a farm morning

I'm enjoying this warm early-spring afternoons. And the time change is always welcome around here. Having an extra hour of daylight when I get home from school makes me want to do more. But there is another reason that I love daylight saving time - the mornings.

Yes, I grumble when that alarm chirps.

Yes, it's hard to get up when it's so dark outside.

Yes, I stumble around in the dark for the first few minutes I'm up.

But every now and then, I time it just right. Like this morning. I got up, made the coffee, took my shower, and then went into the living room to let the dogs out. And saw the prettiest foggy, blue sunrise.

Even the moon waited around to see this beautiful sunrise.



I don't think I've ever seen a blue sunrise. It was stunning. It was eerie. It was mesmerizing.

I like this one where I can just make out the cows in front of the litter shed.

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light; and there was light.  - Genesis 1:1-4

i need quiet - and coffee

Do you sleep late?

What do you call late?

What time do you consider the perfect wake up time?

My work day alarm is set for 5:30. I rarely get up at that time. It's usually more like 6:00. And I sometimes push it until 6:30 which is a little hectic because I need to leave the house between 7:10 and 7:15. And if I get up at 6:30, you can be sure that is the morning the dogs are slow to go out and even slower to come back inside.

On the weekends I usually wake up between 7:00 and 7:30. I rarely sleep any later than that. But I might as well be asleep. I don't get anything productive done. I get up, drink coffee, and enjoy the slow morning. That's why I set my work day alarm for 5:30 - I need a few slow, quiet minutes each morning. I'm just much less frantic if I start my mornings this way.

Those slow, quiet mornings are good for me, but even better for those around me. I'm much less stressed when I get my morning quiet time - which makes being around me much easier.

What do you need so that you are less stressed? A shopping day? A daily dose of daytime TV? Chocolate? An afternoon nap? 

Especially if you have children at home, you have to find your thing. And you have to find a way to get it. It will be better for everyone involved.

don't talk to me

This school year has been full of changes. For the first time in many years, I only have to get me dressed, fed, and out the door. I didn't feel guilty that I never made it to teachers' rooms during open house; I only have to remember my homework at the end of the day; and for parent-me, progress report night was a stress free evening. And for these first two months of school, Lovey hasn't had any chickens. For those of you who don't chicken farm, this might not mean much. But I tell you, it changes everything.

Each morning I have gotten up and dressed in complete silence. Well, except for maybe talking to the dogs, but even they haven't gotten up many times. No one to rush along. No one to bump around. I make my coffee, take my shower, gather my things, and don't have to say a word until I'm ready to walk out the door.

But my morning paradise is coming to an end. Lovey gets chickens back in just over a week. Then he will be getting up early again. He won't think at all that I have been doing things at the same time now for over two months. Even after 21 years, he won't consider that I don't care what the temperature is outside; I don't want to discuss this week's weather forecast; and I am not going to wear a jacket to walk 10 feet to my car, drive to school, and then walk 20 feet to the door. And while there are two sinks in our bathroom - I'd rather not use mine while he uses his. I don't want to get dressed while he puts on his socks. And no, I don't want to brush my teeth while he pees.

Through the years I have explained to him that I need my quiet time in the mornings. I have told him that growing up, I sat in the kitchen alone to eat my breakfast. I have huffed at him. Ignored him. Rolled my eyes. Closed the door in his face. And been down right mean. He just doesn't get it.

I need my own bathroom. By next week.