Well, thanks to our internet provider, Hughes.net, we are going to be having an Amish Christmas out here in the boondocks! (Haha…) Our internet is out, until probably Monday at pretty much the worse possible time for us… holiday order rush. We have them all out the door, but we can’t communicate easily with those looking for tracking orders and the likes, because we are without the internet!
Now, you might be wondering, how the heck are we typing this post? Well, we have a laptop and we’re down at the neighbors, borrowing their WIFI to check on the empire and do our best to respond to folks worries about orders and check accounts, all that sort of thing. But it’s not like we can just move in for awhile, so, it’s check on it and then back to No Tech land of Windhaven farm!
In a way, it’s kind of nice. Without the readily available distraction of the internet, we’ve been baking cookies, making fudge, watching videos, and just napping! It’s actually been pretty nice. I spent some time yesterday wrapping up all the goodies for my girls… and enjoyed finishing a book that I started almost a month ago before the rock frenzy! We did get a nice huge piece of carpeting from Lowes, only $37 and it looks beautiful in the living room. Ratchet approves, he was on his back and just wiggling and rubbing on it like it was doggie Christmas already!
We have numerous projects around the farm that we have the supplies for and just have not had the time to get to them. So that will be our focus for the next month. Mostly indoor things, because of the weather, but I have to say, this has been the MILDEST winter on my personal record scorecard… it’s 50 degrees outside right now… Just mellow and muddy for the most part. We’ve really only had one little inch of snow, everything else has been rain. Considering that it’s almost January, I’m thrilled! Our heating bill has been super tolerable. Now, I know we really have two good solid months of winter left, and possibly a third… but still, knowing that in 60 to 70 days we will start to see warm March springy days? That just fills my heart with happiness!!! The last two months have flown by, so it will not be long. And this mild weather gives us time to do a few outside projects as well and is not so hard on the livestock.
We’ve pretty much had to start feeding everyone their total rations. The sheep and pony do go out and graze, but you can tell that the winter grass is not very filling, because they spend a good deal of the day at the hay pile we set out for them. Maggie and I are planning to build a decent little homemade hay rack for them, to keep the wasted hay down to a minimum. But the sheep are not picky and will eat most of the hay, even if it gets strew about a bit. And we have several muddy areas, so we gather up the spent hay and lay it in the muddy spots to make it a little nicer. No waste here.
The chickens are starting to lay again, so that’s nice… and since the Winter soltice was just a day ago, the days will start to get longer! Yeah! It’s always a little weird to have it dark by 5 pm outside.
So, everything is good here, don’t worry. We’re just going to be web-dark for a few more days. Time to enjoy the holiday, lay in bed a little longer and just enjoy some simple pleasures and cheer. I’ve got a margarita in the freezer waiting for me, I think maybe Christmas Eve! (It’s one of those little pouch drinks that I got about 2 months ago!!! Big drinker here…) And we’ve got a ham for dinner and lots of cookies and fudge! And too many presents… Santa Mom really went all out for her wonderful daughters… I just love to spoil them a bit now and then, they are so cool!
I hope that each and every one of you gentle readers have a lovely and beautiful holiday season… however you celebrate… and I hope that you will take a little time from the hustle and bustle to go Amish for a while, light a fire, turn off the tube and computer and just enjoy your family, play a game, laugh, drink and eat as we set this year to bed and look forward to a wonderful and blessed new year!!!
Do me a favor… leave a comment about what you and yours are doing for the holidays and how you feel blessed… what you’re looking forward to in 2012… that will be a fun way to positively enjoy and cherish this special time!!!
I’ll start… I’m so thankful and blessed for this beautiful little homestead and all the lovely and silly animals that give us endless amusement and joy… And of course I just love my pair of wonderful kids… who tolerate me when I’m stressed, and laugh at me when I’m silly and just don’t seem to ever want to leave me… and I love that so much! We’ll be celebrating Christmas with a lovely little dinner and some presents and probably a game of Cataan!!!
Merry Christmas to you all!!!
Sherri, Jessy and Maggie…
and of course….
Evee, Ratchet, Luna, Dixie, Topaz, Jack, Prince, Duchess, Duke, Baron, Cody, Noel, Holly, Molly, Fergus, Angus, Ivy, Iris, Bucka Roo, Copper, Dammartin, Irene, Mildred, Marilyn, Katheryn, Carolyn, Susan, Marjory, Maureen, Patty Ann, Nancy Ann, Cruella, Floppy Chicken, Bionca, Goldie, Elizabeth, Fiona, Emerald, Silver, Tourmaline, Diamond, Tasha, Edward, Amanda, Martha and Mabel, Turkey Girl, Hodini and Blue. (Oh yeah and the 4 Amerucanas and the 5 Cuckoos Marans without names….)
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Have a Merry Christmas!
We’ll be at my house eating turkey after Christmas Eve services (the singing is the best!).
Lazy weekend otherwise!
We already enjoyed a visit from our “little” grandchildren and their parents; during which we visited Santa at the Henry Ford Museum, among other fun things. We will spend Christmas Eve with Bill’s Mom; all three of our girls and our “little” grandchildren will be there. Christmas Day we will be at Bill’s sister’s home, she and her family always provide a great meal and a relaxing time. This year I am grateful that our oldest grandson and his wife are safe and together at their home in Japan, and that his brother survived the wounds he got in Afghanistan. Our second oldest grandson underwent a second major surgery Thursday in Texas, reports are that he is doing as well as can be expected.
All the best to you and yours, Sherri, and we’ll see you at Perrysburg in January.
Merry Almost Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Merry Christmas Sherri & girls.
This is my first year separated from my husband, so it will be a strange Christmas. I suggested that my ex should come over to spend Christmas Eve with us, and be here for the kids in the morning, but he has chosen not to. I’m going to be trying to make everything seem normal for the kids, but it will be strange for us all.
Zach and I drove back from New York in PA a plane crashed onto the highway about 2 miles ahead of us, in TN a helicopter made an emergency landing about a football field ahead of us. I’ll warn people not to fly when I’m driving next time.
But all was well when we got home. We had a nice Christmas at home. I cooked a turkey, Pat had 4 days of paid vacation so we felt rich. Our rescue dog, Sally Field has a swollen belly but you don’t have to be Columbo to figure this one out. She was in heat when I rescued her so I couldn’t fix her. Suffice it to say on Thanksgiving day the American Eskimo next door showed me what he is most thankful for the second Sally got out the door. whoops. SO now, right on cue a month later she has all the signs of pregnancy. I expect the little beagle/dachshund Eskimo mix puppies around my birthday Feb 1st. 6 already have homes.
Christmas is such a warm wonderful holiday. I love every bit of it. The music, the smells, the chill in the air. Even though it’s ridiculous I went into Zach’s room like he was 5 instead of 15 “Zachy Santa came while you were asleep”. He didn’t open his eyes but smiled at the childish display he’s grown to expect from his silly mom.
As always when Zach went to sleep Christmas night, I took down all the decorations except the tree, and swapped them with birthday decorations. Zach turned 16 on the 26th. It’s going by too fast but I have truly loved every age he has been. When you ask what makes us feel blessed, the answer came to me in an instant. Zach.
I watched Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium the other day and I can’t believe how he’s grown. It’s such a keepsake for me. It’s better than home made movies. When Zach blew out his candles I quoted Magorium himself “Your life is an occasion, rise to it.”