My Trip to Wisconsin So Far...

Snow
Hugs
Portraits
Love
Wine
Kisses
Dresses
Jameson
Besties
Crapples
Candles
Love
Coffee
Scrabble
Food Stamps
Casablanca
Beer
Photos
Love
Bridesmaids
Quiet
Socks
Love

'Tis...

Now is the moment, before the parties and the hugs and the reunions and all the things that I know I will be "on" for, when I question if I can do it, when I feel my most fragile and my most sad. 

I realize what I am in a room of people, be it three others that I know when or 50 that I may not, that I attract attention.  I have since I was a child although I've owned it since I was a teenager.  Usually I like the attention, I like the energy, I like that I can feel close to people fairly quickly with little more than a smile and a touch on the arm.

It has been a very busy two months and I have not taken almost any time for myself.  I don't know what this would have meant two years ago but now it means I haven't allowed myself to think too much about how much I miss my brother.  I realized that some nights ago when I found myself on the floor in a ball sobbing for I have no idea how long hoping it wouldn't hurt as much the next day.

So now is the lull; the busy push of our harvest and holiday season is over, and I am days away from being in Wisconsin then New York for a couple weeks, for the purpose of seeing my family, some friends, and having a good time.  Now is the morning when I wake up wondering how I am going to make sure there is a smile on my face for Christmas with my family here, for Christmas with my family there, for the party at my parents house we've turned into an annual event, for dinners, for reunions with friends in New York...  These are all things I've been looking forward to for months, and I know I will get there, but I have to find my way. 

Today I shall be quiet.  Today I will let it be ok for me not to be anything for anybody else.  Today I have no obligation and no pressure.  Today I can cry whenever I want to.  Today I will look forward to Christmas however I am moved to, be it enjoying the ridiculously Jesus-y carols or scowling at people as they cheerfully shop.

Ex.Haust.Ed.

I just realized I have published all of one post in December.

This is mostly due to the fact that we do something ridiculous like 30% of our business between harvest (early November) and Christmas (usually 12/25).  I still can't help but feel a little lax in my blog-writing and like anybody who is interested and kind enough to look over it every once in a while has lost interest by now. 

I promise I'll be back and better than ever.  I am contemplating switching to Tumblr, mostly because they have many more background options for non-code educated people like me, but if I do you'll be the first to know. 

Until next time I'll leave you with this tidbit.  I woke up today to the sound of a lemon juicer (a humming mechanical noise plus a "THUMP" every few seconds), Mexican ranchero Christmas music, and what sounded like about 7 or 8 roosters but was really just the standard two.  This is all in all pretty standard for December on the farm.

After arising to said cacophony of noises, working twelve some hours, realizing Christmas is in less than 10 days, and realized I hadn't published any blogs in weeks, I find myself here now getting ready to do it all again tomorrow, only with what appears to be a much rainier day at hand.

Hopefully roosters will be kind and let it get just a smidgen lighter before their greeting.

Snow Day

Everybody loves a snow day.

Many of my folks enjoyed a doozy of a snow day yesterday in Madison. 

This is taken from the side of my parents porch before they started shoveling:

This is some time later, taken looking down the block, after quite a bit of shoveling:

















 I miss it so much.