Same weather…different day….again.

But there is something exciting and different about today! This morning we went out to do chores and while I was going behind the cows pulling down the manure on the platform I caught Bobby coming in the barn with the wheelbarrow. This was out of the ordinary for his morning routine, but I continued to work. A few minutes later he walked back to the springer pen with a rope halter. At that moment, I knew a cow was either calving or had already delivered. I continued with my routine until I came to an empty stall and there I saw a newborn calf.

Of course, I immediately checked to see if it was a bull or a heifer and to my surprise it was a heifer! My mind started racing about who it was. Was it Blanche’s Goldwyn calf? No, I looked at her yesterday, she didn’t look that close to having a calf, it must have been one of the first calf heifers. Quickening my pace caused by my excitment of curiosity, I walked back to the springer pen. Where was he? I couldn’t see him or hear him, I figured the cow must have been out in the steer barn…but he took a halter, so whoever had the calf had to be halter broke and the heifers that were close were definitely not halter broke!

I continued to look out in the darkness of the pasture but couldn’t see a thing with the snow blowing….just then the big sliding door opened, I knew it was Bobby bringing in the new mom. But who was it? It was like slow motion, Bobby walked through the door with the lead rope in his hand and right behind him was……it was her! It was Blanche! I screamed with excitment!

I couldn’t believe it! God had given us a Goldwyn daughter out of Blanche! To say the least Bobby has been on cloud nine ever since. The wind can keep blowing, the water bowls can freeze, the gutter cleaner can break…today it just doesn’t matter, Bobby received the best Christmas present he could ever get…..Knolltop Goldwyn Blessed.

Same weather just a different day here on the Knolltop.

The wind is from the west so now the west side of the barn is frozen….well it was last night when we went to milk. Jake was a trooper with helping thaw water bowls. He stayed out there the whole milking working on them with Bobby while I milked. The other three kids had a Christmas party with the church youth group down the road. They came out and helped for a while, then went to the party. By the time we left the barn, everyone was fed, watered, bedded and chewing their cud….except the cats weren’t chewing their cud, they were purring.

This morning it’s more of the same, I milked while Bobby thawed water bowls. This wind is supposed to stop tomorrow….yippee! We can stand the cold, and we can stand the wind…but we can’t stand a cold below zero wind! This too shall pass.

Yesterday morning after chores the boys brought in the Christmas bush. JW finally told me what happened with the tree falling out of the back of his truck. He said he had to open the back glass and put the trunk through the window and hold on to it so it would flip out of the truck. By this time I was able to laugh uncontrollably at this whole situation.

We let the branches warm and relax and then last night after the kids’ party and chores we all met in the livingroom to relive every Christmas tree ornament. It’s always fun to talk about each one and when we got it and what it means and the silly things the kids have done in the past. I love that. I made some eggnog and popcorn and we enjoyed the evening. But I was so glad to get in my warm bed!

Now Luke and Jake are gone to basketball practice and we just got done with breakfast and will put on our tundra togs that are warming in the dryer and head back out to the barn for more frozen fun!

It is so snowy and windy on the Knolltop I can only see my neighbor’s house from my window and nothing beyond it! The wind is howling and the snow is coming down and we’re in for a great storm. Bobby is headed out right now to go plow out the neighbor lady, she’s the pianist for the local church and the children’s program will be performed this morning…nothing will stop Miss Stanna from getting to the church on time!

Sarah’s birthday was wonderful. She had the night off from chores and when we got in from the barn we celebrated with cake, ice cream and presents. Bobby and I got her most of her gifts, except for Jake, he bought her a statue of a ballerina. He is so sensitive and thoughtful of his sister. After we gorged on sugar the boys went over to Brads and spent the night.

As far as Christmas is concerned, it will be a miracle if we get the tree up this year. I know, I know…..we are really late, but I joked with the kids about going to the Christmas tree recycling place to get a free tree that someone else already took down because they were going on vacation. We all laughed at the thought of rummaging through used Christmas trees but I’m not so sure that isn’t the answer.

Yesterday Sarah and I went to Walmart and picked up a few things. Then we went to a tree farm where we could cut our own…all for one low price. We selected the tree, the farmer cut it for us and I told him my son would be by to pick it up later when he got done with baseball camp.

While I was doing chores, I called JW to tell him to get the tree with his pick-up on the way home. Luke came out a little later and informed me that JW got the tree home….but it fell out of his truck twice and the top was broken off and now my perfect blue spruce tree looked like a bush! I told Luke to put the tree stand on it and bring it in….and I told Sarah to get one of the table cloths we use for the picnic table, put it on the floor in the corner and be ready for Luke to bring in the tree.

When I got in from chores, the tree was still outside due to a broken tree stand and Sarah had one of my good linen tableclothes on the floor, because she said “It was prettier than the oilcloth.” AAAHHHHH! Can you say frustration? I walked into the bedroom, changed my clothes, popped some popcorn and drowned my Christmas tree woes in carmel corn!

Today the tree goes up….come you know what or high water!

We’re in the middle of a snowstorm right now. Snow, sleet, ice…it’s a mess. The kids are off of school, it’s bad out.

But it’s Sarah’s 13th Birthday so that makes it a great day!!!!! What a wonderful day it was when my daughter arrived into the world. It was so exciting to put pink clothes on a newborn! I loved it. But I can’t reminisce too long….it’s time for more chores!

This is the photo of the day. In the winter, my livingroom is transforms into a basketball court. It was a wild game the other day with the extra boys from school. They have a great time, I’m not sure how well this old farmhouse will hold up though.

Trent Loos called and needed a standby for Rural Route today, so of course I said yes because he’s always so complementary when he’s begging me to be on his show. I’m a push over and I know it and so does he!

The only interruption I had was when the school called 10 minutes before the show and said Jake was sick and needed to come home. I had no vehicle so I had to call the neighbor to rescue Jake. So while I was discussing global warming and trying to understand why I care about 650 researchers who don’t believe in its effects, I had to get Jake settled in for a day on the couch and then head to the barn to finish up chores. If you listen you’ll hear all the sounds of the barn, including the scraping of the floor and the heifer in heat. Yes, it was truly a place where Rural and Urban met today.

This is one of our favorite cows, Blanche. She’s an 89 point Outside due at Christmas time to Goldwyn. Bobby said if she has a heifer her name will be Blessing. And he might even bring her in and put her under the tree! For those of you who aren’t familiar with Bulls, Goldwyn is a really good sire who just died recently.

This is “Bud” our 19 year old cutting horse. He spends most of his time with the dry cows and heifers. He loves to chase them around, but doesn’t do much of that in his old age. He’s a great horse that we bought when he was just 2 years old and JW was 2 months.

Okay, so I’m not a photographer, but I try!