We left just after 9am for a full day of errands in Charlottesville and beyond. Besides a Costco run (always at least a five hour excursion), we also went to a glass store where we bought some storm windows to use as coverings for cold frames (though Phil will have to pick them up later).
We took all five children as we went through Costco. And we received two "May God bless you and your beautiful family" comments, and I will take all the blessings I can get.
In Boulder, we usually received several compliments on the well-behaved children or the happiness/intelligence/friendliness of our family. But we wouldn't get the blessings—I like it all.
After we reached home, with our heavily laden van, the children helped unload. Even Joe carried boxes of raisins (4.5 pounds each!) from the car to the barn, grunting as he walked along. What good children!
Also, happily, after many months of looking for a reasonably priced used cattle trailer, we bought one today. The pieces are falling in to place for Phil to get cows next week!
The trailer will win no beauty contests, appearing on first glance to be a hunk of rusty metal. We have joined the ranks of the junkyard farms. But Phil said the rust is superficial, with all welds still intact, and with a sanding and a coat of paint, it will look just fine.
Farming aesthetics: they're not what I imagined. I think of the great Southern estates, or even the Thoroughbred farms in Kentucky, and our meager efforts in red clay have little beauty by comparison. But the Southern estates grew up with slave labor, and the Kentucky farms "employ" immigrant workers (and we all know they don't earn much per hour).
I suppose there is beauty in building up a living by sweat, energy, and the grace of God; it's just not instant beauty, nor beauty readily evident to the eye.
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