Farm Fashion

Doing chores in the rain is one of those things I've written about for years.  I just love it.  I don't mind getting wet, or even wearing wet clothes for a bit, but I do not like to put wet clothes on!  Even when I was working as a lifeguard, I had two suits.  What I discovered this morning isn't practical for very many places, but it definitely works for a homestead off the beaten path.

This morning was really stormy.  It was very dark and although the rain began gently, it became fairly unrelenting for awhile.  I've changed the chore schedule for the summer, and certainly couldn't confuse the animals with one rainy morning, so I spent most of the morning pretty wet.  I did get my rainwater rinse, though!  

I go out right after dawn to open the chicken houses, but I don't do the milking then.  I've discovered when I was doing it all first thing, only the milkers came up, and I'm revising the milking schedule.  By just opening chicken houses and walking around the place, all the goats gather for the morning stroll.  So, I enjoy my devotions while the coffee perks, then the first cup I enjoy with the goats.  Since it's daylight so long now, chores are now much later in the evening.

Also, I'm starting to wean the calves from their morning bottles, so I'm reducing the quantity and taking the bottles out later every morning.  Eventually, the morning bottle will just be a little swig late afternoon, then they'll have an evening bottle, only.  I just can't stand to wean them cold turkey.  They are now down to just over a quart apiece between 11 am and noon.  They still each get their full half gallon at night.  Also on the agenda today, was taking the buck to the auction, so I was hoping to get him loaded between downpours.  He's been a great buck and I already miss him, but I'm keeping the does he threw this year, so I need a new buck.

Wrapped in a towel as I filled the calf bottles, I was contemplating just what I'd wear to feed the calves and "complete" the morning.  With two sets of chore clothes now dripping in the shower, I really didn't want to get a third set out and I knew better than to wear a towel out to get wet.  Towels get horribly heavy when wet, and I don't like the way cotton knit shirts cling when they get wet.  It's almost claustrophobic trying to get them off!  To be honest, I was here all alone, the trees are fully leafed out, I considered for a brief moment, running out au naturel, but that was a very brief moment.  I then got the best idea!  

I wear broom skirts most of the time, and one of them has ended up stained, so it's been relegated to the chore wardrobe.  I put it on like a sundress and headed out in the rain.  Woven cotton doesn't cling.  Coming in, I was still drenched, rain dripping down my face, but I was so thrilled with this experiment, I had to share.  Photos of "front and back."  Don't worry, I'm not modeling it!  The dark in the lower left corner is my shadow.  Wearing it like a sundress, it still hung to my knees.  Broom skirts really are so practical!