When All “Hail” Broke Loose

In Western PA we are experiencing the odd weather patterns, 80’s one week and freeze warning the next.  This morning, I was preoccupied with my normal routine of morning computer work and then take a break and head out to the barn to feed the cows.  I ‘suited up’ for the cold temps of yesterday and was pleasantly surprised to feel a warm breeze on my face.  Then I really noticed the weather….

Cows on the hill, Sunshine and Storm Clouds

I spent a few moments marveling at the intensity of the colors.  Then I headed to the barn – a mere 50 yards from the house.

As I started forking the hay I heard that first clunk on the metal roof of the barn.  I paused to look for Lucy (the new puppy).  That is when all “hail” broke loose.

The sound of pounding hail on the metal roof was deafening.  The cows stopped eating, some even gathered into a circle in their section.  And Lucy?  This was obviously her first experience with hail and she was having a melt down.

Faster than the speed of the camera

My attempt to snap a picture of Lucy running through the hail storm proved just how fast she really is!    I’m not sure if it was the pounding of the pea-sized ice balls on her, or the thundering sound of the hail bouncing off the barn roof – but Lucy was on hyper-run.  It was all I could do to shout her name and get her to come stand by me.

When the dust settled….I mean, when the stones stopped, the quiet was just as shocking as the pounding.  I was able to continue my feeding but I opted out of the morning jog up the hill to check on the cows at the top.     You see, I have this weird fear of storms and lightning 🙂    But I do enjoy the beauty of them…

You can almost see the Rainbow to the left of the picture above the tree-line.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mud or Manure

Lucy’s Blog….FARM DATE 3-24-12

Camilla and Lucy

I have just been informed by the cat, Camilla, that my joyful romps in the mud (which I blogged about yesterday) was a lie!   I told that cat that I do not lie and I truly enjoyed leaping in the tractor ruts filled with mud.

Camilla then told me that it was not mud!  OMG – no wonder the rest of the humans do not splash around in the tractor ruts!  No wonder I am hosed off after playing!  It is not mud at all, but rather….manure!

The horrors of it all – telling my mother I am getting the chance to play in mud.  If she only knew.  Oh well, I will continue to romp in the “M” until I receive more strict punishment.

P.S. The Farmer says it is good to play outside in the dirt – helps build the immune system.  I like the way he thinks 😉

 

 

 

 

 

Cow work

Lucy’s Blog…FARM DATE 3-23-12

Well, this “cow thing” has proven to be interesting.  Every morning I go out to feed the cows in the barn and then jog out to look at cows in the field.  Not sure what I am looking for, but I look at the cows.

I have managed to stay away from that beastly fence when I go out to the field.  It is very funny to watch Beth (the human) duck under the fence and get snagged by the sharp points on it.

The barn yard area has huge ruts in it – deeper than I can see over.  I enjoy jumping into the ruts as the mud is deep and I can then spring out and over to the next rut.  Talk about exercise!!

Here is a picture of my muddy paws….good thing I decided not to wear my dresses for feeding time!  I find the mud so interesting that I make it a daily habit to jump into the ruts.  I am a bit irritated by the cold water rinsing I get afterwards, but I will consider it worth the irritation just to have some fun.  I am not sure why the humans avoid the mud.

Look Mom....MUD !!

It Eventually Pays Off

I am certain this phrase has been repeated to you over the years.  Whether it be when you were a kid in little league learning to bat, or when you were complaining about your homework, or when you expressed frustration about your “low level” job status.  I became numb to the statement over the years … then, one day this week,  found myself saying it TO myself!

You see, I am busy raising 3 children.  Two of them are now in college and the eldest, Morgan, is now in law school.  I have spent years doing the same thing every parent does – cleaning, coaching, guiding, correcting, teaching…and loving, even when loving got tough.

My eldest and my youngest are my headstrong, outspoken children.  The middle one is quieter, but equally independent.  Perhaps it was the eldest child syndrome, or the fact that she is the only girl and there is the natural head-butt with your mother syndrome, but the communication with my daughter often involved arguing.

Arguing about clothes, TV shows, friends, curfew, grades….you name it, we could argue about it.  She was the type who always had to have the last word.  I was often told, but more seasoned moms, that “this too shall pass” and it would “eventually” get better.

“Eventually” has finally shown itself.  We can now shop together without arguing.  We can give each other advice without a fight ensuing.  We can even celebrate all those past difficulties.

My daughter called me today, er rather texted me, to tell me that she scored a perfect on her oral argument (she is an L1 – in layman terms that is her first year in law school).   I texted back and told her that “all those years of arguing with me gave her the practice she needed” – in other words, “It Eventually Paid Off.”

Guess I can now enjoy the memories of all those arguments !  Hope she won’t mind if I use them in my new career as a writer – now to find a young mother’s magazine so I can impart my knowledge as a more “seasoned” mom 🙂    Thanks to all those moms who didn’t let me down – all those trials and tribulations of child rearing…yep,  it does eventually pay off!

A rare moment when all of us are together.

Lucy’s Blog 3-22

Lucy’s Blog….FARM DATE 3-22-12

It has proven to be an interesting start to my new assignment.  I have been informed by the other dog here at The Farm that there is a routine to learn.   Jewel (the other dog) tells me that the morning routine involves computer work, feeding some cattle and then taking a jog/walk across the pasture fields.

I am interested in this routine since it involves getting outside – and I am curious about the practice of “looking at the cows.”  Here is a picture of my first outing.

I am a bit perturbed by the leash that I am attached to.  I express this feeling by jumping, twisting and crisscrossing myself in front of the human.  She trips over the leash, steps on my toes and gets just as perturbed by the leash.  So why does she continue to use it??   Why do humans continue to do things that irritate them?  We dogs know when to stop doing things that irritate us.  Anyway….

I had a strange encounter while on my ‘jog’ – an encounter with a line that, when touched, sent a jolt of power through me.  Power so strong that it caused me to leap high into the air and do a flip!   I yelled out and flipped some more.   Why is Jewel laughing at me?

Note to self:  avoid any fence.

Lucy’s Blog 3-19

Lucy’s Blog…… FARM DATE 3-19-12

I have received my final assignment after spending the last 6 months in relative obscurity – being born, socialized and prepared to carry out my duties as “man’s best friend” by my host family.  I am not certain I was well prepared for this assignment as my previous locations have all been single dwellings with only humans and this location has many dwellings and many life forms.  I have been told it is THE FARM.

My luggage does not contain “farm” items.  I have my balls, chew toys, raw hides, treats and food.  But I feel that my dresses (worn at my previous location) will not be proper attire for outdoor activities at The Farm.  I will save my dresses for special occasions.

I did not get off on such good terms with the lead female of the home.  Apparently it is in poor taste to relieve one’s self in their van.  She has gotten over it and we have moved on in our relationship.

I had to be photographed for other members of The Farm to see me since they do not reside full time at the farm.  Although I have taken better pictures this one is not too bad.

Dillon feels that my name is acceptable so I will continue to be known as “Lucy”….. I do not know what “Lucy Goosey” means but I am certain it is in reference to my over exuberant energy.    I will continue to keep you all updated as the days progress.  I look forward to meeting and talking to all of you.

Love, Lucy

What kind of mother am I?

What mother tells her college kid NOT to come home over spring break?  This mother does.  Before you start shouting “foul play” for being insensitive to my child, let me explain where I am coming from.

I have spent over 21 years nurturing, cleaning, feeding, guiding, coaching and correcting.  I have pulled the late nights and the early mornings.  I have helped type papers and run the wheels off the family van going to and from every sporting or school event.  I have been told to “get out of my life” and been begged to “help me figure out my life.”  I have saved and paid for everything from that Power Ranger figure to those fancy prom shoes.  Yep, I have played the role of mother to the best of my ability.

So, why would I tell my child to not come home for spring break?   Because she is in college is SUNNY Florida and I am in COLD Pennsylvania.   I think it would be a well-deserved break for mom!!   Oh, and that other college child – he took off for Hilton Head for spring break….without MOM !!

P.S.  The Daughter is coming home and we have lunches and shopping and movie night all planned out.  It is great to be a Mom – and to be a friend too.

Cows Don’t Need Lip Gloss

No, this is not some political rhetoric about lipstick and pigs…it is about lips.  My poor lips out in the cold, biting wind.  I was preparing to perform my morning chores out at the barn today – but first I checked the weather to make certain I was properly layered for the temperature.  The wind was a bit wicked this morning and, as a last second thought, I figured I had better put something on my lips to keep them from getting dry and cracking.

Years ago, when my children were newborns, my pediatrician told me to get udder creams to use on the baby’s bottom.  My favorite was Bag Balm.  I had green little cans all over the house because I used it on more than irritated little bottoms.  I used it hands, lips, and even the dog’s nose when he had rubbed it raw from digging outside.  What ever is mixed in with that petroleum jelly was awesome.

Speaking of petroleum jelly, just over the hill in the next town is a company that makes petrolatums.  Sonneborn makes all sorts of super white mineral oils, petrolatums and many more products that I can’t even state what they are used for.  I am not sure if their petrolatums ever made it into Bag Balm, but it is an interesting site to visit and see what all is produced at the company.

Back to my lips….I did not have more Bag Balm but I did have my purse handy and there was a tube of “Pomegranate Bubbly” lip gloss / lip shine.  I figured it would do the trick so I applied a liberal amount for protection and headed out to the cows.  Heck, they may even enjoy the smell of Pomegranate.

The wind was pretty gusty, so much so that the dog’s ears looked like the hat the flying nun always wore (remember that TV show from years ago?).  I pushed around the silage and started on the hay bale.  The bale was small enough that I could rock it and topple it onto its side – Bonus!  This meant I could unroll the hay bale like a piece of carpet all the way down the barn floor in front of the headlocks and the hungry cows.  I unrolled, and unrolled, and unrolled.  The hay bale was coming apart nicely – yet messy.  There were chunks, pieces, flecks and powder.

Take those pieces and powders  +  the wicked wind  +  the pomegranate bubbly … and the lip effect result is…..

Anyone Want A KISS ??

Deaf Ears

Trying to write for a living has brought a whole new set of “issues” to consider.  Aside from the lack of a steady income flow, there is the issue of communication. How to write to get your message across without the added benefits of body language and vocal tone.  How to catch someone’s attention in the first few lines.  How to use correct grammar.  How to use spell check!  Communication, in any form, is a tough skill to master.

Take for instance my verbal exchanges with the “farmer” about…well, just about anything.  From “what do you want for dinner,” to discussions about college funds and the car making funny noises, it seems that some people are very selective about what they hear.   As someone who likes to write, I have written a number of speeches for my Toastmaster’s International club (I achieved my Competent Communicator a few years ago which means I delivered 10 speeches), I figured that my vocal delivery was lacking and I should attempt to write my message.

I figured that the farmer’s hearing could also be a part of the problem, most likely brought on by all those years of noisy tractors and steers banging around in the their headlocks in the barn, he would do better with the written word rather than the spoken word.  I composed, deleted, composed again, read it out loud and printed it.  I then placed the written communication in a location he was sure to find…and then I waited.

Turns out that not only is he deaf, he is blind too!    Can I legally use a cattle prod?!?!

 

 

To write or not to write…

I have recently made a career change and I am now “working” from home.  Not a bad gig when everyone else is at work or school – gets a little difficult as soon as there is another body in the house because you are never really doing anything that important to them so they interrupt you for silly things – like who is cooking dinner.

I have discovered that some other bodies are encroaching on my work space and making it difficult to work.  They are silent distractions, ever so coy yet so powerful.  As I stop and turn around to ponder a new angle on a project I see this…..

Snoring Dog, Stretching Cat

It is very difficult to hear the dog snoring so

so deeply – and when she is dreaming and running

it becomes even more entertaining….and

distracting.    As for the cat, she knows she is

cute and plays it for what is worth.

 

 

 

So I decide to take a break.  Get a drink.  Pet the cat.  Get more wood on the fire.  I am greeted by another body sending me a message…..      How am I supposed to work when the message is clearly “time for a nap!”   I actually poked the cat to make sure she was still alive because she was so hot to my touch.   Oh well, if you can’t beat them – join them!

   

Baking Kitty