Be A Blessing~

A  new year is closely approaching and with a new year brings new beginnings, fresh starts and a sense of a clean slate !  It is like a birthday !  I love birthdays and celebrations, don’t you? It’s another year that has given me the  opportunity to blog and share my thoughts with all of you  and for that I am forever grateful. Why? It makes me better, it makes me think, it makes me create a connect to people for whom I don’t know yet who I create a friendship.

Many of you might wonder – Celeste who are you ? I thought it might be fun to share my thoughts of me, so sit back and grab a cup of tea or whatever your drink of fancy and enjoy!

Who am I ?

I am real, my face showing signs of living, small lines around my eyes from years of smiles, laughter and joy at livestock shows with the people she calls family.  A wrinkle or two or three from days spent in the hot sun helping on the farm or ranch or with animal projects, feeding cows and sheep.

My character would be one of strength yet softness. I may cry at any given moment when overcome with emotion from an animal that has lost its life after hours or even days of hard work in trying to keep it alive. Yet I am strong and realize that there is a time and place for it all and  will face what comes to me with grace.

Everyone will want to be on  my side. I am a good friend, a confident, a lover of children, a dedicated daughter , sister and aunt. I try to  align myself with those that are like me yet also with those who push me and challenge me and make me better.  I am not afraid to expand my boundaries and learn new things, finding miracles in all that is out there.

I am committed to a number of causes probably giving more than I should at times , feeling overwhelmed and learning to delegate though at times finding it difficult and then getting a bit goofy with herself for biting off too much.

I am fiercely loyal to my family , my friends and my convictions. I will offer you a tissue , a cup or tea, a beer or a glass of wine whatever suites you  when you need it but give you a swift kick in the behind when I think t is the best thing for you , to get you out there and make it your best.

I am focused, committed, chaotic and charming (or so I think) I will always make time for young people sharing my knowledge of speaking and livestock and leadership. Yet at times can be running in a million directions for myself , my family , my ranch and yes even some of you and the adventures that take me there, all the while trying to keep a smile on my face though sometimes showing stress and being ok with it all.

i love to travel but love coming back to the ranch even more. I likes getting flowers, and wearing jewelry and makeup and crazy boots and clothing . I might take up a fair amount of time creating eclectic outfits but is most comfortable with the cows in a pair of jeans, a ball cap and a carhart coat! 

I try to always be fair and truthful and shy from saying anything negative but if you ask will be the first to share my thoughts as truthful yet as kind as I can.

I will lend you an ear, a shoulder to cry on , a necklace to match your show outfit and show stick. I will nurture you , support you, let you fall apart and build you back up.

I am your friend, I am blessed beyond belief and I hope that I can be a small blessing to those I come in contact with  – this is is me !

Thank you for your constant commitment, your notes, your encouraging words.  I love what I do and it is because of each of you that have made me come to where I am and for that I am grateful.

Lets get excited about 2013, lets make it the year of success and miracles and good things for ourselves and our projects. 

Why? ~

Recently I read a great article in Farm and Dairy – “Emotion Trumps Science Everytime~ Farmers need to start with Why” by Susan Crowell

I applaud Susan for such a tremendous message!  I too have always been one to think this.  I believe science is a great resource at our fingertips and we need science for facts and figures to support the things we believe in.  However I also think that when we are out AGvocating that the why we do it seems to always hit it out of the ball park.  This inspired me so much that I decided to write about it and I continued to share my thoughts about it on my personal blogs and others sites I blog for.  It keeps coming back to me and I feel the need to now share with all of you.

Why do I do what I do? Why do I ranch? Why do I AGvocate?  Why do I contribute to this magazine? Why do I blog for so many different agriculture outlets? Probably many of the same reasons many of you  do what you do.

For me it is really quite simple~

• I am steeped in the heritage of my family roots
• I love waking up on the weekend and going with my dad to check cows about to calve
• I love taking my niece- Baby Paige- with me on my four wheeler to feed at night
• I love fixing fence and water troughs – well maybe not love but it gives me the opportunity to be out with the cows and that is what I love.
• I love my ag family
• I love the smell of sweet hay
• I love the smell of cows – really I do!
• I love watching my dad each spring prepare to plant his vegetable garden, order his seeds, start them in little trays and then take them out to grow his own little personal crop
• I love seeing my mom prepare her menus each year as she takes food to us during branding time!
• I love the industry I have grown up in and feel it is my obligation as a fellow farmer/rancher to share my story with all who I can engage in conversation.
• I love caring for the animals, taking care of the little ones when maybe they cant get it done on their own
• I love warm baby calves on the floor of my truck on cold nights
• I love baby sheep bleating in a big box on the floor of my living room by the pot belly stove waiting for me to feed them
• I love waking up on a farm when the sun is shining and there is a crisp dew on the ground and I take it all in and appreciate the beauty of it all
• I love going to bull sales with my dad
• I love meeting fellow agriculture enthusiasts from literally around the entire USA
• I love all the cows lined up on the “cow trail” walking to the water trough in a perfect line like they are on a mission
• I love feeding hay on the back of the flatbed as my brother drives and taking time between fields to sit on the hay and admire the beauty of it all
• I love to eat – too much at times – and because of farmers I am able too!
• I love watching my young friends take so much pride in exhibiting at the county fair and me being on the sidelines cheering them on.
• I love cowboy boots – I have all sorts!
• I love car hart jackets and gloves and ball cap kinda days
• I love the heritage of 4-H and FFA and what it all means
• I love my county fair and my fair family that continues on now into adult hood.
• I love my dear farm and ranch friends for helping me become my best self.
• I love it cause it feels good to share my love of all of YOU , my farm and ranch friends.

I love it because I do not know anything else this is who I am, who I have become and who I will continue to be.  I am dedicated to the industry I love and to each of my fellow farmers and ranchers.  For I owe it to them to share my story, I owe it to them to show them it can be done, hopefully empowering them to tell theirs and do the same. 

It’s all quite simple – when someone asks me why you farm/ranch. Why do you do what you do? Why do write about your thoughts and experiences?

My answer – because I LOVE it and I can’t imagine doing anything else.

That’s why! 

I LOVE what I do and for that I am THANKFUL ~ Thankful for all of YOU who have made an impression on who I am , who have taught me , helped me , been my friend!

~~~~~~~~Wishing all of my blog readers a Blessed Thanksgiving Holiday~~~~~~~~

my very own travel show ~

Seems as if life has been a whirlwind lately, my most recent adventure took me to the American Agriwomen Convention in Wichita, Kansas. While there I got to meet facebook friend now real friend Lori Bammerlin.  Lori is probably one of the most creative people I have yet to meet in my adventures so  thought I would share her with all of you !

Lori made all of these fabulous necklaces with an assortment of wonderful beads, she also has hand painted shoes, tshirts and really cool, fun hats!  Old feed sacks turned tote bags and wranglers made into fun skirts.  Whats old is new again with many of Lori's fun pieces.

My adventures take me to lots of places~ I feel as if I am on my own  travel show , you know the ones you see on TV.  My travels hook me up with interesting people engaged in agriculture and sharing a common passion and just sometimes they are doing extra fun things that spark my interest, like Lori and her cool treats with a western style flair.  I couldn’t keep her to myself so I figured I would share her with all of you –

If you are interested in Lori and her creations you can email her at ag06grad@yahoo.com  - or check out her blog at http://homeontherangeexhange.blogspot.com - she can take it from there!

“Never give up on something you dream about every day”

Not sure where I saw this but it was awhile ago, I taped it to my computer so that I could reflect on it daily.  (yes I am weird like that) 

I have wanted to perfect my image, put everything under one umbrella, make it nice and neat. Blog, stationary, business cards- you name it I like a nice concise look.  With the help of my dear friend I am well on my way.  She is one of those techy, super smart computer geeks, (in a good way) .  I have now created a nice bio sheet so when someone says “Celeste can I get your bio?” I can say “Sure, let me send that to you right away.”  I feel like I am complete!

Excited for the opportunities ahead of me ~ for now I can venture out looking good !  Whether it be writing for a magazine, blogging on my own thoughts, speaking to the world on why I love farming and ranching or presenting a business card to someone I meet face to face – I can do it feeling good about the initial presentation.

What y’all think ? 

What do you think about every day? Don’t give up on it !  Keep at it until you make it a reality however small or large it might be !!!

Until next time when I find something fun to write about ~