Wow! What about the winter weather that has moved in to our area, Brown County, Ohio, this week. Here at Cherry Ridge Farms, it’s time to pull out the water tank heaters and the heated buckets. I even broke down a few years ago and got a heated dog water bowl. Well worth the forty-bucks I paid for it. I got the jumbo size, since we have three dogs. Peace of mind is worth every cent. 

I hate to say it, but I might very well have caused the snow and ice this past week which left others without power for many hours.  It’s true! I did something totally out of the norm and it brought on the snow and the freezing ice, I fear.

Last week, I was on my way to West Union to pick up a heated dog mat for the doghouse where Mattie keeps her puppies. I didn’t want to worry over them getting too cold. Cost me sixty-five bucks, but peace of mind is worth every cent.  So I headed on over to Tractor Supply (this farm girls favorite store to shop) in West Union that had it in stock.

I have a CD player in my car that I hardly ever use, but decided I just might this day. In the compartment was a Barbara Mandrell Christmas CD 1984. It made me smile just seeing it. Many Christmases ago, when I first stumbled upon Barbara’s CD Christmas At Our House I purchased all 4 of my sisters and mom a copy. For years we played it on Christmas Eve and all, knowing the words, would sing along.  Such a great memory of long ago.

So,  with out thinking anything of it, being only November and Thanksgiving not even having come and gone, I popped it in and listened on my 34 minute drive to and from Adams County.

Well, needless to say, that sparked a  Christmas spirit in me and I came home and started decorating and playing all my Christmas music. And that is probably what caused the snow and ice the other day. Totally out of the norm for me to start before Thanksgiving for sure.

As I pulled the decorations out, one by one, I pulled memories out of my memory bank, too.  One of the decorations is a snow globe: First Skate. It has a baby horse and a pup inside on ice. Shake it and it appears to be snowing. Inside the box flap I wrote: From Sierra Stepeler, 2009, Saddle Club She was one of my Saddle Club students. Nine years ago. Well that brought a happy tear to my eye. What great times we all had.

So, by the time the ice storm hit on Thursday, I had almost all my Christmas Decorations up, save and except my tree. I’m going to hold off on that—don’t’ want to cause  a premature blizzard. LOL.   Now, don’t judge me if you think I’ve sinned by putting my decorations up so early—before Thanksgiving—but, truth is, as one ages, you must do things when the mood hits and the burst of energy arises.  And, besides, I have Barbara Mandrell to blame. Truly! And lastly, I was able to leisurely do it with “sincere thought” and not with a sudden, “Got to get it done, now,” explosion. Here at the farm this week  was truly a Take Joy! farmhouse moment. 

So Here’s the Thing: Life is Short. Just get after it! When the mood grabs you, do it.