Farm Fresh Blog

Thursday, October 07 2010

Years ago I went with a friend to pick up some goat's milk. We were greeted by a most delightful man who escorted us around his farm. He showed us his goats, his pig, his miniature horses, his cattle, and his chickens. And he did all this . . . in bare feet.

I remember being struck with the idea that this cheerful little man was a modern day Hobbit, spirited straight from the Lord Of The Rings. And his feet looked like it.

Now I'm not one to point fingers. (perish that thought!) I was in my 30's before I got my first professional pedicure. The reason I was forced to get a pedicure is because Montoya had stomped on my foot ("Oops! Sorry mom!") and my big toe was a most striking shade of blue.

A friend was tired of looking at it, so she insisted that we that head to the nearest Vietnamese lady with polish to paint that sucker! So I did. I went in looking like a Hobbit, and an hour later, (and lots of muttering in Vietnamese) I hobbled out with new feet. There was even a beautiful hibiscus flower painted on my bruised big toe.

From that moment on, I was in love with pedicures. Ahhhh . . . the vibrating chair, the girl talk, the stupid paper flip-flops. And the magical hibiscus flower that announced "These are the feet of a Pretty Woman, not a Hobbit!"

But the sad reality is that the Magical Hibiscus Flower fades pretty quickly under the cold hard reality of farm living. The polish gets chipped off each time a critter bounces across the top of it. I want to, I really want to, but I cannot seem to wear responsible shoes every time I step out of my door. Too often I'm simply puttering around the house in flip-flops or Crocs when drama stalks me, and then I regret my choice of footwear.

(Read: The Grace of God & The Red-Headed Demon)

You'd think I would learn. But alas . . . take this morning for instance. One would think that I would know better.

This is not a picture you want to see when you're wearing flip-flops!

Or this! (They get MUCH closer!)

One overeager Border Collie (just trying to help) + A Few Errant Sheep = Bruised Toes

Why don't I ever learn?

Did Hobbits have Border Collies?

(I'm just asking . . .)

Posted by: forensicfarmgirl AT 10:40 am | Permalink | 4 Comments | Email

Comments:

Oh how I feel your pain! Every time I'm trying to trim goat hooves, it seems they get even with me by planting a not-being-trimmed hoof right on top of my foot. Someday I will be smart enough to put on my good boots before I trim hooves, instead of my on-sale-at-Target garden clogs!

Posted by Mary at Fancy Fibers Farm on 10/07/2010 - 02:16 PM

Well I can relate:) I got my left big toenail crushed at age 16 when a horse stepped on my bare foot, and it never returned to looking normal. Then in my 40's I took up soccer, and did in the big toenail on my right foot. Well at least now it matches my left big toenail. Add to that, like you, always dashing outside in inappropriate footwear. Let's just say that my toes are best left covered up anywhere off our farm:(

Posted by Karen on 10/07/2010 - 03:56 PM

It is sooooo nice to know that I'm not the only one with Hobbit feet!

Posted by forensicfarmgirl on 10/07/2010 - 09:41 PM

Shoes what shoes! Been known to ride horse and outfit (M/b and sidecar) minus shoes. I drive shoeless so I can feel where my feet are. Only accident I ever had in car was with shoes. I do own a pair of crocs they do a good job for the little mobility I have till the hip replacement. Have to regularly get a foot bath and scrubbing brush to them so they don't look totaly Hobbit like.

Posted by Liz (Aust.) on 10/09/2010 - 12:33 AM