Wet and Icy

I heard ice and rain hitting the window during the night.  Monday morning we woke up to a drizzly rain and an ice covered landscape.  The temperature hovered around freezing all day as the rain kept falling and the trees had ice build up.  The wind was stiff, which made it dangerous to walk under the trees.  Branches were snapping sporadically and falling all over the yard.  We lost one of my cherry trees.  The lights flickered a couple of times, so I hustled through chores and finished grinding feed trying to beat the anticipated power outage.  We lost power around lunchtime, but I didn't hook up the generator until late afternoon.  D-I-L and new grandson spent the day with us because they had no power since early morning.  Throughout the day, just about everyone in the area lost power.  Roads were closed due to downed power lines and flooding.  We cancelled our evening Christmas gathering.  I filled the generator tractor with fuel at 11:30 P.M. and at 5:30 A.M.

View from the kitchen window.

The morning after.

After chores on Tuesday, we sent the generator down the road for the day to my Brother's house.  Ameren kept giving us expected restoration times and then missing their prediction.  Son #2 started picking up limbs and branches in the yard in the afternoon.  That ended up being a big job that carried over to Wednesday.  We kept our Tuesday evening Christmas gathering plans in Gridley (after shaving, showering and dressing by flashlight), and had an enjoyable time.  The generator was back when we got home, so I filled the generator tractor with fuel one last time at 11:00 P.M. before going bed.  I woke up at 12:30 A.M. and looked out to see our signal light was on telling me the power was restored.  I slipped on some clothes and went out and shut down the generator and switched back to line power, then headed back to bed.  We were out about 36 hours, but we have friends and neighbors who are still out.

Our rainfall for the year is about 14" above normal.  Most of the excess came in June and December.  The fields are saturated and the ditches and ponds are full of water.

Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand.
Isaiah 28:2

Christmas '15

Monday was the big family Christmas party with my folks and siblings.  It started with brunch at 10:00, then program, singing carols, gifts, continuous lunch, games, naps, discussions, supper, more visiting, and finally when everyone is tired we head home.  My parents' whole family made it except one granddaughter-in-law and two great grandchildren.  That was because little Andrew can't travel yet; especially during flu season.

Christmas eve afternoon, we plugged the leg while coring a bin.  After getting the leg cleaned out and running again, the cable that helps change the distributor spouting snapped.  I was working about 70 feet in the air off the ladder trying to splice in a new section of cable and it starts sprinkling.  Fortunately, the temperature is mild for this time of year, and we were able to get it spliced and operating again before the early darkness set in.

Whenever there are no big plans on Christmas eve, our tradition is to invite my folks and aunt Pearl over for homemade oyster stew.  Not my favorite, but there is never a lack of alternative food.  It was a nice laid back evening.  My new grandson made his first appearance on the farm also.

Following church on Christmas morning, we were blessed to have all of our children and grandchildren over for the rest of the day.  Much feasting took place, including our traditional meal of cornish hens.  As more people get added to the family, the gift pile grows.  It is a joy to watch everyone open their gifts - especially some of the more unique ones!  I think the number of books given this year was down slightly from the last couple of years.

I finally went out and got my flu shot two days before Christmas.  On Christmas day, I started getting a scratchy throat.  Now I seem to have a cold, unless it is a reaction to the flu shot.  Hopefully it won't bother me too much or last very long.  We have two more Christmas gatherings this coming week to attend.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
Luke 2:11

Advent

Sunday night, I went to my first Sunday School Christmas program as a Grandpa!  My Granddaughter did very well for her first program.  She knew her song and verse and we could hear her clearly.  It's been years since we had any of our kids in a program, so we've been able to relax for a while without worrying about shyness, forgotten lines, waves, or other flubs.  It's always a blessing to hear the Christmas story told through verse and song by excited, energetic children.  And it's especially rewarding to hear the Bible Class care about and do well singing their songs.

Tonight was the night to participate in our traditional decorating of the gingerbread cookies.  I really don't eat many, but I do help decorate - especially when there are no kids around to help.  It used to be a lot of fun watching all of their creativity.  There was no Illini orange and blue this year.

Someone shot the Christmas moose!

Most of the shopping is done, the letters and cards are in the mail, the gifts are mostly wrapped, and our first big Christmas gathering is in two days.

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given:and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6

Happenings

One morning early last week, Gus started barking during my breakfast.  When I came out for chores I saw that he had another raccoon treed and was waiting for me.  I'm not sure where they keep coming from, but I assume they come looking for dog food, cat food, or cats!

We spent one day last week at the Peoria Farm Show.  Farmers didn't seem to be in money spending moods with the low grain prices.  Farm Credit treated us to a free lunch at Jim's Steak House.  I think they are profiting from our business.

Late Wednesday night last week, Son #1 and favorite D-I-L gave us a new grand-baby!  Our first grandson to carry on the name.  Everyone seems to be doing very well.  And he's cute and cuddly!

Last weekend was second deer season.  I went out a couple of times and didn't see much.  I missed a shot at a deer just at dusk that I spooked getting out of my stand.  The freezer won't be full this year.  The deer population is definitely down in our area the last couple of years because of Blue Tongue disease.  Blue Tongue is a insect borne viral disease that affects ruminant animals, including deer.  Hopefully the local herds will rebound quickly.

Friday night our potluck group ate out at the new Blacksmith Steakhouse in Washington.  They had a bison fillet on the menu that I just had to try.  It was very expensive, but I still expected it to be tougher than beef.  It was excellent; very tender and juicy.  I will order it again, if I can afford to.



I started my Christmas shopping and have made good progress.  I have been out at least three times and have shown amazing restraint in not buying much for myself!  I had to take my copier to an authorized repair center up in the Chicago suburbs this week, so I even got in some big city shopping.  Now the stores I hit were centered around Cabela's, LL Bean, and REI, so my wife wasn't too jealous.

Tuesday night was date night.  We drove to C-U and took nephew Ned out to supper at Za's before attending the U of I Symphony Orchestra concert at Krannert.  After the performance we met him at DQ for a nightcap.  I keep getting more cultured all the time!

But he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean thing: for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death.
Judges 13:7