the simple life

it's been raining forever it seems. i know that seems dramatic. and i know we need the rain. our ponds are full again. and the grass has sprung and will feed the flock until winter. but it's just so muddy and cloudy and cold and i can't help but wonder where summer went???

people always think that i lead a simpler life now. no 9-5 punch-card. no boss. just sunsets and rainbows and butterflies and puppy dogs . but i have to admit, this is about the hardest thing i've ever done. and it's never really "done". there is always something that needs fixed. animals to be fed. shit to be scraped off my boots when i'm in from the fields. it's not glamorous. and there is no one telling me i've done a good job (except my husband for whom i think i would go completely bonkers without).

this simple life is, in fact, pretty darn stressful. i am so immersed in the cycle of life. animals being born. animals dying. or being harvested. it is a constant. i spend so much energy worrying that i forget about those butterflies and puppy dogs and sunsets.

so i'm going to take this post to list a few things that i'm grateful for:

1. homegrown tomatoes
2. my beautiful flock of goats (especially the kids)
3. spinning yarn
4. 1940's tractor my husband fixed
5. learning from mistakes
6. wine!
7. my piano
8. this house (as messy and as unorganized as it is)
9. porkchop getting to run around leash-free
10. last but not least, my husband who has allowed me this 9-5-less freedom!

and now i will leave you with a big raspberry from bianka, my beautiful angora doe!

bonkers!

it's raining and my mini pin won't shut up.

for a little dog, del ray has a big bark. an ear-drum shattering migrane inducing bark. he thinks he is protecting the house from intruding demons (his reflection, moths, jerry the cat, kitchen-sink drain monsters). right now, though, i think he just wants to come inside because it is starting to rain. finally. was supposed to rain this morning. the air has been thick all day.

we are expecting heavy rain and cool temps tomorrow. flash floods. the works. rare for august. all the animals have sought shelter in the barn, the cedar trees, the chicken house, etc... except for the GLOPs. they are fearless and waterproof and waiting for dinner. three scoops of diamond dog food coming up!

thick air

the weather is backwards

please feed us!

if the may flower brought the pilgrims...

what do may showers bring? it keeps raining. today is cold. rainy. misty. i had to wear boots. not cool boots. the big black rubber kind. which i suppose are cool in some ways. but i'm sick of wearing them. i long for sandals. and bare feet.

but tomorrow is supposed to bring some sun. and with it, the graduation of my stepdaughter. it's been a difficult year. and i am wishing her the best for the future. and am hoping that she is able to see possibilities, to opens doors, and to discover places in the world and in her heart where she has never been before.

"Love in speech is truth; love in action is righteousness." - Sai Baba

friday, muddy friday.

not much new to report here. it rained again. as it did yesterday, and the day before and will probably do again tomorrow. the ground is good and soaked. ponds are full. creeks are up. grass is green. shoes are dirty. puppys are filthy. and i'm tired.

trying to figure out voice over program for my video editing software. the new goats are demanding their big screen debut. but i like i said, i'm tired. and i hate computers. might have to have their first film be silent. after all, they are naturally black & white. check out "violet & daisy" on you tube.

rainy days and stray beagles always get me down.

thursday was a very rainy day. this whole week has been. and jason was out driving in it, running errands. by noon he had already passed two separate beagles that had been dumped by the side of the road. each one, waiting in the rain, confident that their owner would come back to claim them. on his way home, jason stopped at a gas station along the highway to grab a bite to eat. a soaked third beagle was desperately trying to get into peoples cars. the gas station attendant said the dog had been hanging around all day bothering people. jason bought a sandwich, and gave the dog the crust. as he opened his car door to drive home, she jumped in.

meet red.

she's been shacking up with us since. getting food and shelter. i even gave her a bath. she was filthy. her whole chest was black. looked like she had been sleeping in motor oil. we're not exactly sure how long she's planning on staying. we're gonna take her to the vet this week to see if she's microchipped. but in the meantime she's happy and dry.