Winter Break Away from the Farm

Oh wow everyone, it's been almost a month since I've updated. I'm so sorry about that. I left the farm to go home for the holidays, but I am back now. I've been back for about a week and it feels like I never left. It's been really great getting back in the routine of the farm, taking care of the animals and all. My first morning doing chores I fed the buck goats and rams--all the fellas. Now, buck goats have a very distinct odor to them, one I never really found pleasant during the fall. But when I turned the corner of the barn and smelled them for the first time, my reaction was, "Aww! I missed you guys!" Odd, I know.

But I feel like I should catch you up on the past few weeks before updating quite yet. (There's not much to say anyway; winter is definitely a slow season around here. Although probably not quite as slow as you think. But we'll get to that. Don't worry!)

I spent Christmas with my wacky immediate family.....

.....plus my dad's entire side of the family, including my cousin's adorable children!

I made bread for Christmas Eve dinner that was quite delicious, if I do say so myself.

And on Christmas morning it was lots of fun to watch the little ones open presents.

Then we got to play in the snow!

I tried sledding.

But the kids definitely looked cuter doing it than I did.

It was really nice to be able to be all together.

Also, as a present, I knitted my brother a hat and mitten set in the style of "Avatar: The Last Airbender." Not the blue people "Avatar." This "Avatar":

The main character has blue arrows on his head and hands, so........

Look! He's snowbending!

We eventually came home from my grandparents' house and I spent New Year's Eve at Busch Gardens with my friend Jason.

There were some great fireworks.

And that's pretty much it for the break! It was wonderful to see my family and go home, but it's nice to be on the farm, too. I missed the huge amount of noise the sheep and goats make when it's time to be fed. And I missed our giant compost piles. And our little house right in the middle of all the farm action. But most of all I missed the people here and the sense of community that comes from working and living together. I think the spring season is going to be pretty wonderful and I look forward to sharing it with all of you.