The lake, yesterday
We spent part of a snowy Sunday afternoon attending a school event. I discovered in that funny way one has of thinking “I am the only person to think this way” that indeed, it isn’t just students who hope for snow days. Parents do a fair amount of wishing too.
“Spoon under your pillow tonight,” said one. “Oh no: wear your underwear inside-out,” said another. “Do both,” said a third.
Well, school is in session today, but we’re at home. And I am glad.
It is pretty miserable outside right now. I won’t get into the tit-for-tat description but let’s just say going about in the dark to do the milking and then animal chores was not its usual pleasant undertaking. But all the animals are warm, fed, watered and happy, and have adjusted themselves to this colder world. They move around a lot less, eat a bit more. Just like we humans, come to think of it.
Does anyone else have a hard time adjusting to winter? I don’t mean, necessarily, adjusting to the cold, for that will happen with a bit of time. I mean simply that I have a hard time managing all this free time I seem suddenly to have once the snow comes to stay. My weekends are filled instead with…laundry! housecleaning! ugh.
I much prefer getting dirty to getting clean, I guess.
May all your snow days be warm and toasty, with plenty of snow shoeing, sledding, hot cocoa and keeping warm.
Glad you came to visit!
Got something to say? Email me at fastweedpuller at gmail dot com.
fast grow the weeds 
I had one thoroughly non-productive week when the snow hit, did some desultory cleaning, but week two became happily engaged in cooking my brains out. I like the outside work. But doing both farmer and farmers’ wife chores means lots never gets done. Especially this fall I seemed to never have time for decent cooking. It wasn’t even the number of hours I worked in the orchard, but the level of fatigue.
Shakes head. I just don’t think I’m ever going to choose to manage livestock year ’round. Lots of advantages, I know… but….
Thank you for that picture of my lake. Mmmmmm. I love it in all seasons. Happy holiday season to you and yours.
p.s. Do you really clean house when you can’t get outside, El? I don’t. I read novels and eat bonbons, sip maple syrup.
I look forward to all the seasonal changes. After a summer spent out in the garden from first light to dusk, I love to get “re-aquainted” with my home-cooking,reading,too many hobbies to name! And yes, even cleaning. I admit, the first few times out on the snowmobile or on ski’s , I do have a bit of a problem with the cold, but soon enough it’s just crisp and refreshing.
Loved your lake picture-but ooooo that looks cold!
People who live in warm climes can brag about the beautiful weather but having grown up in Western NY and now living in So Cal I say give me the four seasons anytime!It’s funny typing this when it was 80 plus today and watching your snowflakes float past on screen.The same weather gets boring after awhile.I love your new header pic.
Yes! Yes! and Yes! Oh, I much prefer getting dirty to getting clean…and have been knocking out one mess after another in my house for several weeks now because it needs to get done. I love the results, but long for sunny and warm with my hands in the dirt. At the moment, I’m looking out the window at close to 3′ of snow and it’s -5 with the windchill. Oy.
I have new snowshoes this year and snow days are welcome! We had a bit of a storm here too, but not as bad as MN, so I’m happy with 8 inches or so!
I think animals are a requirement in the midwest (even just dogs), as they keep you getting outside and acclimated faster.
And, I’ve decided that adjusting to winter would be a lot easier without pesky holidays. Nature is telling us to slow down and reflect, and everything else is telling us to run around doing ridiculous errands. Looking forward to January!
In all honesty I never really look forward to winter all that much, but when it is here I happily accept it. We have decided to do some work on our bathroom this winter so we should be plenty busy with that project in our spare time.
I’ll would rather be out working the soil than shoveling snow anyday too.:)
In the past, winter was for stitching, and woodworking. Handcrafts to fill the short days and brighten the home.
Well I’m in an angry, resentment mode for a few days. The hoophouse I spent so much time constructing all by my lonesome last summer is kaput! We flew out to Colorado last weekend for an early Christmas celebration with our grandkids. Of course the first winter storm passed thru the upper Midwest while we were gone (temp’s were in the 50s-60s out there). Came back to find 14 inches of snow and a collapsed hoophouse. 3/4-inch PVC tubes don’t work to support the plastic cover under these conditions.
Oh well, at least the 4 chickens seem to be doing OK in spite of the low temperatures. But no hoophouse for this spring!
I love that shot of the wild winter lake, El. Makes me think of something stewy and comforting simmering in the Loven!
Brett
Winter such looks cold over your way, it it a good time to reflect over the past year, one is almost forced to go within, just like you are forced to stay indoors, cheers from New Zealand Marie
I am just as guilty. Wishing for a snow day so the kids can stay home. I love those days when the snow has been begging for children to slide down the hill filling the air with giggles and squeels. The smell of hot cocoa for breakfast as well as blueberry pancakes when normally they would be on the bus.
The extra time adjustment winter gives me is not too enjoyable. But more reason is due to I am freezing constantly. Thick robe, socks & slippers on in the house. It is perfect timing to work in the wood shop but again…I freeze so quickly. Adjusting to winter free time is well..boring. You can only clean so much before it becomes OCD. 😉
Hayden, I think the most important thing to remember is that it’s a process. You might have started off with everything up and running, but not me. Incrementally I have been adding to my chore list every year: I didn’t start out of the box with critters and greenhouses and the like; I started out just fixing up our house and caring for an infant! But I do hear you about the fatigue. It puts a damper on cooking. That’s why stews and the like are such great things for busy days: start cooking it in the a.m. when you’re actually motivated. Frankly though the animals? I simply love them, wouldn’t live without them; sure the weather gets in the way but they’re such a joy…and of course we reap the benefits of having them.
Sharon, I do clean house and do laundry. My husband does it the rest of the year when I am outside! But bonbons and trashy novels are just what winter are made for…ugh, maybe not the bonbons. Happy solstice!!!
Oh goodness Sue that lake IS cold. Must be something about that damp air and the wind…yeeps makes me happy for wool socks. Yeah I am slowly getting used to being indoors too but it is hard! easier when I am cold! And snowmobiling: I swear the coldest I have ever been has been when I was snowmobiling. But it’s sure fun.
John, well, you grew up knowing the difference is all! Some Californians think we snow folks are kookoo. Ah well. Keep dry: I hear you are getting dosed.
Kelly, like the new shop! I hear you. Somehow I am undermotivated in the extreme when it comes to doing indoor work. I mean I seem to be all or nothing: I don’t like something I have to completely redo it, no just dusting around the edges. So, I avoid it! (not true about outdoor stuff, I don’t know why; even cleaning the outdoor bldgs is not nearly as much of a problem for me.) And yuck, sounds like you got the cold and snow that missed us.
Sara, what I find is worse about the holidays is you go into it all THINKING you have it all together. Then it’s like, I thought YOU ordered that for so-and-so, what do you mean, it was my job? Sniff. Snowshoes are fun. We haven’t had enough to make them worthwhile but the xc skis have been getting a workout. Every year is so different but yeah it’s great to go outdoors and be with the critters, summer or winter.
Mike, well at least your bathroom will keep you busy. I hear you too on winter. I honestly think it does have a little to do with the fact that you heat your house yourself, and we heat ours but only barely! like, no matter what, unless you’re standing directly over the stove or you are dancing around, you’re cold! takes a lot out of a person, especially since I can’t dance and draw at the same time, nor can I put my computer near the stove to work…brr!
Jenn, so the new paradigm in your comparatively warmer locale is no crafting in winter? can you just go that long w/out it or are you gardening all winter long now?
Whoops, Dennis. Time for Plan B or just really reinforcing the hoop house with lots-o-wood. True, had you been there, you’d have been knocking the snow off, but hey grandkids beat snow-shoveling any day of the week. (Bonus if you get them to come visit to do it for you!) I will note that Johnny’s Seeds has a pipe bender you can buy that will bend 1-3/8″ chain-link fence top rails into nice hoop frames for a little bit of money and a little bit of effort. Should you wish to upgrade, that is.
Ah Brett the Loven is on a bit of a hiatus until this snow stops falling…or we get a warm enough day that I can load it and burn it without it snowing on us that evening. Sigh. Yes, that lake though has been so rough lately. brr.
Hello Marie! Well it’s like John said: it’s all what you are used to, I guess, as far as how tough winter seems to you. Happy summer to you though!
Farmchick, you made me laugh. Yeah, it’s funny: we’re all kind of in this together, this wishing-for-snow. But I agree with you! I finally got smart and bought one pair of winter boots 1/2 size larger solely to accommodate my ugly thick winter socks. And my work gloves, I swear I go through them and my fingers are blue. Why can’t there be winter work mittens? Hmm? I do find though that as long as I have something on my head and neck (indoors and out, between Nov-Mar) then I am fine. Fashion-challenged, maybe, but warm! heehee Keep warm.