Winter Wonderland

As I write, six to eight inches of snow are falling upon Irish Grove.

Our farm has converted itself into a winter wonderland. A fact which did not go unnoticed by Marcel.....

or the kids......

or even Olivia, for that matter.

When it's this beautiful, there's no way you can resist the urge to go out and play.

Here's Marcel pulling a child-laden sled with the PUG. (Pleae don't ask me what PUG stands for.)

We went down to the pond to see if it was frozen enough for some ice skating. On the way there, the PUG got stuck.

Push, kids, push!!

Umm, Armando....?? Just 'cause you're three doesn't mean you can slough off. Gees, what kind of farm kid are you, anyways?

Maybe we should try the other way.

Or maybe we should just walk the rest of the way.

See that open water? Guess ice skatin' is gonna have to wait. Bummer.

Instead, we can just admire the beauty of the creek.

Gosh, that's pretty.

Here's another view:

Winter in Irish Grove is a sight to behold.

In memory of Dad

A beautiful memorial to my dad was erected today. Right in my front yard, no less.





It has brought with it a mixed bag of emotions. Pride. Sorrow. Wonder. Loss. Gratitude.





I think it's a lovely addition to the farm.





And a lovely reminder of the people, the sacrifices and the hard work that has gone into this farm. We are forever grateful. And we will never forget.


Thanks, Aunt Nancy and Uncle Jim. Your memorial is a fitting tribute not only to Dad, but to our whole family.

The Story of Stuff

I don't normally plug other websites here, but as a farmer and environmentalist, and with it being the consumer, I mean Christmas season and all, I couldn't let this one pass by.

With the New Year right around the corner, I opine that it would serve us all well to slow down and perhaps decide our yearly resolutions should be about something a little grander than, say, making it to the gym each week or not drinking soda pop. Not that those aren't good ideas.

I propose we stop and really think about how our own personal actions affect our loved ones, our community, our environment and our future. I know that I, for one, need to do much, much better in all of these areas. Shall we try a little harder?

My answer? Yes.

Please check out: http://www.storyofstuff.com/

Bringin' the Cows Home

Irish Grove has a few new additions. Seven adorable Murray Grey calves that are so cute you just want to squeeze 'em. We bought them from a nice man in Platteville, Wisconsin, and had a fun day of loadin' and unloadin'.

Here I am, trying to let one calf at a time out of the trailer. My brave husband is inside(!) the trailer with the calves, piercing their ears. Who'd have thought we were so beauty-conscious on the farm?

The one to set free is the calf that Marcel has just pierced.

So far, so good.

Darlin', you look mah-velous.

A few calves later, I was still doin' okay.

This one pierced her right ear. Umm, wait a second. Does that mean...? No, it couldn't. Could it?

Okay, only two more to go, and one brings her own tag with her. We can let her out, and then quickly tag the last one. Piece of cake for a seasoned cowgirl like myself, right?

Wrong.

Do you see an oh-so-stylish yellow dangly earring on her? Me neither.

Uh oh, Marcel looks a little peeved.

I mean, he's inside the trailer with those unhappy babies, trying his best to pierce their ears without getting kicked, or butted, or smushed against the side of the trailer. All I have to do, for Lord' sake, is slide the gate open and shut!

Might as well just let the last one out, since she brought her own earring with her. She's a trend-setter, that one. Go on and join your siblings, little lady.

And now it looks like we're going to have an impromptu rodeo.

Lucky for me, Marcel loves playin' cowboy. Look how happy he is!

Aww, anything for you, sweetie. Aren't I just the best?

Marcel may be happy, but this little heifer doesn't want any part of it. She prefers the natural look.


Who knew we'd be into forced piercings? (I'd better remember this day when my kids come home with a nose ring and a pierced tongue.)

Ahh, the beauty of new beginnings:




In the meantime, can you tell which one of my kids is the cowpoke in the making?

Armando?


Ana?


or Madelina?