Catherine Nicolai

Mostly it was an excuse to bring people close to our animals and let them be reminded of how beautiful they were, how much they enjoyed their lives here, where they would never be in danger, where they would only know love. and that being a part of giving that safety and love was an excellent way to celebrate the season.

Over the years, we'd found a few ways to make the trip out to the country even more worthwhile. A Christmas tree farm down the road began donating wreaths and garlands. And now it was a regular part of the tradition for lots of people to get their front door wreath from Weathervane Farm.

Over the years, we'd found a few ways to make the trip out to the country even more worthwhile. A Christmas tree farm down the road began donating wreaths and garlands. And now it was a regular part of the tradition for lots of people to get their front door wreath from Weathervane Farm.

Over the years, we'd found a few ways to make the trip out to the country even more worthwhile. A Christmas tree farm down the road began donating wreaths and garlands. And now it was a regular part of the tradition for lots of people to get their front door wreath from Weathervane Farm.

We had urns of hot cocoa and trays of donuts and Christmas cookies set up around heaters on the front porch of the farmhouse. and the tractor hitched to a wagon lined with hay bales to take folks out for rides through the snowy fields. So today, as I took boxes of lights and decorations out to the yard, I was already full of holiday spirit.

We had urns of hot cocoa and trays of donuts and Christmas cookies set up around heaters on the front porch of the farmhouse. and the tractor hitched to a wagon lined with hay bales to take folks out for rides through the snowy fields. So today, as I took boxes of lights and decorations out to the yard, I was already full of holiday spirit.

We had urns of hot cocoa and trays of donuts and Christmas cookies set up around heaters on the front porch of the farmhouse. and the tractor hitched to a wagon lined with hay bales to take folks out for rides through the snowy fields. So today, as I took boxes of lights and decorations out to the yard, I was already full of holiday spirit.

I watched the ducks waddling off to the pond, which hadn't frozen over yet, to spend the day sunbathing on the banks. They called to each other as they went, and I sang out, Honk the herald angels sing. I crack me up. I looked down at the lights in my hands. I knew there was a system for this, where to start and a best way to proceed, without getting the cords all tangled up.

I watched the ducks waddling off to the pond, which hadn't frozen over yet, to spend the day sunbathing on the banks. They called to each other as they went, and I sang out, Honk the herald angels sing. I crack me up. I looked down at the lights in my hands. I knew there was a system for this, where to start and a best way to proceed, without getting the cords all tangled up.

I watched the ducks waddling off to the pond, which hadn't frozen over yet, to spend the day sunbathing on the banks. They called to each other as they went, and I sang out, Honk the herald angels sing. I crack me up. I looked down at the lights in my hands. I knew there was a system for this, where to start and a best way to proceed, without getting the cords all tangled up.

But I never remembered. It was always a process of trial and error. So I picked an outlet, plugged in a set of lights, and started to string them up. As I made my way around the back side of the barn, I looked out at the back pasture. We'd had a new addition to Weathervane a while back. Well, two editions, actually. Our first cow.

But I never remembered. It was always a process of trial and error. So I picked an outlet, plugged in a set of lights, and started to string them up. As I made my way around the back side of the barn, I looked out at the back pasture. We'd had a new addition to Weathervane a while back. Well, two editions, actually. Our first cow.

But I never remembered. It was always a process of trial and error. So I picked an outlet, plugged in a set of lights, and started to string them up. As I made my way around the back side of the barn, I looked out at the back pasture. We'd had a new addition to Weathervane a while back. Well, two editions, actually. Our first cow.

She'd come at the end of the summer, in need of some medical care and skittish at first. We'd soon learned she was pregnant. And one early morning, a few weeks past, we'd found her with a beautiful, light brown, fuzzy calf laying in the straw. The vet had pronounced them both in good health, and him in need of a name. I couldn't help myself. With his tan, blonde fur and round belly,

She'd come at the end of the summer, in need of some medical care and skittish at first. We'd soon learned she was pregnant. And one early morning, a few weeks past, we'd found her with a beautiful, light brown, fuzzy calf laying in the straw. The vet had pronounced them both in good health, and him in need of a name. I couldn't help myself. With his tan, blonde fur and round belly,

She'd come at the end of the summer, in need of some medical care and skittish at first. We'd soon learned she was pregnant. And one early morning, a few weeks past, we'd found her with a beautiful, light brown, fuzzy calf laying in the straw. The vet had pronounced them both in good health, and him in need of a name. I couldn't help myself. With his tan, blonde fur and round belly,

he was immediately dubbed Winnie the Moo. Winnie and his mom were chewing in the pasture, and I stepped one foot up onto the fence rail and leaned in to coo with them. Mom lifted her head to look at me. still unsure about all of us. It would take her a while to trust, and that was fine.

he was immediately dubbed Winnie the Moo. Winnie and his mom were chewing in the pasture, and I stepped one foot up onto the fence rail and leaned in to coo with them. Mom lifted her head to look at me. still unsure about all of us. It would take her a while to trust, and that was fine.

he was immediately dubbed Winnie the Moo. Winnie and his mom were chewing in the pasture, and I stepped one foot up onto the fence rail and leaned in to coo with them. Mom lifted her head to look at me. still unsure about all of us. It would take her a while to trust, and that was fine.

Winnie, never having known anything but safety, came right up to the fence, Mom hurrying behind him to keep watch. And she let me reach out, and give him a scratch along his neck. On the nights we had visitors, we'd take them to the smaller barn out back, where they could bed down in the straw and have a bit of privacy.