I love Christmas! Who doesn't? The decorations, the lights, and if you are at Southern Grace Farms, the hay bales! Last year I decided to start a new tradition of creating something out of hay bales for the holidays. We grow peanuts so we have plenty of hay bales on the farm after peanut season! So this year I decided to do a giant Christmas Tree Hay Bale and for my other "hay bale art" project I decided to do a grumpy Oscar the Grouch! If you ride by the store during the day, you are more than welcome to pull in and take a picture with either or both of our decorations...and if you drive by at night you'll surely notice b/c of the spot lights and other Christmas lights decorating the store and pecan tree out front! I owe a huge thanks to my guys on the farm for helping me bring these two creations to life! Hauling and stacking hay bales for me, helping me paint and decorate and even cutting a bale in half for Oscar's head! (That was no small feat!!! #diditwithahandsaw #brokeanantiquehandsaw #don'ttelldaddy) I have to tell you the truth...I know sometimes the guys think I'm crazy with my ideas. B/c lets be honest, most of the time in my head it is MUCH easier than the actual task. I don't always think out what equipment will be needed and how many employees it will take to accomplish my end goal. I just present it to Daddy or the guys and expect them to make it happen. And usually they go along with me and help me make it happen. So when you see the big ol' Christmas tree at Southern Grace, or elaborate decorations anywhere this holiday season, be mindful of how many people it takes to run a forklift, backhoe, tractor with the hay forks, and don't forget to count me...the supervisor ;). Also the many cans of spray paint, the decorations that will be ruined by the end of December and go to ornament heaven, the extension cords, electricity, and all the other things that makes Daddy & the guys ask me when we start, "is it really worth it?" And I remind them of all the things that they remember from their childhood Christmases. Lighting of town square trees, people who had elaborate lights that let you drive around their yard and look, businesses that went all out with decorations. I want our farm to be remembered by all the of our neighborhood children and visitors to the farm when they think back on Christmases past. So if you get a chance this holiday season come out to the farm and take a few pics in front of the giant tree or snuggle up with Oscar and try to brighten his day. All of us at Southern Grace Farms hope you enjoy our decorations! Merry Christmas to all!!