A Little Perspective

After three days of being away, I am finally settled in my mind enough to write a little. Our trip and all the possible things that could go wrong has weighed heavily on me leading up to our departure. I wanted to go and surely, we deserved a rest after so much time at our labors. But, when you are starting a business, any business, it becomes like a living child to you- one that needs your time and attention and your love. Such as it has been with this venture into family farming for me. It is romantic to envision living off your land, building a life standing beside your man and surrounded by your children. Think: "The Waltons" or "Little House on the Prairie". Their back-breaking toil and constant worry for crops to come, threats to defend against, and the bountious rewards reaped or lessons learned all cared for by the end of each episode. Romantic it may be on tv or in books, it is less so, in reality. How many "vacations" did they take, do you suppose? The reason for that is obvious.

I am very glad that we set aside this time to rest before summer hits in full swing with its endless cycle of milking, weeding, preserving, vetting, and the like. I am as glad that we have our farm being cared for by a trusted, capable young woman. We needed this time. To step back and think about the landscape and direction we are moving in. To laugh with family. To play and splash in the ocean and run in the sand. To collect our thoughts and dreams and hold them in our hands like the tiny sea shells we have been collecting on the beach. To play dominoes and drink wine. To compare Life without the farm and it's many cares weighing on our shoulders to Life with the farm; its kiddings, milkings, and insistant greetings of "meh!" each morning. The fluffy down on new chicks and goslings.

We chose wisely. For us. This time away has been relaxing and wonderful. I would not change one minute of it, other than perhaps adding a few more familiar faces to the mix. I feel ready when we return to get down to the business at hand, finishing our barn and main coop for winter, adding another pasture before fall, preparing the turkey pens, caring for our crops. Romantic in notion, farming is much hard WORK. I am feeling refreshed and ready to get back to it.

Good night, John Boy.

Sonja ♥