For the Love of Darkness

11/7/2016

Yesterday morning I rolled over in bed only to see sunshine peaking throught the corners of the window blinds. I looked at the clock, but didn't really know what time it was. Did Daniel change the clocks? I relished that extra hour of sleep thanks to daylight savings time.

I am not really sure what the logic is behind daylight savings time, but to me, when it is 5:00 it should be 5:00. If it is light outside then we should be out working. If it is dark, then it is time to come in and go to bed.

We are now in the season of darkness. It is dark when we leave in the morning and dark when we get home each evening.

I live in a divided house. Daniel and the boys hate this time of year. They have been whining about it for a month.

Me...I love it!

Granted, I am not the one doing the chores in the dark by the light of a flashlight.

I love it because it gives everyone a stopping point.

It is harder to work in the dark, so we only do what is necessary each day. All summer long we stay outside working until dark. That means that many nights we don't even eat dinner until 10:00 p.m.

By this time of year I am tired. I love the dark evenings because it chases everyone in to the lights of the house. We sometimes even eat dinner before 8:00 p.m. After dinner, it is time for showers P.J's and some much needed time curled up on the couch under a warm blanket. Sometimes we even fall asleep by 9:00 p.m.. I love winter...when I get to be inside.

The hard part of the dark evenings is working when you can't see what you are doing. There are lights in the barn, but not in the chicken coop, at the pump or out in the pastures. It is a lot different checking on the cows with a flashlight.

We have a lot of flashlights...or should have a lot. It seems like I am constantly, buying flashlights, but there never seem to be any around. The flashlight drawer is always empty...except for the ones that don't work.

This year I made sure that all the flashlights were working before the time change. I added a few to my last Amazon order. The boys think they are the best because they are LED, have an adjustable beam, and they have a flashing light...and for the record...they would never shine them in their brothers eyes. Ha! Ha!

Maybe the new lights will keep them from grumbling about chores for a few days.

I also stocked up on batteries. Why is it that every flashlight takes a different kind of battery? I especially love the flat batteries that are all different. Thank goodness for Amazon because I would spend weeks scouring our town for a specialty battery.

Have I ever told you how much I love Amazon? Can you say dog food delivered to my door each month for cheaper than I can lug a bag around the grocery store and wrestle it into the back of my car?

A photo posted by 4 Wiley Farm (@4wileyfarm) on Sep 29, 2016 at 4:55pm PDT

I won't be able to see what the outside of my house looks like for the next several months, but I will get to see the inside of my house. In the summer, I only see the inside of my house long enough to eat and sleep there. It is time for some inside T.L.C. and some much needed rest.

Me, my couch and my electric foot warmer will have some much needed time to get reacquainted.

By spring, I will be ready for the sunshine and some fresh air, but for now...bring on the darkness.

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