What a great day we had. I slept in until 8:00, and did barn chores. Then we went over to the school, where the FFA was selling plants from their greenhouse. We got a good deal on some plants, and helped out the school in the process.
Then we headed over to Pamida. I love Pamida! It's a great store, and only little towns have them. You can get some great deals there.
I came home and did some gardening, and more cleaning up the yard. We have some cement pads in our far backyard, which we have recently cleared and are trying to neaten up. On one of the pads we made a fire pit. We stacked up some bricks in an enclosure, and bought a grate for it. We had to test it out by cooking brats and s'mores on it tonight!
While we were silently eating our brats, all of us over-hungry because it had taken so long for construction and fire-creating, a big owl flew right past us. It came only a few feet from B's head! We didn't hear it call, though. It was beautiful.
We also made May baskets today. We put some candy in them, and will cut some lilacs to put in them tomorrow before we deliver them. I hope neither of my kids gets kissed tomorrow. We made them for our neighbors-- including Bubba. We can't leave anyone out.
Speaking of Bubba, we drove past today and saw that he bought the girl a trampoline. I am just waiting for our kids to ask to go over and play. We don't have good luck, so the answer will be no.
Hope your Saturday was just as memorable!
Saturday, April 30, 2005
Friday, April 29, 2005
Clouds
When I was a child, we had a picnic table in our backyard. I used to take a towel and spread it out on the table, and lie on my back to watch the clouds. I could lie there and watch them for hours, puffy and white, drifting by.
I was so in the moment. I didn't have anywhere else to be, nothing else to do, nothing weighing on my mind.
If I did that now, I think I would dwell on the laundry that needs doing, barn that needs cleaning, or a hundred other tasks that haunt me regularly. Either that, or I would fall asleep.
I think I will resolve to schedule some time for myself each day this summer. Like a prescription for myself, sanity time that can't be skipped. Doctor's orders.
Maybe I will ask for a hammock for mother's day.
I was so in the moment. I didn't have anywhere else to be, nothing else to do, nothing weighing on my mind.
If I did that now, I think I would dwell on the laundry that needs doing, barn that needs cleaning, or a hundred other tasks that haunt me regularly. Either that, or I would fall asleep.
I think I will resolve to schedule some time for myself each day this summer. Like a prescription for myself, sanity time that can't be skipped. Doctor's orders.
Maybe I will ask for a hammock for mother's day.
Thursday, April 28, 2005
Clarification
Let me just say, Bubba's daughter did not say that L was the father, when she announced that she was pregnant. She just told him that because, as he said, "She thinks she's so grown up."
Ahh, Bubba's apple does not fall far from the tree.
And wormy, too!
Ahh, Bubba's apple does not fall far from the tree.
And wormy, too!
Wednesday, April 27, 2005
Don't Worry
My last post left a few people worried about me. Not to worry!
Someone who is an authority figure will likely be leaving my life, and leaving a large void behind. This is causing me a great deal of grief and pain, and the circumstances of his departure are very unpleasant. It's a long story, and the specifics are unimportant here. What is important is that I will get through it, and I will be stronger for it. He and I will keep in touch, and life will go on.
So what else is new?
L brought home a note from his teacher saying that his class is going to be hatching some eggs. They are seeking homes for the birds after they hatch. Guess who volunteered our home... "But MOM, there are just TWO farm kids in my class! Where will these birds GO if WE don't take them??" Okay, let's say it all together now: SUCKER! Yes, I wrote the note of consent.
Before you condemn me for being an idiot, just think of all the blogging I will be doing. Look at it as my acquisition of good blogging material.
But darnit, I had plans for that chicken coop. It would have made a cool potting shed. It truly has some cool architecture. Somebody worked hard on it when they made it. I also considered using some of the wood for the trim inside of our house. It would keep things authentic.
So, I dunno. I can't keep the birds (some sort of variety of chickens, geese and ducks) in the barn, because we have barn cats. I am also going to have to fashion something so that the trashy neighbors' dogs can't get to them.
Actually, I have no idea what poultry needs to thrive. I guess I will be doing some research.
Okay, done with thinking while typing...
B and I have worked SO hard on our yard for the past few weekends! We mowed about a half-acre of grass, back behind the garage and down the hill. There are beautiful trees down there, and cement pads that once served as a barn floor or other livestock home. The trees grew through the cement pads! We are looking forward to enjoying that area.
Our baby grass is coming up nicely in the pasture. We are still impatient, as it's such a pain to take the horses to the other pastures. And Major still has to stay in the dry paddock, unless we do a complete swap of the horses in their respective enclosures. We do, but it's not convenient. So we will be patient, and look forward to a lush pasture and few weeds.
Our neighbor K has begun his disking of his ground. It has been so unseasonably warm here that I keep wondering when they will start planting. I have to tell myself that it's only April! Hard to believe that we've had 80 degree days so far.
I have to tell you about these neighbors we have. Everybody has a tale or two about their trashy neighbors, so I will share mine. (I alluded to them above.)
Let's call my neighbor Bubba. Bubba moved in at the end of the summer, renting the house about 1/4 mile away (our nearest neighbor). Bubba just got married, and we wished him well. He "inherited" a little girl, "Annie" when he got married. Annie is 12, going on 35. She announced that our son L was her boyfriend after playing at our house once. Then she came over and told L that she was pregnant. What goes on in the mind of a 12 year old?? She calls all the time. Some days she calls in excess of 5 times. We all avoid her.
You already heard about all of my cat stories. Those were Bubba's cats. So I have a lot of respect for him, as you know. NOT.
So Bubba decides that any self-respecting farmhouse-renting country folk needs to get some dogs. So he gets himself a couple of Great Pyrenees. Yeah. Those dogs are born weighing about 100 pounds. And they are livestock guard dogs. So they need a job. Bubba decides that country dogs can run free. Come on, just think of that pretty picture! Dogs running free, playing without a care, pooping all over the neighbors' yards, chasing their horses... You can see how the vision went downhill quickly.
We were very angry about Bubba's dogs being loose. I mean, they would be loose at least 3-4 times a day. They would get into our pastures, chase the horses (who hate dogs), get into the creek, just make general nuisances of themselves. We told Bubba and Annie that the dogs risked getting killed by the horses, thinking that the threat of death would make Bubba fashion some sort of kennel or other restraint. I think they actually saw that as a challenge or something, because the dogs were loose more than ever.
And when a person lives in the country, they get accustomed to their privacy. People don't just drive by, or pop over. So imagine, all settled for the evening in your jammies, only to have your neighbor roar up your driveway to ask if you've seen his dogs. For the 27th time that day.
Well, as time went on, Bubba decided that chasing after his dogs was futile. In fact, rather than even tie the dogs up only to have them get loose and challenge his authority, he decided to just let them loose at all times. Well, no, let me rephrase that: he decided that if he tied ONE dog up, that the other would stay close.
Um, yeah, right.
And I will give him a little credit. Perhaps that WOULD have worked, had he not seen the need to acquire Dog #3. Dog #3 happens to not be quite as large of a dog. This time Bubba thought a border collie would be a good acquisition.
If you know anything about border collies, you know that they like to herd anything and everything. Bubba's border collie likes to herd my car as I drive by. I always wait for him to spring through the air, make like a 30-foot leap, as he races after my car in the cloud of dust that I leave as I barrel down the road.
K and F, our farmer friends/neighbors, spent the winter down south, so they are not aware of Bubba's Dogs and their Legacy. However, now that they are back, and getting ready to plant most of the land around us, it will be interesting to see what transpires...
I complained to the neighbor on the other side of Bubba, who keeps his dog kenneled, and he said that Bubba might be taking a job out of state and moving his family out of the farmhouse. I wonder if he'll leave the dogs for the next tenant!
Someone who is an authority figure will likely be leaving my life, and leaving a large void behind. This is causing me a great deal of grief and pain, and the circumstances of his departure are very unpleasant. It's a long story, and the specifics are unimportant here. What is important is that I will get through it, and I will be stronger for it. He and I will keep in touch, and life will go on.
So what else is new?
L brought home a note from his teacher saying that his class is going to be hatching some eggs. They are seeking homes for the birds after they hatch. Guess who volunteered our home... "But MOM, there are just TWO farm kids in my class! Where will these birds GO if WE don't take them??" Okay, let's say it all together now: SUCKER! Yes, I wrote the note of consent.
Before you condemn me for being an idiot, just think of all the blogging I will be doing. Look at it as my acquisition of good blogging material.
But darnit, I had plans for that chicken coop. It would have made a cool potting shed. It truly has some cool architecture. Somebody worked hard on it when they made it. I also considered using some of the wood for the trim inside of our house. It would keep things authentic.
So, I dunno. I can't keep the birds (some sort of variety of chickens, geese and ducks) in the barn, because we have barn cats. I am also going to have to fashion something so that the trashy neighbors' dogs can't get to them.
Actually, I have no idea what poultry needs to thrive. I guess I will be doing some research.
Okay, done with thinking while typing...
B and I have worked SO hard on our yard for the past few weekends! We mowed about a half-acre of grass, back behind the garage and down the hill. There are beautiful trees down there, and cement pads that once served as a barn floor or other livestock home. The trees grew through the cement pads! We are looking forward to enjoying that area.
Our baby grass is coming up nicely in the pasture. We are still impatient, as it's such a pain to take the horses to the other pastures. And Major still has to stay in the dry paddock, unless we do a complete swap of the horses in their respective enclosures. We do, but it's not convenient. So we will be patient, and look forward to a lush pasture and few weeds.
Our neighbor K has begun his disking of his ground. It has been so unseasonably warm here that I keep wondering when they will start planting. I have to tell myself that it's only April! Hard to believe that we've had 80 degree days so far.
I have to tell you about these neighbors we have. Everybody has a tale or two about their trashy neighbors, so I will share mine. (I alluded to them above.)
Let's call my neighbor Bubba. Bubba moved in at the end of the summer, renting the house about 1/4 mile away (our nearest neighbor). Bubba just got married, and we wished him well. He "inherited" a little girl, "Annie" when he got married. Annie is 12, going on 35. She announced that our son L was her boyfriend after playing at our house once. Then she came over and told L that she was pregnant. What goes on in the mind of a 12 year old?? She calls all the time. Some days she calls in excess of 5 times. We all avoid her.
You already heard about all of my cat stories. Those were Bubba's cats. So I have a lot of respect for him, as you know. NOT.
So Bubba decides that any self-respecting farmhouse-renting country folk needs to get some dogs. So he gets himself a couple of Great Pyrenees. Yeah. Those dogs are born weighing about 100 pounds. And they are livestock guard dogs. So they need a job. Bubba decides that country dogs can run free. Come on, just think of that pretty picture! Dogs running free, playing without a care, pooping all over the neighbors' yards, chasing their horses... You can see how the vision went downhill quickly.
We were very angry about Bubba's dogs being loose. I mean, they would be loose at least 3-4 times a day. They would get into our pastures, chase the horses (who hate dogs), get into the creek, just make general nuisances of themselves. We told Bubba and Annie that the dogs risked getting killed by the horses, thinking that the threat of death would make Bubba fashion some sort of kennel or other restraint. I think they actually saw that as a challenge or something, because the dogs were loose more than ever.
And when a person lives in the country, they get accustomed to their privacy. People don't just drive by, or pop over. So imagine, all settled for the evening in your jammies, only to have your neighbor roar up your driveway to ask if you've seen his dogs. For the 27th time that day.
Well, as time went on, Bubba decided that chasing after his dogs was futile. In fact, rather than even tie the dogs up only to have them get loose and challenge his authority, he decided to just let them loose at all times. Well, no, let me rephrase that: he decided that if he tied ONE dog up, that the other would stay close.
Um, yeah, right.
And I will give him a little credit. Perhaps that WOULD have worked, had he not seen the need to acquire Dog #3. Dog #3 happens to not be quite as large of a dog. This time Bubba thought a border collie would be a good acquisition.
If you know anything about border collies, you know that they like to herd anything and everything. Bubba's border collie likes to herd my car as I drive by. I always wait for him to spring through the air, make like a 30-foot leap, as he races after my car in the cloud of dust that I leave as I barrel down the road.
K and F, our farmer friends/neighbors, spent the winter down south, so they are not aware of Bubba's Dogs and their Legacy. However, now that they are back, and getting ready to plant most of the land around us, it will be interesting to see what transpires...
I complained to the neighbor on the other side of Bubba, who keeps his dog kenneled, and he said that Bubba might be taking a job out of state and moving his family out of the farmhouse. I wonder if he'll leave the dogs for the next tenant!
Sunday, April 24, 2005
Words of Wisdom
Someone for whom I have a tremendous amount of respect said these words today:
It is not enough to be understood. You must make the effort to ensure that you are not misunderstood.
He is being misunderstood right now, and it is causing me a great deal of pain. I can think of little else. I see things at our farm that make me happy, and I contrast them with his agony and sadness. It tears me apart.
I thought spring would bring resolution to this issue, but it is only bringing more conflict.
Specifics aren't important (though fyi he is no relation to me).
During this troubling time, I'm just soaking up the solace and stability that my home provides. For that peace, I am grateful.
It is not enough to be understood. You must make the effort to ensure that you are not misunderstood.
He is being misunderstood right now, and it is causing me a great deal of pain. I can think of little else. I see things at our farm that make me happy, and I contrast them with his agony and sadness. It tears me apart.
I thought spring would bring resolution to this issue, but it is only bringing more conflict.
Specifics aren't important (though fyi he is no relation to me).
During this troubling time, I'm just soaking up the solace and stability that my home provides. For that peace, I am grateful.
Saturday, April 23, 2005
Renovation Reflections
I was thinking again about how it was a year ago. As I look around and still see boxes that are yet to be unpacked, cracked walls, and much renovation to be done, it's easy to think about how far we have to go. And I have blogged about this before.
But we were just reflecting again this morning on what we were doing a year ago. It was a crazy move, probably one of the hardest (and we have 14 to rank).
I had a meeting in Miami finishing on the 20th. We were due to move on the 22nd. Being staff at the meetings, I always come home exhausted, so it was poor planning to move so soon after. But there was no way I could move before the meeting, and I had to schedule it asap after I got home. So the 22nd it was. B took days off before I got home, and he packed as much as he could. But when I got home, there was still much to pack. We had very little sleep, as we worked hard and worried. There were also issues with our loan, because due to some banking laws concerning farms in Iowa we had a hard time getting 20 acres financed. We also had a difficult time finding an insurance company that would insure our home because it is so remote (and far from the fire dept). So there were all of those worries also.
We hired movers, who arrived just before we headed out to our closing. The closing went very smoothly, and we had no problems. When we got home, they had loaded a great deal of the house into the truck, and I was still in the midst of packing dishes in boxes for them. About 3/4 of the way through the process, about 2:00 pm, they announced that the truck was full, and they could not get any more of our things packed inside of it. We HAD to be out that evening, since the new owner would be arriving about 6:00 to bring his things and begin moving in. I had a cleaning lady that was coming about 5:00, and I had to get the things packed up and ready for her, too. Someone had to go with the movers to the new house to instruct them where to put everything. Our new house is approx. 50 minutes from our old house, so time played a huge factor in all of this.
We decided B would go with them, and I would stay.
While I was angry, shocked, and left standing with my mouth open, there was no time for that! I left immediatly and rented a U-Haul truck. I finished packing up the kitchen, and was hoping that B would return after the movers unloaded everything so that he could help me load the truck. Time dragged on, and I decided to just move all of the things that were to be put into the truck, into the garage. That way the cleaning lady could clean, and the new owner could move his things in. Everytime I looked in a room, there was something left. A box here and there, a closet full of clothes. The laundry room's contents not packed. The entire contents of the kitchen. I had no boxes left, and was resorting to garbage bags... And on and on...
The cleaning lady did her magic, and the new owner came. He was very nice, and fortunately, very understanding. He had the DirecTV installlation the next day, so he wanted to have his TVs in the house and ready for that-- that's all. No major moves. He told me to take as long as I needed to get out. Good thing, because B didn't get back until about 9:00, and we did not leave until nearly 11:30 pm. We found a Denny's and ate supper. The kids fell asleep on their plates in the restaurant.
But the fun didn't end there, folks. The next morning, we needed to unload the U-Haul and take it the 50 minutes back to where we rented it. We were bone tired, exhausted, and got up at the crack of dawn to unload our worldly goods into our new house. We saw people drive by and wave, and wonder about these new folks. The house had been empty nearly a year.
We struggled with where to put everything. A lot of our things weren't right in the new house. We suddenly didn't need 3 couches. We have many tall, skinny windows, not a few wide ones. We do like craftsman style furniture, so all of that fit quite well, but the finishing touches were just not working. Plus, we knew we'd be tearing out carpeting and ripping off paneling. Do we just leave the things in the basement, or move them later when we began deconstructing?
And the deconstruction was such a nightmare. We couldn't sleep in the room with red carpeting and black/white wallpaper. I couldn't stand it, so within a week it was painted and transformed. Carpeting was torn out, thrown away, things were scrubbed and restured. Paneling was removed and thrown out. It took us weeks to remove all of the carpet tack strips from the living room floor. To just say "we took out the carpeting" makes it sound like it took 45 minutes! It took so long, and our knees were sore, our backs were sore for days. We would each have a claw tool and we'd sit and talk and pull staples and tacks.
So to look at the walls today doesn't make me sad, after recounting all of that.
I haven't mentioned this, but I am taking a WHOLE WEEK of vacation in May to work on my walls. I am not checking email, not working at all. I am going to pretend I'm unemployed. Well, no, I am going to pretend I am employed as a plaster wall restorer. : )
We will still have to wait on trim, but I can paint, and I can put up curtains, etc. I want to add some bookshelves and homey touches. And I want to UNPACK! I want to look at our boatload of books, and I want them to add their magical touch to the house.
I promise to take pictures.
Happy Saturday!
P.S. I forgot to mention how happy I was when our neighbor F brought us a strawberry pie the day we moved in. : ) I felt so welcome!
But we were just reflecting again this morning on what we were doing a year ago. It was a crazy move, probably one of the hardest (and we have 14 to rank).
I had a meeting in Miami finishing on the 20th. We were due to move on the 22nd. Being staff at the meetings, I always come home exhausted, so it was poor planning to move so soon after. But there was no way I could move before the meeting, and I had to schedule it asap after I got home. So the 22nd it was. B took days off before I got home, and he packed as much as he could. But when I got home, there was still much to pack. We had very little sleep, as we worked hard and worried. There were also issues with our loan, because due to some banking laws concerning farms in Iowa we had a hard time getting 20 acres financed. We also had a difficult time finding an insurance company that would insure our home because it is so remote (and far from the fire dept). So there were all of those worries also.
We hired movers, who arrived just before we headed out to our closing. The closing went very smoothly, and we had no problems. When we got home, they had loaded a great deal of the house into the truck, and I was still in the midst of packing dishes in boxes for them. About 3/4 of the way through the process, about 2:00 pm, they announced that the truck was full, and they could not get any more of our things packed inside of it. We HAD to be out that evening, since the new owner would be arriving about 6:00 to bring his things and begin moving in. I had a cleaning lady that was coming about 5:00, and I had to get the things packed up and ready for her, too. Someone had to go with the movers to the new house to instruct them where to put everything. Our new house is approx. 50 minutes from our old house, so time played a huge factor in all of this.
We decided B would go with them, and I would stay.
While I was angry, shocked, and left standing with my mouth open, there was no time for that! I left immediatly and rented a U-Haul truck. I finished packing up the kitchen, and was hoping that B would return after the movers unloaded everything so that he could help me load the truck. Time dragged on, and I decided to just move all of the things that were to be put into the truck, into the garage. That way the cleaning lady could clean, and the new owner could move his things in. Everytime I looked in a room, there was something left. A box here and there, a closet full of clothes. The laundry room's contents not packed. The entire contents of the kitchen. I had no boxes left, and was resorting to garbage bags... And on and on...
The cleaning lady did her magic, and the new owner came. He was very nice, and fortunately, very understanding. He had the DirecTV installlation the next day, so he wanted to have his TVs in the house and ready for that-- that's all. No major moves. He told me to take as long as I needed to get out. Good thing, because B didn't get back until about 9:00, and we did not leave until nearly 11:30 pm. We found a Denny's and ate supper. The kids fell asleep on their plates in the restaurant.
But the fun didn't end there, folks. The next morning, we needed to unload the U-Haul and take it the 50 minutes back to where we rented it. We were bone tired, exhausted, and got up at the crack of dawn to unload our worldly goods into our new house. We saw people drive by and wave, and wonder about these new folks. The house had been empty nearly a year.
We struggled with where to put everything. A lot of our things weren't right in the new house. We suddenly didn't need 3 couches. We have many tall, skinny windows, not a few wide ones. We do like craftsman style furniture, so all of that fit quite well, but the finishing touches were just not working. Plus, we knew we'd be tearing out carpeting and ripping off paneling. Do we just leave the things in the basement, or move them later when we began deconstructing?
And the deconstruction was such a nightmare. We couldn't sleep in the room with red carpeting and black/white wallpaper. I couldn't stand it, so within a week it was painted and transformed. Carpeting was torn out, thrown away, things were scrubbed and restured. Paneling was removed and thrown out. It took us weeks to remove all of the carpet tack strips from the living room floor. To just say "we took out the carpeting" makes it sound like it took 45 minutes! It took so long, and our knees were sore, our backs were sore for days. We would each have a claw tool and we'd sit and talk and pull staples and tacks.
So to look at the walls today doesn't make me sad, after recounting all of that.
I haven't mentioned this, but I am taking a WHOLE WEEK of vacation in May to work on my walls. I am not checking email, not working at all. I am going to pretend I'm unemployed. Well, no, I am going to pretend I am employed as a plaster wall restorer. : )
We will still have to wait on trim, but I can paint, and I can put up curtains, etc. I want to add some bookshelves and homey touches. And I want to UNPACK! I want to look at our boatload of books, and I want them to add their magical touch to the house.
I promise to take pictures.
Happy Saturday!
P.S. I forgot to mention how happy I was when our neighbor F brought us a strawberry pie the day we moved in. : ) I felt so welcome!
Friday, April 22, 2005
365 days
Isn't this a lovely home? Isn't it a sweet color scheme, with its carefully selected clay-colored siding, cream trim (even on the corners of the siding), coordinated with the pillar color? Don't you think the burgundy was an excellent choice for the shutters-- the door paint was color matched with the vinyl shutters to ensure an exact match. Even the mailbox is burgundy! And the lawn is edged carefully, and watered faithfully. The fence was constructed to ensure privacy from neighbors and keep the dog evidence tidy. Also, behind that fence lies a color-coordinated vinyl shed and a swing set-- the quintessential play accessory for suburban children.
I know this because this was my home 366 days ago.
We had that house built for our family in 1999, on a lot of 8,569 square feet. It was a wonderful house, it was very homey, and we were ecstatic. It was the first house we ever owned, after being married for 9 years and moving 13 times. I kissed the walls in that house many times, thanking God and my lucky stars that I had such a wonderful place to live. It was very clean, very open, airy, and very sunny.
365 days ago we said goodbye to that house.
We moved to a house of similar size, but 80 years older than our previous home. The yard was a smidge larger, at 87,1200 square feet. The house had some dated decor, needed repairs, and with no central air, no dishwasher, and one bathroom (we had 3 in our previous house), it presented a drastic decrease in amenities. No swing set for the kids, just trees.
In the 365 days since we’ve lived at our farm, I have experienced so much. I have seen and heard birds that I didn’t know existed. I have listened to the coyotes bark and howl until the hairs on my neck stood straight. I have looked at the night sky so black that there is no doubt that those stars are light years away. I have watched storms move from one side of the horizon to the other, providing a dramatic light show as they crept.
As I have shared in my blog, I am trying to smell the roses, to dwell on the details and notice all of the beauty. And I couldn’t have picked a better place to be open to this beauty. Our amazing farm does not disappoint.
It’s also been a year of change for me. My expectations for a clean and orderly house have been abandoned. Sometimes I really worried deep down that I had issues like OCD, the way that my house had to be “just so.” Well, living here has cured me of that! I can’t physically keep up with the dust! Remember my issues with the mice? And snakes? And ticks?
I have lost over 25 pounds as we spend our time cleaning, moving, repairing, creating things outside. All of us have built much more muscle!
Our holidays mean more to us, and our expectations are lowered. But not really. It’s not like we are settling for less. We tried at Christmas time to prepare for the shock of getting no toys for the kids. Amazingly, L was beside himself with joy and pride as he unwrapped his own tool set. And he feels so big and important when he brings his tools out to help with a project. Is that really settling for less? I don’t think so.
The animals have initiated quite a change in our family as well. I write aobut them often, so you know how I feel about them. But we have changed our lives for them as well. Remember my trip to the hotel? We can’t go on vacation anymore without being sure to find someone to look after them.
It’s been an amazing year. I am so lucky to have what I have, to be able to enjoy the opportunities that living here provides. I am glad that I cherish the small things, too. They all add up to be life-changing.
Sorry...
for the previous post (now deleted). I took a nap, and I had begun a blog. During my nap, my son hijacked my laptop and went to bionicle.com. He somehow published my post with the bionicle.com title.
i will repost my original post shortly!
i will repost my original post shortly!
Tuesday, April 19, 2005
His Eye Is On the Sparrow
This morning I left for work begrudgingly. I was so discouraged after yesterday. I had two meetings today, so my work day was cut short, and I have so much to cram into the time I am at work. So I was not looking forward to leaving.
It was about to storm, the big, black clouds rolling in. Of course, the drops started before I even got to the car, all over my files and my hair.
And I got in the car, and started out the driveway. I was stunned to see two glorious rainbows. They filled up the sky. You could see from one end to the other, two concentric bows of brilliant color.
I called the house from the car (It was raining! I wasn't going to brave the rain, even for a few steps!). L answered, and before I could tell him, he said, "Mom! Look out the window! Do you see the rainbows??!! Aren't they beautiful?"
Of course they were. And I knew they were a sign to me that I was not going to drown.
Then I got to thinking: Who am I that He would send a rainbow just for me? Am I that special, is it really ALL ABOUT ME?? But then I remembered one of my favorite songs that we sing in church. It makes me cry every time:
I sing because I'm happy,
I sing because I'm free;
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.
'Let not your heart be troubled,'
His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness,
I lose my doubts and fears,
Tho' by the path He leadeth,
But one step I may see;
His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.
If he watches every sparrow, he can send me a rainbow.
And guess what, when I got to work BOTH meetings cancelled on me. My day is freed up again.
And so is my soul.
Hope you are feeling free today, also.
It was about to storm, the big, black clouds rolling in. Of course, the drops started before I even got to the car, all over my files and my hair.
And I got in the car, and started out the driveway. I was stunned to see two glorious rainbows. They filled up the sky. You could see from one end to the other, two concentric bows of brilliant color.
I called the house from the car (It was raining! I wasn't going to brave the rain, even for a few steps!). L answered, and before I could tell him, he said, "Mom! Look out the window! Do you see the rainbows??!! Aren't they beautiful?"
Of course they were. And I knew they were a sign to me that I was not going to drown.
Then I got to thinking: Who am I that He would send a rainbow just for me? Am I that special, is it really ALL ABOUT ME?? But then I remembered one of my favorite songs that we sing in church. It makes me cry every time:
I sing because I'm happy,
I sing because I'm free;
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.
'Let not your heart be troubled,'
His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness,
I lose my doubts and fears,
Tho' by the path He leadeth,
But one step I may see;
His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.
If he watches every sparrow, he can send me a rainbow.
And guess what, when I got to work BOTH meetings cancelled on me. My day is freed up again.
And so is my soul.
Hope you are feeling free today, also.
Monday, April 18, 2005
Venting
a day from hell.
is the recap done yet?
is your report finished?
did you send the documents out?
have you reviewed the files?
did you get the proposals?
have you send the invoices?
no, no and NO. i am waiting for you.
and him, and her.
there is only one of me.
there is work for four of me.
i arrive home to peace.
few expectations
easy to meet, mostly requests for food.
from furry four-legged and fleshy two-legged kids.
i can do that.
i can do it now, even!
cross that off the list.
most days i love my job.
some days i loathe it.
i love what i do, but i sometimes hate the parameters placed upon me.
get it all done-- someone else's way.
stifled creativity. stifled learning. stifled credit.
at my house i can do it my way.
and everyone thrives.
i wish i could make a living here at home.
caring for creatures
watching them thrive from my attention and love.
being interrupted only by the woodpeckers, tapping me a morse code message
that spring is here and we should all be happy.
the swallows scolding me for coming too close to their babies.
the horses for keeping them too far from each other.
the stars reminding me that this sacred ground was here long before me, and will be here long after i am gone.
my deadlines are twice a day, 5:30 am feeding and 5:30 pm feeding.
oh, and the 8:30 tuck-in.
they are grateful. they are kind-- and forgiving when i am late (after the requisite scolding)
they demand nothing except that for which i have made them depend on me-- food, clean quarters, water.
they are pure souls, no malice, no hatred, no hidden agendas.
ready to give me the benefit of the doubt.
ready to give me a purr, a lick, a ride.
they only seek what their instincts dictate: food and sex.
they have no secrets about that, they are not sorry, they ask for no favors.
no need to do it their way.
my way is fine. my judgement is best.
i am lucky.
i am so loved, so appreciated by my family
by those who matter.
by those who depend on me for what really matters.
i deliver.
and it is they who define my worth-- what makes my soul sing. what gets me up every morning.
i am lucky because i have them to love.
i am lucky because i have work.
i can pay for my home
and my friends' food and water
and bedding
some have nothing. no job, no friends
nobody to miss them all day
nobody to look for their car after work
nobody to love them back.
i am blessed, i have it all.
but today, just let me vent.
is the recap done yet?
is your report finished?
did you send the documents out?
have you reviewed the files?
did you get the proposals?
have you send the invoices?
no, no and NO. i am waiting for you.
and him, and her.
there is only one of me.
there is work for four of me.
i arrive home to peace.
few expectations
easy to meet, mostly requests for food.
from furry four-legged and fleshy two-legged kids.
i can do that.
i can do it now, even!
cross that off the list.
most days i love my job.
some days i loathe it.
i love what i do, but i sometimes hate the parameters placed upon me.
get it all done-- someone else's way.
stifled creativity. stifled learning. stifled credit.
at my house i can do it my way.
and everyone thrives.
i wish i could make a living here at home.
caring for creatures
watching them thrive from my attention and love.
being interrupted only by the woodpeckers, tapping me a morse code message
that spring is here and we should all be happy.
the swallows scolding me for coming too close to their babies.
the horses for keeping them too far from each other.
the stars reminding me that this sacred ground was here long before me, and will be here long after i am gone.
my deadlines are twice a day, 5:30 am feeding and 5:30 pm feeding.
oh, and the 8:30 tuck-in.
they are grateful. they are kind-- and forgiving when i am late (after the requisite scolding)
they demand nothing except that for which i have made them depend on me-- food, clean quarters, water.
they are pure souls, no malice, no hatred, no hidden agendas.
ready to give me the benefit of the doubt.
ready to give me a purr, a lick, a ride.
they only seek what their instincts dictate: food and sex.
they have no secrets about that, they are not sorry, they ask for no favors.
no need to do it their way.
my way is fine. my judgement is best.
i am lucky.
i am so loved, so appreciated by my family
by those who matter.
by those who depend on me for what really matters.
i deliver.
and it is they who define my worth-- what makes my soul sing. what gets me up every morning.
i am lucky because i have them to love.
i am lucky because i have work.
i can pay for my home
and my friends' food and water
and bedding
some have nothing. no job, no friends
nobody to miss them all day
nobody to look for their car after work
nobody to love them back.
i am blessed, i have it all.
but today, just let me vent.
Saturday, April 16, 2005
what to do
it’s raining today
i don’t even mind
the steady drumbeat of drops on the roof
calms me
makes me want to snuggle deeper under the covers
and be lulled back into a deep slumber next to my love
but there are horses to feed
laundry to wash (and put away)
breakfast to make
memories to make
after all it, it is a saturday
at our farm
a day to do nothing, yet usually something worthwhile
just because we are together
maybe play a game
maybe make a breakfast of circle toast (the house specialty)
maybe play on new laptops
maybe dance in the rain
what will you do?
i don’t even mind
the steady drumbeat of drops on the roof
calms me
makes me want to snuggle deeper under the covers
and be lulled back into a deep slumber next to my love
but there are horses to feed
laundry to wash (and put away)
breakfast to make
memories to make
after all it, it is a saturday
at our farm
a day to do nothing, yet usually something worthwhile
just because we are together
maybe play a game
maybe make a breakfast of circle toast (the house specialty)
maybe play on new laptops
maybe dance in the rain
what will you do?
Friday, April 15, 2005
Sing With Me!
Reasons to sing today:
1) Spring is here. It's the perfect day to take a late afternoon nap in a hammock (darn, I wish I had one!!)!
2) It's Friday. Time to have a beer and enjoy some music, a beautiful breeze, the setting sun, and the company of my loved ones (two-legged and four-legged).
3) I live in an amazing place. Wanna see?
(I didn't change the color on this photo-- it looks like Ireland, doesn't it?)
I love this windmill. I wish I had one.
This tree fell into the creek this winter. I think it might still be happy there. Maybe it got tired of the view!
A creek-dwelling tree.
So, sing with me! Click here to sing with my friend Mary McAdams.
1) Spring is here. It's the perfect day to take a late afternoon nap in a hammock (darn, I wish I had one!!)!
2) It's Friday. Time to have a beer and enjoy some music, a beautiful breeze, the setting sun, and the company of my loved ones (two-legged and four-legged).
3) I live in an amazing place. Wanna see?
(I didn't change the color on this photo-- it looks like Ireland, doesn't it?)
I love this windmill. I wish I had one.
This tree fell into the creek this winter. I think it might still be happy there. Maybe it got tired of the view!
A creek-dwelling tree.
So, sing with me! Click here to sing with my friend Mary McAdams.
Sunday, April 10, 2005
I'm calling it.
Yep, I'm officially calling it Spring. As evidenced by the photos below, spring has arrived at our house. No babies here, but maybe next year we can have something around here that has a baby. I don't have any ideas yet...
One other official herald to the beginning of spring, I found a tick on me today. Ewww!! We all know how much I love ticks.
Today we attended the Iowa Horse Fair . It was so much fun! And the horses are so stunning. I bought Major a fancy gizmo that will protect his tail. It's three spandex tubes, connected at the top. You put a third of the tail hair in each tube, and then you braid the tubes together. It keeps the tail protected. There are little fringes at the bottom of the tubes to help him swat flies. We're trying to glam up his tail because M wants to show him at the Iowa State Fair in August.
Our neighbor K came down yesterday and harrowed up the part of the pasture that is bare. The previous owners had cattle here, and a large amount of them in a small area, which meant that the grass was nonexistant in the areas where they congregated. Before we had the horses to help eat all of that vegetation, it grew and grew, and we had weeds take over all of the bare spots. K mowed them down in October, and we knocked down some of the other spots that needed attention. Now he will plant brome grass and oat grass. We've also agreed to farm our back 10 acres on shares. He'll plant soybeans this spring.
Does that mean we're officially farmers? We have two crops (hay and soybeans) and livestock. Maybe livestock means that you have to make a living from it? I can't believe how hard it actually is to make a living being a farmer. K and I talked for a long while today about that sad fact. I want to take on some animals here, to make a little more money, and K told me that it's next to impossible. He used the example of hogs. It used to be that farmers could go down to the sale and buy 1-2 sows, and bring them home to start their operation. They would have babies, and then either sell the piglets or add to their stock.
But now they don't have sale barns like that, where you can buy 1 or 2 animals. The small farmer is competing with the hoglots and the factory operations. Prices are so low that you can't even make it becuase you can't recoup your costs.
Take chickens for example. Let's say that I wanted to make our farm a chicken farm. I would buy 50 chicks for $1.00 each. I would feed them, love on them, etc., for 10 weeks. Some quick research reveals that it would take 15 pounds of feed to grow a 5-pound chicken, costing approximately $1.80 per chicken. If your chicken weighs 3 3/4 pounds dressed, that's $.48 per pound. I've put $1.00 into the cost of the chicken, not to mention my time, facilties and equipment. Hy-vee is selling chicken for $1.15 per pound. Let's just say I can get $2.00 a pound for my higher-than-normal quality and farm-raised goodness. That means that I sell each chicken for $7.50, and after expenses, it yields a profit of $4.70 per bird (not including equipment and facilities). If I had 50 birds, assuming that I had no unexpected illnesses or setbacks, I could sell those birds for a whopping total of $235 for my chicken flock. Because I am a small operation, and focus on quality, I would never have more than 50 birds at once. If I did this year-round, it would yield $2350 per year.
While sometimes I complain about my job, it generally does pay me more than $2350 per year!
And so it goes with hogs and cattle, too. It's a shame. My kids are in 4H-- why? Just to keep them busy, truthfully. Those kids will never have the option to grow up and be a farmer. It's really, really sad. : (
Well, we're not giving up just yet. And we can enjoy our farm with or without animals. Here are those spring photos:
Lilac bush
Unidentified Plant (can you identify)
Pasture
Hyacinths
Hope spring is springing for you, too.
One other official herald to the beginning of spring, I found a tick on me today. Ewww!! We all know how much I love ticks.
Today we attended the Iowa Horse Fair . It was so much fun! And the horses are so stunning. I bought Major a fancy gizmo that will protect his tail. It's three spandex tubes, connected at the top. You put a third of the tail hair in each tube, and then you braid the tubes together. It keeps the tail protected. There are little fringes at the bottom of the tubes to help him swat flies. We're trying to glam up his tail because M wants to show him at the Iowa State Fair in August.
Our neighbor K came down yesterday and harrowed up the part of the pasture that is bare. The previous owners had cattle here, and a large amount of them in a small area, which meant that the grass was nonexistant in the areas where they congregated. Before we had the horses to help eat all of that vegetation, it grew and grew, and we had weeds take over all of the bare spots. K mowed them down in October, and we knocked down some of the other spots that needed attention. Now he will plant brome grass and oat grass. We've also agreed to farm our back 10 acres on shares. He'll plant soybeans this spring.
Does that mean we're officially farmers? We have two crops (hay and soybeans) and livestock. Maybe livestock means that you have to make a living from it? I can't believe how hard it actually is to make a living being a farmer. K and I talked for a long while today about that sad fact. I want to take on some animals here, to make a little more money, and K told me that it's next to impossible. He used the example of hogs. It used to be that farmers could go down to the sale and buy 1-2 sows, and bring them home to start their operation. They would have babies, and then either sell the piglets or add to their stock.
But now they don't have sale barns like that, where you can buy 1 or 2 animals. The small farmer is competing with the hoglots and the factory operations. Prices are so low that you can't even make it becuase you can't recoup your costs.
Take chickens for example. Let's say that I wanted to make our farm a chicken farm. I would buy 50 chicks for $1.00 each. I would feed them, love on them, etc., for 10 weeks. Some quick research reveals that it would take 15 pounds of feed to grow a 5-pound chicken, costing approximately $1.80 per chicken. If your chicken weighs 3 3/4 pounds dressed, that's $.48 per pound. I've put $1.00 into the cost of the chicken, not to mention my time, facilties and equipment. Hy-vee is selling chicken for $1.15 per pound. Let's just say I can get $2.00 a pound for my higher-than-normal quality and farm-raised goodness. That means that I sell each chicken for $7.50, and after expenses, it yields a profit of $4.70 per bird (not including equipment and facilities). If I had 50 birds, assuming that I had no unexpected illnesses or setbacks, I could sell those birds for a whopping total of $235 for my chicken flock. Because I am a small operation, and focus on quality, I would never have more than 50 birds at once. If I did this year-round, it would yield $2350 per year.
While sometimes I complain about my job, it generally does pay me more than $2350 per year!
And so it goes with hogs and cattle, too. It's a shame. My kids are in 4H-- why? Just to keep them busy, truthfully. Those kids will never have the option to grow up and be a farmer. It's really, really sad. : (
Well, we're not giving up just yet. And we can enjoy our farm with or without animals. Here are those spring photos:
Lilac bush Unidentified Plant (can you identify) Pasture HyacinthsHope spring is springing for you, too.
Saturday, April 09, 2005
Oh my aching back!
And it's not just my back.
Yesterday, as I was preparing for my meeting which starts on Monday, I got a call about 12:30 pm from MT, our feed guy. MT also happens to be our neighbor. He was driving by the house with a load of feed, and he noticed Major on the wrong side of the fence. He called to say that since Cleo is in heat, he surmised that Major knocked the gate off and that's how the horses got out. He told me that he just put Major in the barn and Cleo was fine. "And the gelding?" I asked, "Did you just put him in the paddock with her, or back in the barn?" He said, "Gelding? You had a gelding there, too?"
Nearly six hours later, after an exhaustive search by B and I, M (the horses' owner), her friend M, and about 6 of our neighbors (most of whom we first spoke to on this occassion and by then had become quite well-acquainted), we found him. He was about 3/4 mile up the road, about 2 fields back from the main road, munching on corn stalks. He was just staring at us, as if to say, "Hey guys! Good to see you!" It took four people on foot, and two cars to get back there and TO him, and M rode him home. Thank goodness he was dog tired!
The gate did need some fixing, which I took care of this morning. I could hardly lift the gate, I was so exhausted and sore. I can't even imagine how many acres we covered yesterday, or how many times over we covered the same acreage.
Not only that, but when I got the call, I dropped everything at work and came home. I left my desk in disarray, my laptop open and on my desk, and of course, my projects unfinished. I had to go back after that, and ended up not leaving work until nearly midnight.
Isn't it a good thing I love them so much?! What we do for our furry friends...
Yesterday, as I was preparing for my meeting which starts on Monday, I got a call about 12:30 pm from MT, our feed guy. MT also happens to be our neighbor. He was driving by the house with a load of feed, and he noticed Major on the wrong side of the fence. He called to say that since Cleo is in heat, he surmised that Major knocked the gate off and that's how the horses got out. He told me that he just put Major in the barn and Cleo was fine. "And the gelding?" I asked, "Did you just put him in the paddock with her, or back in the barn?" He said, "Gelding? You had a gelding there, too?"
Nearly six hours later, after an exhaustive search by B and I, M (the horses' owner), her friend M, and about 6 of our neighbors (most of whom we first spoke to on this occassion and by then had become quite well-acquainted), we found him. He was about 3/4 mile up the road, about 2 fields back from the main road, munching on corn stalks. He was just staring at us, as if to say, "Hey guys! Good to see you!" It took four people on foot, and two cars to get back there and TO him, and M rode him home. Thank goodness he was dog tired!
The gate did need some fixing, which I took care of this morning. I could hardly lift the gate, I was so exhausted and sore. I can't even imagine how many acres we covered yesterday, or how many times over we covered the same acreage.
Not only that, but when I got the call, I dropped everything at work and came home. I left my desk in disarray, my laptop open and on my desk, and of course, my projects unfinished. I had to go back after that, and ended up not leaving work until nearly midnight.
Isn't it a good thing I love them so much?! What we do for our furry friends...
Thursday, April 07, 2005
He said to me...
“You and I are like two trees, planted side-by-side, so many years ago. We have grown together, intertwining so much so that we no longer know where one ends and the other begins.”
I have never forgotten that.
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
Well Gaw-lee!
I was just reading the news, and was shocked to find out that my job is listed in the top 10 sexiest careers. That's news to me!
How can people find grueling hours, sore feet, and perpetual exhaustion sexy??
I'd rather shovel poop. : )
I actually do love my job, but I am in this crazy-busy time right now, and just discouraged. It will be better at the end of next week.
Speaking of work, now back to it...
How can people find grueling hours, sore feet, and perpetual exhaustion sexy??
I'd rather shovel poop. : )
I actually do love my job, but I am in this crazy-busy time right now, and just discouraged. It will be better at the end of next week.
Speaking of work, now back to it...
Tuesday, April 05, 2005
There's No Place Like Home!
I got in about 10:30 last night. I was dog tired, having been on my feet for 20 hour days the previous 4 days. I was not used to the honking in Manhattan-- the only honking I ever hear is from the geese! So I didn't sleep well. New York was fine. It was a good chance to get my "city fix" but there is NO place like home.
A funny story: One of my clients is from Vienna. The last time she and I had a chance to sit and talk was in Bermuda in 2003, and we talked about our kids, our spouses, etc. I don't usually get involved personally with them, but every once in a while you meet someone that you could really get along with and you push the envelope a little. So we had a nice talk. This year she asked me about my "cat" (no plural) and I told her about the move and the farm, and the additional cats. I asked her if she had ever seen the movie "Bridges of Madison County" and she had. She said it was her and her daughter's favorite movie! I told her I lived in the midst of Madison county and all of the bridges. It is funny, someone who has never been to the midwest can picture my house and surroundings because of that movie. She said she was jealous, and would love to visit. I just might have her over!
i drove up, and the horses were out. Major neighed at me angrily, and I went over to see him. Instead of coming up to the gate to meet me, he turned his back to me and wouldn't come up to me! He was so mad!! I loved on him a little, and just like a typical man, he came around with a little snuggling. : )
Today was about 70 degrees, and I rode for a long time. It was wonderful. I am still really busy, I have another meeting next Monday-Wednesday, but I have been really blessed to be able to come home, take a break and ride, spend time in the barn, etc., and then get back to work (from home) after the kids go to bed. It has made my stress level much more manageable.
Speaking of that, I have a boatload of work to do...
Glad to be back. Oh, and it's SO green here! I can't believe the difference in the few days I've been gone!
A funny story: One of my clients is from Vienna. The last time she and I had a chance to sit and talk was in Bermuda in 2003, and we talked about our kids, our spouses, etc. I don't usually get involved personally with them, but every once in a while you meet someone that you could really get along with and you push the envelope a little. So we had a nice talk. This year she asked me about my "cat" (no plural) and I told her about the move and the farm, and the additional cats. I asked her if she had ever seen the movie "Bridges of Madison County" and she had. She said it was her and her daughter's favorite movie! I told her I lived in the midst of Madison county and all of the bridges. It is funny, someone who has never been to the midwest can picture my house and surroundings because of that movie. She said she was jealous, and would love to visit. I just might have her over!
i drove up, and the horses were out. Major neighed at me angrily, and I went over to see him. Instead of coming up to the gate to meet me, he turned his back to me and wouldn't come up to me! He was so mad!! I loved on him a little, and just like a typical man, he came around with a little snuggling. : )
Today was about 70 degrees, and I rode for a long time. It was wonderful. I am still really busy, I have another meeting next Monday-Wednesday, but I have been really blessed to be able to come home, take a break and ride, spend time in the barn, etc., and then get back to work (from home) after the kids go to bed. It has made my stress level much more manageable.
Speaking of that, I have a boatload of work to do...
Glad to be back. Oh, and it's SO green here! I can't believe the difference in the few days I've been gone!
Saturday, April 02, 2005
Things have gone to hell in a handbasket...
Well, maybe that's an exaggeration. But I called home last night, and B told me that our friend M had taken Kitten, and brought us Don Pecos. That makes Cleo the lone mare, and now the "Alpha Mare." Her mother taught her well. She has turned into a little hussy around her daddy! (Horses have no regard for propriety or laws regarding incest!)
Major appreciated this new arrangement, since Kitten is quite the prude, and sees to it that Cleo adopt her values. With Kitten gone, Major is happy to accommodate Cleo. Like many men, his mind is ruled by his quest for procreation, and he loses all sense of reality when he has that as a priority.
I understand that while tried to bring them in last night, Major stomped on B's foot, and he now has three broken toes! I am so sorry for him-- it hurts so badly. I broke my toe once and I cried like a baby.
I might have to take back what I've said-- maybe there are some men out there that could handle the pain of childbirth...
Once again, he's my hero.
Now, I just have to get home and straighten out that sassy stallion!!
Major appreciated this new arrangement, since Kitten is quite the prude, and sees to it that Cleo adopt her values. With Kitten gone, Major is happy to accommodate Cleo. Like many men, his mind is ruled by his quest for procreation, and he loses all sense of reality when he has that as a priority.
I understand that while tried to bring them in last night, Major stomped on B's foot, and he now has three broken toes! I am so sorry for him-- it hurts so badly. I broke my toe once and I cried like a baby.
I might have to take back what I've said-- maybe there are some men out there that could handle the pain of childbirth...
Once again, he's my hero.
Now, I just have to get home and straighten out that sassy stallion!!
What a Difference a Day Makes
Yesterday
Today
What a difference a day makes! I have only been to New York once. And it really doesn't count. B and I visited family in PA, and we drove through New Jersey and parked on the coast and took the ferry to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. It was amazing, and we will never forget it. But does it really count as a visit to NYC? I am thinking no.
So I am enjoying the view here, and have seen a little of Manhattan. Today, however, it's rainy-- to the point of flooding. So I will not venture out. I hope, however, to get out at least so that I can avoid buying my souvenirs at the airport!
I miss the farm very much. I miss the kids, and B of course, but I miss the peace that my farm brings. The smells are different, the work is different. I am not feeling well, I have a tension headache. I think it's because I am able to rest and recharge at home, but not able to do that here.
I need a farm hug-- from all of the beings that live there, from the wind that whispers to me each day, from the trees that I adore. New York doesn't give hugs, I don't believe. The lights here are impressive, but not nearly as awe-inspiring as the light from a million stars.
I do, however, have a nice view of Central Park from the 38th floor of my hotel, so I am appreciating some trees and nature.
I will be home soon. But not soon enough.
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