Catherine Nicolai

So I picked an outlet, plugged in a set of lights and started to string them up. As I made my way around the backside of the barn, I looked out at the back pasture. We'd had a new addition to Weathervane a while back. Well, two additions, 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.

So I picked an outlet, plugged in a set of lights and started to string them up. As I made my way around the backside of the barn, I looked out at the back pasture. We'd had a new addition to Weathervane a while back. Well, two additions, 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.

So I picked an outlet, plugged in a set of lights and started to string them up. As I made my way around the backside of the barn, I looked out at the back pasture. We'd had a new addition to Weathervane a while back. Well, two additions, 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, he was immediately dubbed Winnie the Moo. Winnie and his mom were chewing in the pasture

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 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 at them. Mom lifted her head to look at me, still unsure about all of us. It would take a while to earn her 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.

And I stepped one foot up onto the fence rail and leaned in to coo at them. Mom lifted her head to look at me, still unsure about all of us. It would take a while to earn her 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.

And I stepped one foot up onto the fence rail and leaned in to coo at them. Mom lifted her head to look at me, still unsure about all of us. It would take a while to earn her 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. Maybe some Christmas, they would want to don their reindeer antlers and join in the fun, but not this year. I went back to my work, adding more lights and big candy canes the size of shepherd's hooks that stuck into the ground.

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. Maybe some Christmas, they would want to don their reindeer antlers and join in the fun, but not this year. I went back to my work, adding more lights and big candy canes the size of shepherd's hooks that stuck into the ground.

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. Maybe some Christmas, they would want to don their reindeer antlers and join in the fun, but not this year. I went back to my work, adding more lights and big candy canes the size of shepherd's hooks that stuck into the ground.

We'd had a bit of snow the week before, but it had melted away within a day or two. and I was hoping for more before the festivities began. It certainly was getting colder. I was keeping warm with my work, but I noticed the ducks coming back early from their excursion to nestle in at the barn.

We'd had a bit of snow the week before, but it had melted away within a day or two. and I was hoping for more before the festivities began. It certainly was getting colder. I was keeping warm with my work, but I noticed the ducks coming back early from their excursion to nestle in at the barn.

We'd had a bit of snow the week before, but it had melted away within a day or two. and I was hoping for more before the festivities began. It certainly was getting colder. I was keeping warm with my work, but I noticed the ducks coming back early from their excursion to nestle in at the barn.

I heard a horn blowing down the long driveway and checked that all the gates were closed and walked down the drive to wave at a big truck I recognized. The wreaths were here, the yards and yards of garland. made from Easter white pine with its long, soft needles. And I noticed, among all the greenery, a tree, bundled in twine, stuck in with the rest.

I heard a horn blowing down the long driveway and checked that all the gates were closed and walked down the drive to wave at a big truck I recognized. The wreaths were here, the yards and yards of garland. made from Easter white pine with its long, soft needles. And I noticed, among all the greenery, a tree, bundled in twine, stuck in with the rest.

I heard a horn blowing down the long driveway and checked that all the gates were closed and walked down the drive to wave at a big truck I recognized. The wreaths were here, the yards and yards of garland. made from Easter white pine with its long, soft needles. And I noticed, among all the greenery, a tree, bundled in twine, stuck in with the rest.

I could hear one of our donkeys braying in the yard, excited by a visitor. And I called out, as they climbed down from the truck, mule-tied greetings. I got one of them to chuckle. The other just shook his head and said, That's it. I'm taking your present back. What present? What did you bring me? and they hauled the huge Christmas tree out of the open bed and stood it up.

I could hear one of our donkeys braying in the yard, excited by a visitor. And I called out, as they climbed down from the truck, mule-tied greetings. I got one of them to chuckle. The other just shook his head and said, That's it. I'm taking your present back. What present? What did you bring me? and they hauled the huge Christmas tree out of the open bed and stood it up.