Every Day is Kansas Day for Kansans

For your listening pleasure while reading this post

New and old wind energy peppers the plains of beautiful Kansas

Whoopee - it's Kansas Day! And this born and bred native is going to take advantage of the opportunity to brag on my home state.

For those of you who don't live in The Wheat State, we joined the Union on January 29, 1861 as a free state after a lot of violence and chaos with neighboring Missouri. And every year, I get super jacked up to celebrate the birthday of this fantastic state I love. I've actually sort of been celebrating this whole week of Kansas' birthday, because honestly, every day is Kansas day for Kansans. That's just how much we love it here.



I think it takes a special kind of person to love and appreciate Kansas. Rolling hills covered in native grasses, wide open skies, roaming buffalo, spastic weather and the completely enthralling feeling of being able to see a vast nothingness for miles are just a few of the exceptional facets Kansas has to offer.  

 

I love everything about this place: the emptiness, the scenery and, most importantly, the cathartic feeling of inhaling two-lungs worth of fresh, wild air that is untouched by the side effects of a metropolis. I love this land so much I have permanently altered my body to reflect my Kansas roots.

 

I know I'm not the only prairie dweller to experience these feelings. I have friends in the Dakotas, Nebraska and Oklahoma who feel the same way about their home states as well. We aren't crazy for preferring the vast emptiness of the plains over the hustle and bustle of the city - we're just a different breed of people. And, as we all know, the world needs all kinds of kinds.

 

So here's to you ole girl. May your Flint Hills remain inhabited by bison, your winds blow strong and uninhibited by skyscrapers and your heritage continue to be rooted firmly in wheat and beef.

Kansas is the centerpiece on our mantle right now - a gorgeous silver sunflower platter.

Always a Kansan,

~ Buzzard ~

Four Years of Fighting

Thrilled to be on this journey of a lifetime with the Ninja.
Photo courtesy: LaBrisa Photography

Two [trailer] houses. A totaled car. Burst pipes. Two weddings. Four Ohio State fairs. Two Masters of Science degrees. A shattered crockpot filled with gravy. Zero babies. Most of a PhD in Animal Science.

Believe it or not, we have shoved all of those amazing experiences into 1,460 wedded-days full of celebrating, accepting, loving, fighting, laughing, compromising, competing, stressing, [blatant] honesty and joy. Today, I reflect on one of the most important items in that list: fighting.

Robert Louis Stevenson once said, "Marriage is one long conversation chequered by disputes."

Accurate, Mr. Stevenson.

It's truth time, peeps. Here are the many ways we fight in marriage.

- With each other

This is the obvious one. For those of you who aren't married, take it from me. The arguments don't stop once you say 'I do.' Little things like taking out the garbage can, under the wrong circumstances, yield just as big of an argument as the decision as when to buy a house. God made us all differently, which means that we all have varying opinions and when thrown into a small space with another human, we inevitably will have disagreements. But how you handle these disagreements will be the true test of your relationship. Can you learn to compromise and move on together? Or will you fail to learn from past experiences and let resentment fester? The choice is, as cliché as it sounds, up to you.

Let's not forget, that arguments are a form of communication. And if you aren't communicating, it's going to be hard to plan your life, make decisions, move forward and grow. So it's ok to get in a heated discussion about when the next chapter of your life will start or how many candles you need in your house or what brand of salsa to buy. But let's just try to keep it civil, people. Above the belt and no snarky comments that can seriously cause damage to your relationship. That whole "sticks and stones may break my bones" shtick is a crock of Crisco. Words can, and do, hurt - so be nice and play fair.

- With ourselves.

You might wonder how I fight with myself in my marriage. And, building upon that, how does winning a fight against myself help my marriage?

I'm a competitive person and I like to have the last word. I especially love to have the last word when I'm right and someone else is wrong. All of these compounded together can make me an especially unpleasant person in the heat of an argument. It's a constant struggle for me to beat back my snarky side when I desire to make a point, and instead let the sweeter voice of reason win, hence allowing peace to come to our humble little trailer.

By fighting with my inner demon, and winning, I am making a conscious effort to be the best version of myself that I can be for the sake of my marriage and my personal wellbeing.

- For each other.

This is the most important fight you will have in your marriage. No I am not talking about throwing punches in honor of your betrothed - although I would not hesitate to do so if provoked. I am talking about a spiritual and emotional fight for each other.

There is a huge enemy to your marriage and his name is Satan. The enemy will fight to plant doubts and fears in your marriage. The enemy will make you think that one disagreement is a sign to end your commitment. The enemy will tempt you and your spouse with other men and women, with ideas of "bigger and better." Ignore that bastard, link arms with your spouse, get down on your knees and work together towards a strong marriage that is rooted in faith and prayer. If you don't fight for each other and put each other first, no one is going to do it for you. It's up to you and your partner to find strength in your faith and make the commitment to work through the crappy days and relish the exciting ones.

As I've mentioned before, marriage is far from easy. It's the most challenging, yet most rewarding, endeavor I've ever undertaken and is equally as frightening as it is enthralling. A loving, gratifying marriage is worth fighting for but both people have to be engaged in the fight. I am a firm believer that a few bad fights are the fee you pay for the most exhilarating experience of your life. Suck it up folks, make some sacrifices in order for a lifetime of happiness with the one you love.

Alright, here's where you come in - do you think I'm completely off-base? What are your thoughts on marriage and making it last?

Until next time
~ Buzzard ~

p.s. I want to stress the "zero babies" part of this blog post. The eggo is not preggo. That is all.

The Ninja did not contribute to this blog post but he did review and edit so anything embarrassing has been approved.

Wordless Wednesday: Fall in the Flint Hills

No one will ever convince me of a prettier place in the fall than Kansas. Ever.

 

And what would my favorite season be without a little fall decorating?!

 

Halloween isn't complete without Edwin the Buzzard hanging out.

 

I had big aspirations for an elaborate pumpkin display - as you can see that didn't happen but we proudly support breast cancer fighters and research in this household!

What does fall look like around your place?

Until next time,
~ Buzzard !

Wordless Wednesday: Spring in the Flint Hills

I'm really hoping that this post doesn't jinx us and call in a freak snowstorm. Le sigh.

 

Anyway, it's starting to warm up. We've had a few rains and things are looking beautiful!

 

Spring rains and sunshine bring green wheat!




Hello beautiful wheat field - I've missed your green shoots!

A Flint Hills pasture burns to spark the regrowth of green grass

Spring also means that ranchers are burning their pastures to prepare for new grass - burning gets rid of all the old, bushy undergrowth and allows for new, green grass to start growing. Soon, ranchers will be able to turn livestock out on these same pastures when they're covered in lush prairie grass. 

A pasture that has been completely burned off

I took this photo while running the other afternoon - the north side of the road had been burned but the south side was still old growth. Pretty cool site - reminds me of an Oreo!

Next week (or the week after), I'll have some photos of the grass reappearing in all of its spring glory!

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

Wordless Wednesday: Round Bales = Happy Horses

The three musketeers are happy to have a new round bale of brome hay to munch on.

Wordless Wednesday: Winter Sunset

Wordless Wednesday: Fall in the Flint Hills

Rooster and I enjoyed a breathtaking sunset after our nightly run. God is a fantastic painter!

The leaves are changing colors!

Blame the Flint Hills wind for a blurry photo

Hard to see the different colors of the prairie but they are beautiful in person

Winter wheat is peppered across the land

This windmill now serves as a photo prop instead of its original purpose

Pigs Raised Outdoors Have Lots of Room to Grow

BUT they also have tons of enemies that would love a tasty pork rind to munch on....

Yesterday, we brought home Ferdinand. That won't really be his name, most likely it will change when we give the pig to the Ninja's sisters but I like 'F' names; they're cute. Anyway, Ferdinand is very friendly. He likes to root around in the dirt and run in the straw. I'm sure he'd enjoy being out in the woods by our house.

Guess what else lives in the woods by our house? and surrounds us on all sides because we live in the middle of the glorious, rolling Flint Hills.

That's a canis latrans, more affectionately known as a coyote. And they are everywhere. Last night, they were howling, barking and yipping up a storm. The dogs were barking back - it was chaos.

And you can bet that lil ole 25 lb. Ferdinand wouldn't stand a chance against Wile E. Coyote if he was out roaming around.

Which is why we raise hogs indoors.

 Ferdinand has plenty of room to move around in his stall, can root in the dirt and play in the straw all the while being safe from the dangers of hungry predators. We take care of our animals because it's the right thing to do - leaving him outside to find for himself would be cruel.

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~