Boots and Roots

It’s winter, y’all. Like, really winter. Not just according to the calendar, but according to the thermometer. I know all you Yankees–which to us Texans is anyone north of the Red River–are laughing your socks off at me right now. I know y’all are used to sub-zero temps, lake effect snow a la straight off of the Great Lakes, snowdrifts up to your roof, and all of that fun stuff. I have very vague memories of winter as a toddler/preschooler up in Eastlake, OH–lake effect snow, 2-story house-tall snowdrifts, carving snow tunnels, and having to get bundled up like Ralphie’s brother in A Christmas Story. Thank God I’m in Texas now. I’ll take 100+ degrees any day of the week, thankyouverymuch

That being said, I’m trying very hard to lean into this season–however short it might be–of rest. 

January is the start of chicken butchering “season” for us. Chicks arrive on farm, monthly, from November through April. Butchering and deliveries take place January through June. We pretty much have a year-round growing and grazing season. There is so much to do, and I have so many ideas and goals!!!

But when cold snaps hit, we do have to prepare our farms, animals, crops, and homes–not for the whole winter (which I almost think would be easier–because then it’s done once, and maintained for the rest of the season), but for a few days or so at a time, before they are turned back out on pasture–whatever that looks like for each farm. While the rest of the country has put their gardens to “bed” for the winter, brought their herds and flocks onto “sacrifice” areas, and are spending the season reviewing, dreaming, planning–and yes, chopping and hauling more firewood than I’d ever want to have to have in my entire life!, we’re really just starting to gear up for our year. Our downtime–planning, dreaming, reviewing, and putting animals on “sacrifice areas”–is in July and August, instead of January and February.

But for the last week, it has been winter. Yeah, yeah, laugh it up!! I hate the cold. It sucks. I’m trying to “embrace the suck”.

Since everything is “tucked in” and up close for a few days, we have some firewood on hand, and I’m on “mandatory rest”, I’ve gotten to spend some time by the fire, read a little further in the multiple books I’m reading or listening to, and I’ve gotten a lot of “desk work” done–though not necessarily for the farm!!

I’ve been asked to teach a few classes at a campout my middle daughter and I are attending next weekend, so I’ve spent a good majority of my time during these last few cold days in front of my computer, playing around on Canva, creating visuals for the girls I’ll be teaching, and a short ebook for the adults I’ll be teaching. 

A group of us AHG volunteers are working on a newsletter, in coordination with National-level staff, for Fort Worth area updates and events. 

A summer camp flier hosted by a local troop… 

Lots of playing and creating!

I hate sitting still–even to work on Canva, to be honest. But getting to flex my creative muscle in a visual way is fun. It’s been a while. I used to draw and write poetry and choreograph dances for my high school dance team. Then I degreed in Criminal Justice, and worked in child welfare for a decade, which nearly squeezed the life out of me! It wasn’t until we moved here to our farm that I’ve been able to tap back into that creative side of my brain again–in ways that I never would have thought of as being “creative.” There’s a whole lot more that goes into planning paddocks and animal rotations than just simple division of property!

So now that my documents are done, my bones are stiff, and my booty is sore from all of this sitting, it is HIGH TIME for me to go do something–anything–else! Like make bread–that seems to be the other thing I do when it sucks outside!

So, what do you do to embrace the suck?