Idaho and Chores // Ranch Life

To start this post out, I would like to debunk a couple of myths. 

Number one- Idaho is snow-covered-skiing-paradiso

While the world envisions beautiful sights of snow covered mountains,valleys, trees, and hills in Idaho this time of year, the truth is that everything (except for the top of the mountains) is covered in mud.  At least that is the way it is in our part of Idaho.  Maybe farther up north in Idaho that lovely vision is true, but for us it simply isn't reality.  The longest we have had snow this year (actually for the past 3 years) is 2 weeks.  It snows, melts, refreezes, snows and then everything melts again. 

Number two- The romantic idea of doing morning chores.

Goes something like this: As the the first rays of sunshine start to climb above the horizon, signaling the start of a pristine morning, you wake up to the rooster crowing, climb out of bed, and eagerly go out to do the morning chores.  Upon arriving at the barn, you throw the cows some hay, slop the pigs, and while milking, squirt milk into the mouths of cats who are lined up giving you their best "puppy dog eyes".  Chores having gone smoothly, you make your way back up to the house and settle in for the days tasks.  That wasn't too bad now, was it?  That 30 minutes of "work" didn't even seem like work, rather, like something from a storybook. 

Let me show you the results of reality:

 Looks romantic, eh?:)  Well, just look at this view:

Lovely, no?

The truth of the matter is that morning chores usually aren't very romantic and bookish.  Doesn't mean, they are torturous to do, or bad, they are just slightly different than the usual image that fills one's mind of morning chores (we enjoy them though). 

This morning for instance, when Chris was on his way to feed the cows, The hay laden UTV got stuck in the pasture.  He then had to walk a 1/4 mile back up to the barn and get the tractor to pull the UTV out.  Two hours, and many 1 foot+ deep ruts later, the cows were fed, and he and his two volunteer helpers (Math and Kat) were able to come back inside from the cold.  

Well, I decided we had to have some pictures of the three of them in their mud covered condition and so we all headed back outside for a short "mud shoot".  It was muddy, spontaneous, muddy, and slightly awkward as I tried to not fall or get stuck in the mud while carrying my camera.  But it was fun.  They were soon cleaned up and life continued on.  Below are some more pictures that I took while out there:

The UTV

 Opps! Math lost his boot. (No it wasn't purposed but it sure was perfect timing) 

 Ever been in this situation before? One word, Awkward.

 Victory was their's over the mud

 I know you can't tell from the picture but the rut I am standing in is deep as my boot is tall

 This is the door knob that I almost grabbed as I was coming back in (the others got up to the house before me hence the slime)

This is our life.  No day is the same, each has it's own unique challenges and tasks, but we throughly enjoy the life we have chosen as a family.  We eat together, pray together, and get each other unstuck from the mud.  Because that is what you do when you live on a ranch.:)

What unique challenges do you have in everyday life?

~Maria