It’s -5 this morning on the Knolltop…and I hear that’s warm compared to our dairy farming comrades in Wisconsin and Minnesota! You guys can keep all that really bitter cold weather, I’ll keep my warm -5!

I really think I’m going to quit milking cows until it warms up. They are just gonna have to get along with out me for a couple of months until I can do chores in a sweatshirt. Four layers of clothing is not only cumbersome but it adds to the laundry, takes too much time to put on and take off and my goodness, I think I’m carrying around 30 extra pounds in clothing! Which means I’m using up more calories, which means those half dozen peanut butter cookies that I ate last night while watching “Idol” are free and clear…okay never mind, I’ll keep milking cows…for now.

I’ve got a question, but then again, when don’t I have a question? Do any of you belong to social networks like Linkedin, Facebook, Plaxaco or twitter? Those are just a few I can name that I’m a member of, but I wondered how many of you belong. I’ve found another network called Cattle grower network. It’s a network for livestock producers, but I joined because of my writing and I thought it would be fun to see who was on and who I could connect with.

Okay, dishes await. Then back to the barn where the pipes are repaired thanks to “Bobby the Plumber.”

The blizzard watch and storm warning were cancelled, so last evening Bobby and I ventured out for the boys basketball games leaving Sarah and Cammie with the remaining chores. We figured if the wind wasn’t going to blow, the barn would be fine and it was….until…..

Getting to the barn on time was a good thing this morning because when I walked into the stable to hang the milkers on the milker cart I heard commotion down by Bianca’s stall and then heard that awful sound that you don’t ever want to hear, especially in the middle of the winter unless you’re at an indoor water park…..the gushing of water!

I looked down there and one of the water lines had burst! I happened to be standing right at the shut off valve and quickly turned it off. I looked at Bobby and said, “Praise Jesus that happened while we were here! Otherwise Bianca might be wearing a carpenters belt, trying her “hoof” at building an ark!”

So now that the dishes are done and Bobby is gone to town for plumbing supplies, I’m going to lay down…since we didn’t get in until 11 last night….I’m tired! By the way…the boys won..JV and Varsity!

Oh, things are late here on the Knolltop!

Going to bed all we could hear about was all the snow we were supposed to receive. But waking up this morning there was little more than a couple of inches on top of the 8 we already had. Needless to say, the kids slept in thinking they were off, I was late getting in from the barn and everyone had to hustle around….but they got to school on time and in pretty good shape, meaning no one was too cranky.

My meeting in Lansing was canceled today, which is fine with me, I don’t relish the thought of travelling alone in this weather, under time constraints. So I will get more things done today that I hadn’t thought of doing!

I will even get to cook that pork roast for dinner today. The kids have a game tonight so that means extras at the table!

Dishes await me….oh how they love to wait for me!

Snow, snow and more snow cover the knolltop. We don’t need a cable connecting the house to the barn so we can go back and forth….yet….but we’ve got enough snow for my taste!

Over the weekend, we attended our annual DHIA banquet at Hillsdale College. Honestly if it weren’t for the many sponsors who support that, we wouldn’t have a chance to dress up and go out to fellowship with other dairy farmers and industry folks.

Bobby and I sat with Mark Adam and his wife Donna. Remember Mark? He’s the Packer fairy? And also head of DHIA services here in the Midwest. I’m sure he’d rather be remembered as the Packer Fairy, but really Mark, we need to keep you looking professional….sorry.

We had a great meal, great conversation and I even won a door prize, of which I know the price of because I buy this item regularly and it costs more than the two tickets to the banquet! So, in my way of thinking…I made money by attending the banquet!

Well, I will also get a story out of it for the paper too, so indeed, I really will make a little mad money as my mom calls it!

It’s back to the normal schedule today, chores, laundry, cooking, writing, napping. We’re in for more snow, so who knows if the kids will have school tomorrow??????

It’s another cold morning….10 degrees right now, but no wind! I guess we’re in for some weather over the next 24 hours, but I’ve heard that before.

Last evening both JW and Luke’s teams won their basketball games. They beat Tekonsha and the varsity game went down to the wire. That was their first win of the season…sad but true. The JV’s have a much better record, but I don’t remember it.

I didn’t get my column written yesterday since I had to run some errands and cook a good dinner because it was game day. And yes, I had an extra at my table and he’s becoming a regular on game days, which is just fine with me.

JW and Luke went into pitch early this morning, even though we are in the thick of basketball season…..they’re ready for baseball at the drop of a hat!

Today should be calmer, but I’ve still got to get the column done and then write a story on Bill Broadie and the All-American Beef Battalion.

Have a wonderful Friday…and think good thoughts!

Thank you to all of you who commented about what you’d like to hear at a women in ag event! I have to speak at one in a couple of months in Ohio and I just wanted to know what women wanted to hear. I know what I want, but that doesn’t always line up with everyone else! So thank you so much. And Threecollie….I’m right there with you!

Now for the fun….Frank Robinson, that awesome cattle photographer with a beautiful bald head sent me a couple of pictures of some kids in Canada. On the day he took these shots it was -16 without a windchill. Although Frank grew up in Canada he now resides in the land of fruits and nuts….sunny California. Yes, where it’s warm! Oh, how I’d love to be there right now.

Aren’t they cute with that noble dog who is tolerating them very well.

I have no idea what the cow is…I know that disappoints all the Holstein breeders, but the kids are cute!

The boys have a game tonight and today is filled with lots of stuff to do. But the dishes are done! Have a great day!

It’s an icy morning here on the Knolltop! So icy the kids don’t have school!

Okay….I’ve got a favor to ask the farmwives who read this blog. I don’t care what age or stage of life you’re in….whether you used to be a farm wife, you are currently a farm wife, you work full time on the farm, work full time off the farm…whatever. I want to know what you want. If you were to attend a one day conference for women in agriculture, what are the top three things you’d like to hear about? I”m not going to lead you in any way, I want all this to originate with YOU!

So, either email me or comment here on the blog, I want to hear from YOU!!!

Better slip back out to the barn. Two more heifer calves born. One more to go and then we’re through with calves for a little bit!

It’s another cold one here on the knolltop. The kids were all moving a little slow this morning but I was able to get some hot oatmeal into them before they walked out the door for a day in the trenches.

Went to a girls basketball game last night….vastly different than any boys game, that’s for sure. But fun to cheer on the home team!

I’m headed back to the barn before I head to town for Bible study with my good friend Angie.

Have a great one!

It’s a sunny morning here on the Knolltop. Cold, but sunny!

We are back to a somewhat normal schedule today. I know, normal is only the setting on a dryer, but we are as close to that as we can get.

So, does anyone have any new year’s resolutions? I don’t, but thought you might. I was perusing some blogs yesterday and saw that I’m not the only woman purging. This farm wife from Illinois who blogs, “at home with the farmer’s wife showed pictures on her blog of stuff that came out of her walk in closet. It was so gratifying to see another woman with overloaded closets! It just made my day! She’s got a cool blog anyway, but this was especially nice to see.

Well, it’s time for the barn again….gotta go! We’re back on the tight schedule, no more just laying around and letting things go, we actually have to work again! Have a wonderful Monday!

It’s sunny and 25 here on the Knolltop!

I was busy with the post-holiday clean up yesterday so I forgot to post here!

So, yes, we are sad that MSU lost to Georgia, but I can’t think of a better team to lose to than my husband’s alma mater. So the family is still whole, no divorce lawyers have been contacted and life as we know it will continue here on the Knolltop. I hear a huge sigh of relief from everyone!

The report from the knee patient is good. I talked with him last night and he sounded great. Having been through it already he knew what he had to do and how it was going to feel, so he’s getting through this go ’round so much better! Thank you for praying!

Well, my desk is in disaray, so now I’m going to spend the rest of the day cleaning my office so I feel like working on Monday morning!