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 It is Thanksgiving day here on the farm. As we prepare to give thanks, the chores still need to be done. There is no "It's too cold to go out" or "I am tired". The livestock still needs to be tended. But when the day is done we have the pleasant knowledge that we know where our food comes from and how the animals that have given us this bounty have been treated. This is what farm life is all about.
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 Here on the farm, we wrestle with a formidable foe.
It has no face, but it is always watching you, it lurks in the shadows. It lies and waits to strike at you. It has no friend, it shows no mercy. It has no compassion for its victims. It has one, and only one mission.....to kill. It will do this either slowly or with lighting speed. Once you have been caught in it's embrace, death will come. We fear and respect this foe, since it respects neither man nor beast. Young or old, does not matter. It always hungry.......always searching for prey It takes many forms and will try to fool you. It clouds your mind, lulling you into a eternal sleep.... So you now may ask what is this hideous thing? THE COLD, as we slip deeper into winter and the temperature drops, it is there lurking and waiting to strike. As the icy winds blow, the numbing cold seeps in, we have to bundle up and go out to tend the animals. We see that they have food, water, and shelter. As we go about this we also are mindful of this foe. As the snow is plowed and we go pass the pond. Sometimes we look over at the black water, it is tranquil. But, it is in fact, black death. Slip into the murky depths and you will not return to the living. So this winter season ponder this and never let your guard down to this foe or you will be it next victim.  It is breeding season on the farm and the bucks are in full rut! They have one thing on their brain......does!! You can not blame them, when the does walk back to the fence, they wag their tail and say "hey big boy want to come over for a visit?" The only thing keeping the guys from breaking down the fence is 10,000 volts, that might sting a bit!
So when we go out to tend them they come over and ask.......Are you my girlfriend? They stick their tongue out and blubber. We rebuff them, they start to whimper and cry a bit. A few seconds later they are back at it trying to put the moves on us. A good shove tends to get their attention for a few minutes. Ah......bucks you've got to love them!  On a sunny Sunday morning, shortly after the chickens and ducks were let out for the day. I grabbed a cup of coffee and gazed out the window. At first I saw a flash of white, then I realized that a duck has taken flight. As I watched she gained altitude and veered off the property. I kept looking and saw her land across the road about 400 yards away in our neighbor's yard. I threw on my coat and boots and headed out to see if I could find her. As I got down towards the road I did not see her and my heart sank, thinking she took off again to points unknown. As I proceeded down the road, I saw her. Now how to get her back? I can not grab her, so what could I do? I decided to walk her back. She seemed to be happy to see me. Due to the fact I do not think she meant to leave the farm. When she landed she did not know where she was or which way was home. I walked up and started to walk her back, she flew over the road toward home. She landed again and walked up the hill, happy to be back home. Because of this, all the duck wings got trimmed that night.
 It is breeding season here on the farm, one by one the girls have been coming into season. "RC" pictured here is mooning for a boyfriend. But only if the weather is nice! If it is cold or raining she will just stick her head out the barn door and scream for the boys to come up for a visit. The boys would love to come by for a visit but there is only one small problem. There is an electric fence between them. Love will over come most things but not the painful sting of 10,000 volts. So here she waits for her turn to have a boyfriend come and visit her.....as long as the weather is nice.....
 We have a super rooster, well he thinks he is one. A normal rooster has the typical "Cock-A-Doodle-Doooo" when he crows, but not our rooster. When he crows he always seems to say "Up-Up and Away" . It reminds us of Superman from the old comic strip days. So if he could fly and had a red cape it would be perfect.
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