Dusty Travelers

We've done an awful lot of traveling in the past couple months. Our 15-18 hour hauls back and forth to South Carolina have grown to more than I can count. Some people just can't believe we drive that trip. "How can you drive that far?" "Are you going to keep driving that trip, or will you start flying?" "Isn't it just awful to be in the car for that long?"

I guess some people just enjoy traveling and road trips more than others. As a kid, I spent many long hours in the back of my parents vehicle during our annual trips to Florida and Virginia Beach. I had my bed all made up, complete with pillows, blankets, gameboy, and a host of other activities to keep me busy. I was rarely bored, and loved every minute of it. As an adult I don't get to enjoy the comfort of that "backseat bed," but I still enjoy life on the road. As much hype as there is over flying, I really can't stand waiting in line for boarding passes, waiting in travel lounges, waiting to get on the plain, waiting for baggage claim, and then waiting again for a rental car. By the time you add in the extra hours you spend leaving your house early to arrive at the airport 2 hours prior to departure, finding a parking spot and walking in, and actual flight time, its not really as short as a 2-3 hour flight. Lucky for me I married a husband who likes road trips as much as I do. And we certainly chose an occupation that requires a lot of it.

Typically on the way south we travel during the day. Its easier to start a week of bee work with a fresh nights rest. On the way home, however, our routine has become traveling at night after finishing bee work. It usually begins with a trip to Waffle House, to fuel up on food and coffee. Let me just say that Waffle House has great coffee!

Its not as easy to find good coffee in the south as it is at home, and Waffle House has it! We then take turns driving, Adam usually goes first while I sleep for a few hours, and then when he gets tired we switch.

Everyone has their own techniques that work for keeping them awake on those lonely, quiet miles on the interstate in the middle of the night. The only thing that really works for me is putting earbuds in, blasting Adele and the few other artists I've downloaded on my phone, and head banging enough to make my hair swish nicely, all while Adam sleeps peacefully in the passenger seat.

(People can say what they want about Apple products not matching up with competition lately,

but they've done a darn good job with their earbuds! Its like surround sound stereo 

in my head!)

Having something to munch on always helps too. After a couple hours my head isn't capable of much more banging, the candy I've been sucking on has left a sour taste in my mouth, and sleep threatens to overtake me despite the music still blaring away in my ears. At that point we switch, somewheres around 2-2:30, and I leave Adam to finish the rest of the predawn hours.

What do you use to keep you awake on the road? What's the longest road trip you've ever taken? What is your favorite snack on the road?

Vermont - Winter Playground

As I look out my window this morning, snow is gently falling, adding to the foot and a half we already had from the last couple of storms. Growing up in Vermont means that I LOVE snow! I love how beautiful it is, and I love how many sports become available to me with its presence. So it really amazes me how many Vermonters hate snow. I'm not just talking about transplants. I expect people who moved here from southern states to view the fluffy white stuff with disdain. There are, however, many native born Vermonters who watch snowfall with disgust instead of pleasure.  I'll admit that having to go out early every morning, brush off the car, and many times shovel the driveway before work, did not always add to my attitude about snow. Now that my mornings are a bit slower, however, I am in awe of watching the snow fall, covering everything in a blanket of pure white. I realize I am quite spoiled now, as we live off a long driveway, hidden from the road, complete with ancient tractor and attached plow. I don't drive in snowstorms unless I have to, and will often bum a ride into town off Adam if he's going. I mean, why not save the gas and spend some extra time with my hubby? :)

The entire time we were in the south this last time I had to hear about the big blizzard of 2015 sweeping up the coast of the Northeast. I listened and watched with jealously as the North got dumped on with snow. To my pleasure, however, our particular part of Vermont didn't receive much during that storm, and got most of its now after we got back. More snow is coming on a daily basis, starting consistently on Sabbath.

Forecast:
               Saturday night - 1-3 inches,
               Sunday - 1- 3 inches,
               Sunday night - 1-3 inches,
               Monday - 1-3 inches,
               Monday night - another inch

So you know what that means??? The snowboard is coming out of storage next week, and we'll be making tracks with our snowshoes this Sabbath! We were given the awesome present of Bromley Sun Passes from my parents this Christmas. We get a free day out of it, plus a discount every time we go after that. If I had a dime for all the times in past years I've gone boarding on sub-par trail conditions simply because it was when I had planned time off….well, lets just say there were a lot of times. Getting to pick the perfect day to snowboard, right after multiple days of continuous snowfall is just another blessing of being self employed. When the weather is good, we can hit the slopes! The little coffee shop Adam and I love in Wilmington, VT is closed 2 days midweek every week merely for their convenience of hitting the slopes while the tourists are far and few between! If you're ever in that neck of the woods, by the way, I highly recommend going there. Its called Folly Foods, right on the main drag in the town of Wilmington. Great coffee, food, and amazing people that run it.

For those of you who enjoy snow as much as I do, I wish you every opportunity to get out and play in it! And for those of you less fond of it, cuddle up next to your wood stove (or a friends if you don't have one), shut the curtains, and turn on a warm-weather movie!

Travel Preparations

As I look out my window the wind is billowing clouds of snow off the roof, sending them in cyclones across the yard. The sun is warm, but the weather forecast predicts another night dipping below zero. This winter has found me far less grumpy about such nights, as the house we now live in is more than adequately insulated to withstand such temperatures. While I do still have to get up in the middle of night to put wood in the fire, the wood stove is much easier to maintain than the wood boiler in the other house, thus my nightly routine consists of 5 minutes instead of 45, a welcome change.

This isn't an ordinary Friday afternoon for us, involving merely preparations for the end of week and Sabbath, but also for our trip to South Carolina on Sunday. We'll be going for 2 weeks this time, instead of 1. We're also traveling heavier than usual, as we are taking the truck, trailer, skid steer, and a good deal more food than usual. As the wife of the beekeeping duo we meet up with in South Carolina is staying in NY for this trip, I will be taking on the responsibility of feeding the crew of us (3 adults and 2 very hungry teenage boys). So for those of you wondering if my food service days have gone to waste, I assure you they have not! We are also taking our canine companion for his first time south. We're very excited to not have to be separated from our cuddle buddy for this longer stay! No more shivery nights, as he will likely be lying right between us with his head on the pillow. ;)

It will be a busy and productive couple of weeks down there as we prepare to send the bees to California to pollinate the vast acres of almond orchards. As hard as it was for me to leave the North the first several trips south in the middle of the holiday season, this one is slightly easier, as the holidays are past, and warmer weather is waiting to greet us in the South. :) We'll enjoy it for all of you up here! Still hoping there is snow upon our return home, however, because we have a lot of snowboarding we want to do in February!

Do your best to stay warm Northern friends! We'll send you some sunny rays from the south while we're away!

Sometimes Extroverts just don't "get" Introverts

In my adult years, I've become well acquainted with the definitions of Extroversion and Introversion. I have taken a number of Facebook quizzes and test, personality tests (both general and very long and specific), that have told me again and again that I fall into the introverted category. I know many people that have the same results I do from these test, that understand the many ways Introverts can be misunderstood. Even still, for those of you who did not find themselves on that side of the test results, this post is for you.

As an introverted kid, being an only child was like a dream I didn't know I'd had come true. I was never bored, which was a quandary to my cousins who came from multi-child families. I loved spending time reading, doing crafts, or just wandering around outside alone, talking to myself and playing made-up games. Having quiet time by myself was something I relished. Now don't get me wrong. I was not a hermit child. I did have friends and cousins, and played with the wildest of them. My best friend growing up was a big time Extrovert, which helped draw me out of my shell and teach me social skills. But as much as I spent time socializing with other kids my own age, I still craved alone-time.

As a teenager I tended to surround myself with friends who, like myself, were less outgoing than our piers. Partying was definitely not an interest of mine. (No I'm not talking about typical partying, since I went to an Adventist school, although there was that too.) Large social gatherings which involved mingling with a lot of people I didn't normally hang out required expending a lot of energy, so I usually only attended such things if it was required by the dorm.

As an adult, I find that it is not always easy to find the alone time I often crave. When its available, I snatch it up, relishing the quiet time to recharge my social batteries. What Extroverts just don't always understand is that if I am quiet, silent, or seemingly unsociable, it is not necessarily because something is "wrong," but that my social reserve battery has been depleted and needs to be charged. Being overtired is a trigger for me. Most of the time, it doesn't seem like work to be social with others. If I'm tired or have spent a lot of time in crowded environments, however, it begins to take more and more energy to put on the "bubbly" persona. If my social reserve continues to deplete without being charged with quiet alone-time, I will likely keep words to a minimum in socializations, doing my best to not seem rude, but not always succeeding.

Having quiet time for morning devotions is also a must for me. Often that time is interrupted, which can throw my mood, and sometimes my whole day off. I continue to strive to make that specific alone-time with God possible, because I know it refocuses my mind and attention back on Him, restoring my good mood and social battery for the day.

In short, if there are times where I have offended those around me by not being my normal "bubbly" self, I'm sorry. I don't do it on purpose. I have nothing against you that makes me not talkative. I may just need time to relax in a restorative environment (usually home), and build up my social reserves.

Keeping In touch….

Is hard to do. I, quite frankly, am terrible at it. I know all of my long distance friends know this to be true! Facebook truly is the only thing I actually keep up on, and even then I only post things on there once in a while.

I decided that with so much in our lives changing, and me having more time at home than I previously have, it is high time that I keep up on this blog on a regular basis.

A lot of you that are a part of my mailing list received our Christmas letter. For those of you who didn't, I thought I'd highlight the big changes in our year briefly.

Adam and I have long been yearning for the opportunity to work together on an occupation that would allow us to work primarily from home and for ourselves. We prayed about it a lot, and it became clear that beekeeping was one of those occupations. Since Adam's family has owned and operated a small beekeeping business for 16 years or so, we already had the basis to begin making that happen. Over the last several years, Adam and his Dad Jim have worked hard expanding the business to a size that would support all of us. This year we were able to see a lot of fruit from that hard work.

All summer long, Adam and I continued at our day jobs while working afternoons and evenings with the bees. By the end of the summer we had gone from 40 or so hives, to almost a full tractor trailer load. Our house had been on the market since the end of January, and we all were anxiously awaiting it being sold so that the rest of our plans could come about. As in so many life-changing things, God taught us a lot of patience and reliance on Him through all that waiting. There were times when we weren't sure if it would all work out, if everything we'd worked so hard for and dreamed about would actually come about. But as with so many other times in our lives, God pulled us through when were were least expecting it. In less than a month, God sold our house to our neighbor's new employee. On October 28th we moved a half mile down the road into the house Adam grew up in, and began work on building Adam's parents a log cabin in the front field of that land.

A week after selling the house, I was able to quit working at BPI, and prepare to take the bees to South Carolina with Adam (he had already quit Dailey's in September). Everything worked out in just the right time. Since then we've made a few trips to South Carolina for the bees, and while we are back in Vermont we work feverishly on Jim and Gail's cabin to get them in as soon as possible! We're hoping to have them in maybe in another month or so.

We are currently getting ready to head to South Carolina again this week to check the bees. We hope and pray that all of you have had a Merry Christmas and will have a Happy New Year in 2015, one that challenges us to seek a deeper relationship with Jesus, who makes this entire life here on earth worth living.

Yet Another Chapter

Its hard to believe thats its been more than a year since I've posted here. A lot of that had to do with my computer battery crapping the bed, and not being replaced until a few weeks ago. More than that, however, is that life is just busy. I know, nothing I haven't complained of before. 

The main reason I decided it was time to share an update, is that we are facing a whole new chapter in our lives. Many of our family and friends are already aware, but for those of you who don't live close by, we thought you should know: there is a "For Sale By Owner" sign in front of our house! Yes its true, we're moving….. a half mile down the road! :) 

While the first four years of married life have been wonderful in this house and neighborhood, Adam and I are both feeling the strong desire to live a little farther off the road, have more land, and have a place that meets more of our desires. While looking at places, we happened to mention our plans to Adam's parents. Little did we know, they had an offer we couldn't resist. The next morning, Adam's Mom told us that we should sell our place and move into their house. We both laughed, thinking she might have lost her marbles. After thinking about it, I began to see the possibilities. Their house has many of the things we desire (off the road, more land, wood interior, gas, wood stove, etc.). Not to mention the shop Adam works at everyday is there. We both couldn't accept the idea, however, as it seemed to us that we would be kicking them out of their home. 

Some time went by, and I happened to mention that I really did liked the idea to Adam's mom, but I just didn't think Adam would go for it as he felt bad for them. She immediately informed me that they would LOVE it if we would want to live there, and that they had been wanting a smaller, more retirement-friendly place anyway. After a lot of talking, plotting, and planning, the three of us (Gail, Jim, and I), managed to convince Adam that it really was a great deal for all of us. 

The way it works out, we get to move into their house, and plan to put an addition on one side. Gail and Jim are building a log cabin in the front field. Because the house and property was put in our name a few years ago, we don't even have to subdivide! Its amazing how God keeps working out the details as we go. The plans are beginning to take shape. 

Meanwhile, we've been working hard on fixing the last few odds and ends on our house. We even finally finished flooring in the library and our bedroom! It just figures that all of that stuff does't get done until we're ready to move! Less than a week after we put the "For Sale By Owner" sign up, we had a couple come look at the house. They loved it! Not sure if it will work our for them, but it is a start. Looking forward to all that God has in store for us as we move forward with this. There certainly are a lot of new bends in the road to come. 

Working for the weekend...

Lately I've been finding myself frustrated with many of the people in my life, mostly at work. Specifically, the people who know everything, even when they don't. I'm a pretty happy go lucky person. It takes a lot to ruffle my feathers. Most people at work consider me to be the nice person that would never say a bad word about an employee. Lately, however, I've had a hard time controlling my frustration. The busier we get, the more chaotic the workplace, the more picky the employees, and the more frustrated I become. It's hard for a person with a pride in being right to have so many people walk all over her. It's harder still to realize that these people are more like me than I care to admit.

I have a hunch that my frustration is directly related to lack of sleep and a desperate need to spend more time with my God each morning. I know that my normally easy going temper has a lot to do with how close I am in my relationship with God. It also hurts me to think that the self I see coming out in my frustration against coworkers may be keeping them from seeing Jesus in me.

I think I forget sometimes what a difference God makes in my life. I could definitely use His eyes to see my coworkers and patience too.