Can you believe it?
A new year already?
(Oh, and before I go any further,
I have to tell you.... I have missed our little daily chats!)
(Oh, and before I go any further,
I have to tell you.... I have missed our little daily chats!)
Did you have a wonderful Christmas?
Time spent on the farm with family and friends....
always makes for sweet and lasting memories.
The past week has left us all feeling just a little spent...
it's time to get back to life as usual!
Each year on New Year's Day Hubbs and I spend a little time
remembering the past year and planning for the next.
We don't "party" over New Year's, but rather use the holiday
to organize our thoughts and our surroundings
in order to start the new year with a plan.
So, before we look ahead to 2012.....
let's take a look backwards at where we've been this past year.
As I have written before, life on the farm has a certain balance to it.
You learn to take the good with the bad....
the rains with the sunny blue skies....
the losses with the gains.
We suffered a few losses this past year as we bid goodbye to our friends...
Fagner (Becky's long time friend and eventing partner)
who passed away this past summer.
(I never blogged about it as the pain was too great)
Smilin' Jack (our sweet senior fainting goat)
and just recently (2 days after Christmas)...
Forrest (born on the farm 2 years ago)
Forrest had been suffering with lameness for the past several weeks.
Medications did not help and he continued to get worse,
until it was apparent that his quality of life had declined.
Sadly, Becky and I euthanized him and bid him farewell...
he passed in our arms amidst a shower of tears.
Forrest had a conformation problem that caused his patellae to subluxate
(his kneecaps dislocated constantly causing great pain...
a condition for which there is no fix.)
And so there were many tears shed this past year....
but oh so many more smiles and laughter.
Our farm grew by leaps and bounds this past year as we added
2 batches of baby chicks...
Our first "homegrown" ducks hatched this spring...
doubling the population of our duck pond.
Last spring brought the birth of 6 baby fainting goats.
A single, and a set of twins and triplets!
Leo, the Lionhearted appeared on the farm this past summer
and stayed.
As well as Sophia (we think she's Leo's Mama).
Sophia was relocated to Becky's barn last week, though.
Sadly, Bobby and TomTom would not stop tormenting her,
sending her to the rafters daily.
She now lives a more peaceful life sharing Becky's barn with her other barn kitty Lucy.
Perhaps the most exciting additions, however, are our two sweet piggie sisters
our Kunekune pigs.
Are they not the cutest piggies ever?????
And in case you are new to our farm (Welcome!)...
we don't eat any of our animals...just our eggs.
And so it is with farm life. We accept our losses and rejoice in our additions...
enjoying each and every precious day we spend with our animal friends,
ever aware that one day we will say goodbye.
Until that time, however, we will laugh and smile and love with full
and contented hearts.
We look forward to the year ahead
and will have more new additions to share with you as the months pass.
It has been so much fun sharing this journey with you all!
All the best to you in this coming new year.
2012!
Comments
God Bless to you and yours with a wonderful and even more productive 2012!
It's a wonderful magical place and I love how you wrap it in joy! Thanks for sharing your wonderful farm life!
Please stop by for a visit when you have time. I love company and new friends are always welcome!
Mary
I agree about the sadness and the happiness of living on the farm and being blessed with our 4 legged friends.
Happy New Year in 2012, may your farm and family be blessed richly.
Annie v.
Maura :)