“If you’re not a mechanic yet you will be soon. There’s just no other way out here in the country.”

It should also be pointed out that although we miss him like the dickens it’s the dogs that probably notice the change the most. 

Since this farm’s hay day there have been several buildings removed. And by removed I mean the wood was removed but the nails magically fell to the ground, were covered by dirt so nail gnomes could dig them up and leave them in my driveway to this day!

Each year we get a bit better at planning for winter and snow. This year we moved the corn wagon inside, had plenty of cornstalk bales for bedding and a few small square bales in each barn as a backup. A neighbor plows the drive to the house and to the barn so we can get the truck to the barn to drop off feed.

They wanted us to call a vet, have surgery performed, amputate the injured leg, take it to Iowa State Vet Med...anything but euthanize little Rudy.

Here’s a smattering of the learnin’ we’ve been doing this winter. Welding! It’s not pretty but Uncle G got the ole Buzz Box out and is trying his hand at stick welding (SMAW).

"I'm glad you guys did this so I could learn. I don't really want to do this much work all the time."