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happy new year!!!

when did i turn into my mom?

Yesterday it was cold. Really cold. I go out to the barn at 5:00 so it's really cold when I go out. Really cold.

I usually tie a scarf around my head, NOT under my chin like a little old polish lady, I tie it in a stylish manner, up and around my forehead, I am a "cool" mom.

Yesterday it was so cold I tied it under my chin, just like my Mom used to. Oh My God did I say that? I have turned into my mom!!

When the hell did that happen? My motto used to be "The party's here!" You would find me kicking in people's doors with a case of beer under one arm and a bottle of Captain Morgan's in the other.

Now I kick in the door on my kids bedroom with a pile of laundry in my hands yelling "Party's over guys! get moving!".

I swore I would never be like Mom.

I would Never burn Tupperware on the stove.

I would Never wear out of date clothes.

I would Never lose my dustpan because I left it in the garbage can.

I would never drive old crappy cars.

Well folks, I have turned into Mom.

Don't get me wrong, I still like to yell "The party's here!" once in a while just for fun.

The cows just look up at me and grin.

Talk later,

Anne

ADDISON — At the entrance to the DeVries family’s Dairydale Farm in Addison, there’s a sign up announcing to passersby that this tidy spread is a Vermont “Dairy of Distinction.”

The sign may still be there, but the farm’s 150 cows are gone.

Sam and Dave DeVries, brothers and partners in the Dairydale operation, milked their herd one last time on an afternoon in mid-June, and then ambled outside among the large crowd to watch their livelihood go up for auction.

Granted, by the end, it wasn’t much of a livelihood: the two dairy farmers, who bought their herd from their parents in 1995, were running behind anywhere from $15,000 to $20,000 a month this spring.

With milk prices running several dollars below what it cost the farmers to produce their milk, and with their equity running out, the two decided to call it quits.

“We’d been discussing it all spring,” Sam said. “(But in the end) it happened really so fast. We signed the papers, and it was done. We were going behind every month. We really had no choice. ”

There were a lot of family meetings leading up to that decision, as Alisa, Sam’s wife, recalls it, replete with tears and spreadsheets upon spreadsheets. The brothers’ families crunched the numbers, again and again: Would they get by if they downsized? If they milked more cows?

“Nothing worked,” Alisa said. “We were just getting further and further behind.”

The DeVries family isn’t alone.

Thirty-two Vermont dairy farms went out of business in the first seven months of the year, according to Byron Moyers, the chief of the dairy section at the state Agency of Agriculture. In Addison County, eight dairies — seven that were milking cows, and one goat farm — have closed up shop in 2009.

That left 1,046 dairy farms in Vermont as of the beginning of August.

“Last year we lost of total of eight dairy farms statewide,” said Moyers, though he did point out that fewer farmers than usual got out of the business in 2008 because of high milk prices. Even so, this has been a brutal year for dairy farmers, Moyers said. “We’re already at four times that number this year.”

THE AUCTION BLOCK
Ron Wright, the Newport, Vt., auctioneer who ran the DeVries auction, has been organizing farm sales since 1982. For the bigger auctions, like the DeVries’, Wright will spend as much as two or three weeks on a farm, helping farmers get their equipment and cows ready for the sale.

For his services, Wright takes a cut of the auction’s proceeds, typically around 10 percent. But Wright’s work isn’t solely a business transaction. When it comes time to sell the cows and equipment, he tells his customers, “We’re all family,” and sometimes, he said, it feels like his own property he’s putting up for sale.

It’s actually been a slower year for the auctioneer than some might think. Some farmers are scared to sell, he said, because they’re worried there won’t be anyone to buy their herds or equipment.

Other farmers are choosing to go with herd buyouts through the Cooperatives Working Together program, because it’s a “sure thing.” Farmers contribute to the CWT program, sending money from their milk checks to the program. It’s designed to kick into gear in tough times as a way to lower milk production, bolstering the milk price by cutting back supply.

When a farmer decides to sell his herd to the CWT, his cows are slaughtered to keep them out of the national milking supply.

For the DeVries family, the herd buyout wasn’t the right choice. They would have had to fill out an application to sell the herd by a certain date, and at that point the two farmers still weren’t sure whether or not they’d keep milking or get out of the business.

Plus, they’d talked about the herd buyout in the past, and never came to an agreement on whether or not the CWT program would have been right for their farm.

“At least now, they know where several (of the cows) are. They’re at area farms,” Alisa said.

Every farmer handles the actual auction itself differently, Wright said.

“We try to make it as easy as we can,” he said. “They get nervous. I can’t blame them. That’s their whole lifestyle. They’re putting their lifestyle in my hands.”

At the DeVries’ June auction, Sam acknowledged that it wasn’t easy, watching the cows he’s tended for nearly 15 years go one by one.

And the day was exhausting. The family was up bright and early, putting the finishing touches on the equipment. Sam’s oldest son, Cody, set up a lemonade stand. But the last cows weren’t loaded onto their trailers until after 10 p.m., and it was well after dark by the time all was said and done.

“You don’t realize beforehand how much goes into it,” Alisa said.

LIFE AFTER THE COWS
Even after auctioning off their old and young livestock, and selling their farm equipment, the DeVries are still in debt. They spent part of this summer haying their family’s 600-acre farm as a way to chip away at that debt, but the weather didn’t cooperate when it came to cutting hay.

The farmland is still owned by Sam and Dave’s parents, Peter and Linda DeVries, who started farming there in 1969. For now, Sam and his family plan to stay in their farmhouse. They may board dry cows in the winter in their now-dormant barn as a way to bring in a bit of income.

“Looking back on it now, I’m glad we went out when we did,” Sam said. The price of cows has dropped, and milk prices haven’t rebounded enough for the family to keep afloat.

But it isn’t without some regret that he talks about the dairy industry. He worked 12- to 16-hour days on his farm, and he loved the work.

“I liked dealing with the cows. I liked the field work,” he said. The long hours and low pay were worth it, when he was doing a job he loved.

Now, Sam and his brother, Dave, are both working for other dairies. Sam wasn’t sure at first that he’d want to stick with dairying, though he said it’s “all (he’s) ever known.”

“When I first got out, I said, ‘I don’t know if I want anything to do with it,’” Sam said. “I knew I could do the work, but I wasn’t sure how I was going to do on another farmer’s farm.”

But a job opened up at Philip Livingston’s New Haven dairy, so now Sam makes the trip up Route 17 six days a week to the farm. He’s been working for Livingston for just more than a month now, tending his calves and helping out on the farm.

It’s meant some changes for the family.

“Peter is three, and Peter would just keep asking, ‘Why does the chopper have to go away? Why does the equipment have to leave?’ That was his thing,” Alisa said. “And we would just tell him, ‘It needs to go to another farmer. They need it more than we do. (The kids) really just kind of rolled with the punches.”

Now that Sam is away for most of the day at another farm, Alisa has also had to make some changes around the house. She used to be able to call over to her husband that “Pete’s coming over!” and send the littlest one out to keep his father company on the mower or in the milking parlor.

That’s not an option anymore. And Alisa, who is due to give birth to their fourth child this month, said she’s sad to know that their new baby won’t know what it is to grow up on a dairy farm.

Ask Wright, and he’ll say that if things don’t turn around for dairy farmers soon, more families will be facing the hard decisions the DeVries made earlier this summer.

“I think you’re going to see more auctions than you can dream,” he said.

On April 25, 2008, in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, Mark Nolt, a Wenger Mennonite (Horse and Buggy Mennonite) dairyman, threatened for months with arrest for selling raw milk without a permit was removed from his property by state troopers.

Jonas Stoltzfus, a friend, fellow farmer, and Church of the Brethen, was asked by Mr. Nolt to speak for him, and said of the raid yesterday - "Six state troopers and a man with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture trespassed onto his property, and stole $20-25,000 of his product and equipment."

Mr. Stoltzfus explained that Mr. Nolt did not have a permit because "he chose to turn his permit back in because it did not cover all the products he was selling. He felt he was being dishonest selling stuff that was not covered by the permit. He is a man of great integrity."

"According to reports from neighbors and the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund, several officials of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture participated in the raid, and while Mark was being transported by police car to the courthouse, PDA officials confiscated $20,000 to $25,000 worth of dairy products and production equipment. Neighbors reported the farm had been closed and that a large group of officials had gathered, with videos prohibited."

"Mr. Nolt was told that people had gotten sick from eating his food, but no one ever came forward and no proof was ever offered."

"This is a Gestapo raid," Jonas Stotlzfus said, "complete with state troopers, raiding a hard-working farmer selling milk to friends and customers. And his customers ARE his friends." Mr. Nolt

Mr. Stoltzfus said of Mr. Nolt, "he is not going to stop [selling raw milk] til he is ready to stop. He is the equivalent of that little black lady in Alabama who wouldn't go to the back of the bus. He is doing the same thing, he won't go to the back of bus." Mr. Stoltzfus said "she got arrested for that and so did Mr. Nolt. He ignored [the threat] and kept on selling. He is a courageous man." Mr. Stoltzfuz said "Mark believes it is his right to sell, according to the constitution, just like it was Rosa Park's right to sit wherever she wanted on the bus. Same deal. There is nothing in the constitution to prevent Mr. Nolt from buying and selling, especially to his friends," Mr. Stoltzfus said.

Stoltzfus commented that Mr Sheridan of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (Stoltzfus does not have the spelling and believes he is with the licensing division) used to work for Dean Foods and Hershey Foods, big corporate operations, and that Sheridan was "jealous that farmers make a better product" and called the raid by Mr. Sheridan "a vendetta."

This case is similar to that involving Meadowsweet Dairy LLC in New York, in that both Pennsylvania and New York allow raw milk sales, but adamantly oppose the sale of other raw dairy products.

Mr. Nolt was doing things the way his community has for generations, selling milk straight from his cows to those he knows.

Mr. Nolt contends that the regulations have not been approved by the legislature and shouldn't apply to him because he is selling directly to consumers, via private contracts that are outside the purview of the state, making a privilege out of a right he believes he has - the right to private contracts.”

The permitting issue, ostensibly for food safety, is contradicted by a look both at raw milk itself and at its competition, corporate milk - pasteurized and often from cows injected with rBGH.

Four issues stand out:

1. INDEPENDENCE of farmer and customers

Raw milk: Farmer sell raw milk from their own cows, to neighbors and friends at a price farmers set themselves, paid by people who value their product, without a middleman.

A growing number of people prefer raw milk (unpasteurized milk), considering it not only safe but healthier than pasteurized milk because it is still rich in pro-biotics not killed off by pasteurization. l

Farming communities have consumed raw milk for generations. The exchange between farmers and neighbors play a central part in the web of relations sustaining those communities. Yet raw milk is banned in many states.

Corporate milk: Dairy farmers sell their milk to milk "producers" who pasteurize it, may add things to it, bottle it, distribute it, often at great distances. Dairy farmers must accept a price set by others, in a large competitive market. Nothing in the process promotes local farming communities.

"...The system of influence and control..is highly skewed in favor of the corporate and financial system." - Vincente Navarro, (Professor of Health and Social Policy, John Hopkins U.).

2. HEALTH

Raw milk:

"[For years, m]illions [in California] consumed commercial raw milk, ... not a single incidence was reported. During the same period, there were many instances of contamination in pasteurized milk, some of which resulted in death. [I]f we withdrew ... every food type responsible for a case of food poisoning, there would be virtually nothing left to eat. But only raw milk has been singled out for general removal from the food supply.

"... the bacteria in raw milk is the healthy bacteria of lactic-acid fermentation while the bacteria in pasteurized milk is the bacteria of spoilage. ... Both raw and pasteurized milk contain E. coli, normally a benign microorganism. The most likely source of the new strains of virulent E. coli is genetically engineered soy, fed to cows in large commercial dairies. If there is any type of milk likely to harbor these virulent breeds, it is commercial pasteurized milk. ... Children fed raw milk have more resistance to TB, scurvy, flu, diphtheria, pneumonia, asthma, allergic skin problems and tooth decay. In addition, their growth and calcium absorption was superior." (In California, there is currently an effort to ban raw milk.

"Four distinct groups of bacteria survive pasteurization....the strep of pasteurized milk are the most frequent cause of rheumatic fever --the most deadly disease of childhood.'" - USDA

Corporate milk:

During the Clinton administration, a new study was released "conclud[ing] that milk from cows injected with [genetically engineered bovine growth hormone - rBGH) increases risks of breast and colon cancers in humans.
....
"rBGH poses an even greater risk to human health than ever considered," warned Samuel Epstein M.D., Professor of Environmental Medicine .... "The FDA and Monsanto have a lot to answer for. Given the cancer risks, and other health concerns, why is rBGH milk still on the market?"

Since 1986, independent scientists have expressed concern about the lack of research on rBGH milk.

Michael Colby, Executive Director of Food and Water said, "Monsanto 's claims that rBGH is perfectly safe have been proven dead wrong today .... Only Monsanto is benefiting from this drug. It's time for dairy companies to side with consumers by adopting a policy that they will not allow rBGH, under any circumstances, to be used by their farmers."

Epstein said: "The entire nation is currently being subjected to a large-scale adulteration of an age-old dietary staple by a poorly characterized and unlabeled biotechnology product which is very different than natural milk."

In 2007 - when Mark Nolt was first arrested for selling raw milk (natural milk) - a citizens' petition to the FDA on rBGH milk showed 30 scientific journals indicating an up-to-7-fold increased risk of breast cancer, and an increased risk of colon and prostate cancern.

3. PROMOTION

Raw milk is sold primarily through word of mouth.

Corporate milk is promoted through large, expensive ad campaigns.

The California Milk Processor Board is now targeting teens:

"Goodby, Silverstein and Partners created a page on MySpace to promote White Gold and the Calcium Twins, a team of new fictitious characters turned rock stars who spread their love of and devotion to milk through music. TV spots, print ads and PR will also support the promotion.

"The Milk Processor Education Program ... is funded by the nation's milk processors ... committed to increasing fluid milk consumption." http://www.thinkaboutyourdrink.com.

4. LABELIING

Raw milk is just milk. Those who buy it know that and seek it out for that reason.

On the corporate side, Monsanto continues pushing bans on labeling rBGH-milk. Customers usually do not know they are consuming rBGH milk.

During its approval process,

"FDA scientist, Dr Richard Burroughs concluded ... Monsanto was manipulating the [test] figures. In 1989 he was sacked after complaining to Congress ... To deal with the ... controversy Monsanto assembled ...PR companies ... of which [BURSON-MARSTELLER] was one."

During the Clinton administration, Monsanto employees were appointed to run the FDA. Monsanto's rBGH - the first genetically engineered product ever, was approved.

"[In]1994, people at the FDA [wrote] an anonymous letter to ... Congress, [fearing] retribution ... The basis of our concern is that Dr. Margaret Miller ... wrote the FDA's opinion on why milk from [rbGH]-treated cows should not be labeled. However, before coming to the FDA, Dr. Margaret Miller was working for the Monsanto company as a researcher on [rbGH].”

In 1996, there was a press conference on rBGH's medical risks. "Given the potential health impacts of consumption of milk and other dairy products derived from rBGH treated cows, all such products at a minimum be labeled so that consumers are aware of what they are purchasing and consuming. More prudently the FDA approval of rBGH should be withdrawn until the agency performs adequate long term testing ..."

"... Wisconsin, Minnesota, California and Vermont attempted to enforce labelling of milk produced with, and containing, this hormone. Their efforts were thwarted by Burson-Marsteller acting on behalf of these companies."

Burson-Marsteller has been a long-term (now campaign) advisor to Hillary Clinton, through its CEO, Mark Penn. And Monsanto's effort to ban labeling of the milk continues today.

Banning of labeling of rBGH milk in effect puts millions of Americans into a human experiment with genetic engineering, exposing them to greatly increased risk of cancers. The Nuremberg Code makes clear that experimental subjects must give informed consent.

Mr. Stoltzfus added up losses for Mark Nolt: "Trepass on private property, private personal merchandise stolen, being deprived of a significant amount of hard work he and his family put together. He is being deprived of the opportunity to market his product now, they are throwing it away. It's a shame."

Mr. Nolt did not have a permit. He has twice lost thousands of dollars of work or material, and faces jail.

Monsanto sells rBGH-milk associated with cancers, Clinton hired Monsanto employees which approved their own genetically engineered product, Hillary Clinton has been silent up to today about the risk rBGH poses to women, PR firms strongly push the milk on all ages. None face jail or fines for altered facts, for PR campaigns encouraging even children to drink rBGH-milk, or for banning labeling of it, which has put the entire US population at medical risk for years. Monsanto, the Clintons, Burson-Marsteller and Goodby, Silverstein and Partners are all making millions.

Mr. Nolt, released after being taken off by state troopers, refused to accept a ride from them. He started walking. Friends gave him a lift home.

Linn Cohen-Cole can be reached at: lcohencole@gmail.com

great article

Tim found this great article on raw milk.

They are doing everything in their power so we can't sell raw milk.

Richard Hebron, 41, was driving along an anonymous stretch of highway near Ann Arbor, Mich., last October when state cops pulled him over, ordered him to put his hands on the hood of his mud-splattered truck and seized its contents: 453 gal. of milk.

Yes, milk. Raw, unpasteurized milk. To supply a small but growing market among health-conscious city and suburban dwellers for milk taken straight from the udder, Hebron was dealing the stuff on behalf of a farming cooperative he runs in southwestern Michigan. An undercover agricultural investigator had infiltrated the co-op as part of a sting operation that resulted in the seizure of $7,000 worth of fresh-food items, including 35 lbs. of raw butter, 29 qt. of cream and all those gallons of the suspicious white liquid. Although Hebron's home office was searched and his computer seized, no charges have been filed. "When they tested the milk, they couldn't find any problems with it," says Hebron. "It seems like they're just looking for some way to shut us down."

People have been drinking raw milk for a long time, of course — at least since sheep and goats were domesticated in the 8th or 9th century B.C. Raw milk is rich in protein and fat, and milk from cows became a staple of the American diet in colonial times. When milk leaves the animal, however, it can also contain any number of pathogens, which is why most doctors consider pasteurization — subjecting milk to a short burst of heat followed by rapid cooling — one of the great public-health success stories of the 20th century. By eliminating most of the pathogens that cause disease, including E. coli, salmonella and listeria, they say, pasteurization has helped lower infectious-disease rates in the U.S. more than 90% over the past century.

Raw-milk enthusiasts have a different perspective. They insist that along with the bad pathogens, heat-treating milk destroys beneficial bacteria, proteins and enzymes that aid in digestion. Some people with a history of digestive-tract problems, such as Crohn's disease, swear by the curative powers of unpasteurized milk. Others praise its nutritional value and its ability to strengthen the immune system. "I have seen so many of my patients recover their health with raw milk that I perceive this as one of the most profoundly healthy foods you can consume," says Dr. Joseph Mercola, an osteopathic physician and author who rails against the medical establishment on his website, mercola.com.

You might think raw milk would be a tough sell after the Taco Bell and bagged-spinach E. coli scares. After all, even the healthiest grass-fed cows tromp around in mud and fecal matter and carry all manner of bacteria with them into the milking parlor. Between 1990 and 2004, U.S. health authorities traced 168 disease outbreaks to dairy products; nearly a third were linked to unpasteurized items, according to the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest. But in fact, demand for raw milk seems to be rising faster than cream in an unhomogenized gallon jug. Hebron's dairy co-op has no shortage of customers willing to pay a premium for milk that hasn't been processed. A California dairy producer estimates that 100,000 Californians drink raw milk every week.

All of which has created a simmering problem for health officials. While the U.S. has no laws against gulping milk straight from cows, the government's stance on controlling the sale of raw milk is far murkier. The Food and Drug Administration, which recently determined that it's safe to drink the milk of cloned cows, takes a tougher stand on unprocessed milk. It banned interstate sales of raw milk 20 years ago but left it up to individual states to decide what to do about commerce within their borders. The result is a hodgepodge of conflicting rules and loopholes big enough to drive a milk truck through. While 23 states, including Michigan, officially prohibit raw-milk sales for human consumption, the rest allow money to exchange hands under certain conditions. In California, raw dairy products are available in grocery stores, while Illinois consumers can buy them directly from farms if they bring their own containers. An increasingly popular arrangement designed to circumvent state restrictions is a so-called herd-sharing program, like Hebron's, which requires members to, in effect, lease a portion of a cow — for $20 a year, in his case — and sign an agreement opposing "all governmental standards for food, preparation, storage and safety." The $6.25-per-gal. charge is technically not a sale but compensation to cover board and transport costs.

Some raw advocates believe it's the emergence of these cow-sharing schemes in the past few years that has prompted state agriculture officials to crack down. Columbus, Ohio, attorney David G. Cox says he has represented six raw-dairy producers over the past year for alleged illegal sales, some of whom have been in business for decades without incident. "There seems to be an orchestrated effort to dry up the supply," he says. "I suspect that conventional dairy producers are concerned that if [raw milk] were widely available and people got sick, all milk would get a bad name and the whole industry would suffer."

What raw milk fans most resent is stepped-up efforts to crack down on a personal choice that wasn't doing anyone else any harm. "There are 65,000 child-porn websites," asks indignant co-op member Nancy Sanders, a pediatric nurse and mother of five from Des Plaines, Ill. "Why doesn't the government go after those?"

Meanwhile, farmer Hebron says he won't be spooked by Michigan authorities. Back in business a week after his goods were seized, he's become a cause celebre of the raw movement. After an Ann Arbor retailer he worked with was served a cease-and-desist order, a co-op member offered her nearby home as a new pickup site. Meanwhile, some of Hebron's clients in Michigan and Illinois have been flooding the fax machines of state agriculture officials to protest the treatment of the mild-mannered dairyman. In Feburary, the Amish farmer who supplies Hebron's co-op with raw milk received a warning letter from the FDA about potential interstate commerce violations. Hebron met with federal officials in Detroit on March 6th to defend the legality of herd-sharing arrangments, and is adamant about continuing his milk runs.

Recently, Hebron parked his truck in front of a North Side Chicago health-food store and began carrying crates filled with brown eggs and pasture-raised beef and pork into the shop for co-op members. He had to distribute the milk, however, out of the back of his truck — a rule the store's owner, Paula Campanio, reluctantly imposed after the raid. "I'm trying to be discreet," she says. "When I see a police car go by, I'm convinced they're coming for me." Demand from her customers for the milk is strong enough that she's willing to take the risk, but she's hoping that keeping the stuff out of her premises will make her a tad less culpable. Got raw milk? Shhhhh.

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1598525,00.html#ixzz0b6WWMJxy

new yers resolutions

OK i haven't posted on here in a long time. I guess Christmas has blown me away. I am getting older and it's getting harder to stay up all night wrapping gifts and milking cows. Holy crap. I am tired. Wow, real tired.

OK. I want to share an idea with you. If you are stressed out over your New Year's resolutions, just try this: don't make them too hard, go easy on yourself. Make it something you can really accomplish. This is what I do.

Say to yourself, "I am not going to quit smoking this year". If you smoke, then you will probably do that resolution. See, it's easy.

Another example, "I am not going to loose weight this year".

Cool huh?

I have been doing it for years, you should see the stuff i have accomplished.

"I am never going to proofread me blog"

See, easy peezy!!

Talk later,

Annie

my calendar

Even my calendar is mispelled. I wonder if anyone has noticed that.

my gift

If you look very carefully on my header for today you will see a pack of Camel cigarettes Santa left for me.

Ahh yes, life is good

christmas day

I changed the header this morning to prove I was here. It's 5:00 and I have to milk the cows. I will be back. It has been a busy night here in Ashville.

If you can believe it, 30 heifers got loose at 5:00 last night and headed for Ashville. After an hour of chasing them, I finally started milking the cows. Where are you Janet when I need your cow chasing abilities?

Merry Christmas to everyone, I will be back after chores.

Talk later

Love Annie

udder chaos at dress rehearsal

Well, we held dress rehearsal for the live nativity last night. All did not go as expected, but we got thru it. Nicki from the auction barn showed up about 8:00 with a load of goats. She hit an icey patch yesterday with the truck and trailer and jackknifed the whole darn rig. She smashed out the rear windshield in the truck and took the muffler off. When she pulled in, it sounded like East Eden tractor pull for God's sake. "Nicki, how much do I owe you for the goats?"

"20 bucks Annie, it's Christmas, I'll cut you a deal. Anne by the way these goats can't be beat".

"Thanks Nick"

I handed her the 20 and she drove off.

The neighbor boys showed up with their spotlight that they use for spotlighting deer. We are going to use it for the light shining down from the star we have covered with aluminum foil and hung in the rafters of the barn. Works like a charm. There was a big fight over who would wear the jackass suit so we flipped a coin. The rest of them put the sheets on and pretended to be wise men.

I didn't realize that the sheets had Hannah Montana on them, but they will do.

I am happy to report that I will recover from the third degree burns I received on my finger tips from gluing the feathers back on Izzy's angel wings with my hot glue gun. The doctor says my fingerprints should grow back in a few years. The chickens were happy to donate the feathers I might add.

I found Mary and Joseph making out in the manger and put a quick halt to that crap.

I found the Fisher Price kareoke toy machine with the microphone in the toybox and tried to read the scene from the Peanuts movie, you know the one from the bible when the angel appears. No one could hear a word I said because the goats wouldn't shut up.

"Izzy, what in the hell did Nicki say about those goats before she left?"

"Mom. she said they were in heat!"

"Oh my God, I though she said "they couldn't be beat".

No wonder they won't shut up.

I had to take the nose ring out of Mary's nose. "I really don't think she had a nose ring". I yelled. "Anne you are so lame" I knew this was gonna be a challenge.

The other neighbor boys are busy making the sign that reads "Concert an Chautauqua Institute canceled tonight" we are replacing it with a sign that reads "Live Nativity at Anne's Farm, 5 bucks". Anyone dumb enough to pay 35 bucks to see Gordon Lightfoot will surely pay five bucks for a live nativity.

The boys down the road are ready with their flares they stole from their father's pick-up truck. We are going to put flares on the 86 and have one of the boys standing there when traffic slows down "Maam, there is a real bad accident up the road, you have to take the Stow exit, seems a milk truck has collided with a lady driving a load full of goats. You will have to go by Annie's farm, you might as well stop in to see the live nativity".

Hopefully the Sheriff's won't get wind of it. They will probably be at a Christmas party anyway.

I had Susie positioned in the barn with the box of packing peanuts I have been saving as I pick them off my living room floor from a package I got a month ago. She will throw them out of the haymow window to look like snow.

I bought 20 flashlights from the Dollar Tree yesterday for the Laser light show for the grand finale.

All went well.

Hope to see you all here tonight!!

Talk later,

Annie

christmas trees

It's 2 days until Christmas and I still don't have the tree up. My friend Deb called today and she doesn't have hers up either so I don't feel so bad. I now understand things I have seen in the past with Christmas trees. When I was in my 20's and only had one kid, I went to my girlfriend's mother in laws house and she had a Christmas tree up in July. I thought this was odd so I asked her "Loretta, why in the hell do you have a Christmas tree up in July?"

"Oh Anne, Christmas is right around the corner". I thought the old lady was nuts. I now understand the concept.

My grandma and grandpa went to Arizona in the winter, I remember for some odd reason they were home one winter and they did not have a tree up. My mom sent me with one of those ceramic trees for Grandma to have. She sat it on the TV. The next day she put it in a box and gave it back to me. I now understand the concept.

I grew up with real trees. I thought there was no other way. My friend Bonnie's mom had a artificial tree. I didn't understand why. I now understand the concept.

When I was in second grade I had this crazy teacher named Mrs. Koch. She put up a silver tree in our room . When you are in second grade and you have never seen a silver tree, you are in amazement and very confused. This is the one tree concept I will never understand.

Talk later,

Anne

what christmas is all about

OK guys when I was a kid we loved to watch the Peanuts Christmas special. I am putting it on here, this is one of the best scenes. Watch this and think about what's going on this week. It's not about money, gifts, crap like that. Spend some quality time with your kids, parents, whoever. Call people, run up that phone bill, i don't give a crap if you have long distance or not, just call someone you havent talked to in a long time. When they are gone, that's it man. I know.

Talk later,object width="425" height="344">/span>

My Loretta

I guess I just have to put this picture on here. This picture was taken in Ohio. Loretta goes and stays with her friend Michelle. I am so thankful for the things she does for my Loretta. I just about fell off my chair when she gave me this for Christmas. Is that "MY" kid? Are you sure they didn't switch babies in the hospital? Holy crap. Go girl!!

the funniest cartoons

Be prepared to laugh your butt off.

baby jesus has no hands

Well, the dog has chewed the hands off the Bratz doll Izzy was going to use for the manger scene at the live nativity. "Baby Jesus has no hands mom".

"Don't worry, if we wrap the dishtowel around her whole body, no one will know."

"O.K. Mom".

The chickens have happily donated a few of their feathers for the angel's wings and the goats are on their way from the auction barn. Nicki had to fill an order for goat meat: hopefully there will be a couple of goaties left behind that were too skinny to butcher. We can only hold our breathe and hope. As far as the jackass, I have had alot of applicants for that position. I would really prefer a live donkey.

I will keep you all updated.

talk later,

Annie

update on that candy

I got an email yesterday from my friend Becky. She says that horrrible candy was anise flavored. She is right. I think it's against the law now because it caused cancer in laboratory rats. They used to flavor Christmas cookies with it so no one would eat them. Only the old people. It was awful.

Then to make matters worse the old people used to make fruit cake. I am the only one who would eat it. I will eat anything with sugar in it. Anything. It would sit on the counter for weeks.

I was looking around yesterday and thought maybe I should put my Halloween crap away. Becky said she did it yesterday. Her and I are pretty much on the same schedule so I took the hint. Hopefully someone will show up to help put up the tree. I have a fake one in a box in the garage. I can't afford a real one this year so "Ole Fakey" will have to do. I can't handle putting up those trees. I can't concentrate long enough to match up the branches. It makes me crazy. The stands never hold up the tree. I don't know which elf designed those stands, must have been a drunk one because they don't work.

It's early this morning. I have to go and find those Christmas dresses in the mounds of laundry I have in the kitchen. Wish me luck, I love the holidays.

Talk later,

Annie

christmas candy from the old days

When I was a kid the candy we got for Christmas was memorable. We didn't get candy all the time back in those days like they do now. We used to get this box of "hard candy". I mean this crap was hard, really hard. It would take days to finish one piece. It was that hard. In those days the spices they used were wicked too. The peppermint was so strong you could smell those candy canes a mile up the road and the spiced candy was only for "old people".

We used to get beautiful ribbon candy in a box. Mine would always get smashed because I was never careful with anything so I would wind up eating ribbon candy dust. It was still good.

When I got a little older in elementary school we would have the gift exchange. I am told they don't do such things anymore in school. Whatever. That was a huge deal to us back then. Maybe it's not a big deal anymore. Maybe the teachers don't want to be bothered, maybe it's against the law for all I know.

We would have to buy a gift for another kid. It had to cost under 5 bucks. Some years you would know the kid, some years they would throw them in a pile and you would pick a number and get to grab one off the pile. I still remember how exciting it was. The most popular gift to get was the Lifesavers box of candy. It was so cool. It was a little box made to look like a book of candy. It was the absolute coolest thing, and it was in the price range so all the moms bought them. Most kids would hoard their lifesavers and have them forever. Me, I would find Gracie and we would eat the whole box in one sitting. Then we would save the box because it looked "cool".

Try not to forget that excitement you felt as a kid. I know sometimes I sort of forget how much fun it was.

If you get a box of that crappy hard candy from someone, come on over, I will eat it with you. If we drink enough rum we wont taste the spices.

Talk later,

Annie

letter to Oprah

Dear Oprah:

Hi, how are you. I am good.

My name is Anne and I have a dairy farm in Ashville, New York. I never get to see anyone so I have this great idea.

Word on the street says you are giving up your show this year. Why don't you let me take it over and we can call it the "Annie Hour". Don't worry, we can get the people here for the interviews. We have a small airport here in Mayville, only 1 person died this year so it's pretty safe.

Oh yeah, how is Stedman, he's a real catch girlie.

Oh, back to the reason I am writing you this letter. They people could stay here in the upstairs of our farmhouse and in between milking the cows we could do the interviews. I really like to talk to people anyway. I can talk to anyone. Ask any of my friends, they will tell you. I am pretty crafty so I could do a little segment on crafting and then whip into the kitchen to do a quick cooking segment. I heard Rachel Ray is sick anyway, I could take over her show too, you know kill two birds with one stone.

I see David Letterman is having problems with his life too, so we could probably take the overflow from his show. I am sure he is busy in divorce court these days.

The kids could entertain the guests while I am doing my chores outside. Izzy knows how to make instant coffee so it would be easy for them. I am sure with a bit of training the other three could whip up some toast and eggs.

Hey, buy the way, I liked your movie the Color Purple, you were awesome in that, but what the hell were you thinking when you made that other one? The ghost movie? I can't even think of the name of it. It was really weird. No wonder it flopped. That's OK every one makes mistakes, even rich people.

Oh yeah, how is Doctor Phil? I guess those beef farmers are over all that lawsuit stuff by now huh? Wow, better watch what you say.

Well listen Oprah I gotta go milk the cows now. I want you to put some careful consideration into letting me do your show. It would be real "down home", sort of like the old Hee Haw. We could have guest sitting around on bales of hay chatting away, can't you just picture Julia Roberts and Cindy Crawford sitting around on bales of hay talking about their latest movies and telling me their beauty secrets. I just know I could get Rosanne to come, she looks like alot of fun. We could make her a regular.

Ok, I will stop talking now, gotta go. Let me know what you think. I have alot of totes of crap to move if we are going to make the upstairs into the Annies Bed and Breakfast.

Talk later,

Annie

I love today's header but the orbs around the baby jesus' head look weird.

we may have to cancel the live nativity

I came in from the barn this morning and Izzy and Wheezy had spent the morning taking apart the angel's wings we made for Izzy's costume for the live nativity. All that is left is white feathers.

If I can catch the chickens, we will be back in business, hang in there guys, it's not over yet.

red-neck kareoke

I was putting crap away yesterday and found our fan. For God's sake, it's December guess we won't be needing it for a while. I am still trying to gather up the Halloween crap.

The fan brought back some great memories. I plugged it in and yelled "hello" thru it. The kids laughed.

"That's Aunt Amy's fan, Mom".

I will explain further:

When we had a farm in Beaver Dams, NY we were as poor as church mice. We are still as poor as church mice, the only difference is now we live in Ashville.

My sister in law came to visit one weekend and wound up staying for a year. It was great.

We didn't have crap for money because there are no jobs in Beaver Dams, New York. We had the farm, and the price of milk was crappy again.

One friday night Amy was complaining she wanted to go see some band at this bar. It was really hot and I had the fan on in the kitchen. We lived in a mobile home so it was always hot in there.

She was standing by the table and I was washing dishes.

"I really want to go out tonight" she said.

"Amy, we don't have any money" was my usual reply.

"I know"

Her voice sounded weird when she answered me.

"Say that again"

"Say what again?"

"Hey the fan makes your voice sound weird, talk into it".

She grabbed the fan and talked into it. If you have ever done this, it's a blast.

"Oh my God, we don't have to go anywhere, we have our own kareoke right here!"

"Hurry get your CD player!"

I finished the dishes and she sorted through the CDs. We found Chris Ledioux, Jerry Reed and a ton of other great oldies.

"Hurry, call the neighbors, tell them to bring some beer"

They showed up with beer. They always had money for beer in Beaver Dams, New York. Amy showed them the kareoke. They thought we had lost our minds, maybe the heat had gotten to us in the trailer, maybe living in the middle of nowhere had finally put us over the edge.

After a few beers, everyone was taking turns singing into the fan. It was so fun even the kids loved it.

It became a friday night ritual forever until she moved back home for work.

I miss those days.

It was fun.

Talk later

Annie

I miss those days

the christmas convert

update on spirograph

I looked on ebay for a spirograph. Holy crap they must be some kind of super collectors item. They are selling for 50-90 dollars.

Holy crap.

If I would have only known, I would have saved my sister's, I could sell it and pay my phone bill.

I got an email from a good friend who said I should make one. She mentioned cow markers and baler twine. I think she is onto something.

My mother used to "make" things, I used to "make " things, does anyone "make" anything anymore? I started sewing when I was a little kid, the first thing I made was a bikini for my younger sister. I thought it was great, mom didn't think so. It was made out of two old curtains and I used the cafe clippy things to holy two pieces of triangle shaped pieces of fabric together for the bottom. It showed alot, mom told me to "keep trying" and I never saw it on my sister again, probably got tossed in the woodstove later that night. I have been sewing ever since.

I will try to put together something like a spirograph. I will update you as I do it.

Talk later,

Annie

there us work out there

Everyone tells me there is no work "out there" Just what in the hell "out there" means, I have no idea.

Here is an example.

I ran into Wegmans yesterday to grab some cleaning crap. I make my own laundry soap and they carry the crap I need to make it. It's easy to do. I will post the recipe later. I get to the checkout and I have a huge thing of dishsoap, 2 huge bottle of Clorox, and some crap to make the soap. There are 3 women in the checkout with me. The one lady says "hey, what are you doing with all that cleaning stuff?"

I looked at here and said "cleaning, I guess", I used to clean houses for a living, now I can barely do my own."

"You clean houses!!"


"No, maam I don't do it anymore".


The lady looked over to the other ladies, "This girl cleans houses!"

The other two woman looked at me with smiles.

"Can we have your card?" "Can you please do my windows before Christmas?", "What is your rate?" "Can you come every week?"


"I said , I DON'T DO IT ANYMORE"

They would not take no for an answer. The older lady wrote her number on a piece of paper and the other two followed. They handed me a napkin with 3 phone numbers on it.

"Call us when you can fit us in, we all live around this area, it's not far to get to any of our houses."

I took the paper and put it in my purse.

You see, there IS work out there. It's just not the work most people want to do.

I have never had trouble in my life finding "work".

Talk later,
Annie

now that's a big-asss Santa

YOU MIGHT BE A SCROOGE IF:

- Your only contact with three spirits on Christmas Eve is gin, vodka and bourbon.

spirograph

I had this really cool idea today. I thought I would buy a spirograph for Christmas and relive my youth. I thought the kids would like it so I called Walmart to see if they carry them.

This is how the conversation went.

"Hi, do you sell spirographs?"

"I will connect you with electronics"

Why the hell I have to talk to someone in electronics is beyond me, but I hang on .

"Hello, may I help you?"

"Yeah, do you sell spirographs?"

"Maam do you have Windows or Vista?"

silence

"what in the hell does Windows or Vista have to do with freaking spirograph?"

"It's a toy, it has pens, colored pens, and little cool plastic thingys that you draw circles with!"

"Maam I have no idea what you are talking about".

What in the hell has happened to our World.

No one knows what spirograph is? Does anyone sit down and draw anymore? Does anyone use their imagination. I used to sit for hours with that spirograph. It was my sister's, I had to sneak it out of her room and put all the pens back in the order she had them in. She knew I used it anyway, she's like that.

I will keep looking for spirograph. As God as my witness I will find one.

Talk later,

Anne

I found this. It's the definition of Scrooge.



Scrooge also scrooge (skrj)
n.
A mean-spirited miserly person; a skinflint.

Scrooge

Does anyone remember the original "Scrooge" movie. I guess it's called the Christmas Carol. It's the scariest thing in the world. I can remember watching it with my Dad. I can remember watching it and looking over to see if my Dad looked scared. He wasn't even covering his eyes. He must really be tough. I tried not to let anyone see me trying to look the other way. Talk about some scary crap let me tell you!! The scene where old Jacob Marley comes to talk to Scrooge used to scare the hell out of me. I looked it up this morning and tested it on my kids, it's still scary as hell, it even scared me. It was in black and white, which is scary anyways. Anything in black and white is creepy to begin with.

It's a cool story, don't get me wrong, but it still gives me the creepies when i watch that scene.

They have redone it a million times, but nothing is like the original , I'm sorry.

talk later,
Anne

12 days of Nice

It's the 12th. Alot of people don't have squat for money this year. Why don't you take the next 12 days and call someone every day that you haven't talked to in a long time. Just call them, wish them Merry Christmas and tell them you "don't want anything".

I do it once in a while and it's fun. I am sure you can think of 12 people. Ok so you can do the email thing if you want to. Just let 12 people know you are thinking of them. Call someone from college, a relative you haven't talked to in a while, your mom, dad, whatever, whoever.

Someone that touched your life in school, maybe it was High School, maybe Elementary school. An old neighbor, bus driver.

Stop at the nursing home and visit someone there. Old people don't "bite". They are really alot of fun. You will be there someday, just remember that.

Take the time out and just say "hi, how the hell have you been?"

I guarantee you will make someone's day.

I haven't steered you wrong yet.

Talk later,

Annie

12 days of christmas

On the first day of Christmas Annie gave to me, a cup of instant coffee

On the second day of Christmas Annie gave to me, 2 barn cats and a cup of instant coffee.

On the third day of Christmas, Annie gave to me 3 talking snowmen, 2 barn cats and a cup of instant coffee.

On the fourth day of Christmas, Annie gave to me 4 kids a playin', 3 talking snowmen, 2 barn cats and a cup of instant coffee.

On the fifth day of Christmas, Annie gave to me 5 worthless chickens, 4 kids a playin', 3 talking snowmen, 2 barn cats, and a cup of instant coffee.

On the sixth day of Christmas, Annie gave to me 6 calves a blattin', 5 worthless chickens, 4 kids a playin' 3 talking snowmen, 2 barn cats and a cup of instant coffee.

On the seventh day of Christmas, Annie gave to me, 7 broken tractors, 6 calves a blattin' 5 worthless chickens, 4 kids a playin', 3 talking snowmen, 2 barn cats and a cup of instant coffee.

On the eight day of Christmas, Annie gave to me 8 drunk Mexicans, 7 broken tractors, 6 calves a blattin', 5 worthless chickens, 4 kids a playin', 3 talking snowmen, 2 barn cats and a cup of instant coffee.

On the ninth day of Christmas, Annie gave to me 9 cows a milkin', 8 drunken Mexicans, 7 broken tractors, 6 calves a blattin' 5 worthless chickens, 4 kids a playin', 3 talking snowmen, 2 barn cats, and a cup of instant coffee.

On the tenth day of Christmas, Annie gave to me 10 cans of beer, 9 cows a milkin' 8 drunken Mexicans, 7 broken tractors, 6 calves a blattin', 5 worthless chickens, 4 kids a playin', 3 talking snowmen, 2 barn cats, and a cup of instant coffee.

On the eleventh day of Christmas, Annie gave to me 11 pigs a oinkin', 10 cans of beer, 9 cows a milkin', 8 drunken Mexicans, 7 broken tractors, 6 calves a blattin', 5 worthless chickens, 4 kids a playin', 3 talking snowmen, 2 barn cats, and a cup of instant coffee.

On the twelvth day of Christmas, Annie gave to me, 12 stupid stories, 11 pigs a oinkin', 10 cans of beer, 9 cows a milkin', 8 drunken Mexicans, 7 broken tractors, 6 calves a blattin', 5 worthless chickens, 4 kids a playin', 3 talking snowmen, 2 barn cats, and a cup of instant coffee.

Merry Christmas from our Casa to yours!!

Talk later,

Annie

Ps the advance sale tickets for the live manger scene are selling like hotcakes!!

snowman

I woke up early this morning. There was something tapping on my window. Somehow the snowman that the kids had made walked over to the sign on my front lawn that says "Willie Nelson for President" and flipped it over and scrawled "I'M FREEZING MY SNOWBALLS OFF!!"

Crazy guy. He was tapping on the window. Like I am gonna let him in.

Crazy snowmen anyway.

Talk later

Anne

ok, ok enough blizzard crap

The Blizzard of ’77 was a deadly blizzard that hit Buffalo, New York and the area around it in New York and Ontario (and to a lesser extent, surrounding regions) from January 28 to February 1, 1977. Daily peak gusts of 69, 51, 52, 58 and 46 miles per hour (111, 82, 84, 93, and 74 km/h) were recorded during this period at the Buffalo National Weather Service office (National Weather Service Buffalo Office 2006a). The severe winter was not limited to the Northeastern United States with snow also observed in Miami, Florida on January 20.

In the hardest struck areas snowmobiles became the only viable method of transportation. In Western New York and Southern Ontario, snow built up on frozen Lake Erie and the snow cover on the ground over land at the start of the blizzard provided ample material for the high winds to blow around into huge drifts. The combination of bitter cold, high winds, and blowing snow paralyzed the areas most strongly affected by the storm. Lake Ontario was not frozen, which meant that northern New York did not have to deal with previously accumulated snow blowing off the lake’s surface. This did allow for considerable lake effect snow to occur, that when coupled with the existing snow cover and wind also created paralysis.

listen to this

snow

Ok so it's snowing. And it's really cold.

Really cold, and it sucks.

I remember a day when it snowed every day starting at Thanksgiving and didn't stop until April.

I am not full of crap.

I posted some blizzard of 77 pics to prove it.

It's kinda like the 911 thing. Almost everyone who is really old like me can tell you where they were during "The big Bliz".

It was incredible. Cold as hell and the snow never stopped for like weeks. Maybe not weeks but it sure as hell seemed like it. We didn't have school forever so this caused alot of mental stress on the mothers who after 30 some odd years are still in therapy having to keep their kids home for that long of a period of time. INSIDE.

You had to eat the food you had in the house. You couldn't run to the store. It was nuts.

Just ask any old timer where they were and be prepared to hear the "Bliz" story. Some of them are really interesting. Some are downright scary. 9 months later there was a huge run at the maternity ward in Springville Hospital. Just ask Dr. McMahon he will tell you.

People were stranded at work, church, home, where ever they happened to be.

Weird.

It doesn't seem like it was really all that long ago.

Were you born?

Where were you?

Talk later,

Annie

p.s. if you were stranded at work, what did you really do? You can tell us now, it's been 30 years for God's sake, spill the beans.

who can remember this crap? I sure do

this is how it "used to be"

What was the major regional natural history event of the 20th century? No contest. Lake Erie froze over by December 14, 1976, an early record. This normally puts an end to the lake effect snowstorms created by winds picking up moisture from the lake surface, converting it to snow and dumping it when those winds reach shore. But that winter something different happened. It began to snow just after Christmas and a few inches accumulated almost every day through the next month. By late January snow depth in Buffalo was 30 to 35 inches and street plowing was already falling behind -- 33 of the city's 79 plows were in for repairs. More ominous, snow depth on the 10,000 square miles of Lake Erie surface was also almost three feet. Although the National Weather Service had posted blizzard warnings, that fateful Friday, January 28, 1977 started out quite pleasant. There was little wind and it wasn't too cold for late January. But suddenly, just before noon, the infamous Blizzard of '77 hit. The temperature quickly plummeted to near zero and the winds arrived with gusts peaking at over 70 miles per hour. This produced a wind chill that dropped almost off the chart to 60 below. Only about seven inches of new snow fell over the next several days, but western New York and nearby Canada were also inundated with those tons of snow blown in off Lake Erie. As one consequence, visibility remained at zero for the first 25 hours of the storm. Drivers found themselves being buried and many, surrounded by the whiteout, were forced to stay in their cars. Some of those contributed to the 29 death toll, dying of carbon monoxide poisoning or exposure. (In another episode carbon monoxide from a snow blower started in an enclosed garage killed not only the operator but his daughter in a nearby bedroom.) Hearing of people marooned in their cars, police struggled over drifts to bang on car roofs. They were relieved to receive no answer because they had no way of digging anyone out. Ordinary snow would not have been so bad. During this same period the east end of Lake Ontario received almost six feet, but theirs didn't pack the way it did in Buffalo. Here the wind was so strong that it broke up snow crystals and compressed them into drifts that were cement-like in quality. At the same time buildings acted like snow fences causing the drifts to accumulate in some places to 30 feet, enough to bury a house. The problem became more than the usual too few plows; now it was plows that could not penetrate the drifts. Some broke down, were quickly buried and themselves contributed to the difficulty of opening roads. The state's National Guard and Department of Transportation, the Army Corps of Engineers, nearby towns and commercial firms had to bring in earth moving equipment to handle the huge accumulation. Seven western New York counties were designated part of a major national disaster area and soldiers were dispatched from Fort Bragg in North Carolina to assist in the clean-up. It lasted well into February. Although there was some looting and theft during the storm, it was mostly an episode that brought the community together. Stores and restaurants and hotels provided food and places to stay, often free. Agencies like the Salvation Army and the Red Cross as well as city and county departments worked continuously through the emergency to provide services. Individual people helped not only neighbors but strangers as well. It was without a doubt our storm of the century.-- Gerry Rising

Blizzard of 1977

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Blizzard Photos wanted... Any photos that were taken here in Buffalo during the Blizzard of 77. We will place them onto this site for all to share. Send any blizzard photos by email in jpg format .. to ; Blizzard of 77 photos

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click on this one!!!

gloves

It's only December 10th and I have officially lost my first pair of gloves.

Tim has had the same gloves for 11 years I swear.

The same jacket, the same hat.

I, on the other hand have had at least 300 jackets, 200 pairs of gloves, and 400 hats.

My stuff is scattered all around the farm. I start with 3 sweatshirts and a coat in the morning in the winter and by the time I get to the barn I am usually down to one sweatshirt. The rest of the crap I lay all over the place hoping to pick it all up on the way back up to the house.

I am constantly hollering at the kids because they lose their gloves and leave their jackets outside.

I wonder who they learned it from?

Not me. That's for sure.

Talk later,

Annie

n the frosty mountains and on the snowy fields of Norway, there is a legend that draws children to all kinds to stables and stalls throughout the country on each Christmas Eve night. They are hoping to hear a miracle. They are waiting to hear the animals talk.

Over 2,000 years ago, Jesus was born in a stable in Bethlehem. This was no abandoned place, but was a working stable, filled with animals of all kinds. Into these humble surroundings, encircled by the innocent creatures of God, the Savior of man came into the world.

Now according to legend, at least, Christ's birth occurred at exactly midnight. Inside the stable, the animals watched in wonder as the new-born babe was lovingly wrapped in swaddling clothes and placed in a manger. Suddenly, God gave voice to the animals and immediately they began to praise God for the miracle they had just seen. This went on for several minutes and, just before the entrance of the shepherds -- who had hurried to the stable because angels had told them the Christ had been born there -- the animals again fell silent. The only humans who had heard them were Mary, Joseph and, of course, the Christ child.

The legend of the talking animals persists to this day in Scandinavia. And every Christmas Eve, wide-eyed children creep into stables just before midnight to hear the animals praise God for the wondrous birth of His Son. Of course, adults scoff at this. "Old wives tales," they grump. "Those children should be home in bed, not out in the cold waiting for the family cow to preach a sermon."

But the children know -- or at least believe -- that animals really do praise God at midnight every Christmas Eve. And who of us -- those who believe in an all-powerful God -- can say that it really doesn't happen?

Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26 NIV)

[ by: Ed Price -- from 'Themestream' ]

Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved.

Annie's Nativity

I had this great idea yesterday. We need to make some money. I am going to make a "Live" nativity. They do it at the church back home in Alden, why the hell can't I do it here? I could charge 5 bucks and people could come and sing carols and watch the animals.

Anne, you are a genious.

I have plenty of hay and a manger, got that covered. I could take one of the girl's Bratz dolls and wrap it in a dishtowel, that way you won't see the missing feet. I'll put it in a laundry basket Lord only knows I have a ton of those, and put it in the manger in the barn. I could borrow some goats and little creatures from my friend Nicky at Sherman Livestock.

As for the jackass, I am sure it will be easy to find one of those.

We could take the sheets off the bed and dress Isabelle like an angel and swing her down from the tire swing they made this summer in the haymow.

One of the neighbor boys can be Joseph.

Finding a teenage virgin around here might be a little harder than I thought.

As for the three wise men, I have a feeling that is REALLY gonna be hard around these parts. I'll be lucky to scrounge up one.

We could let my chickens out of their coop, I am sure they aren't doing a damn thing.

I'll paint a coffee can and put some baler twine on it and Louise can dress like the Little Drummer Boy: her haircut is real short, no one will know the difference.

We could get the Mexicans to sing Felix Navidad and hand out Coronas.


Presale tickets are 5 bucks, let me know how many you want.

Merry Christmas,

Talk later,

Annie

talk later,

click on this: it might make you laugh

My new boots

I picked up some boots a few weeks ago at Salvation Army. I thought they were pretty neat looking. I see people wearing them when I am shopping at Walmart so they must be cool.

They are tall boots with fur up the front and two ties with furry balls on them.

I got them out of the closet yesterday and put them on, had to make a copenhagen run.

One of the little fuzzy things fell off the laces.

My three year old yells to me "Mom, your balls fell off".

"What in the hell are you talking about?" I reply trying not to pee my pants laughing.

"Mom your fuzzy balls are on the floor".

"Well my dear, I guess they are."

I picked up my balls, put them in the junk drawer, and ran to the store.

I am hoping someday soon to have time to "fix my balls".

talk later,

Annie

Holy Crap it's the ninth!!

This calendar idea is the best!!

Take your cursor and l put it on the ninth. Now put it on the 25th.

Not much time left.

Holy Crap!!!

Talk later,

Annie