Of Steaming Mugs & Creative Endeavors

As February sleeps on, the sky remains a steady color of grey. But indoors, we create warm centers of Life around the fire and bring each other mugs of steaming teas and coffees.  It is the time to read and snuggle in blankets, the planning season, where the whole year lies beautifully ahead of us.

Sap will soon flow in the Sugar Maple trees and the birds will begin their sing-song mantras of early spring. I heard my favorite spring bird this morning, testing his song. I call him the 'Hurdy Gurdy Birdy' because that's just what his song sounds like. 

May your day be full of warm mugs of goodness and a snippet of birdsong prelude to early Spring.

In joy,

A Devil Named 'Defeat'

"The devil named defeat is hot on my trail and trying to get me...I'm still outrunning him, but the gap is narrowing...."

Life, on the farm, is very beautiful and full of an amazing bountifulness. But, it is also filled with daily life and death. Life and death decisions, the death of beloved animals and pets, injuries, and accidents. Sometimes, the 'in your face' life and death of watching the seasons, the harvests, the battles of bird and cat, baby mouse and hawk, bug and squash become commonplace. Other days, such as today, my heart is wrung out and hung out to dry with the pain of it all. Never be fooled, farming is living with your heart right out on the line. Your heart right out in the thunderstorm, in the lightning, in the icy pelting rain, in the finger numbing cold. There is no hiding from the absolute truth of God's seasons and no ducking the realities that come with it, try as we may.

Today was an especially painful day here on the farm. Not the first, and certainly not the last.

That old devil named defeat...he can keep chasing, but I'm still in the lead....