THE GRAND FINALE

Tomorrow we celebrate the grand finale of the year 2011. In a musical, the grand finale usually has some loud, strong music as if signifying the importance of the ending.. Maybe we should look back and instead of celebrating the entrance of a New Year, perhaps we should celebrate the past year. Did we earn a “grand finale” this year? Do we have anything to celebrate? What did we do with last year? Did we accomplish the things we wanted to? I think I’ll review my last year’s New Year’s resolutions and see how I did.

• I will look forward to and enjoy the winter storms, the birth of new calves, the long evenings in front of the fireplace and face the challenge of slick roads.

I always enjoy the long evenings and the more relaxed schedule we have in the winter. The birth of the new calves is a miracle-in-progress in my mind, and I love watching the cows with their new offspring.

• When spring arrives, I will welcome the sight of the first robin, marvel at the song of the meadow lark, and anticipate the spring cattle drive.

I always look for the first robin. It seems like robins are a promise of good weather to come. However, I know I didn’t take the time to marvel at the song of the meadow lark. In fact, I hardly remember listening to that beautiful song all summer. Most summer I try to walk along the canal bank up to the end of the pasture and back and few times a week. That’s when I listen for the song of the meadow larks. This summer I didn’t do my walking. I missed out on a lot there. Watching TV and the Gabby Gifford story, they told how music can help the brain heal. I need some brain healing myself, but in a much more minor way than Gabby. The song of the meadow lark would definitely help. Must work on that this year.

• The long summer days will give me the opportunity to garden, work in the yard, take photos, and have picnics, with the chance of spending time at the ranch and with family. 

Oops, failed again. I did spend time at the ranch and with my family, but not as much as I had hoped to. As I looked through my photos I’d taken, I didn’t do as well on that either. We didn’t spend one night at the ranch this past year. This fall I made the decision that next summer we will spend at least one and maybe two nights a week up there. I need to keep working on that.

• Fall time, the time of harvest has always been a time of celebration for me – the hard work is over and we see the fruits of our labors as we harvest our crops, preserve the vegetables from the garden, enjoy the cool evenings and hot days. And we have the added benefit of being able to observe our annual color show when the trees and shrubs put on their fall wardrobes, which prepares us for the black and white of  the coming winter.

Boyd and I did go for a couple of rides this fall and enjoyed the fall foliage. And I did can a lot of food, but my garden got neglected a lot along the way.

When it comes right down to it, taking time to enjoy the journey we are on is really important. If we get so busy with mundane things, we miss out on a lot. And where would we be if we didn’t have things to strive for, to do better, to improve, to make things better for others. Those are things I will work on this year and hope I earn a “grand finale”.

THE CHRISTMAS TRUCE

            In December of 1914 the Great War, as World War I was called, was still young.  (The United States would not enter this war until early in 1917.) The young men fighting had entered the war with enthusiasm. But it was not long before the enthusiasm faded as they watched their friends and fellow countrymen perish. Armies were equipped with repeating rifles, machine guns and a large assortment of artillery, all which tore chunks out of both sides. To protect themselves against all of this, British, French and Belgian soldiers were ordered to dig trenches which were hastily and poorly constructed. In severe weather, as the winter of 1914 was, the trenches caved in or filled with water and/or snow. Unprepared to withstand the cold and rain, the soldiers found themselves in a freezing mire of mud.

Along the front the enemy was no more than thirty to seventy yards away, close enough that those on each side could shout and be heard by their opponent. The men at the front could see indications of civilization in this area. Although badly damaged, villages were still standing; fields, though pitted with shell-holes, were still recognizable as fields. Many soldiers were farmers, and recognized the residue of crops grown in those fields.

            It was Christmas Eve. The German soldiers put Christmas trees in front of their trenches, lit by candle or lanterns. In the silence following the placement of the trees, a baritone voice clearly heard by both sides sang: Still nact, heilige nact . . .  Although the words were strange to the British soldiers, the melody was not. One started to sing with the German enemy, followed by others on both sides; Silent Night, Holy Night, All is calm, All is bright…. Two different languages singing the same song. Soon these two groups of soldiers, enemies in a war not of their making, were harmonizing Christmas songs across No Man’s Land.

After the singing came invitations  from both sides to come out of the trenches and visit. Hesitant at first, the soldiers started to come together in the field between their trenches. What were these young men thinking as they met their opponents who were as miserable as they were? No doubt there were men left in the trenches on both sides that had their rifles ready and aimed in case this was a trap. But it was not a trap. These were moments of rejoicing, of sharing of experiences, of celebrating Christmas as friends.

            Was this Truce only a myth told to pacify families at home? Did it really occur?  Apparently there have been diaries and papers written by men involved in this event, and there have been articles and books written contesting the pros and cons on the actuality of the story.

            Whether it was a myth or an actual event, the story of The Christmas Truce does bring out the good will and peace that one feels at this time of the year.  Perhaps, as we are busy finishing up our Christmas preparations, it would be good to reflect on those who are on the battlefield, fighting to preserve our freedoms as well as freedoms of others. And it  might be a good idea to do some harmonizing with those around us, singing traditional Christmas songs.

CHRISTMAS SHOPPING

Because this time of year can be hectic, let’s look at some positive things about the hustle and bustle of Christmas time. I love to walk through the mall during this time of the year and watch the people, listen to the music, and observe the little ones visiting with Santa. Even though every one is in a hurry, it seems there is a lot of cheerfulness out there. A lot of “Merry Christmas” greetings.

I enjoy riding around in the early evenings to see how people have decorated their homes and yards; some outlandish, some simple but all of them worth seeing.

The infectious excitement that is around children this time of year is delightful. We have our granddaughter, eight-year-old Sydney, spend a lot of time with us. She brings a child’s enthusiasm of Christmas into our home. She also understands the spiritual side of Christmas and likes to talk about that. Not long ago she came into the house with a bunch of rocks. Asking for a box, she spent an entire evening creating a crèche. It was so simple that it was beautiful. Oh what we can learn from children!

            I have a tendency to bring stress into this season by my procrastination. Not only do I hate shopping, but the thought of it makes me uncomfortable. I’d almost rather go to the dentist, notice I said almost. I have Scotch ancestors, so that is part of the problem as I like to hang onto any money that I have. And I don’t like to be pushed around in crowds like there are at Christmas time.

So this year I decided to set aside September and October for Christmas shopping or at least getting ideas. Besides that, I could do it in good weather and not have to worry about slick roads. Well, in making that decision I forgot that I usually spent a lot of September canning and October is spent trying to get the yard and garden cleaned up, plus we round up the cattle, separate and wean the calves. Those things take time and effort and energy. Plus I have a hard time getting into the Christmas buying spirit unless things are “looking a lot like Christmas.”

So here it is, almost Christmas and I’m still trying to figure out my Christmas shopping list. I’m trying to look back to what I’ve done previous years for ideas. One year I partially solved my shopping dilemma when I made a small book for my mother, with “coupons” she could use. These coupons included things like: taking her out to lunch; helping clean her kitchen cupboards; taking her to Utah to visit my brothers; basically spending time with her. I found, however, that I forgot to do a lot of them as I didn’t keep a record at home of just what I had given her on the coupons. Out of the twelve coupons, one for each month, I probably fulfilled five of them. So learn from my mistake: if you are going to give out hand-made coupons, keep a record of what you promise to do.

I’ve given gift cards to fast-food places to my teenage grandkids. That was easy shopping. But now most of the grandkids have grown past the teenage years, so that won’t work this year.

It’s almost too late to do a lot of sewing or knitting.

I really would like to put a lot of thought and care into each present I give. Facing reality, how much time do I have left for thought and care?

When I don’t have my Christmas shopping done, it makes it difficult me to relax. Perhaps the best gift I can give my family is to refrain from getting caught up in the busyness of the season, and instead enjoy the season for what it is – a time to celebrate the birth of the Savior..

ARE WE READY FOR WINTER?

      

Boy did winter come early this year. Of course, for a procrastinator like myself, as long as there are warm sunny days I can make myself believe that winter will stay away for quite a while. Therefore, I didn’t get my garden cleaned out like I needed to but did get the hoses put away.

            The farm work is about finished. Hay and straw is stacked and it looks like we have enough to see us through the winter, even  if we have another bad one. The one stack shuts off my view of the road to the east of our home. I like to stand at my kitchen window and watch that road for my family coming home from town, or coming from out of town. But that view is gone until spring.

The men have moved the equipment into the shed at the ranch, finished their fall planting of winter wheat, and now just have to check the cattle daily. The calves have been weaned though the cows are still at the ranch, but not for long. The guys have cleaned out the corrals and spread manure in the stubble fields.

The propane tank has been filled, so we will keep warm.

            I was looking in our pantry today, and I think we, too, are prepared to eat well throughout a hard winter. I’ve been canning and freezing produce since early summer, starting with rhubarb, strawberries, and ending with winter squash. I tried canning some new things this year – one is Swiss chard. Don’t know if we’ll like it or not, but we had such a big crop of it, I hated to see it wasted. I’ve got flour and sugar in, plus wheat to grind. And the freezer is full of meat along with the frozen fruit and vegetables.

            I remember as a child looking forward to spring when we could once again have a fresh green salad. Aren’t we blessed to have fresh fruits and vegetables available at the grocery stores all year long, to supplement our canned goods?

            We took our chickens to Boise to Chris & Asa, our daughter and son-in-law. They wanted some bigger chickens and I didn’t want to go through another winter with them. In order to keep the chickens comfortable, we would put small bales of straw up around the coop, plastic on the roof, and have a heat lamp on. With all of that done, we still had to unthaw their drinking water every morning.

AND, to get to the chicken coop we’d have to go down a decline and cross a small wooden bridge. Last winter when I took care of the chickens, I would side step down the small hill and across the bridge. I fell off the bridge a couple of times and ended up knee deep in snow. The fear of falling and hurting myself was always with me, actually the fear that if I did fall no one would look for me until supper time. Then it would probably be too late and I would be found frozen solid. So I’m glad to have the chickens in Boise.

All in all, I think we are close to being ready for winter both in the house and on the farm. That’s a good feeling!

BLACK FRIDAY

Published in Intermountain Farm & Ranch, November 25, 2011

I don’t know why the day after Thanksgiving is called Black Friday. Well, actually I do know. The retail stores hope to make enough money on that day to pull them out of the “red” and have them in the “black” for the year.

But black, to me, is a negative color. Don’t we wear black at funerals? Witches are dressed in black whether on Halloween or anytime they are portrayed. Aren’t the bad guys in Western movies always wearing black hats? When somebody is feeling down, don’t they say their “mood is black?” And now on TV I saw where eating too much black licorice is being blamed for some heart problems, including high blood pressure.

Of course, my idea of starting shopping at 4 a.m. with a crowd of people is enough reason to put me in a “black” mood. I remember the first time I was in a “mob” at a sale. Boyd and I were at Utah State in Logan and there was a sale at the local Penney’s store. Can’t even remember what was on sale, but it was something I wanted and the price was one a college student could afford. AND it wasn’t at 4 a.m.. Penney’s was within walking distance of our apartment, so I walked down there and was surprised. When I arrived I must have been late, because the table where this sale item was placed was surrounded by women, two and three deep. They were shoving and grabbing and  shouting. I just stood back, watched and was appalled at what I saw. It was not a good experience, and I didn’t purchase anything. However,  I did get an eyeful and an earful of inappropriate actions and language.

I did participate in one “Black Friday” sale about 10 years ago. Again, I came home with nothing. It isn’t in me to push and shove. I just don’t need anything that bad. Maybe I’m a coward. I’d like to think that I am above that type of behavior, but I don’t really think that’s it. I don’t think I’ve ever needed or wanted anything bad enough to fight over it.

I do watch the sales in the Sunday paper and the groceries specials that come out in the Wednesday paper. I made a list just a week ago and went to a store to pick up the things I wanted to purchase. Got there too late, they were sold out of those items. Was I upset? No, I just decided to watch the sales again and try to get to the store in a more timely manner. And I didn’t have to fight traffic and other buyers at 4 a.m.

I usually shop groceries between 5 and 7 a.m. but that is totally different. I go at that time because I don’t want to fight the crowds. Most of the time the employees of the store I go to are stocking shelves, but I can work around them.  And I have met some really fun and delightful people who also love to shop at that time of the morning. Usually we take time to say “hello” and comment of mundane things. It’s almost relaxing.

So I will stay in bed this “Black Friday” and not worry about missing the wonderful sales.

FALL WEANING OF THE CALVES

                                          Fall round-up to separate cows and calves.

           It’s time to wean the calves. Some of the older calves will probably already be weaned by their moms, and that’s

            I wear more than one hat at this time of the year. First I’m the cook. I have to decide what I’m going to feed the multitude that shows up to help round up the cows and calves. I usually have two menus in mind, one for a cold stormy day, and another for a warmer day. That way I can usually decide the day before the grand event which menu will work best. I get the beans cooked for chili, and the hamburger browned for sloppy joes. Those are in the freezer about two weeks before, and the rest of the ingredients for either are on hand.

            This year we moved our camp trailer over to the corral at Hell Creek, so that was much easier on me – I didn’t have to transport the food. We fed 11 the first day, 13 the second day and lost count the third day as we had quite a few come to help that we hadn’t planned on. But everyone got something to eat! I had a commitment on the third day so just made sure that food was at the ranch for the guys and they served themselves.

            We had a big crew helping with our three day round-up. Because summer pasture covers quite a large area, the men divided it up into three areas and worked one area a day for the three days. It worked out really well. 

            The other hat I sometimes wear is the “helper” hat. I might be needed to drive a pickup or the gater and be right out with the men rounding up the animals. I no longer ride a horse, didn’t do much of it before, but at this age the saddle and I don’t always feel good together, besides the problem of getting my leg up and over the saddle. Gravity has a greater pull on my body now than it used to.

            We always hope for some rain or even snow a few days before we start the round up, so we can possibly get by without having to doctor for dust pneumonia. That can kill a calf pretty fast, so we don’t want those calves running through any more dust than necessary.

            As the cows and calves are separated, the noise is almost deafening; the calves bawling in one pen, cows answering from another. We truck the calves to the valley to put in corrals behind our house, right close to our bedroom window. The calves bawl for about three days and nights – 24 hours straight – or at least it seems like it. And it keeps us awake. Have you ever been around a group of babies, say about a year old or a little younger when one of them starts to cry? It isn’t long before all of them are crying.  Well, calves are the same way. Wean one calf and the time is much shorter for the bawling period than when a herd of calves are weaned.

            The cows will be trailed down in about a month, and when they get down they nor the calves seem to recognize each other. The time of dependence is gone.

           

SLOWING DOWN

I'm trying to slow down. It hasn't been easy. And I find myself regressing quite often. Take last Tuesday, for instance. Getting morning rituals (like breakfast, making bed, doing dishes) over with, I kept plowing on.
After water aerobics, I decided to go to the local outdoor market and pick up some corn to freeze. While there the apples caught my eye and I thought, why not make apple pie filling today too.  BAM! There went slowing down for the rest of that day. AND while I was making the apple pie filling, the idea of making an apple pie came to me. Why not?  Of course, after doing this sticky kind of canning and freezing, the kitchen floor had to be mopped.  But the house smelled good with the apple pie baking. By the time Boyd and Jon got down from the ranch, I was exhausted and fixing supper was not something I could face. So we went out for a hamburger. Not a good day as an example of slowing down!

But the days I have periods of slowing down have been worth the effort. The interesting thing about this is I have to be fully aware of my effort to slow down in order to make it work!

Yesterday, Saturday, I did a pretty good job of it. I got a few things done without rushing through them. Then Boyd asked if I wanted to ride to the ranch with him to check the cattle. I didn't hesitate. When we got to the house we transferred from the pickup to the John Deere Gater. What a wonderful afternoon: hair blowing in the breeze created by the Gator; dust flying around us; hot sun shining on us. 

We rode around one of the old homesteads, walked around the foundation of the home on that piece of land, and some some of the old rusted tools and equipment left behind. Then we drove around some of the springs in the area - most of them drying up if not dried up because of the lack of rain this past month. 

The fall leaves on the trees were beautiful.  We did see one pine hen, but that was the only wild animal we encountered, but it was the middle of the afternoon when we were riding around. If it had been later in the day we would probably have seen deer and moose.

No, I didn't get everything done I had planned on, but those things can be done another day or just eliminated competely from by my "to do" list.  What I did accomplish was a pleasant afternoon with my husband, spent in an area I love.

Last night I was reading and came upon a sentence that summed up my day: "I'd forgotten that quiet pleasures can be good for the soul."  Yes, yesterday my soul was replenished, my physical being was replenished! I must do this more often!