First of all, I have to admit something. When I am working in the barn, I often talk to myself. And I’m not talking little muttered comments, I’m talking full-blown, ranting lectures, long-winded stories, and suchlike. And I talk back. Sometimes the dialog turns into an all-out argument. Which is all very, very, very weird, I know.

Yesterday I was cleaning stalls, and to pass the time I decided to ruminate on what period of history I like best. It turned into a rant on how much “I hate the Civil War!”

Actually, this is what I decided. I don’t so much hate the Civil War as I simply could not care less about it. The Civil War bores me to tears. And that includes Reconstruction and any history that feels compelled to use the word “antebellum” to describe itself. Yawn.

I don’t do the Civil War…I have people to do that. I know a good number of people who are simply fascinated by it, and that is just in my own family. I leave them to “do” the Civil War so I can blithely go on ignoring the entire second half of the 19th century.

If I had my choice, I would stick mostly with the years between 1750 and 1843. I choose those years because I am interested in the French & Indian War and a major turning point for me would be the year the Wyandots left Ohio, 1843. That’s almost a century of really interesting history.

When it comes to American theological thought, it seems that most churches just want something they can fit on a t-shirt.

For that matter, no one goes to a “church service” anymore…they all attend an Experience. I’ve been trying to decide if I should go to the Christmas eve “experience” with a LIGHT SHOW! or the one that promises a CHOCOLATE FOUNTAIN! and a GRACE MAGICIAN! for the kiddies.

My plan for the new year to improve Mind, Body, and Soul.

1) To sharpen the mind: read_____________. And write_______________.

2) To strengthen the body: a regular walk with Duke. Care for Buddy’s feet and ride him more. Also Utah.

3) To aid the serenity of my soul: clean & organize my house and workshop and barn. And get out a blank sheet of paper and draw.

We have 15 acres total at the farm, and right now it is underutilized. The neighbor borrowed a little strip off the back to add to his corn field this year. Some of it is horse pasture, but they can’t use it much because of their issues (never mind the sad, sad state of the fence.) We have a bunch of pine trees that the former owner planted; they are now quite overgrown. I’m hoping to offer them for bargain Christmas trees since they are unkempt and sort of scrawny for that purpose. They are also getting too tall even for that–some of the tallest ones are probably 10 feet tall.

I’m thinking radical thoughts. I’m thinking of planting a woods back in the open fields. I haven’t done any research yet, but it seems to me that woods would be the cheapest, easiest crop to grow. Of course there wouldn’t be much return for quite a few years, but it’s an investment for the future.

I’m envisioning a mix of hardwood and pines, and maybe some fruit trees, with winding paths cut between them for riding. I love woods!

Of course it would be rather awkward if I were to plant a bunch of acorns and ten years down the road decide to plant crops instead. Imagine trying to plow that field…”*&%#^@ saplings!”

The problem is I don’t go on the internet very much except when I’m at work, and since I’m working fewer hours now, I don’t have as much time to write here!

I have been very busy though. It feels like all I’ve been doing is clean stalls. Repeat. Utah had a brilliant idea. He says Buddy, why don’t you add this food coloring to your hay…then when Sarah cleans the stalls, it’ll be like an Easter egg hunt!

Yesterday I completely pulled out the soggy bedding and then lifted up the stall mats to peek at what is underneath. It was a completely wet, uriny, stinky, gross mess. Ick. So I hauled the mats outside and hosed them off. Then I left them in the sun to dry and detoxify. Let me tell you, those suckers are heavy. They are made in Canada, and I find myself singing those stupid songs from South Park–“Canada on strike. Canada on strike. Canada! on strike!”

I’m sorry I jump around so much from thing to thing here. I know they suggest you focus your blog on one particular subject, but I just don’t care! This is the way my brain works anyhow; different stuff percolates to the top at any given moment. Sometimes nothing comes up at all.

Sometimes I get a craving for bananas. But bananas are a difficult fruit to get right. If they are too green, I don’t like them; if they get too ripe, they belong in bread.

Even worse, the husband likes to eat them when they are too green for my tastes, so he scarfs them all down before they get to “perfect.” I check on them every day–nope, too green; nope, too green; eh, just a tad too green. They day they reach perfection, I look for them on the counter and they are gone.

Okay, I’m going to have a go at this blogging thing. I have no idea what I’m doing, so bear with me! A long time ago I once told someone that I thought the Internet would be the arena for writers in the future. This was probably sometime before 1996. I’m not claiming to be prescient or anything, but did I call it or what?

I like to connect with someone when I write, and scribbling in my notebook just wasn’t accomplishing that. At least here it feels possible. I can send a link to all my friends and family and inflict them with whatever I post…ha ha ha!