Rambling

For the last three weeks or so our Internet service has been variable at best and non existent most of the time. We can have an hour of blazing fast, and then two days of no connection. Frustrating!

Our California Christmas box came in the mail yesterday. We opened our last gifts, so Christmas is now officially over. I received some very nice gifts again this year, highlighted by the Dell netbook that my wife gave me. It will be great to take it with us whenever we travel so that I can keep "connected".

I believe that 2009 ended as the second wettest year for us on record. I hope 2010 is a little more normal, whatever that is! Anyway, Happy New Year to all!

Monday we drove to Oakville for Henry's funeral. What a surreal tragedy his illness and death was. Our heart hurts for his parents, siblings, and his young wife. Nineteen years old, pregnant, and a widow. She could wake up some morning and wonder if it was all a dream. But we trust God's will was accomplished though we don't understand. The service was comforting and inspiring. The church is tucked against the bluff overlooking the Mississippi bottoms. It was a tolerable, cold, partly sunny day at the church, but the cemetery is on top of the bluff. At the grave site the wind was miserable, which made for probably the coldest funeral I've ever been to. We didn't linger.

Winter is truly upon us in full force. The ground is hard and covered in white. We've had some bitter cold days and nights. But I love the cold, crisp, winter nights when the sky is clear and the wind lays down, and the stars are bright. You can bundle up and go for a walk and enjoy the beauty of winter. And you can tell how cold it is by the way the snow squeaks as you walk on it.
Wednesday night and into Thursday, we had six inches of fresh snow. I was very thankful that the fierce winds that were predicted to follow the snow for a couple of days never materialized. Instead, the sun quickly returned and blessed us.
I spent most most of the week working outside, and have been told that I have a red face. We've had a feed line freeze up, a water line freeze up, several fans not working properly, and various other winter related problems. We spend all our time on maintenance and keeping livestock fed, watered, and comfortable. I really need to spend more time in the office this time of year.

I will say of the Lord, he is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
Psalm 91:2