Why You Should Drink Milk

Milk is delicious, healthy and yet it's been turned into an evil that it isn't.  This website is really fun and shows that a lot of the things we're taught about milk are simply false. Even though I grew up on a dairy farm and understood that whole milk is a better, healthier product than the 2% - skim milks, but I still thought it was fattening. Did you know that whole milk is only 3% fat? WHOLE milk. ...and I don't mean the whole milk they sell at the store. Much of that is altered and the fat is removed. This is a fact that I wasn't aware of until today when I checked out the 97 Milk website.
I am reminded of a simple the simple truth that we should ever stop learning... and also that we should never stop drinking whole milk. Don't believe the fads, don't believe the propaganda.

97 Milk Website

P.S. I am an advocate for raw milk which sadly this website doesn't promote. I guess you gotta take the good and leave the rest.

Taking A Moment

March is already in full swing! And baby is only a month from it's birthday. Jeff and I are getting excited and a little nervous at the same time. It's a pretty big deal to have a little baby. Can you really ever be prepared for such a beautiful, miraculous moment when you go through labor and birth and finally meet your first born?! I don't think anything can prepare parents for such a day. And we've both dreamed of such a future for many years. Now our dreams are becoming a reality and it's hard to soak it all up.

It's a sunny day and I've been busy with dishes, sweeping and other household chores this morning. These basic activities seem to give me braxton-hix contractions. Or at least I'm pretty sure that's what I feel. I work or do some activity and my belly feels like lead in a sense. Heavy or tight. Not painfully so and not in an extreme way but definitely different. So after a bit of work I thought I'd take a little break to blog.

I plan to get some vacuuming done next, which I've put off or run out of time to get done for the past week. I'm also going to whip up some herbal lotion. I had herbally infused oils that I turned into salve the other day. I just picked up some aloe vera juice from Walmart and I'm going to add it to the salve along with some shea butter in my magic bullet. So exciting! This salve/lotion is intended to be really good for the skin with jojoba oil, coconut oil, almond oil, voilets, oats, calendula and yarrow. I added a little tea tree essential oil for it's antibacterial properties and a good bit of cedarwood essential oil. So it has a nice green color and a woodsy smell. I've been putting some salve that I made a while back on my growing, stretching belly every day. It's almost 100% used up so this lotion going to be ready just in time! If there's extra I'll probably pass some on to other pregnant mommy's I know or friends who aren't afraid of homemade herbal creations.

I'd also like to get some cookies made for my husband today. He's been wanting some for a while now. It's tricky because I don't have a mixer/kitchenade so making cookies is a bit more difficult but it's still doable.

Well.... it's gonna be a busy month getting everything ready to go for baby! But I'll blog more about all the baby plans later. Time to get back to homemaking! I sure am thankful my husband is willing to go to work and let me stay here and be a homemaker! What a blessing!

A Wild Month

November's been a whirlwind. From the big Thanksgiving feast, to a ton of various appointments and events each week, I've barely had a minute to sit a write.

Well, truth is, I've started writing for the local newspaper again. After taking almost a year off I figured I'd better get back into journalism before I get too rusty. It's fun because one of the editors of the newspaper is working with me so that I can improve my writing skills. To start things off I've supplied an article on gift giving for the December edition of the paper. I plan to read some books as well to see if I can sharpen my knowledge of the art. Words can make a great impact on the reader so I find it to be one of the most inspiring and powerful tasks I can set about doing.

I've also started a Facebook page for my photography. A few recent and impromptu sessions reminded me of how much I enjoy the hobby. I'm hoping that by advertising on Facebook will help me get more willing photography subjects. I'm not looking for paid deals, just more opportunities to gain experience.

It's officially been over a month since I quit my CNA job. It feels like much longer then that for some reason. The house is noticing my presence though and projects that have been neglected since I moved in are finally being completed. It's exciting to see things coming together.

Well... I'm headed to a coffee shop with a few of my old co-workers from the nursing home. We haven't had a chance to visit much since I "retired" so I'm looking forward to catching up with them. And there will be live music to top it off! I hope your November is coming to a warm and cozy close as mine is.

CNA

Last Thursday I woke up bright and early to go take the CNA state exam. It was nice to wake up and watch the sun rise on my drive. My body is still used to waking up in the early morning, so even though I've been getting up at 8:30 most mornings, 6:30 felt strangely refreshing. I was fortunate enough to take the test with most of my classmates, and to make it more amusing my friend Tony was my partner during the skills test. It was funny as we'd spent our lunches together in the facility cafeteria during our month of class, when all the other classmates went out for lunch. We had some great conversations during those 30 minute lunch breaks. He was a nice guy and I always encouraged him in his life endeavors. We were able to talk about God and Christianity. He was open to the topic. He was also just out of an 8 year relationship and wanted to be with somebody who was committed. He'd tell me stories during the month of going to the bar with friends and meeting a really nice girl only for her to not want to reconnect later. I told him to be patient and a really nice girl would come along without him having to go to the bar to find her. Well sure enough while we were all waiting for our turn this past Thursday he was telling us excitedly about this really nice girl who'd come in to the gym he worked at. They hit it off right away and they're in a relationship now. She's a Christian and he's changing his work schedule so he can go to church with her. It was wonderful to hear him happily talk about this wonderful gal he'd met. Patience pays off.

I did pass both the written exam and the skills test! Quite exciting. I went in expecting not to pass. I didn't feel I had prepared and studied enough, and the test is so picky where if you do one thing wrong you could be failed. You have to perfectly perform 5 out of 5 skills. I had to do Hand Washing, Dressing a Client with an Affected Right Arm, Denture Care, Recording Urinary Output, and Female Peri-care (on a manikin). I almost botched the whole test on the 2nd skill. I started dressing the resident (a.k.a Tony) with the wrong arm first. The examiner loudly hinted, "You're dressing the client with the affected RIGHT arm." ...and I didn't get the hint so she suggested again, "...the affected RIGHT arm!" *whew*!!! Then I realized!!! Yikes. During the skills test you're allowed to correct an error as long as you state what the correction should be and when you should have done it BEFORE the skill is complete. I lucked out.... and completed all of my other skills appropriately. Only one of my classmates didn't pass and that was because she had to count and record someone's pulse. That's one of the hardest skills of all, and she new she'd gotten off count but didn't specify a restart. What a bummer! We all felt her pain because not one of us desired to get that skills.

Anyways, I was also out of there and done with the exam by 12:30pm..... and they'd said it could last till 5pm. So it was like having a day off. Celebration!!
Now I'm an official Certified Nursing Assistant. I still have a long way to go in learning how to work in the LTC environment and be the most efficient and supportive employee I can be. It's a challenge and occupation that I'm enjoying so far. My time is spent helping people that can't get by without assistance. I feel like it's a ministry of sorts and caring for the disabled, needy and elderly is something God expects of all of us in some capacity or another. 

Psalm 71:9, "Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth."

Leviticus 19:32, "Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the LORD."

Galatians 5:14, " For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."

New Beginnings

It seems like so much change has happened in such a short time. This year has been turbulent but not in an unpleasant way. Starting a new relationship, quitting a job, watching a new marriage beginning, starting a new job, working on old goals, beginning some new plans for the future. It's a wild year. Last year felt really routine and like not much changed so I suppose it shouldn't be surprising that this year is full of growth spurts.

Working in long term care has been a neat experience. At times it's just as fast paced as working in the barn. Instead of 6 milkers ready to switch at once it's 6 call lights going off at once. I'm enjoying the challenge. The first few days of work were a bit stressful... not because it was hard but because I wasn't allowed to do anything. Because I haven't taken my state exam there was some miscommunication about my ability to work so the other CNA's would have me just shadow them. Quite literally. All I could do was stand around and watch while they worked. To make it worse there seems to be a shortage of employees and the demands of the facility are growing so my help was clearly needed. Luckily I talked to the DON and learned that I was actually able to work legally, provided I'm working 40 hours a week. I'm glad for this because when I'm at work I've been taught you work and work hard. So now it's a matter of learning the system and the order of things at this home. It's like juggling because I must learn each resident's individual personalities and needs, learn each co-worker's individual personality and work style and also balance this with the rules and order of the work place. So far I'm enjoying it quite a bit in spite of the learning curve.

It's gratifying work though, and so many of the residents will thank you profusely when you've done them the simplest favor. Last night I helped one lady find her room and pajamas. She's fairly independent but slightly confused and she said she'd really enjoy a glass of milk. Well that's exactly the thing to ask a milkmaid like myself, and how could you refuse a gal a glass of milk? So I got her one and she was so overjoyed she hugged me! It was so very sweet.

The day is almost half over already and I still have yet to shower. Working PM's is a rough change from waking up at 5:30 and going to bed at 9:30. My body is still waking up at 6:30 even though I'm going to bed at 11:30 most nights. I suppose it will all become more natural the longer I work this shift.  Anyway, I'm off to do something productive.

Last Day of Class

The 15 days of CNA class are already coming to an end. Today is the last class and actually it's more of a State Exam practice round, or a "mock exam", to help us students prepare for the big test. On Tuesday we had a Final Exam for the actually class. It was a written exam and a whole lot easier than I'd imagined. Everyone in the class passed and so we'll each be moving on to the new chapters we'd hope to open in our lives. It's pretty cool because it's a group of 7 students, myself included, and we've all gotten along so wonderfully that we're more a group of friends than we are a bunch of people dutifully rolling through the motions. Our instructor is wonderful. Her name is Bobby and she can be both wise and professional, yet at the same time, fun and flexible. We've all fallen in love with her, and it's evident that everyone else in that healthcare facility loves her, too, so we're very privileged to have such a great instructor. All of us classmates decided to pitch in and get her a gift and a card to show our gratitude. It's incredible, the people you meet at the most random times and the friends you make in the process.

I made a batch of cupcakes as practice for Channing and Rachel's wedding. I'm supposed to make 130 total so I made a little batch of 21 cupcakes, frosted and decorated them. I'm going to take them to class with me for all of my CNA friends. It's been a good experience.

Well, I'd better run or I'll be late for class! Adios.

Two Weeks Notice

In the course of a month the my little world has turned and twisted down new roads and towards new goals. As you know, on the first of the month, Jeff and I started courting. Then during the middle of the month I put in my two weeks notice at my job. I'd almost quit a month before and the boss talked me into staying, but the split shifts, near 100 miles of driving a day and 2 hour commute had started taking it's toll. After a year and 3 months, and lots of experiences and lessons learn, I was facing vehicle issues that were so bad I wasn't sure if I'd make it to work. So quit instead of get fired seemed like a wise idea. With the added bonus that it was time to try a different career besides milking cows and put a different skill on my resume. The day after I put in my TWN I found a car on Craigslist, was able to pay for it in cash (a new experience for me... and exciting to try doing things the "Dave Ramsey way).

Now I'm about to head off for the first day of CNA class. I've been offered a job as a CNA, provided I pass the class. I have a lot of work cut out for myself but I'm excited for this new adventure and I know God will give me the strength, courage and brains to tackle this changing world I face.

Hope you all are having a blessed Monday. Let's keep God in the forefront of our thoughts week!

Amazon

There's something about shopping that I can't stand. Perhaps it's the temptation to buy everything I didn't go into a store to get. Or maybe it's the crowds of people making you feel like you need to hurry and make up your mind, get your stuff and get out. I know shopping isn't really that daunting... and people are much kinder than that. Yet, when I'm constantly driving to and from work each day the last thing I want to do is go drive again to the store.

So sometimes I just hop on Amazon, click a mouse instead of push a cart, and then wait for a few days. I just ordered my barn boots this way. After visiting the two farm stores in my area I've discovered that they seldom carry women's boots in my size. Unless they're made from cheap plastic/rubber and pink in color. Umm... ya gotta mean business when you go to work. No pink boots.
Well I looked on Amazon and the brand of boots I like did carry women's boots in my size! BUT... they were WHITE. White. In a barn?! ....I don't think so. As a last resort before humbling myself and buying the cheap pink books was to order men's size 5 boots. After waiting with great anticipation and struggling through a week of working in boots with hardly any tread the new boots arrived! And fit wonderfully. No more 45 min. drives to the big farm store on the other side of the city to be disappointed by their lack of options. No more pick boots from the local farm supply store.

Anyway, I did a little clicking on Amazon today. In under 5 minutes I had something for my body, something for my soul and something for my spirit.... and I was done shopping. :)

For the body: Activated charcoal. The stuff is like magic. I can't believe this stuff isn't a common household remedy. It's black and pretty messy when it's not contained, though it doesn't stain. It can be taken to help with stomach flu, alcohol poisoning... and other poisons. It alleviates gas and bloating. It can be applied topically to an insect sting. Some people use it to brush their teeth... other people take it as a regular dietary aid. It has so many awesome uses. Google it!

For the soul: Elf. Yeah... the movie. It's been forever since I've watched, but I remember it being pretty funny. Since we don't have that many movie rental options living way out in the sticks like we do, I figured I'd just buy it. I've been telling my parents they should watch it for a while. You never know with my parents. They'll either laugh historically the whole time or they'll think it's the dumbest movie in the world. I watch the movie, "What About Bob?" with my grandma once and we laughed so hard that we were sore the next day! My parents couldn't stand it. Then I tried to get them to watch "The Cobbler" with Adam Sandler. Because it had Adam Sandler in it they were convinced it would be a not-so-clean movie. Well, they eventually watched it and laughed historically. I have no idea what makes them tick... but it's amusing so it's worth the attempt to try out Elf on them.

For the spirit: Over the Top. It's a book by a  Russell Fralick. I was driving to work one morning and the radio station was broadcasting him telling his story. Perhaps it was his Irish accent that kept me tuned to the station. He told of being an Atheist and how he came to God through an incredible life intervention while rock climbing. It was a pretty crazy story... so I figured the book might be a worthy read.

Well... yep. That's it. Yay, for Amazon shopping. Oh, I also purchased some cranberry chutney from a little store in Northern Wisconsin. We used to be able to find it in our grocery. Now I search for it every time I go to a new grocery store with no luck. Therefore in spite of a little extra shipping charges it'll be nice to taste a little cranberry chutney again after years without it.

Elton

Every morning at a quarter to seven, the barn door slowly opens and in walks Elton. He'd had a friend make him a special walking cane that's handle looks just like a hand-held saw handle. He wears glasses, a ball cap (the type all farmers wear), leather boots, a buttoned & collared shirt with a stripped or plaid design and overalls. The coolest thing he wears however, is his smile and his enthusiasm for life. Though signs of age have grown on him you'd hardly be able to guess his age by his attitude.

I've been working at this dairy farm since last October and one thing that I can count on is seeing Elton every morning. I work for Ted and Corey, Elton's son and grandson and when I first got the job dealing with the grandfather wasn't something I'd expected to be part of my work routine. Getting used to the fast pace of their milking set up and learning the ins and outs was hard enough without having to visit with a stranger. I don't think Elton was too excited about me either. In spite of the "inconvenience" I always tried to be friendly and get to know him, and he tried to be nice and friendly with me. Don't get me wrong, he's the friendliest guy you'd ever want to meet.We'd greet each other, comment on the weather. He'd ask if Corey was around and I could usually tell he'd be disappointed to have me to talk to instead of his grandson. Then he'd say goodbye and leave the barn.

It was just hard to get anything more than the business of weather out of him. As the days turned into weeks, I realized that Elton wasn't going be an easy nut to crack and that it would take a little faithfulness on my part to get him to open up to me. I put in a little effort but it never seemed to make a huge difference. Every once in a while he'd come in and forget himself and tell me all about something exciting in his life. So eventually I came to look forward to him stopping by the barn each morning. I'd get to the point where I'd forget I was supposed to be milking the cows because I was chatting with Elton for a few minutes.

Last Fall, Elton and his wife celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. She'd been in the nursing home for 10 years with Alzheimer's and I'm not sure if she knew they'd made it to 60 years. It was a part of Elton's daily routine to go visit his wife. Talk about faithfulness. Well, she passed away a year ago, this past week. I was surprised at how well Elton took it, but I suppose she'd mentally been gone for a number of years already. One morning he asked me if I had any stocking caps, and by this I think he meant winter hats. It turned out he'd brought me a light blue winter hat with dark blue snowflake patterns. It had been his wife's hat. I felt like this was a huge honor that he would give me something that had been his beloved wife's.

After receiving this hat I decided I wanted to thank him in some way. His birthday came and he turned 88 years old. To do something special for him my mom, sister and I whipped up a little dish of lasagna for him (because I'd heard he was a fan of lasagna). He stopped in one morning, about a week after his birthday, and I snuck out and put the dish and a birthday card in his truck. Later that morning he returned to the barn (which is unusual) with a big grin on his face. He thanked me for the dish and it turned out he'd brought me another gift. It was some coats that had been his wife's! Almost a year after her death I suppose he'd decided it was time clean up the house. I felt extremely honored once again.

Yesterday morning, Elton came into the barn as always. We talked about the weather. As always I asked him if he had big plans for the day... to which he sort of grinned and said, "Oh no." He chatted with his grandson a bit about the latest small town gossip, crops, tractors, etc. Then before he left he let me know that he'd put a bag of clothes in my vehicle. Some more things that had been his wife's. I'm not sure why he's chosen to give some of her things to me and I don't dare ask. I take it as a huge honor. Though he's not my grandfather and I'm simply the milkmaid on the farm, it's a sort of sweet, unspoken friendship we have. It's these little, unexpected relationships in life that bring warmth to the long days and spontaneity to the rigid schedule. No words needed... just giving, sharing and being. The sort of person you never expect to meet and can't believe you'd missed out on knowing for so many years. It makes my heart full.

My Dad's Farm Blog

Hey, everyone! Go check out my Dad's farm blog, Udder Nonsense: trying to make cents of it all. I guess it's more like the family farm blog, but it'll be mostly Dad's blog... things of interest to him... etc. I just put in an hour updating it today and editing the style. We were kind of locked out of it for quite a while because we couldn't remember the password. Yikes. It's good now, so go visit and follow and enjoy!

www.milkingforallitsworth.blogspot.com

Hello, August.

Hello, August.

It's a beautiful morning here on the farm. I'm sipping coffee and listening to the sound of applause coming from bacon on the kitchen stove. As I peak out the window I can see the robust rays of August sun lighting up my bed of zinnias. Zinnias are, without question, the best flower.

My employers gave me the morning off even though I'd already asked for tonight and tomorrow off! A whole two days free of milking, cows and the excitements of the farm life. It's very kind of them! I'll be camping over night with my two friends, Sandy and Jae,and thankfully we're blessed with nice weather. It's more of a domesticated camping trip. We're paying for a plot on a campground a few miles from my home were there will be people and bathrooms and electrical outlets. Not that I mind the conveniences but it just isn't the same as roughing it in the sticks. Maybe we'll try that next year.

Yesterday was my friend Rachel's birthday. A ton of friends came to surprise her at church from various parts of the state. It was a really fun day and it was also nice to make it to church for the first time in weeks.

We haven't been to church since we've been working every weekend to get the dairy ready for inspection. The inspector came on Friday and we now have our grade A license! We aren't shipping our milk yet because we're waiting for the organic certification to go through... and that process was on hold till we had our grade A license. Maybe we'll be ready to rock and roll by the end of the week?!

Leela resting on her mommy.

Yesterday also marks two years since little miss Leela went to heaven to be with Jesus. I can still see her cute, pale cheeks and her wisps of red hair. I can hear her little coos that she'd make when she was glad to have company. I miss her and if I live to be 100 I will see her in 76 years.

Well, it's a beautiful new day that the Lord has made. I need to get ready for camping and maybe get lost smelling flowers outside for a while. ....and the beans need to be picked. Couldn't be a better morning for gardening.

Until next time...

Rest

It's a chilly sort of morning with grey clouds that are giving off a steady mist. It's thanks to this bit of rain that my employers decided to let me stay home this morning. When time off does come I hardly know what to do with the myself. Torn between the many things I should and want to do and the urge to simply rest. It's important to rest and sometimes I think I forget to unwind, relax and do nothing at all. There are so many pressures that make me guilty for just sitting, but I am doing mainly just that this morning.

A little bit ago I went out to the back porch off my house and sat on a ledge; dangling my feet like a child, observing my little flower garden. Humming birds buzzed to the feeder. One took such a long draft of the sugary water that I looked at the level of the liquid, half expecting to see it drop before my eyes. He must have been a thirsty little bird.

The plant leaves were host to glistening drops of rain that caught the light of the sky and sent it back. The earth was a deep blackish, brown color, rich with precipitation. I enjoyed the tree branches with leaves that draped down onto mowed lawn like a soft gown on a beautiful woman, gracing the floor.

I picked up a book from an end-table earlier. It was titled, Everything Is Obvious *once you know the answer* . Sometimes it's good to simply acknowledge that I don't know everything... in fact I don't know a lot, and that I don't need to know all of the answers right now. Learning is a process that takes years and is a journey that must always be traveled but never concluded.

Resting feels wonderful because it allows your mind to stop having to come up with the solutions to every problem on earth and it gives your body time to heal from the constant strains of life. The real amusing part is that there is research that suggests that when you allow yourself to rest, you are actually giving space for your subconscious mind to have the time to work on problems. This can be accomplished through sleep and daydreaming. That's where the real work happens and the real solutions to dilemmas are discovered.

And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. - Genesis 2:2-3

Another SoWis Adventure

This past weekend I was able to visit friends and attend a wedding. Such visits are always too short, and yet so much can happen in two days that it makes the heart full. I made it for Courtney's graduation party on Friday night. I'm so proud of her accomplishments... she's a dedicated person, with a gift for children. I know she'll impact the lives of the children she teaches in a very positive and permanent way. I was thankful to be able to spend some time with her family and her boyfriend, Estu, who is from Indonesia. I also met some of her very cool friends, and we had an epic evening of playing instruments and making the night festive!

I was also able to visit with Christopher, who's back from Uganda, ...but only for a short time. He'll be off to work for NOAA and leaves for basic training at the end of July I believe. I don't think it would be an exaggeration to say that he has an adventurous streak. I'm sure he'll enjoy tracking weather and chasing hurricanes. Speaking of which, did you know that it's national hurricane preparedness week? ;)

The tulips in the Dunn's front lawn never cease to catch my eye.... or a shot from my camera.

Estu and Courtney during a walk to Starbucks. ;)

These pretty things look like poppies to me.... but I'm not sure.

Estu said this tree would make a good photograph. He's a photographer himself... and he was right about the tree.

Estu is headed back to Indonesia tomorrow and during the last few weeks has been looking for things made in the U.S.A to take home to his family as presents. Alas, most everything seems to come from foreign countries, especially China. I snapped this picture because he discovered the coffee grounds were from Indonesia. Maybe I should move there.... since they can actually grow coffee!!!! ;) Hehe

Courtney & Estu... trying to decide on who would get which cake pop. ;)

 Estu had a graduation ceremony the day after Courtney's. It's a nice photo of the two of them.

Since I missed the ceremony, Court sent me a cap & gown photo. :)

Sadly Courtney's actual graduation ceremony was at the same time on Saturday as my friend Amanda's wedding. Therefore, I reluctantly hopped in my car an zipped over to the wedding (only an hour from Courtney's which was nice!). The weather was cold and cloudy but the warmth of friends at the wedding made everything cheery again! I was able to witness a beautiful, God-centered wedding as Amanda married Justin. What a rare thing to witness and in spite of the frigid wind, rain and even SNOW, it was a beautiful, heart-warming wedding. PLUS.... it was a bonus because I was able to visit with my favorite Gitto family! Katie, Laura and Rachel are so dynamic, and unique and their company is so encouraging and fun!

Amanda's daddy walks her down the isle.

Amanda and Justin. You'd never guess the weather was bitterly cold by those smiles on their faces.

We witnessed their first kiss.... a precious moment, indeed.

Mr. & Mrs. Becker!

The Gitto family.... taking up a whole row! I love this family to pieces!

Laura was looking lovely, of course. She can make a grey dress come alive with excitement!

Katie and I were able to spend a good deal of time visiting that evening and the next morning. This girl inspires me with her humility and servants heart. A lot of people tell her she's perfect, which frustrates her greatly. She says in return, "...but I'm not perfect. I'm a sinner just like everyone else."

The park where the wedding was held was lovely. Bridges, water... quite picturesque.

The three Gitto sisters: Rachel, Laura and Katie. Everyone assumes Rachel and Laura are twins but actually Katie is Laura's twin. Rachel is the younger of the three.

Overall, it was a wonderful visit. I'm already counting down the days 'till I can go back. Visiting with friends can be dangerous as it makes you start to wonder why you have to work and for what purposes you're really living your life. It's true that we must work all the days of our life and enjoy the portion we've been given (Ecc. 3:22), but honestly I'd rather be broke and spend time with the people that I love that spend my days toiling away to put a penny in the pig. *sigh* ....it's these moments that teach us to find a balance. Anyway, I'm just glad my old Honda made it there and back without any breakdowns!! I have so much to be thankful for. Until next time...

So many things to say...

Hello and good evening! I'm up later than usual tonight as my phone storage is getting close to full so I must download pictures off of it to the computer. The process takes a bit of time so I thought I'd blog a bit.

I've had a longer work week than usual. Spring planting just finished today on the farm where I work. They started last Sunday (not yesterday but the Sunday before), and everyone's been working odd schedules and longer hours. I can't complain as the bigger paycheck will be nice. Still, I'm glad things will be going back to normal. I think the cows will be happier too. :)

The weather and landscape has really burst into new life since I blogged last! I keep going to my gardens to check the progress of the little plant shoots coming up. The hosta plants have really taken off and my ferns are starting to un-curl. They remind me of little dragons before the pop into their leafy shape. Unfortunately the goats ate my irises to the ground. They've continued growing and have made good progress but I don't think we'll be seeing any flowers this year. OH.... and did I mention the weeds?! So much chickweed. I know it has fantastic medicinal properties but I wish it would grow somewhere besides my flower gardens. *sigh*


Anyway, can you tell I'm excited about gardening?! I've barely been able to wait for Mother's Day because that's when the majority of the greenhouses start to open. It's tradition to go flower and plant shopping with my mom, sisters and Grammy. One of my favorite thing to do!

Well... I really should be working on writing an article for the newspaper. I've been so busy with work and life that I've missed getting an article submitted for the last two editions. I'd like to have one ready for the June edition. My dilemma is usually narrowing down my subjects of interest. There are so many good topics to write about, yet what can I actually portray well and cover accurately? So.... that's where I'm at right now.

It reminds me of a TED Talk I watched recently that perfectly describes my habit of putting off important things 'til the last second:

When Your Neighbor's Barn Burns Down

Well, it's been crazy. Not just the usual kind but the wacko kind of crazy. Our neighbor's barn burnt down. 

We could see the huge cloud of smoke from our house.
Here's a picture I took from my bedroom window:

We rushed over there to offer them our farm facilities since they'd be needing somewhere to milk their 130 cows and we have 130 empty stalls. Ever since last Friday it's been a constant buzz of vehicles going up and down our driveway now that there's a huge herd of someone else's cows being milked on our farm. Holsteins, nonetheless. ;) We've had to change a few things in our parlor to make it fit the bigger cow breed, but otherwise it seems to be working out. 
Here's a picture of the other farm's employees milking.... I was helping out, showing them how to operate our parlor set-up.

Today the concrete company my dad works for came and they poured some concrete walls in the parlor. They'll hold the big Holsteins in better than the old, metal railings we had in place before. 

 Hopefully this cement wall will hold the cows in better. ;) Anyways, I thought I'd share this poem I wrote back in 2010. It seems to fit well with the circumstances right now.

The Farmer
 
the farmer labors harder and harder each day
he can't go on vacation when there are bills to be paid
the weather it seems just ain't on his side
when the corn needs rain the ground is dry

the house wife continues hard at her work
sweeping the floors and moping up dirt
her mind is always thinking and planning ahead
working out problems and fighting off stress

with the bank at their heel's and over-due bills
there's always that feeling of climbing up hills
there's never rest nor enough time to relax
just a glass of wine to get by or a power nap

reliable help is seldom to be found
and the few hired-hands are rarely around
they have their own lives and don't understand
the drive for the farmer to hold onto his land

holidays are simply icing on the cake
a bit of cheer to disguise the chances they take
a time to forget the problems outside
and visit with the family be it December or July

winter it seems is constantly hard
things never start up but instead fall apart
the farmer sees the sun coming up at dawn
and knowing it'll be 30 below, puts more layers on

every day he just keeps on moving forward
with his wife by his side and his kids for support
and through the moments of good and times of bad
the farmer cultivates the dreams that he's always had

Long Overdue

In spite of the fact that it's extremely cliche, I must say, life has been busy for me in the past few months. My summer job of mowing lawns and helping a fun lady, named Shirley, move her household, has come to an end. Shirley is all moved and the cold weather has brought an end to the grass cutting business for this year. In fact, we just had our first snow last night. It wasn't a big deal, having mostly melted by this morning, but it was enough to stick and count. Yikes... here comes the cold, nasty winter.

In the mean time, Fall has been terrifically beautiful. The gorgeous colors are seriously a driving hazard. I am tempted to whip out my phone and snap a picture while cruising down the road (and have given in to temptation, on many occasions). Texting and driving never was a problem for me, but then they had to go ahead and build a camera into cell phones!

This month has been incredibly memorable. My job milking for the neighbor, Tyler, was concluded on the 5th and on the 7th I began milking for Tyler's friend's, Ted and Corey, who run a father/son dairy operation. I  like to call it Milking Bootcamp because the herd size it twice as big as what it was at Tyler's and I'm carrying around heavy, automatic units the whole time, since it's a stanchion barn. I went from 1.5 hour milkings to 3 hour milkings, so it's quite the work-out. The challenge is good for me though and my new bosses are great to work with.

I've also been able to have some really fun times this month, even with the job change and crazy work-load. A good friend was just married this past weekend so I was able to take a little vacation to SoWis... which is one of my favorite things to do! The wedding was short and sweet.



There were SO MANY people there that I knew, so even though the church wouldn't allow dancing, the fellowship was endless and everyone had a wonderful time. I was able to hang out with this cool chick, Emily... who is the funnest person and I feel like we've been friends for years, even though we've only met twice.



I was also able to go visit Courtney! I don't get to see her often enough!



We had a great time full of spontaneous adventure and disaster. We went to church with her parents and Robbie; two messages on worship to the Lord and the influence we have on the lives of those around us. The we road home with Robbie in his dad's corvette.... so three people in a car that seats two. It was terrific! ;)







Courtney and I managed to make it to the beach on Lake Michigan and play with the camera for some fun pictures!



 



 

Did I mention that Courtney is one serious photogenic chick?!?!? ...some of us are meant to take the photographs and others are meant to be the subject in a picture. LOL I wish I could post all the cute pictures of her, but maybe I should save that for another post. ;) Oh and did I mention she has adorable dogs? This is Zirk... he's the bomb.



Then that evening my car decided to die on me. The alternator went bad! Courtney's dad was so kind and spend all evening fixing it... and according to my dad, the alternator isn't an easy fix. Thanks to Court's dad I made it home safe and sound.




...and this Tuesday, Sandy, KayLee and I had a chick's night out. Or more like in. We bummed all day on the couch watching chick-flicks, with snacks like chocolate chip banana bread and oreos. It doesn't get much better than that! =D



Well..... back to the real world. I stayed home from the woods today. Yes, it's pine tree season again and the little bit that I've been able to help, it's been a fun time with Sandy, Channing and Abe! ....and thankfully the trees are better to work with than last year.



Anyways, due to the snow and wetness, I stayed home so as to avoid getting pneumonia again. I enjoy these rare days at home when I get to work on chores around the house with tunes on Spotify to set the mood. I also try to catch up on blogging or editing photographs, and sketch something decent for the Inktober art challenge where you sketch one picture every day with only ink for a medium... (so pens, markers, calligraphy pens and the like). It's been a lot of fun!










Until, next time....
Mary

Hypertension: Keep it from affecting you.

According to the CDC:

High Blood Pressure in the United States:

• About 70 million American adults (29%) have high blood pressure—that’s 1 of every 3 adults.¹
• Only about half (52%) of people with high blood pressure have their condition under control.¹
• Nearly 1 of 3 American adults has prehypertension—blood pressure numbers that are higher than normal, but not yet in the high blood pressure range.¹
• High blood pressure costs the nation $46 billion each year. This total includes the cost of health care services, medications to treat high blood pressure, and missed days of work.²

Knowing a number of people who've suffered from hypertension I decided to do some digging around to find ways to help lower and prevent it. The last thing you want is for your doctor to prescribe for you a blood pressure medication so finding natural ways to fight anxiety, stress, and hypertension/high blood pressure were my goal.

Here are some of the methods that I've discovered, some of which are really easy or at least important to implement:

1. Homeopathic Remedies:
There is one really awesome remedy that could help a lot called Nat. Mur. and you can find it at most health stores or online.

Natrum Muriaticum

If you want to research it you can pop that name into your google search bar and read about it, but otherwise know that it helps with anxiety, stress, depression, worry, high blood pressure... etc.

A secondary remedy is homeopathic doses of Phosphorus. Although it whether this remedy works may depend more on specific indicators of your condition, it would be worth looking into if you can't find Nat. Mur.

2. Herbal Remedies:
Some of the #1's are common cooking herbs! Check out this website. Basil, cinnamon and cardamom are the top three that help.

Also on that list there is celery seed. My brother Jed goes on a fishing trip once a year with his buddies and all they eat is bacon. During this time his chronically high blood pressure goes down.   LOL ... maybe bacon is the way to go? A lot of the naturally cured bacon is made with celery. There are many who say to stay away from bacon and other highly salty foods, still it is an interesting side note. If you're interested in eating bacon I'd recommend reading Dr. Mercola's review.

ALSO.... here are so practical and tasty ways to help yourself out. Try these fun recipes! Notice the first thing it mentions is cutting salt? ....and the homeopathic remedy is like a vaccine. If you look up Nat. Mur. you'll find that it IS sodium chloride. It's such a small does though that it's like a finger print. Barely traceable. Yet, your body recognizes the "finger print" and sends antibodies to fight away the "poison" therefore actually treating your real problem!!! Win/Win situation.

3. Diet:
Salt, Sugar and Gluten....
Sugar is worse than salt for blood pressure! Sugar is like the worst thing we can put in our bodies because it creates inflammation and inflammation causes a TON of issues in our body. The problem is that sugar or a lot of ingredients that come in sugary foods are addicting. It's hard to stop eating it but sometimes you have to decided you don't want to wake up anymore with the health problems that control your life. Mind over matter.

Watch this fun little video about sugar:
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4CZ81EmAsw
Another thing is WHEAT. Yes... like sugar it seems to be in EVERYTHING which makes it SO HARD to eliminate. But it's wreaking havoc in your life. According to Dr. Mark Hyman in this article (which you should read or just watch the video) "Health problems caused by gluten sensitivity cannot be treated with better medication. They can only be resolved by eliminating 100 percent of the gluten from your diet." "Gluten is also linked to many psychiatric and neurological diseases, including anxiety. depression, schizophrenia, dementia, migraines, epilepsy, and neuropathy (nerve damage). It has also been linked to autism."

One book you may want to take the time to read is Wheat Belly. Also, Grain Brain is a good book, too. To read a little about the main concepts of Wheat Belly check out this website:http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/against-the-grain-how-wheat-wrecks-your-health.html
And if you're sad because gluten-free means no more tasty foods check out The Gaps Goddess! Her lovely photos of healthy desserts will make you change your mind. :)

4. Reduce Stress:
Find ways to get rid of the unnecessary stresses. Too many activities... focusing on problems... letting them overwhelm you. This isn't something I can give you any particular info on because I'm not in your head. You know your thoughts and which things are causing the most grief. Talk to someone, pray, remove things that cause stress in your life and find time to relax. This will help greatly. Check your daily routine to make sure you're getting enough sleep, proper diet, sunshine and things to keep your equilibrium and tranquility at top notch.

5. Be Happy:
No, seriously... if you're feeling glum maybe you need some B happy vitamins. B12 is a good place to start. B6..... or maybe a B Vitamin Complex? Sometimes we're just deficient, often times due to diet (gluten often prevents the body from absorbing the nutrients our bodies so desperately need). Vitamin D is also important and you can get a test through your doctor to determine if your levels are low. Check out Dr. Mercola's products or some other healthy resources for vitamins and supplements.

Jake Weidmann

Consider Jake Weidmann, a Master Penman and artist. A glance at his website is enough to amaze those who prefer electronic devices and those who hate the written word. His work is a stunning combination of precision, perfection and perseverance. Not many people have that kind of dedication. It's rare, but it's inspiring nonetheless, shaking us from our predilection for mere and mediocre deeds.  We're tied to our tiresome keyboards and touch-screens, but what about the quaint feel of fresh graphite as it meets the fibrous, white plains of a blank paper?

Write. Write often. Write on paper. Write with a pen or a pencil. Because it's not just a form of communication, it's art.
...

"The pen is mightier than the sword" - Edward Bulwer-Lytton

When I can't speak it, I can write it.

Never in my life have I been great at speaking about serious matters. I'm kind of hot headed and either say nothing or get all fiery about things that require a lot of logic or emotion. Mostly because I have trouble putting my thoughts into words... which is why I love to write. I learned that if I can bypass my mouth, where my tongue gets all twisted and my face gets all red, the words can flow smoothly from my hands and I can make a blank page turn black in a matter of minutes.

When the opportunity to write for a local paper came up I looked into it and, in spite of my feelings of inadequacy, applied for the position. Writing in a journal.... no one sees that. Writing on a blog... few people read it and those who do are usually friends or relatives. To write in a paper where strangers have the ability to critique my work was a daunting prospect... and yet, exciting all the while.

Initially the paper was looking for someone from the homeschool community to write about homeschool events, etc. I replied too late and another fellow (whom I went to choir with during my years in school) got the spot. I offered my services as a journalist and to my surprise the editor took me up on my proposal! I was happy to have missed the first opportunity because honestly, I probably wouldn't have like being limited to writing about homeschooling. I have the freedom to write about whatever I choose, so long as the editor approves.

Thus far I have written four articles, "The First of April" - regarding the problems with April Fools Day pranks, "Roots" - about cultural legacies that are passed down through generations, "Our Farmers - Our Future: Celebrating National Dairy Month" - on the importance of the dairy industry, and "Why Movement Matters" - because being a couch potato just won't cut it anymore.

The paper produces an edition once a month and all of the journalist write on a volunteer basis. I've been offering an article since March of this year.... and it's been both invigorating and challenging to attempt to write articles worthy of the eyes of my community.

One of the things I'd always felt I'd struggle with, should I go to college, was producing long writing assignments and reports. Yet, for the paper, I am limited to 800 words or less.... and I often find myself needing to cut out a couple paragraphs before sending the final copy to the editor. It's good though, as the restriction allows me to say only what I mean.... and mean what I say. Luckily, I have my mom's help with editing my horrifying spelling and grammar and I also have my grandmothers opinions on occasion. They all have an impeccable taste for grammar and writing structure.

The paper that I write for is highly conservative and though it is not a Christian paper per say, it is run by Christians, so it is acceptable to mention a Bible passage or concept on occasion, which makes me glad.

Check out the website: The US and Eau Claire Journal

Though the paper does print a free edition on occasion it is a subscription that you have to pay for if you want to enjoy it in it's entirety. If you're interested in receiving the paper in your email or mailbox visit their subscription page. For the full 12 month package of the hard copies plus an e-subscription it's only $39.  There are cheaper rates for partial deals... not bad rates, if you ask me.

 Photo by Kacey Harasimowicz

I wish I could post every article that I write on my blog but that would defeat the purpose of writing for the paper, I suppose. That being said, I am going to share my most recent article, "Why Movement Matters", which was published in the free edition and therefore does not subtract from the paper. Note the amazing photo of beautiful, green leaves taken by my friend, Kacey. I am so thrilled that she contributed one of her incredible works to my article (though one of the downsides to photos that are printed in papers is that they are not as vibrant and clear as they should be). My writing skills have a long way to go and I am far from being an accomplished writer, but I hope that this opportunity to write for the public will speed me on my way. "Why Movement Matters" is not necessarily my most interesting article but I had fun learning about the topic and writing about it as well.
I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Better Late Than....

So I had a birthday a few weeks ago. It was extraordinarily fun mostly because of the wonderful people I have in my life, whom I am ever thankful for. I just wanted to share some of the pictures:

I started off the day by milking cows for Tyler... bright and early at 5:45. I guess it was fitting since I was born at 5:25am. Then my friend Sandy took me out to the Norske Nook for breakfast!! =)

Sandy, looking lovely as usual.

Trying to take a "selfie" is harder than you'd think. =P

A few days prior to my birthday my Grammy M., my cousin Julianne and my sister Emily & her two little babes went out to eat at Olive Garden!

Julianne purposefully posing for a "blackmail" photo! She's not afraid to be silly for a picture! Just one of the things I love about her!!! ;)

 My lovely sister, Emily!

And alas... there are no pictures of Grammy. :(

....but Alice and I took one together!! :)

Then at the last minute my mom and I were trying to plan dinner and in order to have artichokes I had to drive 30 minutes to the city to get supplies. I stopped on my way home to snap a picture with my friend Jon, who shares the same birthdate!! =)

I barely made it home in time to milk cows! ...but I had fun with the ladies.... and Sandy told Tyler to make sure to give me a bonus or a beer for my birthday! Haha! My friends are awesome! =) Ty was a bit confused as to why I didn't just take off on my birthday, but I suppose I miss cows and milking is fun..... and you should do fun things on your birthday, right?

 When I arrived home from milking my family had a most delicious meal ready! My favorite: artichokes, pork steaks and sweet potatoes!! ...and my little sister, Janelle, made me the most incredible chocolate cake!!! It was SO MOIST and it was gluten free, too!! Double bonus!

I was given the fun "Happy Birthday" wine glass from my friend Courtney's mom! =D

Over all it was a really fun day. I was able to spend quality time with my family and friends, not to mention the thoughtful birthday calls and a gazillion messages on Facebook. :) I'm a lucky girl.