12 01, 2015

What’s ahead? What was behind?

By judythemorgan|2015-01-12T06:00:55-06:00January 12th, 2015|Holidays, Make Me Think Monday|0 Comments

January is the time for making resolutions for the New Year. Resolutions never works for me. Too vague.

If you read this blog regularly, you know I’m big on measurable goal setting and AARs.

However, if you are one of those who does make resolutions and need some hints and tips, check out this blog.

No resolutions for me this year, but I have done my yearly ARR– after action review – and posted my 2015 goals to my accountability group.

I was pleasantly surprised during my review to discover 2014 was a good goal year.

All the work on our house was completed. Landscaping changed the mountains of dirt from the remodel and addition to flower gardens and lovely walks. We ended the year with the hammers and saws stopped and the workers are all gone.

Goal success.

I managed two releases Claiming Annie’s Heart and When Love Blooms. You can find both at all major on line book retailers for your e-readers or paperback.

Unfortunately, my writing goal was to release three books. Goal failure.

Yep! That’s the thing about goals. Sometimes we’re spot on. Sometimes we do all we can and fall short. Trouble is without goals we lack focus and too frequently flounder aimlessly.

We need to set goals then analyze why we fail AND why we succeed.

Not hard for me to know why my third book didn’t materialize. Last November I fell while playing Pickleball and broke my right wrist. Typing became, and still is, slow and sometimes painful.

I’m not beating myself up too much over the goal bust since what happened was a circumstance beyond my control. Well, mostly.

There are those who have aptly pointed out, trying to be athletic at this stage in my life maybe be a foolish goal and suggest I might want to eliminate such activity in the future instead of risking more injuries. I’ve taken the suggestion under consideration.

We’re twelve days into 2015. It’s cold, rainy, freezing in Texas. Colorado is sunny, bright, and snowless. Not the norm.Seems to me this is going to be a crazy year based on the start of things.

I’ve set my goals for the New Year and I’m going full speed ahead. What about you?

Let’s check back together this time next year and seem how we’ve done on our resolutions and goals.

9 01, 2015

Crustless Bread

By judythemorgan|2015-01-09T06:00:10-06:00January 9th, 2015|Miller Farm Friday|2 Comments

A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

A friend recently invited me to a luncheon where she served the most wonderful sandwiches. She also served a quinoa salad, dried fruit and a broccoli salad. However, the sandwiches caught everyone’s attention.

There were three kinds of sandwich fillings including a pineapple salad. Each sandwich was cut in half diagonally and then the cut part was dipped in nuts. As we enjoyed the meal, she explained that she had been served these sandwiches at another luncheon, but they had been cut into circles so there was no crust.

This led to a discussion about bread crusts and which families had members who regularly removed the crusts.

Then someone remarked they had recently seen crustless bread at our local store. It was not a particularly intellectually stimulating conversation but lovely nonetheless.

When I got home, I went to feed the chickens. I had some random bread to give them along with their regular food. As I shut the gate and headed back to the house I noticed something interesting:

The chickens had left the bread crust. Perhaps I should buy them crustless bread.

31 12, 2014

Auld Lang Syne – What are we saying?

By judythemorgan|2014-12-31T06:00:30-06:00December 31st, 2014|Holidays|0 Comments

As we said goodbye to 2014 and welcome in 2015 tonight, I’m sure many of us will sing the traditional “Auld Lang Syne.”

I aim to watch the ball drop in Times Square and join in to sing. Of course, there’s no guarantee I won’t fall asleep, as I’m prone to do long before midnight. But I can always watch the re-run.

Like everyone else, I’ll fumble and mumble through the verses, singing the chorus much louder. It’s the part I know best.

And once again, I’ll wonder what I’m singing like Harry Burns, played so well by Billy Crystal, did in When Harry Met Sally.

“My whole life, I don’t know what this song means. I mean, ‘Should old acquaintance be forgot?’ Does that mean that we should forget old acquaintances? Or does it mean that if we happened to forget them, we should remember them, which is not possible because we already forgot them?”

This year I decided to figure out the answer to those questions. Since I broke my right wrist the Saturday before Thanksgiving and had surgery on Tuesday before turkey day, I’ve been doing more reading than typing anyway.

What I discovered is “Auld Lang Syne” translates to “times gone by.” Robert Burns wrote the 1700’s Scottish poem, which was then set to the tune of a traditional folk song (Round # 6294).

You can find the original words here.

These are the words translated from the Scottish dialect in case you want to impress someone tonight.

Should old acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind? Should old acquaintance be forgot and old lang syne?

CHORUS: For auld lang syne, my dear for auld lang syne, we’ll take a cup of kindness yet for auld lang syne.

And surely you’ll buy your pint cup and surely I’ll buy mine! And we’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We two have run about the slopes, and picked the daisies fine; but we’ve wandered many a weary foot since auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We two have paddled in the stream from morning sun till dinner; But seas between us broad have roared since auld lang syne.

CHORUS

And there’s a hand my trusty friend and give me a hand o’ thine! And we’ll take a right good-will draught for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

While Burns never intend for the words to be a holiday song, today it is well known for bidding farewell to an old year at the stroke of midnight. It’s also used at funerals, graduations and as a farewell or ending to other occasions.

Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians have credit for popularizing the song during a live performance at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York in 1929. CBS broadcast the first half of his performance and, after midnight, NBC broadcast the second half. Between the two performances, his band segued by playing “Auld Lang Syne.”

Thus a tradition was born.

And, if you want to practice before your New Year’s Eve celebration or, know you’ll be fast asleep at midnight like me, try singing along with this YouTube video featuring Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians from 1947.

28 12, 2014

You’re Not My Chicken! You’re A Snort.

By judythemorgan|2014-12-28T06:00:02-06:00December 28th, 2014|Sunday Sampler|2 Comments

A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

I was in my bedroom getting ready for work when I heard a chicken. On Miller Farm, this is normal.

The clucking was coming from right outside my window. This is not normal.

I put shoes on and went outside to see which one of our silly birds had spent the night outside the coop. As I rounded the corner of the house, I spied the escapee – except there was one problem.

This was not my chicken.

My first thought was from the book Are You My Mother?

In the story, the little bird is searching for its mother when it comes upon a steam shovel. It quickly realized that this was not its mother.

I named the stray bird “Snort.”

Now you may wonder how I distinguish my chickens from others. It isn’t always easy but this bird was a barred rock, and we have none of that variety at the moment.

Being a Chicken Wrangler, I could not leave her out in the open so I scooped her up and carried her to our coop. She was very calm about the whole process, until I let out all our chickens.

You see, chickens are not particularly kind to strange birds. They chased the poor stray around the yard until she flew up to the fence.

I tried to catch her again to clip her wings so she wouldn’t meet Bella (the chicken-killing dachshund). Since I was unsuccessful, I left the dogs inside while I went to work.

When I got home, the first thing I did was check the backyard. Sticking out from a bush against the fence was a chicken head.

The stray bird had flown the coop again. She seemed to want to go back inside the fence so I caught her, clipped her wings and put her back with the others.

Meanwhile I have asked my friend with chickens if she is missing a barred rock. She is checking her chickens.

I may have to post a “Found Chicken” sign at the corner. Someone may be missing their chicken.

21 12, 2014

Don We Now our Ugly Holiday Sweaters

By judythemorgan|2014-12-21T06:00:18-06:00December 21st, 2014|Sunday Sampler|2 Comments

A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

Twenty-one years ago, my parents gave me a Christmas sweater. It was something they knew I would never buy for myself but would love.

They were absolutely right. I wore that sweater for many years starting with our daughters first Christmas.

This very same daughter has borrowed this sweater not once but twice to enter in “tacky Christmas sweater” contests. This year she’s loaning it out.

I would be offended except for two years running, my sweater has won.

I think I deserve at least some kind of prize for having held on to that sweater long enough for college kids to think it is tacky.

Today I pulled out my Christmas sweatshirt. It is even older than my tacky sweater.

After my first Christmas program (which was several years before our first daughter was born), my students presented it to me. It has the name of the Christmas musical – “The Town Hall Christmas Tree” – on the front and all the kids’ handprints in red and green on the back and down the arms.

My mother purchased a Christmas sweater for herself at the same time as she bought my sweater. Definitely fits the ugly sweater category.

But the overall winner of our ugly holiday apparel would be the red sweat suits with appliqued Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer. The suits are long gone, but oh what fun Christmas memories!

YOUR TURN: Do you have an entry for an ugly holiday apparel contest?

14 12, 2014

Deck the Halls

By judythemorgan|2014-12-14T06:00:57-06:00December 14th, 2014|Sunday Sampler, Uncategorized|0 Comments

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

Several years ago, we downsized our Christmas tree. Space was an issue as well as ease of construction – we bought an artificial pre-lit tree.

This meant there was no longer room for all the ornaments, which was good news for our children.

Their handmade ornaments with pictures from elementary school that were always hung and, because I think they are precious ornaments, I placed them to the front. Howeverthe 17, 19, and 21 year olds are not so fond of them. So I put the treasures back in the ornament box to be saved for when they have all moved away.

This year our oldest Catherine helped me set up the tree. I unpacked the ornaments and she hung them on the tree.

Together we evaluated which ornaments would go on and which to save for another year. We had fun remembering the origin of the ornaments.

There was the cinnamon ornament in the shape of Texas that someone made us before we moved to Mexico.

Then there were the ones Beekeeper Brian and I got on our honeymoon and the hot air balloon I picked up in Albuquerque at the museum. Several are made by Beekeeper Brian’s grandmother out of duck eggs.

By far the most fun is the set we got the Christmas before Catherine was born. At the time we had no animals living at our house and no idea of what the future held.If only we had known how prophetic those chicken ornaments would be!

Everyone has those special decorations in their family. Take time to pass on the stories that go with them. It is what makes families unique.

7 12, 2014

Peaceful Drummer Boy?

By judythemorgan|2014-12-07T06:00:53-06:00December 7th, 2014|Sunday Sampler|2 Comments

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

Putting up Christmas decorations requires Christmas music. At least at our house.Thus began my search for a CD we bought last year entitled Peace on Earth. It was not at the house so I figured I must have taken it to school.

Today I was at school getting all my materials together for my classes this week. I planned to read the book The Little Drummer Boy to my Pre-K class, but I couldn’t find it. After an unsuccessful search in the L section of my classroom library, I remembered I was going to check to see if our Peace on Earth CD was in my classroom. It was not.

So I went back to looking for Little Drummer Boy, which I found wedged in my copy of Little Rabbit Foo Foo.

All of this goes to prove that you cannot have The Little Drummer Boy and Peace on Earth in the same room.

As the mother of a percussionist, I should have known this.

30 11, 2014

Dog Days at Miller Farm

By judythemorgan|2014-11-30T06:00:42-06:00November 30th, 2014|Sunday Sampler|0 Comments

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

The best part about holidays is having everyone at home, all three children, and all six dogs.

Included in the six dogs are Miller and Jengo, the occasional houseguests. Miller is a dachshund and fits right in with our pack. Jengo, however, is a beagle mix and still acts like a puppy. This can be a good thing.

For instance, he likes to chase the ball I throw for Tucker. If he gets to it first, then Tucker chases him and they both run around the back yard for a bit. This buys me a few more minutes as I’m feeding chickens in the morning. Jengo tends to wake up with lots of energy so taking laps around the back yard is a necessary part of his routine.

Then he likes to come in and play with the other dogs that may or may not want to play. Sadie will play for a bit and then she gets grumpy. So Jengo moves on to Bella who is eager to play for a few minutes but not nearly long enough for Jengo. Coco tends to stay completely away from him and Tucker is the supervisor of the pack. He barks at them when it is time to stop. Jengo doesn’t listen very well.

We watched the movie “How to Train Your Dragon 2” the other night. The story revolves around an alpha dragon that controls all other dragons in his nest except the baby dragons who listen to no one.

I decided that Tucker is our “alpha dragon” and Jengo is a baby dragon. He doesn’t listen to anyone. It is a good thing he is a cute “baby dragon”.

23 11, 2014

Thankful for…

By judythemorgan|2014-11-23T06:00:41-06:00November 23rd, 2014|Holidays, Sunday Sampler|0 Comments

We recently attended a family wedding three states away in Wisconsin. We discussed whether to fly or drive.

Not for long though. You see our bucket lists contain a visit to all fifty states. Driving would help tick off two states … if we took a northern route back home to Colorado.

Family and friends cautioned about the possibility of adverse weather if we traveled by car in Minnesota, North Dakota, and Montana. We listened and then decided to take our chances.

With our two four-legged children loaded in the car, we headed north.

(Note: Their advice would have been so correct if we had made the trip last week during the deep freeze and snow of the early winter storm in those states. We didn’t. We were nestled all snug in our cabin in Colorado watching Casper, Wyoming with temperatures of -35 degrees on the evening news.)

As it worked out, we were so glad we drove.

Little Bighorn National Cemetery

Teddy Roosevelt National Park

The beauty of the landscape was breathtaking.

The people we met friendly and interesting.

Lunch in Portage, WI Pub

The wedding inspiring.

Congratulations, Abram & Becca

This Thursday many of us will be gathering to eat turkey and all the trimmings with family and friends.

In 1621, the Plymouth the Pilgrims and Indians celebrated survival and the hopes of future good fortune on the first Thanksgiving.

Our trip of over 3,500 miles reminded me of the awesome things we have to celebrate this Thanksgiving Day.

Majestic mountains

Fields ripe with grain to harvest

Moonlight on lakes

Water rushing in streams and cascading down waterfalls

And, most of all the fellowship of family and friends

Happy Thanksgiving!

16 11, 2014

It’s Cold on Miller Farm

By judythemorgan|2014-11-16T06:00:32-06:00November 16th, 2014|Miller Farm Friday, Sunday Sampler|0 Comments

A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

You would think that having lived in Texas most of my life I would expect the weather to be unpredictable. However, winter’s arrival caught me off guard.

Sure, the weatherman predicted a wintery blast, but I don’t always believe the weatherman. He said there was a cold front coming in on Tuesday.

When I got up to swim, it was 65 degrees. By lunch it was in the 40s. I realize that doesn’t sound cold to people who live north of here but for us Texans who put up with 95+ degrees all summer, 40 is COLD.

If you don’t believe me, ask the chickens.

When I went to close them up Wednesday night they had their heads tucked under their wings.

It was a disconcerting sight at first until I realized what I was seeing.

Of course, I didn’t have my phone with me the first night, but I remembered to take it Thursday when more artic air arrived.

It took several tries to get the picture and the poor chicken kept turning its head to see what was happening every time the camera clicked.

When I finally set the flash and got this picture, I decided not to press my luck. After all, I’ve had to deal with a grumpy hen in the past.

What I have to remember is, this is Texas. It is likely to be back up to 80 by the weekend.

Home

Happy Thanksgiving!