Monthly Archives: March 2012

WW – A Passion for 4H

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Sunday was the annual 4H carnival at a near-by town. Scooter was tickled pink to be a part of it, and eventually Big Bro warmed up to the idea. Check out some of the great pics!

Why yes, yes it does!

Great cake for the cake walk!

Big Bro kept playing the cake walk game until this cake was gone. He was disappointed that it didn't come home with us.

Face painting, er, arm painting booth.

Scooter wanted to help out with the face painting, but he's only 8 and I didn't think he would do a very good job. Mom was wrong, and is proud to admit it. He made this flame, with oranges and yellows, and did an amazing job. He was so incredibly focused. Thank you, 4H!

 

Walking a mile…

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During the course of the last few weeks, (and when I look back, it’s truly months) there has been a lot of air-, print- and cyber-time given to criticize our food choices. Everywhere I look, I find articles that declare that we should not eat this, definitely not that, and the latest articles declare that red meat will bring your premature demise.

Wow, that’s some tough stuff.

I wonder how this study was funded, and how they came up with participants. Did it go something like this: “Hey, would you like to eat some meat and I’ll record when you die?”

OK, I’m going overboard a bit, but can we order up a dose of common sense, please?

In a country where we boast the most freedoms in the world, we certainly do like to spend a lot of time telling everyone what they should and should not be doing. Here’s the only thing I know for certain: Don’t eat anything…and you will die prematurely. That’s a guarantee. And there are those in this world who die from that every day. And they wouldn’t bat an eye at the red meat that supposedly kills you early, or the nutritionally-sound-but-poorly-named “pink slime,” or fresh vegetables, or bagged lettuce, or whatever else we’re supposed to be afraid of on our plate.

Consumers have a right to know about their food, and a right to question the methods, geography and cost of what they put on their plates. What I don’t appreciate is mainstream media’s drive to push misleading and incorrect information to the masses. They certainly do enjoy inciting mass-hysteria, but I have yet to see them stick around for the clean-up.

In a world where we are all about conserving resources and making the most out of what we have, I’m surprised that a method of being able to save a few more pounds of healthy beef is chastised instead of celebrated. (And it really, truly is beef, not some mystery liquid.)

Here is the bottom line: if you don’t want it, don’t buy it. Simple as that. We’re living in a country where we have food choices that each person can make. But we also have to make sure that there are choices available, not just for the affluent and “foodies,” but for John Q and those that have limited budgets. And when we have sources that are nutritionally sound and more economical, why wouldn’t we use them?

It seems to me that those that are speaking the loudest, are the ones that are able to make the most choices. They don’t have to worry about feeding a family of five on less than $10 per day, they don’t know what it’s like to not have money left for food. They’ve never had to collect commodities at a local office, wondering what they were going to make with gifts they’ve been given.

And that’s a mile I pray that I never have to walk again.

The beauty of calving

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This weekend was absolutely wonderful. The weather could not have been more perfect…well, maybe a little less windy yesterday, but it was still very nice. And with nice weather came a little boom in our calving.

When the weather is nice, though, it’s a little easier. The mud isn’t fun to mess with, but thanks to the wind, it’s been drying pretty nicely.

Here’s some of my shots from the weekend. And I’ll have more on Wednesday! Enjoy!

Hmmm...My calving instincts aren't always right on, but I'm thinking something here is telling me that she needs to head to the barn.

Just another beautiful bovine.

Our lilacs are trying to tell us that it's spring.

The cousins, in a race of epic proportions!

Mom, can't I just nap here?

A case for genetic markers

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Not so long ago, I wrote a post about how George seems to enjoy coloring himself from head to toe in markers. And I don’t mean just a little bit.

For Halloween, we'll be going as Smurfs.

After turning bath water several different shades of blue, green, black and orange the last few weeks, I was beginning to think that he had some strange sort of addiction to coloring on himself. (You know, like on that show where people say they HAVE to drink nail polish, eat chalk, etc.)

Well, I may have stumbled upon the answer…it’s genetic.

It appears as though 30-some years ago, this little blonde-haired beauty decided that she rather enjoyed coloring herself as well. Although, I like to think that I pulled off the look a little better.

Yep, he came by the habit honestly. Who would have thought this scene would be replayed 30 years later? Well, and on a little grander scale.

But that’s how it works, isn’t it? The next generation tries to find a way to do it bigger and better?

A little farmer romance

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After a very long week, most people wind down with a date night with their significant other. Well, I’m still waiting for Valentine’s Day supper, but that’s nothing new. And truly, I don’t mind…that much, except when the weeks have been long ones. And this has definitely been a long one.

Since I won’t be heading out on a date night with the hubby any time soon, I thought I’d go through a flashback of some of our greatest date moments…well, at least they were memorable.

1) I do believe Boss Man holds the record for latest date ever…and it was one of our first. We were supposed to go to a movie, but I was stood up. He called me 9 hours late. Apparently he got his pickup hung up on an old house foundation in the pasture, and this was in pre-cell phone days. He ended up walking quite a distance, and then was home so late he figured it didn’t pay to call me. Because I wasn’t up waiting by the phone, wondering where he was? Right. So I can’t complain too loudly about his tendencies to run late. I’ve known from the beginning.

2) He surprised me for lunch once (and yes, I think it only happened once), when I worked in town. We took his “farm” pickup to the local drive-inn and had a great meal, and a much-appreciated break from the work day. When it was time to leave, the pickup wouldn’t start. Apparently a bolt had come loose underneath, and needed to be tightened…and he knew all this because it happened on a somewhat-regular basis. A few seconds under the truck, and we were on our way. And yes, this was before we were married. And although that pickup isn’t used any more, it’s still a great memory when I see it.

3) I vividly remember the day we went to pick up our marriage license, and the tuxedos for the wedding. In true farmer-fashion, Boss Man decided that we should kill three birds with one stone and return the manure-spreader he had rented, while running the other errands. The only problem? The manure-spreader was the furthest away, meaning that we took care of the other “things” while pulling the spreader. Our local courthouse was full of giggles, and the bridal shop attendant looked like he was going to pass out when I placed the tuxes in the back seat of Mark’s extended cab pickup. They did tell us it was the first time any type of farm equipment had pulled up in front of the shop.

Our dating life and our married life have been much the same. It’s been such a wild ride, but the laughs and the giggles make it all worth while.

And one last memory before this Friday is over. The day we were married, Boss Man showed up late for pictures. He said, “Well, I figured you could take a bunch of pictures that you didn’t need me for.” I understand the logic, but it didn’t make me any less nervous!

Then, the last picture before we walked down the aisle, a romantic shot of us behind the church, me and my cathedral-length train (what was I thinking?) and Boss Man. The photographer suggested that he dip me, and give me a kiss. How romantic! Unfortunately, dipping was not a move that we had discussed, nor practiced…and, well, see for yourself:

That's right...he dropped me.

I was most concerned about grass stains on my dress. This would be another reason not to take photos before the wedding.

Just sayin’.

Needless to say, the last decade-plus has been one interesting moment after another. I sometimes say that I wish we lived a normal life, but I’m pretty sure that’s not true. How boring would that be?

I’m a hypocrite

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I’ve been up a lot the last few nights. We head to Mayo in a few weeks again. This time it’s for lots and lots of testing…developmental testing. George will be the big 3 in April, and that’s when he graduates from Infant Development into a school-district led program (if he qualifies and we decide to go down that route).

Guess who's going to be the big 3 in April?

So why am I a hypocrite? Trust me. I didn’t come to that conclusion easily. And it’s not something I enjoy admitting, but I think it’s true. You see…I’ve been so busy planning for George’s future, that I forgot to let him live today.

Let me explain.

George doesn’t handle illness well. He dehydrates quickly and goes down hill fast. You can ask our speech therapist who was here last week when he became sick. He went from fine and playing to physically ill and very little response in a matter of minutes. By the end of the week, we were in the hospital. The culprit? Strep.

You can't see me!

There I am!

Which is funny, because we had his tonsils and adenoids removed in August to try to help with limiting his strep infections. We’ve had 3 positive strep tests since. I shudder to think what it would have been like without the surgery though.

So, now what.

We need to start making decisions. Like, do we send him to preschool? Are we going to send him to school? Continue speech therapy in a school setting? And I became so wrapped up in planning out his future, that I forgot about today.

He’s a little boy, and little boys want to play, and get muddy and make a mess. They don’t worry about developmental scores, school choices and speech therapy. They want to play with the calves, tease the puppy and make their brothers miserable.

I spent so much time reading about what could happen, that I missed what was happening.

I can’t promise that I won’t spend any more late-nights with tears in my eyes as I watch George sleep. I can’t promise that I won’t go into overprotective mother-hen mode again. But I can promise that I’ll try to let go of my planning tendencies and embrace today for what it is…another day with my children.

No, I can’t forget what the statistics tell me, I can’t pretend that there are not times when George is truly in danger…but I can’t forget that a life without living is hardly a life at all.

I’ve read the statistics, but I forgot one thing…God hasn’t finished writing George’s story yet. And those are the only statistics that matter.

Protecting their future

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I never used to be a political person…well, at least not much. I had general ideas about where I thought our country stood, and felt that there were so many better-educated, passionate folks that could speak for me better than I could.

I was wrong.

I’m learning rather quickly that if I don’t speak up for what my family needs, then no one else will. And I will do everything I can to make sure that my children’s future is not jeopardized by an organization that attacks our livelihood, without taking the time to understand it.

Right now, EJ plays in the dirt...but I hope that someday he'll be able to farm with his dad. I'm doing my part to guarantee that. Will you?

 

What am I talking about? There is a group of individuals that have started a petition drive to collect signatures in support of a constitutional amendment that will safeguard farming and ranching in North Dakota. This amendment will guarantee that groups such as PETA and HSUS will not be able to manipulate the ballot initiative system in North Dakota and pass laws that will jeopardize our economy, our way of life and the future of our state.

The amendment simply states, “The right of farmers and ranchers to engage in modern farming and ranching practices shall be forever guaranteed in this state. No law shall be enacted which abridges the right of farmers and ranchers to employ agricultural technology, modern livestock production and ranching practices.”

It’s straight, to-the-point and flexible enough to stand the test of time.

When asked about what this amendment would do, perhaps it would be easier to tell you what it isn’t…this isn’t about size of farm, types of farming, or allowing animal abuses to take place. It won’t supersede federal laws, criminal complaints or compromise zoning-type issues. It has nothing to do with farming systems, and everything to do with farming practices.

But North Dakota is an agricultural state. We would never do anything to harm our biggest industry. Right?

Did you know that ballot initiatives are already planned for our state by HSUS? We’re not talking about a far-distant, hard-to-imagine future. We’re talking about here and now.

Do you have questions? Ask and I’ll answer them or check out this link and see if your questions have already been answered. If I can’t answer, I have a whole slug of people who can (and I’m not afraid to use them!). Do you want to know how to find a petition to sign? Email me at wagntales@gmail.com and I’ll connect you to someone near you that has a petition. (You need to have been a North Dakota resident for 30 days, at least 18 years old and have a residential address…oh, and a US citizen.)

Instead of playing catch up, it’s time to take a stand and support those that make North Dakota the great state that it is.

Thank you to North Dakota Farm Bureau, North Dakota Stockmen’s Association and all other organizations in the state of North Dakota that support this effort. My boys thank you, too.

Common thread

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A young boy, without a care in the world…a young woman, who followed her dreams…a man in retirement, making plans to enjoy himself. What could they possibly have in common?

Well, unfortunately, what they have in common is all too common…cancer.

This past week has been an overly tough one for me. But I’ve decided to turn the new month into a new goal…a battle against cancer, if you may.

I’m tired of this disease that takes, takes, takes. I’m tired of losing friends, family and loved ones in a battle that can be so one-sided. I’m just so tired of it all.

No, I understand that it won’t be changed today, or tomorrow, but someday…yes, someday…I’m confident that we will be able to provide better options for those that are faced with these battles. Science is there, we just need to support it.

And so, with that I’m declaring March Madness as my war on cancer month. A friend of mine has started a Relay for Life page, rounding up some social media friends and others to raise funds for cancer research. It’s a great cause and one that I fully support. And I’m choosing to support her efforts in an unusual way.

Kelly doesn’t know this yet, but I have heard somewhere that there is someone willing to match her goal of $315 raised, if she makes it to her goal by the end of the month. You can check out her progress (and give!) here.

As I’m writing this, my brother is sitting beside his friend, Jackie, in the hospital…waiting for her pain and suffering to end. A little more than a month ago, my uncle was planning his annual fishing trip to North Dakota, but we traveled to Wisconsin for a funeral instead.

Cancer is a common thread for so many, but as you learn quickly when cancer touches your family, you’re never in the battle alone.

If you would like to share a word of encouragement with Samuel and his family, you can find his CaringBridge site here…and you can follow along with Leontien’s battle here, or click on the link in the upper right-hand corner.

The way to a boy’s heart…

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Is apparently through his…feet?

Just a few minutes ago, the mailman brought a package to the door that wouldn’t fit in the mailbox. I had an idea about what it was, so I asked EJ if he wanted to open it…

and I have the happiest boy on this side of the county.

EJ opened new boots in today's mail! And they're "tractor boots." How cool is that?

 

Yes, I splurged a little, but not too much. They were on sale through Zulilly (I l-o-v-e that site, by the way) and they are John Deere boots. I knew he would love them, but I didn’t know that they come with a little surprise…

Box for boots, and a BARN!

 

The box that the boots come in turns into a barn! How cool is that! I had to fold some pieces together, but it’s all one piece, and I have one little boy in heaven.

Checking to make sure there's enough room for his tractors.

 

Now, normally I would buy his boots from a thrift store, or off Craigslist, or something like that. It’s not that we can’t afford to buy brand new boots, but really, let’s be sensible. If their main purpose is going to be walking through mud, riding in tractors and traipsing through a barn full of….manure…would it make sense to buy them new?

I’m pretty sure the cows don’t care. And Iknow that EJ doesn’t. But these were a special surprise, and worth every dime, just to hear the squeals of joy.

The box is even printed on the inside. "Just like ours, Mom!"

 

In a world where demands and “I deserve”s are heard more than thank-you’s, hearing my not-so-little boy exclaim with appreciation and tell me that he’s so thankful for his new boots…well, that’s worth it’s weight in cowboy boots.

And, no…they won’t be allowed in the barn yet, but I imagine they’ll make their way there soon. 😉

Thankful Thursday – Shelter

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Our blizzard turned out to be not so much a snow event, as it was a wind event…but it still made me so very grateful. And after the storms in Illinois and elsewhere, I thought it would be appropriate today to give my thanks for shelter.

I'm thankful for shelter for our calves...and a Boss Man that cares for them!

 

The calves love playing in the fresh straw.

 

Snug as a bug in a rug.

 

I'm thankful for the equipment and technology that allows us to care for our animals, like this bale processor.

 

The bale processor (above) grinds up the corn stubble (left over corn stalks) that our farm baled at the end of harvest last year. It provides great bedding for our cows, as well as a treat or two, as they find leftover corn cobs and other goodies in the bedding.

It's kind of like an Easter egg hunt, in your bed.

 

And I’m grateful for our home, and for all of those that make it possible for us to provide shelter for our animals, our children and ourselves.

And as I give thanks for the shelter that we have, I offer prayers and condolences to those that lost their homes and their lives during this week’s storms.