No not my tail. I wagged work. I played hookey.
I was a truant. Look at that calm shot. The wind was so terrible I had to rest the camera on a fence post to keep it still but you cannot see that wind!
It was so windy and so cold that I regressed. I lit the fire. I put the yesterday’s dinner party chicken bones on to make stock. I left the dishes unwashed. I ignored the stalls, the unfinished pigsty and the weeding in Donna’s garden. I could not hang the laundry out on the line in a gale so I did not even wash it. And with small breaks to feed animals, move animals and birds (Kupa was once again found on the top of the convertible). Chase buckets and baskets blown across the fields. Watering the plants in pots and moving the seedlings where they were not blown to death. And checking Mama. In between all that and a few other things I just sat on the red couch in front of the fire and I read a book. A whole book.
The wind was fierce all day. Worse than usual. The fields are dry and bare so the wind carries dust and dirt. Every time I ventured forth my face was sandblasted and my eyes were gritty. Mama kept low to the ground and the chickens never even left the barn. So when I took the camera and the dogs for a walk I took that one shot, then I scurried back inside.
I can take the wind for days. There are many of us who work in the wind. I am not the only one. But some days I cannot do it anymore. The bendy tree defeats me. So I sat in front of the fire and read my book. The book is called Behind the Beautiful Forevers. By Katherine Boo. And I read it all. It was worth taking a day off to read. An extraordinary book. Then I drained the chicken stock, added the chicken back in, a few vegetables and a few noodles, sat it back on the woodstove, and myself back on the couch and did some writing. Nice.
So there you are. Some days I am lazy! I am the lazy dog that the quick brown fox jumped over.
Good morning. There is no gale in the forecast today, just a warm breeze with abundant sunshine (weather man words) and I am rested and ready to deal with things again.
The trouble with wagging a day is that a little fairy does not come out in the night and do all my work for me while I sleep. The work is all still there. Waiting for me with big smiles. No problem. Without wind howling about my head I feel like I can do almost anything. And TonTon and I need to get busy on a pen for piglets because the meat piglets are ready for pick up and feeding up. Sheila the Babe (the Hereford pig we will train) is not until May.
Right off to work I go. I always feel like picking up my little pail and singing Hi Ho Hi Ho when I write that!!
Good Morning
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
83 responses to “I wagged yesterday”
I’m just glad to know that sometimes you stop to rest!!!!
Oh, and I love making soup with the leftover bones. 🙂
Oh yeah, has to be done, esp when the wood stove is running!! c
I loved your entry about doing nothing; i admire your life and your farming knowledge; the lightness of your prose, and its clarity drew me in; i’ll look for the book; i am an insatiate when it comes to books! best of luck
Morning esther and welcome.. I am never without a book and truly appreciate other book worms!! c
Hope you had a still day. Celi 🙂
‘STILL’! you did it. your stilled my day! thank you kate! c
I’m glad you had the day “off” (not really off, since everyone was still fed and tended to), sounds like it was good for the soul. Good for you! 🙂
yes it is true there is no OFF, but to rest in between was lovely, instead of attending to The List!! c
Someone once told me that there’s no such thing as holidays, just advanced and deferred work. Probably especially true on a farm! Don’t undo all that lovely rest by busting an arse to catch up, love. 🙂
I did the very same thing this morning. I’ve been picking out a dead hedge one bush at a time and my body is exhausted. I will return to my work soon…and it is windy. So I started reading the last book of the Hunger Games.
Good for us a day off now and then does a body a mind and a soul good!
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com
It does Linda and we must be careful in this wind that blows our fields straight though our houses, we need to make sure we have a hold of ourselves! c
I can’t think of anyone who deserves a day off to wag more than you, Celi! That book sounds interesting and Kupa sounds incorrigible…but beautiful. It’s windy here today and will get down in the 30’s…ugh. Then back up to the 80’s in a couple of days. Have a good day today!
weather is mental.. always keeping us on our toes! ah well! morning betsy~! c
I remember the old folks talking about the damned wind in the 1930s when the Cdn prairies would move from province to another with the blows. The women said they nearly went mad over the dust. They’d seal, plug, poke and paste every crack, crevice and seam, but the dust still blew in somehow.
In all our different locations, Nature has her ways of keeping us humble. It’s good to know you do rest on occasion, Celi, even if it’s not possible to have any day 100% off.
That is interesting aimee as the old codger and another old codger had a discussion (when I was in the room) about the heat of the thirties too, the heat and the wind.. poor buggers, it must have been dreadful, they laugh at our moaning you know.. he keeps me very grounded about those things after having lived through the depression.. c
Reading a book in front of the fire should be one of life’s staples but so often becomes a luxury.
I know.. we blog too much!!! should read more.. it is all about giving ourselves permission.. morning annie.. c
I’m tired of the wind too. I did some yard work Monday and today. The two young’uns are getting over colds, lots of sniffing and coughing. We send them outside in the later afternoon when it is warmer so they get some fresh air and they helped some with the yard work.
good idea to get them out in the air.. colds are such a bore!! c
Good for you for taking a day off! Also, I learned a new slang word.
I hear you; the flats of the Midwest make that wind brutal on colder days. I’m on a bit of a staycation this week and the pup and I went jogging…I couldn’t figure why it was so effortless until I headed back, ha! darn wind. Rain is next ~
Glad you had a day of rest. Hi Ho Hi Ho!
I would love a day or just laying like a vegetable in a state of bliss and not have guilt- we all need a holiday. So what was the name of that book that kept you interest? Take care, BAM
Some days are just meant for reading and relaxing! Even if the fairies don’t do your work for you? )
Oh, Mama! Very well said about lifes joys and sorrows. Still, I’m sorry about the killing frost Celi. May it be your only one.~Betsy
They say that is all and the corn farmers are out in the fields planting so i guess we are in the clear now.. c