidewalks.
The snow was light and powdery, perfect for shoveling. Discontent with a narrow ribbon of path, I cut a wide swath--feeling richer for it. By the time I reached the barn, Matthew joined me.
"What's up with the sheep?" I asked. "They're bawling over by the pasture. Do we still have apples?"
"They're big blocks of ice over there. The sheep eat what they can get." I went to investigate. Sure enough.
The sheep looked hopeful, bawling at random intervals. My good shepherd response motivated me to check their food supply at the barn. Out back was plenty of hay buried under snow. I went to the front of the barn and returned, pitchfork in hand, to open the encrusted bales.
"He-e-e-re, sheep!" I called, chortling the "here" sheep-style. They didn't respond. Pitchfork in hand I followed their trail around the machine shed and over to the orchard. With an "C'mon, girls," they recognized themselves and heeded my call, nearly running me over in their haste.
They did not like their hay. They were not at all impressed with my labor or thoughtfulness. They didn't even pause to sniff the overturned loaves. They stopped, regarded me stupidly, and would have returned to the empty pasture had I not tempted them further into the barn. C'est la vie. They would rather pick from the manure-littered floor than eat from bounty.
In any case, the walks and driveway are clear, the animals are fed--and the three girls who didn't go outside have cooked up highly creative plans that will take the next 2 weeks to accomplish! For my part, I was rewarded with the sight of our home, heavily laden with snow.
Welcome to our Winter Wonderland.
We received enough snow last night to merit a snow day from school. Once the snow slowed down, David cleared the drive with the tractor and blade. In an effort to shake our children from the house, we soundly cut the umbilical cord to electronic devices. I modeled how to prepare for the great out-of-doors and began shoveling sidewalks.
The snow was light and powdery, perfect for shoveling. Discontent with a narrow ribbon of path, I cut a wide swath--feeling richer for it. By the time I reached the barn, Matthew joined me.
"What's up with the sheep?" I asked. "They're bawling over by the pasture. Do we still have apples?"
"They're big blocks of ice over there. The sheep eat what they can get." I went to investigate. Sure enough.
The sheep looked hopeful, bawling at random intervals. My good shepherd response motivated me to check their food supply at the barn. Out back was plenty of hay buried under snow. I went to the front of the barn and returned, pitchfork in hand, to open the encrusted bales.
"He-e-e-re, sheep!" I called, chortling the "here" sheep-style. They didn't respond. Pitchfork in hand I followed their trail around the machine shed and over to the orchard. With an "C'mon, girls," they recognized themselves and heeded my call, nearly running me over in their haste.
They did not like their hay. They were not at all impressed with my labor or thoughtfulness. They didn't even pause to sniff the overturned loaves. They stopped, regarded me stupidly, and would have returned to the empty pasture had I not tempted them further into the barn. C'est la vie. They would rather pick from the manure-littered floor than eat from bounty.
In any case, the walks and driveway are clear, the animals are fed--and the three girls who didn't go outside have cooked up highly creative plans that will take the next 2 weeks to accomplish! For my part, I was rewarded with the sight of our home, heavily laden with snow.
Welcome to our Winter Wonderland.
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