The Vacation Decision

Vacations always seem like a great idea until I think about being away from home, who will do chores for us and the biggie -the expense of it.  Is it really worth paying that much for a few days of fun and relaxation?  I have always been able to talk myself out of it --until now, that is!

When I was a kid we took only 2 long distance memorable vacations.  Both were to Texas, with one being on the beach in Galveston.  This one is the most memorable, probably because I was 13, not 7.  It was the single most fun I remember having as a kid.  I remember picking up shells and swimming in the ocean.  My cousin stepped on a jellyfish and I will remember that until my last day.  

Recently, I have been working on and revamping the way I think and live.  I want to do things I enjoy instead of making it through each day of the daily grind only to wake up and do it all again.  Those who do that, it seems to me, are only biding their time until the end and with,for many, tons of regrets I would imagine.  I don't want to live like that.

I have started to be more serious about my photography, which is something I truly enjoy.  Also, spending more time "playing" with the kids.  If I don't take the time now I will never do it and they will be all grown up.  I want them to remember that I did do those things with them.  There will always be work to be done, but the kids only grow up once!

With my new outlook, I have decided that taking time to vacation and enjoy the fun and relaxation is important to me.  Yes, it does cost a ton and yes, we will have to find someone to do chores for us but I really believe it is good for our family to do this.  I have made plans for a week long Florida beach vacation in June, which is before all the fairs and livestock shows so we get some fun before  the busyness of the summer. We are staying on the beach so the kids will have the same experience as I had as a kid.  They can search the beaches early to find the best shells and we can watch the amazing sunsets you can only see there.  I absolutely hate to fly, but am very excited about this trip.  I do think vacations are important to kids and making special memories as a family.  This will be an experience they will always remember.

I think everyone needs a little breather from life to enjoy themselves.  If we don't do it now and I keep talking myself out of it, we will never get to do it.  I like my new outlook on things in life and what life is meant to be.  I think vacations make happier people and something to look forward to.  

So, take a breather, relax and enjoy a few days without the daily life worries, work and problems.  We will be very soon! 

 Life is hard sometimes so everyone deserves a vacation from it!

Farming is Hard Work

As we prepare ourselves and our farm for the umpteen millionth snow storm and frigid cold weather spell this winter, I have been thinking about how much work running this little farm is.  It is hard work on a “normal” day and sometimes downright horrendous on these terrible winter days.  Trudging through snow while carrying heavy loads, at least for me, is hard labor. 

I do the chores by myself during the week and my husband does them on the weekend due to our work schedules.  This works out very well for all of us. This hard work does take it’s toll on a body, especially a 5’2’’ small framed body.  For most of the winter, hay must be carried to the cows and goats, buckets of feed carried to all and the heaviest part of all -the buckets of water to all the animals housed in the barn in the winter.  This is hard heavy work that must be accomplished each morning and afternoon.  We are just a small farm, but without any automation that many of the larger farms have.

In the summer the animals are out on pasture, so there is no hay to haul and most of them drink from the “big” water tank, so there is little to no water to haul.  Chores usually take me about 20 minutes.  Winter is a totally different chore beast.  Chores usually take an hour and maybe longer if there are baby goats to bottle feed, such as now.  We have triplets that had to be brought in the house for a few days at birth due to the cold.  They are now back with momma, but we still have to bottle feed them.

I do chores as fast as I can on the coldest days so I can warm up.  In nicer weather I enjoy staying out with them for a while and watching them interact.  This is how most of our animals became as tame as they are.  I love all of our animals.  I enjoy this daily interaction and I like to think they do too.  In the wintertime this usually doesn’t happen for long if at all.  I really miss this until it warms up in the spring.

My conclusion is that farming on any scale is very hard work, but worth it if you love having animals as I do and the best thing about winter is that eventually spring will come!!  Hopefully sooner rather than later in this especially horrible cold and snowy season.

Spring is on it's way! Have a wonderful day!