Making Maple Syrup

I have ten large sugar maple trees on the property. I am thinking of tapping them this year and making maple syrup. It's a lot of work to make maple syrup. It takes a gallons of sap to make a quart of syrup. But I think it will be fun to do. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Crap

One mushy post about my wife turned into a theme on this blog. One that I was hoping to avoid. Whenever you start to talk about people you appreciate, you realize you missed someone, that someone might not take this or that the right way. This is why I try not to create a bunch of posts about family. This blog got mushy. Yuck! But I want you to know:

My Brother Jack is one of the greatest guys, with the biggest heart I know.
My Sister Carrie is someone who will always listen and never let you lie to yourself.
My Sister Becky will always stand up for you and never do anything to hurt you.
My Mom is just the greatest woman I ever knew. I don't think I can say much more.
My Grandma is the strongest and most loving woman I ever knew.

My cousins, Laura, Mike, Mikey, Jason, Anna, Chelsea and Jacob are to me what little brothers and sisters are to most other people I know. I miss them.

I could spend a whole post writing about how important each of the people are and have been in my life. I hope they know it. However, I never wanted this blog to be a mushy gushy "Gol'ley Beav, ain't we lucky" kinda thing. So this is the end of it.

Pops

Unlike having three mothers. I only had one Dad. My paternal grandfather passed away when I was 2 and I never knew my maternal grandfather. There was only my Dad. My dad taught me how to fish, how to swim, how to "be tough" and how to be strong.
But these are the most important lessons I think my dad taught me:

1. We all make mistakes, but a real man admits it takes his licks. Those of you out there who know my dad, might think I was on some drug when writing this. Hearing my dad say the words "I'm sorry" in any really sincere way are about as likely as wining the Pick 5. But, dad has his way of letting you know. And when he knows he's wrong (which, dad, I know NEVER happens ;)) he will let you know he's sorry. I spent many years avoiding my mistakes, afraid of what people would think of me, if I wasn't perfect. It was watching my dad that taught me, a man is not afraid of his mistakes, he owns them and owns up to them.
2. Life is too short to waste on worrying. Don't waste your energy holding grudges. Enjoy everyday you get.
   
3. Find a woman who will love you even on the days she can't stand to look at you.
4. Find a woman you love even on the days you can't stand to look at her.
5. Know your own weaknesses. We all have them, if you know them, you can laugh with everyone else about them.
6. Be yourself, because being someone else is too much work.
7. Stand up for what you believe, even it makes other people angry.
8. Never let only the fact that someone disagrees with you (about politics or business or anything else) change the way you treat them.
9. No matter how angry someone gets with you, don't go away. The longer they have to deal with you as a living breathing person in front of them, they shorter their anger will last.
10. Don't back down from a fight but never start one.

Three Mothers

As a kid growing up, I basically had three mothers. I realize this more and more as I see the relationships that exist in other people's families. When I talk about my mom's sisters, my aunts, there is a special relationship there. Something more than what most other people mean by "my aunt" anyway. My mom's two sisters were a part of raising me. Their kids are more like brothers and sisters to me than cousins. I was always expected to obey them as if they were my parent, I was loved by them as if I were their child. They are a big part of who I am. They helped get me through a really tough adolescence (that ended when I was like 24 . . . ) and I know they are always there if I ever need them.

Now I 'm married. As an adult I have three mothers again. I have a step-mom-in-law, a mom-in-law, and of course my own wonderful mother. It's not that my aunts are not around anymore but they are all in different places, and I am not a great nephew who writes letters or emails or calls on the phone to stay in touch. Course, I'm not a great son that way either, but that's another blog.

I am a lucky guy to have had so many wonderful women who helped me grow into a responsible adult. I hope someday I can repay them for their nurturing and love.

[I cannot let this go out without some kind of "smat***" comment, because then it just wouldn't be me]

But the more I think about it, the more I start to question if the real reason my relationships with my aunts has slowed down has more to do with the fact that three mothers are quite enough for any guy and six might just drive him crazy.

Got an email.

I got two emails today. One choked me up and one made me laugh my rear off. . . thank you to you both, you know who you are.

I do need to share the funny one . . . it went like this:

"Farmer Ross? I didn't know you wanted to get all farm boy on us. Next thing you know your going to start building a boat in case of a flood. LOL"

The evil laugh

My sons have taught thier baby sister the "evil laugh". It goes something like "Wooo ha ha." So for the last week or so I have a two year old walking around the house shouting out at various times "Woo ha ha!!"

On Tuesday moring, I got her out of bed and brought her down stairs and this child was RIPE!! So, I got a diaper and some wipes and prepared for the worst. As I opened the diaper and tried not to pass out from the "scent", I looked my sweet little daughter in the face and said:

"Rosie what have done to me, making this big stinking mess?"

Without missing a beat my two year old replies "Woo Ha Ha. Ha Ha. Ha Ha"

Road Warrior

Work is sending me to Pittsburgh, PA for a week of training. I am really excited about it! I will be leaving for a week and returning on the Friday of Nathan's 6th birthday.

Now, Nathan is a very precise child. He will make an excellent engineer or architect someday. He comes to me with a piece of paper, nicely folded, and on this paper he has written "Energon HotShot Transformer" in his best 6 year old handwriting. This is the only thing on the paper. He hands the paper to me and says: "Dad, this is my birthday list. Put it in a place where you will remember it!"

A list? A list of one thing? Wow, does this boy know his parents, or what? I can just hear his brain going "If I tell them three things they won't get any of them, but if I tell them only one thing, I just might have a shot!!"

Anyhow, as I proceed to put the "list" in my pocket, he tells me: "DAD!! you can't put it in your pocket or you'll loose it! Here," as he grabs the list from me "put it somewhere safe."

"OK, son, tell you what, I'll put it in my wallet. You know I always have my wallet with me, right?"

Nathan nods his head, "Yeah, I guess that's good."

"Do you know what Nathan? I am going to go all the way to Pittsburgh Pennsylvania to bring you back a birthday present, how does that sound." I ask him.

"DAD!! They have it right at Meijer it's only down the road." (insert look on face: My parents are hopeless!!)

Love and Marriage

I'm a private kinda guy when it comes to my family. I don't post about them much. I don't spend too much time talking about the number of diapers I may have changed or how much my wife means to me. When I run across blogs like that, I usually . . . well . . . run. But occasionally, because it means so much to my wife whom I love, I need to spend some time telling you about her, and how I feel about her.

My wife is stubborn, proud and has a short fuse. Oh and she throws things. And let me tell you . . . those are her best qualities!

She is stubborn. Often times as stubborn as a mule!! In her devotion to our children, stubborn. In her efforts to form meaningful and lasting relationships with friends and family, stubborn. In defence of her friends and family, stubborn. In her commitment to make a happy life for all of us, stubborn. Yes my wife is stubborn. But she takes even that stubbornness and turns it into a virtue.

She is also proud. As proud as a peacock. But her pride is also a virtue. She is proud of her children and rightly so for she has done amazing things with them; proud of her many accomplishments; proud to be a stay-at-home homeschooling mother; and proud of every smile she can bring to any one's face.

Ask anyone who knows her, she does have a very short fuse. But even her temper has a touch of grace. She will not tolerate other people being treated with disrespect, even the people she doesn't like. She is contemptuous of anyone who looks down on the weak or treats the defenceless with contempt. She will not abide the haughty or the brute.

Yes I live with a stubborn proud woman with a short fuse, and I love every minute of it (I'll just have to watch out for flying objects after she reads this . . .)

Livestock Breeds Conservancy

So I am working on a new concept for the farm. I am thinking about raising threatened and endangered livestock. Many people do not know that certain breeds and types of livestock animals are no longer considered valuable to comercial farming so they are becoming all but extinct. Breeds like the large black pig (raised in the past for lard, they also produce excellent hams), Milking Devon Cattle (a breed brought to this country by the pilgrims), Tenessee Fainting Goats (a good meat goat) and the San Clemente Island Goat (a milking breed), American Karakul Sheep (a multi-purpose sheep, formerly prized for its wool), The Java Chicken, the Beltsville Small White turkey and the Sliver Fox Rabbit.

All of these breeds are listed as either Thretened or Endangerd with the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (http://albc-usa.org/). They tend to be breeds that are dual or muli-purpose(meat and whatever other advantage each offered). They were orginally breed for the small-holder family farms of the early 20th century.

I am thinking of maintaing two female and one male of each of the larger breeds and prehaps 10 - 20 of the poultry and rabbit breeds. That should fill up our five acres (and our freezer) pretty well.

Any Advice?

Everything Changes

Well, my work for the state government seems to be coming to a close. But have no fear, I now have an opportunity to work within the company as an advocate, coach and trainer for a major paradigm shift in project management. I don't know how much I can reveal here so I'll just say this new process will fundamentally change the way that projects are structured and applications are delivered. I can't wait to start! I love watching things change!!