Home again, Home again, Jiggedy Jig.
And here we are back on the farmy. After an uneventful and long, long couple of flights to Chicago from Auckland, I was whisked away from the madding crowds of airport people, with all its suspicion and controlled chaos and driven back to the howling prairies.
The wind has been blowing out of the North since I stepped out of the car last night back onto my own land. All through the night it howled, blowing away the promise of snow. 
John was thrilled to see me home and the animals were mostly ambivalent. TonTon, The Old Dog and all the sheep were happy to see me..
but 
the cows and the Shush Sisters just looked past me to John, to see is he had any food. 
Daisy is thinking about it. But that’s OK.
As soon as it stops blowing, and I have had a rest (sleep has eluded me since I arrived back in the country), I shall get out my pitchfork and start cleaning out the pens, counting the hay bales, checking the feed, walking the fields, taking over my share of the chores and making friends with the animals again. Daisy needs a good brush. 
Queenie has put on weight. Little fat cow.
Of course the cats are always up for a cuddle…
… Chickens – not so much. 
And here is the beginnings of The Coupe. The floor is down. 
They got much further ahead than I thought they would.
Yesterday had a high of 34, and blowing, cold but not too bad. Still, a far cry from the beaches and colour and bustle of New Zealand. In fact my bones are still carrying some of the warmth from the summer Down Under so the cold has not made me shiver yet. However I am glad to be home. Though home is a funny word. Maybe home is the place where you get to unpack your suitcase and put it away. We all have many homes in our hearts.
Good morning. It is 5.30 am., not dawn yet, though I am assured that the days have begun to get longer.
Today I shall walk the boundary with the well travelled Camera House and bring you all up to date. But rest assured that except for a couple of the older chickens, who succumbed to a cold spell, all the animals are in good health and excellent spirits.
There now. We are back to being a daily dawn farm weblog again. And so far – All is well.
Have a lovely day.
celi
68 Comments on “Home again, Home again, Jiggedy Jig.”
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Welcome home. I’m sure everyone on the Farmy is far happier to have you home than you realise xx
morning darling, once I wake up and get back into it they will notice, though i have to say walking back into the barn was a warm fuzzy moment, i had forgotton how sweet it is with them all galloping in from the fields and into their inside pens to see what you have, such a wonderful combination of animals.. c
Early Morning with C…all is once again right with the world!
Glad you’re home – whichever place that is right now.
morning marie, it is great to be back into my good routine of life, seeing my children was wonderful, seeing my farmy family is wonderful too.. c
Well, Miss C, I have been missing you very much in the last wee while – I just haven’t had a moment to sit and read your words each day, so today I caught up on all your travels, just as you’ve arrived home.
What a whirlwhind of emotions you’ve been in! I feel a shadow of them myself, as though part of me came along with you – which, of course, I suppose it did. It was so wonderful to see your other home, it is a beautiful place. I feel a little warmer for having visited, both in my bones and in my heart (It seems like I have gone a bit faux-poetic today).
Welcome home to the Farmy.
Wonderful poetry carol anne, and welcome back too – I hope your life settles down a bit now as well! c
Welcome home! Gosh isn’t jet-lag something? I found some herbals at Vancouver health stores appropriately called “No Jet Lag” and you know what? They work. Have you got a Whole Foods near you? I’m still in E relishing every moment. We’re being very lazy these last few Christmas days and it feels so good to do…well…not much at all. Take some time to rest Celi. In my experience it takes about 1 day for each hour of time difference to get back to feeling in one’s own skin again. Much Christmas love to you. 🙂
I go from here to NZ absolutely seamlessly, but coming back this way is such a drag, i just don’t sleep for a few days, and there is no sun, a good blast of strong sunlight often helps! No whole foods close to here sadly but i shall keep it in mind next time i go to california.. I am thrilled that you are having a lovely relaxing christmas in the old country.. c
Welcome home Celi. It is always good to get back home. I hope you are able to get some sleep this evening – we don’t want to being overtired.
🙂 Mandy xo
morning Mandy, yes overtired babies start whining!!! I am sure if I work hard all day I will sleep tonight! at last.. c
Thank you for showing us around your beautiful NZ. I’m happy to be back on the wee farmy, but I feel bad that it’s so cold for your return. Is it just me, or is Lulu twice the size she was before we left?
actually i noticed that too, and fat.. that is a fat kitten! Hmm. we need to keep an eye on her.. I should check to see if she is a her too!. c
Welcome Home C! Glad you are back safe and sound! Can’t believe the kittens are so big already! Thanks for sharing your trip with us — loved seeing all the sights of New Zealand! The days are getting longer — thank heaven for that!
Yes, only two more really wintry months to go!! then crazy march! aren’ t we nuts, on a count down to spring already! c
Welcome home! So happy your trip was safe and that you are back with the animals…who surely missed you but maybe don’t want to show you exactly how much…
the shush sisters were friendlier this morning, they have grown too.. TALLER! weird! I shall take some shots for us today.. morning charlotte.. hope you had a fantastic christmas.. c
Hey Celi Welcome back, I was recently told that pigs never stop growing! I don’t know if it’s true but it came on good authority from a breeder of pigs so I must look into it a bit more.
Welcome home!
morning honey, have you started editing yet? I must pop over! c
Good morning Celi. Glad you’re safe and sound and still warm from your trip. We’re at 27F and feels about 18F with a layer of ice on everything!
Ice!.. cold fingers when you are milking I bet! c
Welcome home!
Thank you darling.. it is good to be back into the old routine.. c
Look at the size of Lulu … erh, have you seen Author? 🙂 🙂 I slept for two straight days on my return from NZ. What are you doing up so early? Pleased to have you back in my lunch time coffee slot again. Laura
Author is just as fat, and just as cuddly – it is all the milk (I hope).. everyone is present and accounted for.. which is a relief.. c
I’m sure they’re all happier to be back to normal, even you! I hope the weather in Illinois isn’t treating you as badly as it seems to be doing to everyone else. I am about to venture into the deluge to post a birthday card!
We are still above freezing ViV which is good for this time of year.. so I am not too shocked really! Any rain would be welcome though! morning.. c
It is nice to have you back on the Farmy. I know what you mean about jet lag being different depending on the direction. Coming to Turkey is a breeze compared to going to NY.
Glad to have you back and to see that the Farmy survived your absence. I never got jetlag going to my holiday destination. If it was going to hit me, it would be when I got home — and it didn’t matter whether I was returning home from Europe or Asia. Don’t overdo it the next couple days and you’ll get back in synch with the rest of us Illinoisans. 🙂
Welcome home!
Welcome home, Celi. I hope you begin sleeping soon. Bundle up and spend time outdoors — any light at all should help overcome jet lag.
yes you are right, and today i will be out there as much as i can, or at least until my hands start to hurt!! c
Lovely to have you back with the Farmy, Celi. I love the responses of the animals. All the best as you settle back in.
Welcome home Celi, I’m sure everyone was very happy for your return.
From the warm beaches of NZ to the winter in our northern areas must be a shock 😦 You do not seem to have gotten the snow Indy did and sadly us unless these photos were from the hours before it dumped on us.
Take it easy on the hands farming is a hard life to be sure just my little garden at times is enough though I long for chickens again but Coyotes are thick as thieves up this way the store is 3 miles away so I will buy my eggs and save a chickens life.
Love how your coop is coming along. Now if I could find some of the Turkey eggs from the 70 who call this place home it would be nice but not the same as knowing they were just laid.
My Grandparents always had farm animals in central NH I have the land and time but no back or hands so I will enjoy yours from 13 hours away.
Eunice
and you are very welcome to join us on the farmy journey, it is quiet this time of year but as you can imagine it makes us love the spring even more.. I hope we get some snow too soon.. c
🙂 Love farm life and the animals rock in your photos thanks for SHARING them with us
Eunice
Boy do I remember traveling back and through your state on my way west and east in the rig slept a few nights on the floors in the rest areas with truck so cold not enough heat coming out 😦 we used to truck for a company in Maple Plains MN brrr now that and Fargo were the coldest I have ever been
🙂
Eunice
Glad that you had a safe journey back to John and your farmy home. I hope that your New Zealand/family memories will keep you going for a long time!
christine
Welcome home. You just wait and see. The rest of the animals will, in their own subtle ways, let you know how very much you were missed.
Oh I’m glad you’re back on the farmy. I worried about the elderly gentleman in the blue overcoat missing you so much …you know how dogs are! And I had to laugh out loud at the photo of Daisy.
Welcome back C, and thanks for taking us with you to NZ. I am always amazed at how happy Penny is to see me, especially compared to the human members of my family.
Happy that you made it home again safe and sound. I’m sure all the critters were glad to see you!
I bet they are all secretly very pleased to have you back 🙂
Welcome back, C! Great progress on the Coup. Rest up 🙂 xx
Finally you are back on the Farmy, safe and sound….Welcome Back Home…or as the saying goes…Home is Where you Hang you Hat!! 🙂
So glad you’re home safe. Though I was traveling for the last part of your trip, it was so much fun to see your homeland and the beautiful vistas. Glad all is well on the farmy and hope you had a nice Christmas and that the new year is full of promise!
Welcome home!
So nice to have you home, miss c.
Welcome back to this side of the equator!!! Although, I did enjoy my warm sunny visit to your land of birth. Having you back among those of us who are in the throes of winter helps are days got a wee bit better!
Have fun milking again…could prove seamless!
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com
¸.•*¨*•♪♫♫♪HAPPY NEW YEAR ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥
Daisy is going through a retraining period now, she was very naughty, however I am hoping I can get her back on the straight and narrow.. she is still giving lots of milk though! c
Good Husband woke me with coffee and the big news. Celi has a post up! He has been checking the weather concerned that a big storm would brew up and leave you stranded someplace other than where you want to be. Welcome home. Virginia
Welcome home!
Our dogs were always a bit distant when we came back after six weeks… it was as though they were still in emotional shock… and then it would wear off, and they’d be back to normal after a few days….I bet that’s what;s going on for your piggie-wigs… and yes, east west – home’s best. -Keep warm…..
Welcome home Celi – there’s no place like it!
Seems a few of the animals have put on a bit of weight in your absence!
Welcome home. Travelling is great, but it is always good to be home.
So glad you had a safe arrival home, and that you stored some NZ warmth in your bones. It’s been raining since Xmas eve here, so you timed your visit perfectly. I have this picture of you bonding back with Daisy as you give her a good brush.
I am glad you are back. I have missed your morning posts so much, though I am so glad you were able to spend time with your family. It was really enjoyable to see the rest of your life as well. 🙂
Everything in its’ place and all is right with the world. (Did your granny/mother ever say that at the end of cleaning up?) Glad the wind blew you safely home.
Old dog did look pleased to see you. (The others may not let on as they don’t want you to know how much you were missed).
Rest up and then let the stories spill out.
Welcome home and thank you for our journey too! From beaches to Kiwi cows, ‘proper’ cups of coffee to beautiful babies – you kind of lost Christmas Day doing it, but Santa brought a fortune before, during and after! Lordy, but the Illinois air does look cold!!!
SO good to hear from you again Celi! Overseas travel is very exhausting – do give yourself LOTS of time to acclimatize yourself to North America again. I’m sure your heart strings are still tugging for NZ and the family there….. at the same time as you’re happy to see the Farmy again. Merry Christmas!
welcome home
Good to have you back! My hubby loves the Shush Sisters and asks me often what they have been up to. Enjoyed following your travels, but I really, really love your daily Farmy posts! Hope you are sleeping well tonight! ((Hugs)) Rani
Welcome back C! I love what you said about having many homes. We all seem to have several don’t we. Sometimes they can all pull at the heartstrings in opposite directions…I like the thought that where you put your suitcase away is home. Glad the animals are all in good spirits and I have no doubt they are happy to have you back. 🙂
Such a very long flight home! I can’t imagine how your thoughts must pass between two very different homes, and the loved ones connected to each. I admire you so much for your resilience and the joy you exhibit in both homes. I think of the Jon Kabot-Zinn book title, “Wherever You Go, There You Are.” I loved getting the chance to know your children a little bit, and to celebrate what fine, loving people they are, too. They have a lot of their Mama in them! 🙂 Welcome to what is at least your primary residence! Hope that warmth holds for a bit, too!
Welcome home C 🙂
home is the place where you get to unpack your suitcase and put it away. We all have many homes in our hearts…that sentence put a big smile on my face..
Oh, is good to be home! 😉 welcome!!
Welcome home – but you´re so right, we have many homes in our heart!
What an adorable photo of the lambies sprinting to see you! My dog used to get excited when he saw me after a trip.. but then he’d remember that I’d left him and he’d go off in a huff to remind me how bad I’d been, lol! xx
A belated welcome home, I’ve had all sorts of email issues so am slowly ploughing through back posts. 🙂