A momentary break in the fog

Just a small glimpse into what the weather has been like around here.  Fog, fog and then more fog.

A Snowmobile built for two!

K showed up at our house today riding his Skidoo sled.  It is built for two people to sit side by side.  B drove me around the farm in it and I laughed the whole time.   It was a LOT of fun.  Later he called to report that he tried to ride over, around, through, (I am not sure which) a canal and didn't make it.  He had to get a tractor to pull his sled out of the muck.  He says it has water in the gas tank, the carburetor, the intake valve and probably everywhere else.   Once again, no photo.
P.S.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!

Too Old?

Some people might say that a 50 yr old farmer and his 43 yr old wife are too old for childish activities like sledding and the people saying it the loudest would probably be the farmer and his wife.  Even though they are old enough to know better, they spent their afternoon sledding on the hills at the farm and had a right good old time!   Sorry, no pictures included.  Too bad because the farmer's beard, mustache and right side of his face were covered with ice and snow not to mention everywhere else.  We would slide down the hill, land in a heap at the bottom, get our faces licked by a friendly dog or two and then begin the arduous climb back up the hill.  It was so fun we might try it again tomorrow!

Solar Heated Mobile Office

Even though my husband laughs at the thought of it, sitting in the cab of the tractor keeps me warm when I need to let the dogs run.  I can even get internet reception most of the time and all the windows let the sun in and make it toasty inside.  It isn't everyone who has access to such a great place to be.

My own "Pieces"

My sister surprised us all at Christmas with our own lap quilt from the same clothing she used to make my mom's quilt from my dad's clothing.  It was beyond kind of her and I will always treasure it.  I am including the words to the poem she wrote for my mom.

Pieces

There are pieces of heaven we’ve all felt through dad.
Happiness, laughter, kindness
Love, peace and friendship we’ve all had.

These pieces of his life still remain with us today.
Covering us daily, comforting, guiding,
And ever warming us with his presence.

The many pieces taught,
The many pieces shown.
Will not be forgotten,
But will ever be known.

The pieces left by dad will always be cherished,
Whether we see a man about a horse,
Are tickled by a boat or feather,
Have a finger pulled,
Or get around to it at “the first”
His love from above will always be treasured.

Each piece has its place,
Each piece is remembered.
Responsibility, good character, dedication have all been taught,
Support, patience, joy and excitement have all been shared.

We receive new pieces each day from above,
We are covered with warmth, humor and perseverance,
Feelings of belonging, purpose and importance.
Each piece being sent with his unconditional love.

Through jokes, quiet chuckles and hard work.
Through gathering together, camping, fishing, gardening, and being steadfast.
His pieces are sewn, tied and bound by each of us.

He is there with us throughout our own journeys.
He has left a legacy of togetherness and love.
Forever, receiving dad’s prized pieces from heaven above.

 

Cat on a Cold Haystack

Without a good reason, we found Gilligan perched on the top of the haystack this evening.  There is no explaining that cat!  Since I had camera in hand, it took some other pics of the crazy cat.

Find the Fox

Walking back from getting the mail this afternoon I saw something moving down by the river.  I figured by the size of it, it had to be a fox.  Sure enough!  I haven't seen a fox around here since before November. After watching it through binoculars, I decided to give the camera a shot.  There was no way I could get close enough to it for a good shot, so you can enjoy trying to find it somewhere in the landscape.

Olympic-sized Injury

J was the only injury. She earned a medal, we can't decide if it is the "Short Term Memory Award" or the "I Didn't Heed My Own Warning" award. She warned all of us repeatedly not to walk into the board jutting out from the truck. Yeah, you guessed it, she walked smack dab into the board herself.

Be sure to note the scratch on the inside of the eye besides the puncture wound on the forehead. I am betting on a black-eye by tomorrow.

The First Annual Wilkins Winter Olympics

Today we held an Olympics of sorts on the farm. We didn't have very many events, but we had a lot of fun. Some of the events included trap shooting, 4-wheeler racing, sledding, snow-shoeing and snow-angel making.

J with his medals for winning both shooting events.

Walking Amongst the Deer

L. walking the farm road.

Proof that my husband wasn't seeing things the other night.

Tracks everywhere!

My sisters came over on Christmas and we went on a walk with our cameras. We just got to the bottom of the hill when Jasmine took off running. This is never a good thing! I thought she had found a fox, but instead she spotted a small herd of deer. I called her back, but by then the deer had been spooked and were quickly jumping the fence into our neighbors field. We continued on our walk and found a small herd, we don't know if it is the same group we scared or not. So far, we don't have deer tracks around the haystacks. Just everywhere else, literally.

More Winter Shots

I took these pictures the morning of Christmas Eve. It was 8 degrees outside.