IT'S NOT ALWAYS EASY BEING A MORNING PERSON

 

NOT EASY...for anyone except me...I'm a morning person, and I love it.  My husband, not so much.

Take this morning for example.  I fell asleep at 7:30 p.m. last night, so needless to say, I'm up even earlier than usual (3 a.m.) .  Poor hubby, if he even moves a muscle, I start talking. Thank goodness after 25 years he's very use to my morning personality. First I usually tell him about whatever I dreamt about last night.  Can't wait too long or you forget, even if you tell yourself you are going to remember.    #1 I tell him that I dreamt that I was asked to be in a baton twirling demonstration.  Having been a baton twirler in high school, I was to come back to school with two others to demonstrate baton twirling to an assembly of high school students. What seemed like hours in my dream, I was trying to find my outfit (red and white satin with gold buttons and red briefs).  I located them, they did fit, I think.  But over and over I was trying to twirl my baton.  Sometimes successfully, sometimes not.  And interspersed in this dream, I was wondering, it seemed like (consciously) where my old batons actually were.  #2 I also said that since we are closing on a house (tomorrow) that we are going to use for an ARB&B,  that we should (after closing) go room by room and make up a 'to do/fix' list and bring whatever tool we would need to pull up the carpet in one room and hopefully find that the beautiful maple flooring is also under the only carpeting in the house.   My third and last question was why did he think that our roosters crow at 3:30, it's winter, not even light out yet.  He either said that he didn't know or told me that he was still sleeping (he wears a CPAP, it's hard to tell what he's saying).  I'll go with the "I don't know".  Could have been "Shut the Hell up"...who knows.

I'm up...he's going to try and go back to sleep...he went to bed (in the chair) early also.  Nope, he's up also.  It's now 6 a.m. and it's still dark out.  He's sitting on the edge of the bed talking about his plans for the day...I guess he's sort of a morning person also, or at least very tolerate of the one he married.

Another issue...the first outfit I pull on in at this early hour.  Anything goes...I currently have on chicken print pj bottoms, a chambray shirt (incorrectly buttoned...it's dark) and my snow boots.  Whatever is closest....cause, I'm up, I've got things to do.  I run out and feed our outdoor cat...would love to bring her in, but outside is all she has ever known and seems to be doing fine.  And then usually sit down at my laptop and get up a hundred times warming up tea, feeding the dogs, starting a load of laundry, putting wood in the wood stove, looking for the Pecan Delights I bought at K-Mart last night, etc. I give up, can't find those chocolate/caramel turtles, settle for french onion dip and crackers.  I can eat pizza for breakfast....do a few side stretches, toe touches, pick up left over crumbs  of dog treats while I'm down there....

We both retired just a few weeks ago, right before we moved.  Our schedule is pretty darn flexible at the moment. We are in a much smaller home now, so doing anything in the middle of the night can be disturbing to anyone that 'might' still be sleeping.  We moved from a big 5 bedroom house to a 600 sq. ft. log cabin from the 1800's....a lot of togetherness.  So, anything that I do in the early morning is within feet of my sleeping (?) husband.

I decide to go outside, throw on a sweater and grab a flashlight to check on our outside animals. We have chickens/peacocks/sheep and a llama.   Everyone seems fine.  I specifically wanted to check on our shire llama.  We haltered him yesterday because he would not leave the sheep alone.  He is intact and needs to be neutered....so, we called a Vet to come out today and band his scrotum.  Being the city gal with a country heart that I am, after all of our rams were neutered the first time, I was walking in the pasture and found this dried up looking object and brought it in to my husband not knowing what it was.  Well, it was a dried up set of nuts from one of the rams.  They dry up, fall off....that's how it works....Oh.....Now I know....not sure how I thought it all happened...I was just busy apologizing to all of the rams during the event.  After they have been banded, they moon walk for awhile, wondering what happened, kind of funny.

Back in the house, hubby coming out of the shower to greet this oddly dressed, hair not combed lovely that he greets every day....he understands and loves me as I am,  I'm pretty sure....

I love early mornings...so many plans to make, a quiet time to reflect and be grateful...be present as our world wakes up.  It's snowing lightly and so beautiful.

 A new day to use as we like, no others like it before, no others like it ever again.  I just like to start it a little earlier than most....

MORNINGS START SOFTLY

No matter what time I wake in the morning, I take a moment to be grateful. Grateful for all family, friends and also for the new day. A new day that will be filled with endless possibilities. I have learned as I have gotten older that those first few moments upon arising can make all of the difference in the rest of your day. I crack open the window near my bed and listen for sounds, the wind blowing, the birds beginning their morning songs, all of the sounds of a new day. After I swing my legs down, I stretch and then pull on some clothes and head out the door to a beautiful new day.  I take a deep breath, fresh air, cool, warm, doesn't matter. I begin my walk through my gardens so that I don't miss the appearance of a new blossom. The Morning Glories are the first to greet me, they are waking as I stand there watching the wonder of nature. The breeze moves through the grasses waking them up also. The haze over the pond begins to fall back into the water as the sun warms it. As I walk out onto the pier I can see the Swallows diving and catching their early morning breakfast of bugs. The fish are at the top of the pond waiting for their breakfast to fly or float by. Mom and Dad Canada Geese are going for their morning swim with their babies. There's dew on all of the leaves cooling them and getting them ready for a long day of warm sun. The roosters are announcing the morning to all. The chickens are having their morning conversations and waiting by the coop door so that they too can come outside and start their day. The sheep and llamas all have sleepy eyes and wait patiently by their feeding area for me to bring in scoops of corn, feed and oats. When they see me they start to announce my arrival to those that may have spent the night outside in the field under the light of last night's full moon. I stay and watch them begin their day, mommies licking their babies and encouraging them to get up and eat some hay or nibble on some oats. Some of the animals wait for the rush to be over and just stay still in their warm spot from their nights rest. I tell all to have a good day, close the gates and begin my walk back to the house. I pick a flower to put in a vase so that I can enjoy its beauty and fragrance inside as well. It's a new day, new things to be grateful for.....start your day softly.

MA MA KITTIE...THE PROTECTOR & PAL OF OUR FLOCK

Ma Ma Kittie as she became known,  is a barn cat.  One of many born on our farm.

I first met Ma Ma Kittie as I walked through the foyer of our home one day.  I thought that I had  caught a glimpse of a gray striped cat sitting on the brick walk up to our porch.   As I backed up to look again, there was nothing.  We have a beveled glass door, so I thought maybe it just looked like a cat or something.  But, when I went out to feed our sheep and chickens the next morning, there she was, just strolling around.

Of course being who we are, we bought cat food and began feeding her.  Well, long story short, she had kittens.  We bought more cat food.  On and on until we had quite a few cats.  Some would stay, some would move on to places unknown.

In November of this year, we put our farm on the market to sell and as fate would have it, we had several offers in a few days  So, we were moving.  We have a tremendous amount of stuff and quite a few sheep, llamas, chickens and peacocks to move.   It was a crazy fast and intense big move.  It took us a semi container, a few hired haulers to move big equipment and many large enclosed trailer rides to our new home in UP Michigan.

Our last trip was the animal hauler.  My husband built an upper layer for the chickens and the peacocks. The sheep and llamas were in the lower area of the hauler.  I made my husband take the long way (2 lane all the way) as our hauler is not exactly new and I wanted to make sure that our most precious cargo made it up to their new home safe and sound.

We felt really bad about leaving the barn cats.  We tried to find homes but they were impossible to catch, and we really didn't have time.  So, we left a large supply of food and the new owner said that he would take care of them...he's a real animal lover also.

Finally after 9 hours of driving, we pulled  into the yard of our new home, a log cabin from the 1800's.  Giant sigh of relief.   The snow started softly falling as we sat in the truck just taking it all in.  Just like the vision I had of our new life.  I saw us driving into our place with our last load and then it would start snowing.  It waited for us to be safely off of the road and at our new place.

 All of the animals had to stay in the hauler for the night.  We did not think that it would be a good idea to let them out into their new unfamiliar fenced in fields in the dark.  So, we said goodnight and fell into bed, sleeping peacefully knowing that we did not have to turn right around the next morning and pick up another load.  We were done...moved.

It was music to my ears hearing our roosters announcing the new day the next morning.  I had really missed that morning alarm traveling back and forth.  I threw on some clothes and went out to check on everyone.  They were happy to get some water and feed. While I was throwing feed up to the chickens and peacocks, I thought I could hear a cat meowing.  But chickens make all kinds of sounds so I didn't think much about it.

   Later in the day, we manipulated the hauler into the pasture, creating quite a muddy mess.  Once in place, we opened the doors and the sheep and llamas jumped out.    They ran around and inspected every inch of their new pasture and barn.   They were all born on our farm, the only home they had ever know and now they were getting acquainted with their 2nd home.

Our winter plan for the chickens and peacocks was to enclose the animal hauler with kennel panels so that they could roost in the protection of the hauler and jump out onto the ground for some fresh air and exercise and whatever they could forage for in this protected area.  Once we get through winter into better weather, we will build a new coop and a chicken garden/exercise area.  It took them awhile to figure out the new set up, but like the sheep, all it takes is one to explore and the rest will follow.

When I was in the hauler looking around to make sure we didn't have any casualties after the long stressful ride, I noticed a gray striped cat.  She was nestled in the hay, way up in the front of the hauler in the upper level.  Could this be one of our barn cats....Ma Ma Kittie  specifically.  I couldn't believe it...one of our barn cats decided to make the move with us...and her chickens.  I was ecstatic...you become very attached to your barn cats, even though you don't really get to hold them. I even cried a little bit, I had felt so bad driving away from our barn and all of our cats.  Having her with us meant a lot to me.  We had to find a separate, protected area to feed her as all of the chickens and peacocks definitely love cat food.

We've been here for 2 weeks now and Ma Ma sleeps and eats with the chickens. She is able to get out because we have seen her on our front stairs at night.  But, she stays with her pals.

One night when we let the dogs out we could hear some chicken commotion in the hauler.  I walked over there with a flashlight hoping to not find a predator in with the chickens.  I was pleased and amused to find Ma Ma  trying to settle between two hens in the deep hay.  The two old girls were a bit perturbed because they had to move out of their warm little nests to make room for Ma Ma.  But, they did and all was well.

I sleep soundly knowing that our llama watches over our sheep by day and night and that our Mama Kittie watches over our (her) chickens and peacocks.

When I go out and check in the evening, I wish them all a good night and remind our llama Ember and Ma Ma Kittie that they are on duty.  Protect yourselves and your herd/flock.

HANG IN THERE...

Every morning I look out our window and see this lone apple still hanging in there.  It is my reminder that when need be, I can hang in there too!

Let me start by saying the my husband and I have finally retired from working for others.  It is winter.   We sold our very comfortable, large 'finished' home in WI  (after only being listed for several days) and have moved to an 1800's rough, small log cabin in the UP Michigan.  It was our dream but now that it's a reality...it feels like a good reality somedays and a 'what the heck did we do?" reality on other days.  

  Keep reading....it gets better....😜 I promise!!!!

We have always been hard workers, most of the time working much more than a 40 hr. week.  We have built/remodeled/operated everything from a Restaurant/Bakery/Catering business, several B & B's, an Antique Shoppe, a Flea Market built and operated Storage Units and still own rentals (apartments) just to name a few.  In addition, both of us usually worked full time outside of these businesses.   I've always worked in the Human Resource area, Social Services and Nursing.  My husband has been a contractor for over 40 years and all of the time had several projects (for others) going on in addition to our own projects.  We have purchased, remodeled and sold (turned) many homes also...loving each one of them, living in them while we remodeled and then went on to sell them to others.

So, fast forward...here we are in a small old log cabin, recently retired, trying to adapt to our new life each day.  We feel kind of guilty if we don't work on a project every day, but we also feel entitled to take some time off - because we are finally in a retirement mode.  This definitely will take some adjustment.  Also, we are not accustomed to being together for so many hours per day.  This also will take some adjustment.  

The whole moving fiasco kept us busy which we were used to, but now that the dust has semi settled...we are at a bit of a loss.  Not that there isn't everything to do with this old log cabin (was used as a 'camp' for many years and when I say something is really rough - believe me, it is.  We figured out that we have restored 24 homes/buildings during our marriage - living in a sectioned off part of the house/building so that we could both live in and renovate at the same time. 

So, after a week or so of just kind of starring out the windows and wandering around the small cabin - we jump headlong into our new life.  We are really transitioning into the things that we've talked about our whole lives.  My husband used to make furniture and then large restoration/renovations took over for 90% of his career for which we are eternally grateful.   We are setting up a shop for him bit by bit as we are also having to set up plumbing, electrical and everything else to be able to function. As I said, this log cabin was a crude' hunting camp" with a cook stove for heat and absolutely no other conveniences.  I felt quite accomplished the other day setting up my little corner with my sewing machine, Cricut, and other machines that I've had and have not really had the chance to use (embroidery machine, spinning wheel, on & on). I lined the walls in front of me and next to me with my photography, favorite books and some of my collectibles.   We ordered internet and cable and so much as we thought we wouldn't miss that, we did.  So, I was able to set up my computer/printer.  After searching around in the semi container that we had brought up to this property that contained a lot of our 'stuff', I found some of my bins of unfinished craft items.  So, in our new (old) corner of the world a bit of normalcy was taking place and it felt good. 

We also have many animals...trailered them all up here and had to build their accommodations quickly.  Fencing, water, shelter. We have a herd of sheep, a llama, many peacocks and a lot of chickens. We also have three dogs - one of them a new rescue, an African Grey Parrot and a Parakeet.  We got everyone set up well enough to make it to spring when we will be able to make more permanent improvements.  

There are days when I'm sure my husband thinks, "what did we do" (when I can hear him through the floor, in the basement, trying to set up a water filter) and I just say it out loud, usually more like 'what the hell did we do'.   On sunny days all seems right, on gray days, the doubts come to the surface.  We've never been in the house so much, much less a small one, and we've honestly never spent this much time together out in the middle of thousands of acres of state land.  We purchased 40 acres with this log cabin.  

As I write, it is early Sunday morning and the sun is just coming up...it's beautiful. Kind of a pinkish hue behind the many birch and pine trees on this property.  My three dogs are all cuddled up around my feet and my hubby is sound asleep...not really having to jump out of bed to call employees and get to a job by 8 a.m.  So, our decision seems so right, at the moment.  Later when I have to use the top of a garbage can to balance my cutting board on to cut up vegetables to go into the Foodie...I may not be as mellow.  Slowly we are getting set up..I am learning to have more patience every day.  I'm trying to think of all of this as an adventure that not everyone would or could experience.  Just think of the stories that we will have...

I walk over to the window and look out at the lone apple still on the branch...thank goodness it's still hanging in there...it was rather windy last night, could have just let go and fallen into the snow.  So, I'll hang in there too! (I already, actually did fall into the snow the other day...but thank goodness for my new wardrobe, Elmer Fudd fur hat, what I call 'farmer coveralls'  choice of navy or brown at the local farm store ( I chose brown) giant jacket and huge mittens, I was not hurt, just had a hard time getting back up (these clothes are heavy and do not bend).

It's another day that we get to spend as we choose.  I find myself choosing to do things I enjoy, reading, listening to music, writing, working on crafts, playing with our animals, really talking to my husband (not just going over jobs, the mail,  and to do lists) and of course always tossing around ideas for our log cabin home.

Spring will be here soon enough...we'll just hang in there this winter.  Winter really is a time for rest (both body and mind), reflection (where we've been, what we've accomplished, accepting the past as just that) and rejuvenation (what next, what is important and what things do we still want to accomplish in this life) and....

  for the first time in my life, I think I can finally relax, clear my busy head
and really try to understand that....you just really need to hang in there....tomorrow is another day.            

MOVING FROM A LARGE HOME TO A SMALL HOME...FROM A SMALL TOWN TO A SMALLER TOWN

My husband and I are originally from the suburbs of Chicago.  That was some years ago when the suburbs were just developing, so, there were prairies and the remains of some farms, and then the beginnings of new housing developments and strip malls.  We have lived in quite a few cities and states due to jobs, family, etc. but in the last 20 years we have pretty much moved to and lived in areas that we chose.

We are remodelers...we always love to buy homes that need a lot of TLC and bring them back or make them into something that they always had the potential to become.  My husband is a contractor and I am an avid remodeler/crafter/idea generator of everything (much to my husbands pleasure and dismay....depending).

SO, we just made our last move ( so we say).  Moving gets harder as you get older and since you have acquired more and more stuff each year,  decisions have to be made about what to do with all of your things.  I tried to use the "need" or "want" theory as I worked my way though all of our possessions.  Most of the time things fell into the in between gray area and I kept it 'just in case'.  

We moved from a 5 bedroom, 3 bath, living room, family room, sun porch, two kitchens and several other rooms that we called music room, library or offices in SE Wisconsin.  It was a little larger than  average sized home to begin with but with some excavation of the lower level (ground level on three sides) this level became another full sized home, do we doubled the amount of sq. ft.  We thought for awhile of opening an Adult Family Home (in this home).  I had worked in that field for a number of years and thought that I could continue providing care for mostly independent individuals at our home since we definitely had plenty of room and I enjoyed the profession.  But after some more discussion and meeting a few potential residents and their families we decided that we really loved our privacy and that I could just continue working in the profession that I was in (working at CBRF's) to fulfill my choice of work.  But, now we had two complete homes in our home...so, we filled them with furniture (first because of  the possibility of an Adult Family Home), and then, because we had more usable space so, being collectors, refinishers, recyclers (hoarders) we filled it with furniture we were going to refinish and sell, I expanded my giant collection of future crafts to sell and just generally delighted in acquiring things we liked.  We also had a barn full of sheep, llamas, chickens and peacocks and lots of things we acquired and could keep outside.  AND, a huge machine shed/shop where my husband had all of his tools and of course, more stuff.

We had purchased a sweet victorian home in the UP Michigan about 8 years ago (as a 2nd home/vacation home) that we would travel to a few times a year...we really grew to love the area.  So, we decided to look for some land in that area to eventually move to and take our animals and all of our stuff.  Well, we found a perfect piece of land, with a pond and an old log cabin from the 1800's (we love challenges).  Our large home in WI was finally ready to put on the market after years of work, so we listed it and hoped that it would sell within a year.  Well, we had several offers almost immediately and it sold very quickly.  SO, here we are, all this stuff.  We bought a semi container and hired companies to haul our heavy equipment (husbands) and made many drives up to the property with a large, enclosed trailer.  And now we are here...still in kind of a 'what the hell' shock.   We had three closings within two weeks (2 in Michigan and 1 in Wisconsin).  I know that when you list a property, the intention is to sell but when it happens it is hard to click out of the 'selling mode' into 'it's sold mode' when it all happens so quickly....because now you really are moving and within a pretty short period of time.

Here we are in Michigan, with all of our stuff, it's winter and 20 degrees outside.  My husband has done his darnedest to make it livable as far as mechanical things.  The log cabin had been used as a camp for many years so no running water or toilet, etc. After we hauled out the 1,000 beer cans, empty cigarette cartons, bullet casings and just generally a 20 yd. dumpster full of useless stuff..I painted what could be painted and with rugs, pictures, some furniture, tried to make it as much of a home as possible.  (we will be adding a bedroom in the spring....we currently sleep and eat and do everything else in one medium sized room.  We do have a separate bathroom...thank you very much husband).  We did get an old beautiful cook stove and a large wall of glass cabinets that came with the log cabin  that were probably in an old home or business at some point in time and the cook stove was used for heat.   Otherwise, we have just hauled and hauled stuff out of the attic, the basement and the log cabin.  Oh and, there is a mobile home on the property also and guess what, it's full...fortunately, structurally, it's not in bad shape.  We hauled out a lot of stuff and into the dumpster and refilled with our stuff that we don't really need in the log cabin at the moment (because we will be doing flooring, etc.)

Laundry....that's another issue.  Our water needs to be tested and filtered....working on that.  In the meantime, we drink and cook with bottled water.  So, no washing our clothes in the lovely gold colored water.  When we were just about out of clean clothes, we would head out to the local laundromat and get to relive what we did when we lived in apartments and had small kids....the hauling of dirty laundry, the hanging out at the laundromat and then the re hauling into the house of clean laundry.   The prices have certainly gone up.... nothing like loading 8.00 worth of quarters into a big front loader.  The first time we headed out to a laundromat we tried a local laundromat that had a For Sale sign in the window.  The washers seem to work just fine, but when it came time to dry...we were down to one dryer (the others were either marked "Out of Order", "Do not use" or they just blew cold air (we found out after pumping a few quarters in).  So, several hours later we vowed to look for another laundromat until we could get set up at home.  Here are some of the lovely old signs in the local laundromat..I.love them!

I have to say though that sitting in that small local laundromat was a positive experience for us to get to know our new little town (population 800).  While the one working dryer clunked away, we sat in the window just watching our new little town.  We counted train cars when the twice daily train goes right through the middle of town (130 cars and the engine). People waved to us as we sat there and we got to know the people in the small grocery store (we were hungry and thirsty at one point).  We got to really look at the buildings in town (it's a small centre) and admire the Christmas decorations.  We kind of chuckled over the fact that there were four churches (large) and five banks for this small town.  Oh also, a blessing to everyone a Dollar General and a Family Dollar - out on the highway (so we don't have to drive 20 minutes for everything).  We have chosen a bank already, but not a church.  Going to visit all four...Catholic, Methodist, Baptist  and Lutheran.  As my husband and I decided, at our age, we already know what we believe and no matter what church we go to, it will be an education, not a change in the way we simply believe.  It doesn't take a large brick building, or man made rules and interpretations to sway us one way or the other, we just believe what's in our heart....it guides us everyday and we only do what feels right (you just have to pay attention).  Here are some pictures of our new little town...hope to start meeting some more of the 800 population.