We are resilient.

My Facebook memory popped up yesterday and reminded me that this time last year we were flooding while still covered with a blanket of snow, and cold nights turned that water to ice. The main road was a river, the meadows were ponds and the hay yard was flooded. Bottom bales weighed over 200 pounds and the river was high enough to close the highway for a week or more. We had been snowed in and at this stage of the game, we were flooded in.

This winter has been mild in temperature and precip and I have actually watered the lawn a couple of times. We've spent more than half of our days in sweatshirts. The truck kicks up dust when we head to town and we can actually GET to town.

What a difference a year makes, right?

I'm no fan of winter, especially after last year. The thought of a big snow storm makes me anxious even now. However, even I know that this stretch of dry weather doesn't bode well for summer. Without more moisture in the winter and spring months, we will be pretty short of water in springs and streams for drinking water and irrigation.

There is still time for February snow and there can always be some spring rain.

Beggars can't be choosers, but my newest hope is that when it does hit, it's not the worst when it's time for us to calve.

Ranchers across the country are facing what we went through last year with deep snows and wet meadows. My friend in Louisiana sent me pictures of their muddy pastures and standing water on meadows. She spoke of plans that needed to be changed because the corrals are inaccessible. It's not that these important things wont' happen...it's just that they can't happen as they were initially scheduled.

Yet another example of resilience...

We all take it as it comes.

We are resilient and we've seen these cycles before.

We will assess the situation and adjust as needed.

Oh sure, we will be upset at times, frustrated and sad. But we will also find a way to smile and be grateful for the things that are going well.

We will be hopeful, and we will persevere.

It's what we do.

The weather and the seasons are as much to thank or blame, for our successes and failures as the markets. We can't control either one of those things so we will continue to assess, adjust, and move on.

We are resilient...