Summer resolutions

I know resolutions are supposed to be made at new years- but it just never seems like the best time to start anew. Its cold, snowy, icey...just not the kind of weather that ignites my emotional and physical drive. Now, this time of year- I'm motivated to change, fix, work on things. So- how about Summer Resolutions, or End of the school year Resolutions. Makes more sense to me.

Okay- so what are my resolutions?

Riding- I am resolved to focus on my riding skills this year. I have really let that lapse- just no time to ride...I spend all my time feeding, cleaning, grooming, driving (the car) back and forth to the barn, and no time to just have fun with the animals. I miss riding. About 5 years ago I resolved to take riding lessons and learn how to jump. Well, I did that- and it felt great. Then I got a horse that was "nuts" and put the fear of God in me. Killed my confidence. I now have the most wonderful horse (Lady Felicia) and I need to get my riding legs back (and my confidence) so that is my number one resolution. (yes, it is Prancer in the picture- he's an awesome horse too)

Children- I resolve to work on being more patient with the kids when they don't do what they are supposed to (I can be quite a nag), or when they are whiny and difficult (like when Markie repeatedly throws his shoes on the floor and then screams for them, or when Lori is out grazing on the lawn- or eating maple leaves = which look surprisingly like the "tree stars" of Land Before Time ) That said- Lori has a great imagination. Some days she is a dinosaur (eating tree stars) or one of the goats (grazing on the lawn- yuck!!) of a pirate (complete costume going on here- the back of the couch is her ship) or on occasion, Spiderman (luckily she has not figured out how to walk up walls- but I"m sure she's tried). I need to laugh more and get frustrated less.

I also resolve to spend a little more time with the teenagers- so I don't lose touch with my boys.

Home- I should resolve to focus on housework, dishes and laundry...but I won't. I really don't like housework, don't like being indoors at all...so why bother. It appears that no one else in the house really cares either- or they'd offer to help.

Okay- sounds good. So...what's your Summer Resolution?

Having fun with farming!

I'm exhausted again today. So much work to do to keep up with the farm, if only days were twice as long!

As I was raking out the goat pens I was thinking about all the farm tasks and how some are truly fun, and others are not so much fun. I started making a mental list of each and thought I'd share my thoughts.

Fun Farm Tasks:

Babies!!!!!!! Holding baby animals, feeding baby animals, holding them again. Watching baby animals spring through the air. We've had lots of babies here this year, more than we normally do, and it makes it all so much more fun...chicks, bunnies, kids, lambs, crias...

Milking goats and sheep. Yeah, some days you just don't feel like doing it, like rainy days... but otherwise it is an enjoyable task, makes you feel so "natural" gathering your own milk, sort of like picking apples or harvesting veggies from your garden.

Shearing sheep. I find that is such fun, exhausting, but fun. I love the feel of the different wools and fibers, thinking about what I am going to create with the particular fleece...will it become yarn and then a sweater or scarf? will it be felted into a necklace? will it be sold to someone who will create something special with it?

Collecting eggs. Much like milking the goats...it is harvesting the fruits of your labor, and brings a smile to my face and a warm feeling to my heart. Of course, that is if I get the eggs before the girls do. My daughters love to collect the eggs.

Farmers Markets. I love farmers markets. Talking to people about our farm, our animals, our products. Seeing the interest in the customers. Hearing about what they are going to make with the skeins of yarn they just purchased. Hearing about their grandparents, or great grandparents farms of yesteryear. Chatting with other local farmers. It is such a fun way to get our farm products out to the public.

Feeding the animals in the morning. They are so happy to see me, I feel loved. :-) I talk to them, tell them about my day, ask about theirs. Give a little scratch behind their ear, or under their chin. Kisses from the horses and baby kids and lambs. Just starts the day off right.

Not so fun Farm Tasks:

Cleaning up manure. Ugh. Goat and sheep poo isn't too bad, llama and alpaca is easy...they make a nice pile for me to scoop up. Chicken poo, is gross and I dread having to clean chicken coops. Horse poo, doesn't smell bad and scoops up easy...but I just don't understand why horses that are free range and not closed up in stalls, feel the need to back into a stall to relieve themselves...rather than take a walk through the 4 acre pasture and find a spot off in the distance! Then there is rabbit poo. I hate cleaning rabbit cages more than anything else!!! but, I love rabbits, so I'm stuck with that chore.

Rain. Rain makes everything on the farm less fun. It makes mud. I hate mud. I get my feet stuck in mud. They get mud in their wool (which I then end of washing out), on their fur, in their feet.

Buying hay and grain. It just costs too much, but it is inevitable. Hubby does the human grocery shopping, I do the farm grocery shopping...I hate the money I have to spend, but it is worth it to have the opportunity to enjoy all the wonderful critters that live at our farm.