If you asked me what I can’t live without these days, I wouldn’t answer the way I used to. There are just certain things that are a “must” now that I’m a farm girl.

This morning in the skid loader I got to thinkin’ bout my mittens… and how much I love them.

As soon as the aisles at Norby’s Farm Fleet get double-wide stocked with winter gloves, mittens, hats, scarves, and the like I turn my cart down the aisle for some serious shopping.

I have made the mistake the last couple of years to pick up just ONE pair of mittens for myself and the crew. BIG. MISTAKE.

See here? This is the result of only buying one pair of mittens.

This pair got totally blown out when I was pumping up a low skid loader tire. There must have been a weak spot in the sidewall because it exploded and blew me on my butt about 4 feet back.

Holy smokes! I thought my contacts were permanently glued to my eyeballs! I count myself lucky, but… my poor mittens. It blew one of the straps clean off and ripped the stitching out of the end of the other one.

But when I got up, they still dusted my butt off. That next week I went back to the store to get me another pair and guess what?

Hmmm…

Notice I still have them. (And in a safe place too, just in case there’s a mitten emergency!) They survived that season because I couldn’t live without them.

Now, this year I went all out. I found a pair of mittens that I am currently in love with. They’re heavy, warm, pretty much waterproof, have a rubbery grip and even have fleece between the fingers! Score!

In fact, I loved them so much I bought THREE pairs! (One for chores, one for good, and one on reserve for someone I really love or in case of a mitten emergency!)

My husband and girls have a favorite kind too.

We have a trusty supply of back ups of these too!

So on this windy, cold, morning my hands were warm.

And that, was a blessing.