Thursday, January 31, 2013

Its a new dawn.... Don...?

How embarrassing. I just missed an entire 3 months of blogging. So sorry readers.

Its not that nothing has been happening out here on the land. Quite the opposite. So if I may be permitted to claim and excuse for not keeping up, that would be it. Sometimes the actual living gets in the way of the documentation.

Nether have I not had intention. Nor ideas. Many posts have crossed my mind, and are tucked away in a brain crevasse, keeping company with the other 'could of's' and a number of 'should ofs'.

Some of the 'Could ofs' would include:

Breeding season ended on a positive note. The clean up ram didn't seem to find much to finish up. And now further verification of that by the observation that a number of the ewes are starting to bag up.

A very mild early winter was easy on the wood pile, but the lack of moisture in the warm temps was not so easy on the grass. Not to mention that the temporary fall pasture never got enough growth to graze.

After a good deal of frustration, the new automatic water-er got installed and in use before the hard freeze set in. The rams are sharing a tub with a heater, and the big bunch of ewes have the tank at the hydrant. No more draining hose every night. May not seem like much, but progress is progress.

The fall/Christmas season meant 3 art shows, classes at the Lux, and seasonal sales. Hmm. Maybe thats what I was doing.

Thanks to my daughters directive, I now have an inventory of yarn, wool, and needle felting supplies with the pleasant folks at 'Yarn Charm', a new yarn store in north Lincoln. Oh - and teaching classes there too.

Should 'ofs include:

The arrival of Maxwell Simon McClure on Oct 2.  (I can't believe I missed that one - I must have intended to make it a special one)  Our fourth grandchild, second grandson, and first male child to carry on the McClure name for the generation. Not to mention a happy boy who is a born charmer.

And now for the big one - Today is Don's last day at work.  Yup, he actually did it.  Really, I'm not sure either of us is fully prepared. The paperwork and questions are still in the works. There are actually several blogs worth of material involved. Like the frustrations of my finding health insurance. How do we handle the retirement account. The usual things. The sure one being- things are going to change.

The truth is, I feel like I'm 18 again. Or 21. Or about to welcome a member to the household.  - Oh. I guess I am. Its another stage of life. I have taken in 3 babies, watching them grow,  then releasing them first off to school, then college. My house was full, and seldom silent until the last one left for good. And I confess to have easily grown to appreciate the time alone. Well, most of the time. For sometimes alone IS lonely. That was 11 years ago. Now, starting tomorrow, there will be another human in the house. That seems strange.......Exciting!.....comforting.......scary.....   all at the same time.  But this is a farm. Things change. Seasons come and go.  Spring will soon be here, the season when all awakes to  the call to grow. And, in order to grow, all things must change.

The shepherd is coming home. Just in time for shearing - a preparation of spring and the new crop of lambs which will soon begin to appear. 

I don't think either of us (heh- 'US') see any endings here. Only beginnings. Of what, we're not quite certain yet. Time will tell. The seeds of opportunity are already being sown. With the ground still frozen, it may be a while before we recognize which ones have taken root.

The sunrise this morning was spectacular.  I watched with hot coffee and cold feet as the first light emerged on the eastern horizon. A line of dark gray clouds reached up from the south, as if trying to veil the thin yellow glow. But the pink prevailed. It's power penetrated the gray and in moments only a pale orchid softness remained.  I took it as a sign, and despite the temperature outside and in, I felt strangely warmed.

Its a new day.  Bring on the Don.

And, I'll try to do better with the blog.