Monthly Archives: January 2018

29 01, 2018

Winter, Winter Go Away

By |2018-01-22T07:09:59-06:00January 29th, 2018|Make Me Think Monday|0 Comments

It’s cold and gray outside.

I know this is not breaking news. It is winter and that’s what we expect.

I may live in Texas, but I understand about winter. I’ve spent many years experiencing winters in cold places like Colorado, Connecticut, and West Virginia.

What I don’t understand is what winter is doing here in Texas.

We’ve been in a deep freeze with temperatures below freezing for days. Ice shut the whole city down for two days. We’ve had multiple snowfalls in southeast Texas since the first of January for heaven’s sake. Okay 2″ hardly counts as a blizzard, but that snow included Galveston, which sits on edge of the Gulf of Mexico. That’s just unnatural!

The troubling thing is that winter is a long way from ending.

Spring doesn’t officially arrive until 11:15 AM CDT on Tuesday, March 20, 2018. As I wrote this blog that meant there were 58 days 6 hours 49 minutes 4 seconds until its arrival. You can click here to know exactly how long we still have to wait.

In my blog research, I also learned an interesting fact from Space.com. Winter is the shortest astronomical season and it is currently being reduced by about one-half minute per year. Spring loses approximately one minute per year. With the shrinkage, winter is expected to attain its minimum value – 88.71 days – by about the year 3500.

Summer gains the minute lost from spring, and autumn gains the half-minute lost from winter.

I like that winter’s length is decreasing and autumn is gaining the time. Fall is my favorite time of year. On the other hand, I’d have to live until the year 3500 before I see shorter winters. That’s not happening.

This winter weather reminds of the nursery rhyme my mother used to console me on rainy days when I couldn’t go outside.

Rain, rain, go away
Come again another day
Mommy wants to go out to play
Rain, rain, go away

There are several verses using father, sister, brother, and family in place of Mommy. Mother would substitute my name and my siblings’ names as she recited the poem. I used the same poem with my children and grandchildren  when they would be stuck inside on rainy days. It never stopped the rain, but the children enjoyed it.

Until spring arrives, join me in reciting the poem and substituting winter for rain. Maybe it will make the cold more bearable.

Winter, winter, go away
Come again another day
I want to go out and play
Winter, winter, go away

26 01, 2018

What’s in a Name?

By |2018-01-25T06:41:58-06:00January 26th, 2018|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

When we first started raising chickens, we named each one. The first were Ameraucana chickens so we named them things like Liberty, Freedom and Bell.

As the flock grew, we only named those with distinguishing characteristics – like One Eye and Hurt Foot.

Some earned their names with their personalities.  Napoleon was a bantam rooster who thought he was much bigger.  The black frizzle we named Frizz was a favorite among my nieces and nephews.  Kaboodle reminded me of a rooster in a book.  Lily is the pale D’Uccle who follows me around in the mornings.  And, of course, Custard the cowardly rooster was introduced recently in the blog.

Then we have the Welsummer pen.  None of them have individual names.  Or at least they didn’t until last week.  Here’s what happened:

I pulled into the driveway Wednesday and discovered two hens in the side yard.  I quickly ascertained they were part of the neighbor’s flock and tried to shoo them into their own backyard.

Meanwhile our flock was loudly protesting the fact that these hens got to truly free range.  After a few short minutes, I decided the young neighbor children were much better candidates for the “shoo the chicken into the backyard” game and knocked on their door.

A few minutes later, one of the girls opened our front door and announced “I think there was a hawk in your chicken yard.  It flew away when I walked back there.”  Apparently our birds were not protesting the neighbor birds but the hawk appearance.

I quickly went to check on our birds.  A head count of the smaller birds assured me all were present.

Then I looked into the Welsummer pen and saw a hen lying on the ground.  I figured the hawk had killed it in the process of trying to carry it off.  As I bent to pick it up, however, it jumped up and ran into a corner.

I chased it, picked it up and examined it for injuries.  There appeared to be blood on the side of its head so I took it to the infirmary, aka laundry basket in the bathroom, and texted Dr. Rachel.  She found the gash in the back of the hen’s head and cleaned it up.  The bird spent a few hours in the bathroom then tried to escape so was moved back into the pen.  She seemed to be disoriented for a couple of days but is fine now. 

I named her Hawkeye.

The only problem is she has healed so completely, I can’t tell which one she is.

22 01, 2018

Resolutions ~ Yes or No?

By |2019-01-10T09:59:21-06:00January 22nd, 2018|Make Me Think Monday, Writer's Life|0 Comments

It’s hard to believe this is the last full week of January. Did you take time this month to make resolutions or set goals?

Resolutions don’t work so well for me. I usually fail within days of writing them down. I’m not alone. A whopping 80% of us fail within the first thirty days when we make resolutions.

That’s why I prefer setting S.M.A.R.T. goals for the New Year.  Being a goal setter comes from my years of teaching and having to establish learning objectives for lessons. S.M.A.R.T. goals work well for developing my writing goals.

Not familiar with S.M.A.R.T. goals?

A S.M.A.R.T. goal is specific, measurable, achievable, results-focused, and timely. This PDF from the University of Virginia gives a complete explanation.

My 2018 S.M.A.R.T. goals are set and this year I’m trying a new approach. I’m selecting a guide word for the year.

A guide word is sorta like a resolution except it sets the foundation for your year by guiding all aspects of your life. If you haven’t come up goals or resolutions yet, why not select a guide word for the year?

How do you choose one word?

Start by taking stock of where you were in 2017 and where you want to be at the end of 2018. The word you choose should help bridge the gap. It can underscore a tangible outcome, a character trait you want to develop or a skill you wish to acquire or all of the above.

Here’s a neat PDF worksheet to help zero in on what word might work for you from Love Nerd Maggie. Maybe you’ll find your word there.

My word for 2018 is progress.

I kinda lost focus on in 2017. It was a crazy year with a major move and a monstrous hurricane. I couldn’t find blocks of time to write so I let my writing slide. I’m determined that will not happen this year.

I’ve posted this graphic above my computer to remind me progress does not mean something has to be perfect. It’s from the Elsie Joy Get to Workbook  (I use her workbook to track  my S.M.A.R.T. goals.)

Have you ever used a guide word for your year? How’d that work out for you?

19 01, 2018

Baby It’s Cold Outside

By |2018-01-18T14:18:04-06:00January 19th, 2018|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

Texas has had unusually cold weather during the past week. Those up North may find this hard to believe but 20 degrees is very, very cold to a Texan. I don’t think it got below freezing at all last winter, and we’ve already had too many days in that category this year.

This morning was the coldest it has been in 30 years – 15 degrees. Give us 100+ degrees any day.

Cold temperatures present unique challenges on Miller Farm. For example, the chicken waterers freeze. The first year this happened, I tried kicking the base to dislodge the ice. I only succeeded in cracking the base. I have learned a more effective way to handle the ice is to pour hot water over it.

I’ve had to do that multiple times a day for the past week. It is not fun.

Last night I forgot to take a flashlight when I closed the chickens. Back inside where it was warm I remembered I hadn’t checked eggs since lunch but figured they would be fine under the chickens. That works fine as long as the chicken actually sleeps on the eggs. One of the Welsummer eggs was left out in the cold.

It froze.

It is sunny and a balmy 32 degrees outside right now. I’ve already checked eggs twice.

I’ve eaten eggs poached, scrambled, fried, and boiled but frozen eggs … not interested.

15 01, 2018

It’s Martin Luther King Day

By |2018-01-14T15:32:54-06:00January 15th, 2018|Holidays, Make Me Think Monday|2 Comments

Martin Luther King’s calm civil disobedience and charismatic leadership inspired men and women, young and old, here and around the world.

He inspired so many that, in 1964, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize – the youngest man to receive the prestigious honor.

Through his lectures and dialogues, he stirred our conscience. His words continue to be as meaningful today.

President Ronald Reagan signed legislation in 1983 to establish a yearly federal holiday to honor the man and his accomplishments. Today has been designated as that day.

As you honor Dr. King today, pause and consider these MLK quotes.

On Leadership

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

On Love

“I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.”

On Getting Along

“We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.”

On Faith

“Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men.”

On Service

“Everybody can be great … because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”

Additional legislation passed in in 1994 establishing Martin Luther King Day of Service to encourage citizens to use the federal holiday as an opportunity to give back to their communities. Why not let this MLK Day be the start of a year in which you make a positive impact?

12 01, 2018

Custard the Rooster

By |2018-01-11T07:05:07-06:00January 12th, 2018|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|1 Comment

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

Among the specialty breeds that Rachel hatched last spring are some Croad Langshans. The breed originated in China and was brought to Britain in 1874 by Major F.T. Croad. They are a large breed and lay dark brown eggs – at least the hens do.  The roosters just strut around looking handsome.

We have one black rooster who does just that until a hen comes around. Then he runs away.  Rachel decided to name him Custard after the dragon in the Ogden Nash poem.

The poem is one my mother read to us enough times that I still have most of it memorized. It tells the story of a cowardly dragon named Custard who gathers enough courage to gobble a pirate. I found the book at a used book store.

We have many animals on Miller Farm.  We may not have a dragon but we have Custard the Rooster who is just as cowardly and lovable.

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