Two Word Jobs

"Well a simple kinda life never did me no harm
A raisin' me a family and workin' on a farm
My days are all filled with an easy country charm
Thank God I'm a country boy."


Sometimes when I try to describe growing up on a farm to non-farmers, I can't help but laugh. Just like describing India to someone who has never been, it doesn't make any sense.

One of the best ways to make a buck growing up was "picking rocks". If you think life is rough, try wandering around acres of black dirt picking up rocks. I have vivid memories of working with my neighbor and dear friend, Rose, on a Saturday morning. We were covered head to toe in smudges of dirt and discussing the latest gossip from the 7th/8th grade dance the night before. Just like a scene out of Gossip Girl... except instead of the Upper East Side... we were in the middle of a field in Minnesota. We'd make a lot more memories in black dirt fields throughout our lives. We even made a song about picking rocks, but I won't bore you with the lyrics about rocks and picking them.

Life on the farm is full of other strange sounding two word jobs. Here are some more to let your imagination wander: picking rocks, cleaning pens, milking cows, feeding calves, shelling corn, picking corn, unloading hay, stacking hay, loading beans, scraping mangers, washing milkers, spreading hay, feeding hay, feeding corn, raking hay, washing pipeline, baling hay, sweeping wagons, greasing wagons, filling water, chasing cows, cutting hay, trimming fence, and the list goes on...

I only feel sorry for those who have never had the wonderful opportunity to experience two word jobs.

Snow.

Mother Nature is certainly proving herself this semester in Mussoorie. Snow, rain storms, and more snow.

I came back to Mussoorie near the end of January. The view from my front yard was better than ever.

Unfortunately, I could barely walk up the sidewalk to my house because it was so slippery. Imagine me carrying a huge backpack, numerous bags in my hand, and wearing my hand made boots with no grips trying to shuffle my way to the front door.

Imagine a world with no snow shovels. Sloppy.

The cold weather resulted in the official welcoming of the fireplace. The only trouble is that you have to sit this close to feel warm. (photo pre-90's party)

It's still hard to complain when I look out my window and see this!

Another snow storm popped in a couple days ago causing my power to go out for somewhere around 14 hours. It didn't stop me from taking a pathetic run around the chukkar.