Day 29 & 30: Farewell My Favorite Month

This last week has not been a good week for following through with the 30 day AG blog challenge. It's not that I have been busier than usual, because I haven't...but I've been busy making memories with my sweetheart (who I only see for short periods of time every couple of months or so). Do you think you could forgive me for not keeping up with the challenge? I hope so!

It's been an interesting week (and month), one filled with the highest highs and the lowest not anywhere near the lowest lows. There has been an engagement, a vehicle breakdown, plans being changed, my final Masters project ending, and to top the boy's visit off...a train ride :)

I don't know what it is about my farm boy (and most farm boys) but if it is big and it runs on diesel...he is so there. Without question. 

So we went and experienced the Big South Fork Scenic Railway, which is definitely southern Kentucky almost to Tennessee. The Big South Fork Recreational Area actually falls in both Kentucky and Tennessee but that's another one of my random facts you will probably never need. To make it even better we rode in the cab with the engineer...Hallelujah and Praise the Lord! 

It's not a very long train trip, 2 hours time-wise, but only about 10 miles one-way (20 miles round-trip...I'm really bad with numbers so I thought I would just help you out haha). But it's still a pretty one and takes a quick half hour stop at an old coal camp in Stearns. One of Cody's goals in life? Getting inside of a coal mine. My goal? Me surviving him surviving that trip. Don't get me wrong, coal mining is an honorable profession...but I would never have survived being a coal miner's wife. It would give me an ulcer, a heart attack and turn me into a bitter old woman before my time. 

But riding in the cab? Definitely made the trip worthwhile. Not only did we get to ride forwards...we experienced driving backwards, uphill, as well. Jealous? I am. Now if only you could witness a Wisconsinite trying to figure out what Kentuckians are saying...major accent differences!

So at the end of my favorite month of the year I wouldn't change a thing. Especially since I still have one more night to enjoy the company of my sweetheart...who looks awfully lonely on the couch which means it's time to end this post. Enjoy the photo montage and help me in saying: Farewell November! Helllllooooo December :)

I get to ride in the cab?!?

Barthell Coal Camp

Kentucky and Tennessee Rail Way Cars

This is what it looks like to drive a train backwards

And this is how tight the path is...wanna touch some rocks??

Farewell, Farewell.

Day 28: A Day Of Thanks

It seems this week that I have completely fallen off track with my 30 day blogging. But it seemed to me that my time would be better served cooking, sewing and cuddling my boy on this oh so special Thanksgiving.

In fact he helped me cook and sew...and told me that he was by far, better at than I was. I guess this is what
happens when one ring makes you instantly domesticated? I didn't realize that such a small item could so drastically change ones outlook on everything. And had the power to domesticate the man! Maybe I should just count my blessings and accept that this may be one of those insanely rare turn of events. Don't think I am ever going to have to worry about trying to foolishly change my boy.

We trudged next door to one of my neighbors and had a short visit before heading to town and co-hosting Thanksgiving dinner with friends of mine from school. How do you co-host Thanksgiving you might ask? You split up the food making duties that's how! I can only classify it as co-hosting because there were 3 fellow students that enjoyed Turkey Day with us. One from India and 2 from China...needless to say they were surprised at how much we ate, what foods we had cooked, and we didn't do a very good job of explaining why Thanksgiving is so important to Americans.

I guess it is one of those things that is bred into us, like the color of our eyes, the dimples in our cheeks, and the instinctive love of the country we are so very lucky to live in.

So on that day of Thanks, I was so very grateful to have family that I love (even though I was far away from them), a brand-new fiance, and wonderful friends to spend the day with.

My list of thanks is probably a mile long...but friends and family will always be the most important. And what Turkey Day is truly about.

Days 25-27: Does Anything Ever Go As Planned?

I'm not really sure why we make plans because they never turn out the way I expect. I guess it's a good thing the boy and I are both getting really good at rolling with the tide.

We headed north to Cincinnati on Monday to go to a cookbook signing for The Pioneer Woman (Ree Drummond). If you haven't experienced the awesomeness of The Pioneer Woman (cooking show, recipes, blog, etc) then you really need to check her out. She is pretty damn awesome. So much so that I've even gotten my family hooked on her show. But I've been planning to go to this signing since she first posted the schedule. It was to be my belated birthday present to myself...that may sound selfish, but cooking is never selfish.

We get most of the way to Cincinnati and my pickup sputters. Sputters. Loses power. Then dies. On the side of 1-75. With people flying by at 70+.

Of course my personal mechanic gets out and starts checking everything over. An hour goes by and he has finally exhausted what he can do with no tools. And the pickup is deader than a doornail. So I call State Farm to get a tow. Three hours later we finally get a tow...to a garage about 2 miles up the road. Seriously. We were sitting right near an exit, with our flashers on and apparently we were impossible to find. Yep. Three hours. 

By this point we had more than missed the signing, so we spent the night in a hotel and the shop fixed my pickup in the morning.

I cried when I realized I was going to miss the signing. I didn't even care that my pickup was broken down. But missing the signing? That was just too much. Luckily I called the bookstore and they got my books signed for me anyway. I even told the woman at the bookstore she was My Hero. Can you tell they made it very clear on the signing list that I was really upset I was missing the whole deal?

So the boy and I got a mini-vacation in the middle of our vacation. It may have not been in the plans, but we went with it. I'm not sure why I was supposed to miss the signing, but I know it was for a reason. And I got my cookbooks in the end :)

Tuesday involved finishing our trek to Cincinnati, drinking for a couple hours in a bar, and going to see Catching Fire. Which didn't turn out the way I was expecting. I just hope this new director doesn't ruin the final book...cuz I would cry then too. But driving home in the snow made it all worth it :) Oh how I have missed the white stuff. OK so it wasn't much...but better than nothing right?

On this eve of Thanksgiving, my now domesticated boy finished my quilting frame :) as I made some brownies and pasta salad to take with us to dinner tomorrow, then made dinner. Did I mention the boy busted his tooth on a bacon sandwich this morning? Yep, now everybody thinks I'm abusive. Did I mention he accidentally almost broke my nose? This was definitely not our couple of days. 

As you can see I'm not sure why we ever make plans...they never work out the way we planned. But sometimes that can be a blessing in disguise :)

Day 24: Romance Is Overrated

Little did I know when I wrote yesterday's post that today would definitely require a sense of humor. The boy had promised me a belated birthday breakfast (that he was going to make). Unfortunately he left his bag of free potatoes at home...in Wisconsin.

Forgetting the taters for your tater-loving girlfriend? Not the best start to a birthday breakfast.

B: How about pancakes?
Me: I just made pancakes a week or two ago. How bout you just pull those out of the freezer and heat them up?
B: Fine
*Pancakes get eaten (while watching Die Hard 2...oh joy haha)*

As I was eating breakfast I called my mom because my sister has been having car troubles and I figured I better catch them before they left for work and went to church. So we chatted away and I got up to do the dishes. At this point the boy started grumbling and kept yelling at me to sit down. But I was cleaning...you don't mess with a woman when she's cleaning. Especially not when she's cleaning and talking to her Mama.

When I finally sat down, he pulled his pinkie finger out with a ring on it and said "Wanna get hitched?"

Oh be still my fluttering heart. The sheer romance of the whole situation still takes my breath away ;) I am still laughing about that...apparently by not sitting still I ruined his plan. Although I don't see how it could have gotten anymore romantic than it did.

Some people make elaborate plans. My boy? True romantic. All the way.

But I'm not complaining. Not at all. Because if the boy had proposed to me in a really imaginative way I would have wondered what the heck had happened to the guy I knew. The farmer who buys me a truck but keeps it for himself...because he needs it more than I do right now. The man who drives 10 hours one-way just to see me whenever he can. Who spends hours doing pig work on his vacation...especially on the day he proposed to his girlfriend. I could go on, but my boy is not overtly romantic. Or emotional. But that doesn't mean he doesn't love me. And wouldn't move heaven and earth to protect me.

It's pretty funny how things turn out. I am one of the biggest romantics in the world...I cry during Disney movies, Hallmark movies, books, etc. And now I am marrying one of the world's most secret romantics...who just doesn't know how to show it. No worries though, at least we have the right outlook on life...just the like the couple in this article.

So whadya say? Wanna get hitched? :)

Day 23: Humor Needed, Sanity Optional

Once upon a time there was a not-so-fair maiden waiting for her handsome prince to arrive. He would bring with him great tidings of joy and wonder.

Wait a second. Probably shouldn't mix fairy tales and Christmas stories. Next thing I know I will be dreaming of killer reindeer, monster dogs and Peeta Mellark. I can only imagine how that would turn out....especially dreaming about Peeta. He is after all the best character to dream about. I asked the boy if I could name a kid Peeta. He rolled his eyes and told me only if he could name a kid Bubba. Nevermind...not making that bargain!

In case you couldn't tell, I was graced with the presence of my boy today (and for the next 8 days!!). Since we only see each other every couple of months this is quite the treat. Or nightmare. I haven't decided which yet. Especially since he loooooves to drive me crazy. And by crazy I mean INSANE. On purpose. 

Which ends up with us bickering. A lot. In fact we were told to start a comedy show. If people enjoy watching large men being punched by small women then we would make a killing. If you don't enjoy bickering and violence...well you are out of luck on this deal! 

If you want some humor to end this day..the boy is only 23, yet showed up today looking like an 80 year old man, bent and shuffling. When you are 6'5", bent in half, and barely walking I'd say a chiropractor is in dire need...but what do I know? To make matters even better, he's turning grey! 

Visitors are always welcome at my house but you need a large dose of humor. Luckily sanity is only optional. 

Happy Saturday! :)

Day 22: Pointing Fingers Never Pays

Recently I have spent large portions of my time trying to dispel the fear associated with "factory farms" face to face with individuals. On Wednesday I presented to another set of high school AG classes and for the most part it was a great day.

I did have one shock. Even though it shouldn't have been a shock because I have been waiting for this for weeks. Before I had even begun the last presentation of the day I had one student tell me that factory farms were the most evil thing on the planet. And that chickens are pumped full of hormones like they are on a processing line.

Horror of horrors, she had just quoted the recent Chipotle campaign to me. Without saying Chipotle. Or where she had heard/seen these spectral images.

Hormone use is always covered in my presentations, because hormone use in pigs and poultry is illegal. Like really illegal. You can look it up if you don't believe me. Especially if you just paid extra money to buy that pork or poultry that was labeled as "hormone-free"...when it's all as hormone-free as anything can be (remember that hormones are in everything NATURALLY so there is no such thing as hormone-free food).

Anyway, that comment ended a day that had begun with the following commentary:

I still find myself reading comments on everything (even though I promised myself long ago I would cease to do that! Especially since it often makes my blood pressure rise...) and this comment is one I find frequently.

"Small farms are being destroyed by larger farms. Our state has lost many 100 cow dairies because of the larger dairy farms taking over."

Now I am no dairy farmer but that statement always burns me. Because I am dating a man who works on equipment for dairy farmers in Wisconsin for a living. And whose friends run 100 cow dairies. As far as I am concerned if 100 cow dairies were disappearing for good then Wisconsin would cease to exist as a state. Seriously.

Yes, "small" farms can have a difficult time competing with "larger" farms, but if you truly want to thrive then you will find your niche. When I see that comment I immediately think how many of those dairies that sold out had no succession plan or nobody interested in taking over? How many people just decided farming wasn't something they wanted to do anymore? How many of those people were going to make a killing selling their land to developers? Or who found an opportunity that was far easier and much more lucrative than milking cows? (For example: an 800 cow dairy near Cody had financial issues and ended up giving up milking cows to raising heifers for a larger dairy because it was just such a better financial option for them.)

Is it really the fault of the successful farmer when somebody else goes out of business? I'm not trying to be insensitive here but to me it seems like business acumen may be what is missing. As far as I am concerned if you really want it then you will find a way. No matter how hard. No matter how awful.

Do I have all the answers? Hell no.

But as far as I am concerned, blaming the successful farmers for the problems of the not-so-successful farmers seems like a cop-out. Because I guarantee you that the hope of most small farms is to grow...and when they grow, will that suddenly make them the enemy as well?

Just as the fighting amongst organic and conventional (I will admit that I sometimes have a hard time with this, but I am trying to be more understanding) must end, the finger pointing must end as well. Blaming others for personal problems never accomplishes anything. Except to alienate friends and create a divide that may never be bridged.

So instead I vote we applaud those who are successful and help those who need a leg up. Because someday soon that might be me needing a leg up. Without the dairy cows of course ;)

Day 21: For Mom

Today is my birthday. I'm not putting this out into cyberspace for recognition...but as an explanation for the nature of this post. 

Today most of all, I am extremely thankful for my family. 

Especially my Mama. 

Everybody loves their Mama and mine has always been one of my best friends. Sometimes I forget what I have told her and what I have told my boy...which ends up being a never-ending source of frustration for him but hey!


I won't wax poetic but my Mom is one of the most amazing people I have ever known. Because she is by far the strongest person I have ever known. Not so much physically anymore, especially not after this year. In fact, she's fragile...and it's extremely hard to accept. But mentally and emotionally she will always be my Beacon of Strength and the perfect example of how a Mom should be.


A little bit crazy (in a good way), extremely thoughtful, hard-working, resilient, a tough exterior with a soft inside, and a whole lot sarcastic. 

No matter how old I get, I still find myself sometimes wishing for my mommy to make everything all better. To just be able to sit in a recliner with her and know that everything will be okay. That a hug from her and some cookies can make the worst days seem like a piece of cake. 

I am so incredibly lucky to have such a wonderful Mom to hold onto. So on my birthday, I dedicate this day (in spirit) to her. Because without her, I wouldn't be here. Literally. And figuratively as well. 




And because I can't resist...I will share how incredibly wonderful and adorable my boy is. All you have to do is check out the card he mailed me (even though he will be here this weekend!!)