Ahhh, Life Is Good

The day began after sleeping in until 7:30 this morning. I felt like I was getting such a late start that it made me a bit grumpy. However, I tackled my planned work load.

I started by cleaning out the chicken coops. This is not a bad job, per Se, but when you let it go as long as I had, it becomes quite a chore. In fact, I always promise myself that I will not let it go this long again. Yet, I always seem to let it go that long. The main beneficiary of the cleaned out chicken coops is the pasture. I take loads of saw dust bedding, mixed with manure, in Polly, the Power Wagon, and spread it on the pasture. I am adding the nitrogen from the manure and the carbon from the wood shavings. A double bonus, and cheap fertilizer to boot.

Then I loaded up Polly, again, but this time it was with the chainsaw and gear. I headed out into the woods to find a couple of trees I had eyed before. Both were dead and ready to fall. I was disappointed to find that the one wasn't dead at all. It had lost it's top in last years ice storm, that's what caused me to think it was dead. But upon closer inspection, I found that it had new shoots coming out from the sides. When I bit into it with the saw, I could definitely see that it was not dead and dry. That one will have to wit for next year. The other was completely dead and very cured. I cut it down and hauled off 3/4 of a Polly load. On the way back to the homestead, I happened upon a large branch on the ground. Another victim of last year's storm. So I cut it up and filled Polly to the brim. It was noon and time for lunch.

I ate a bit, then fell asleep in my chair. Something from which I have not fully recovered from. I have been tired the rest of the day. This afternoon, we went to town to support something that we feel very strongly about. The reading of the birth of Christ from the county square. Then we listened to some caroling and visited with some new friends we met.

We came home and did our evening chores. Fighting with a half frozen water hose. One of the pitfalls of this time of year. We managed to get everyone watered, then fed and milked.

We ate a nice dinner together and proceeded to put up the Christmas tree. To top the day off, we all enjoyed a glass of eggnog and watched the Charlie Brown Christmas special we have on DVD. I have loved that special since I was a boy. Linus tells the Nativity story and set all the bad attitudes to right. They don't do things like that on TV anymore and it breaks my heart. Then we shared a little Advent devotion and read stories to the girls. Now it is off to bed for them and a big day at church tomorrow.

All in all, it was a good day. I look forward to these times at home with my family around.