this post drafted May 27, 2013

where ya goin', Jace?

"Goin' to dig a hole."

(You just never know what the answer could be.)

Dig a hole? What for?

                                                     

  for the ducks

                                                       ...okay?

Dustin and Jace building the duck pond

                                         

hockey stick break

Kids grow up so fast. One day they're doing everyday things. Hockey games. Fishing. Learning to drive. Hay rides. Duck ponds. You blink. They're in college, doing internships out of state, and moving on. 

Country cold - (*WARNING - disturbing images)

The woods are safer tonight, my friends. Around 1 am Thursday morning, my nephew picked off a coyote. He woke my sister from a sound sleep, "Come on, Mom. You gotta come out and take a picture!" 

Picking off a coyote is not easy. Great job, Jace!  

My sister Danelle was glad for a snow day that same day, for some shut eye.  

In the daylight hours of that same morning Danelle went out to the donkey barn to break the ice so she could water the donkeys. The temperature was -6 without the windchill factor. She pulled out chunks of broken ice.  Heard the scream 30 miles away. Mr. Rat's last sip was his last slip.

Country cold.

Way of life.