excuse me for a moment

Sometimes the only question that comes to my mind is "hmmm?" - - a wondering aloud kind of sound. See if there is anything that I am, it is sensitive.....for goodness sakes I still kind of sort of think still believe that all my precious German Steiff animals have feelings. And, I don't ever want to lose that and not care, not take it to heart. So, today my feelings are hurt, pretty bad I might add....but I know it will get better- always does. So don't mind me if I just hang out with my guys here at the farm for a bit...hug on a kitten, sit on the porch & maybe even talk this all out with a little stuffed rabbit.
Peace...out,
Kari

be in the moment

I recently received my April-May copy of Mary Janes Farm...with the theme for many articles - "smitten". Today I took a moment to look through it, and found the following excerpt from an article, "Smitten by a Farm" by Victoria Strauser: "I saw my first fireflies at the farm, and thought it must be a magical place for something so beautiful to choose to live there." Be in the moment, I said to myself. Last night as I tucked in the goats for the night, I came out of the barn to bird song...back again. Be in the moment, I said to myself. This morning I found two little girl kittens asleep on the porch, wrapped in each other's little arms. Be in the moment, I said to myself. We all collect magical moments when we are smitten. Perhaps they are songs from the tree tops, fireflies in the meadow or a soft loving look...and we know for that one moment all is indeed right in our world.

picture credit

Here we go - again...

I must must must start this post with the fact that

the Barn Sale is right around the corner....

October 8 & 9!

And, all the information you need to know about it

is in the following post -- or under "Barn Sales" to the right.

It is indeed a bright spot on our horizon,

and we look forward to meeting all that attend.

However, part of the here we go again has to do with

the call I got on Thursday afternoon at my office from Dave.

It began with "You had better sit down."

Seems the north winds that were reaching gusts of 40-60 mph on Thursday

took down our gigantic cottonwood tree along our driveway.

Our neighbor, Rodney, saw it literally "blow up" at the midpoint,

scattering enormous limbs everywhere.

County Road R was closed down for several hours as they dealt with debris

and a downed power line.

We will be cleaning up for some time...
those of you that attend the sale will be able to see first hand the
volume and magnitude of this tree--
it was the eagle tree, likely over 100 years old -
one of the tallest vantage points in the area.

Our immediate thanks goes to:
Neighbor Rodney for clearing our driveway before we got home.
Dale, our electrician, who worked from the call he received at 4:45 until 9:45
to restore our power (the tree tore the electrical box right off the house).
My Ian, for hopping in his car & driving home 2.5 hours to help in the aftermath.
Ian's friend, Brad, for working after dark to begin to clear the area around the house.
And the crew from the electrical company who came out against company orders at
9:30 p.m. to restring the power line from the road to the house saying that
 "no farm will be without power overnight."

Yes, here we go - again...

Please do not worry, if you attend the Barn Sale, we will not make you cut wood -
although you are welcome to take a souvenir branch home with you.
(insert tired smile here)

compromise

I've been thinking a bit about this word lately...wondering if in the end, the only way we ever ever have "win win" is with compromise.  We each do the "give & take dance of life" -- standing firm sometimes, bending with the wind sometimes, saying "sure" sometimes.  It is really what we do - right? 

My two male unfixed tom cats - brothers mind you, have had a little debacle over who is the king of this farm.  Don't let their sweet names (Marmalade & Cinnamon) or their sweet disposition when in my arms fool you -- this was a battle.  In the end, they both decided that they could both rule -- taking turns by day -- with Marmalade as King of Meadowview Farm and Cinnamon as Prince -- not Co-King, but maybe CEO -- which was fine with Cinnamon.  They both just wanted rights to the food & milk & the love of two would-be farmers and worked it out.  They compromised.

Dave & I will celebrate 30 years of marriage this October -- funny how this happened when he is still 13 at heart and I am in my 30s (wink wink) -- but it happened.  Our dance has been the dance of compromise.  We still own our own opinions -- but have become a better union when we work together.  Tree falls on our lives, we move it limb by limb out of the way together.  Road becomes rough, we fill the potholes with gravel side by side together, wheelbarrow by wheelbarrow.  When his knee gives out, I carry the load.   When my heart is too full, he carries me.

As an early childhood educator my mantra is "play well in the sandbox"....

If you want that truck right now, I could:

      a. smack you in the head with a shovel & grab it 

      b. scream or cry to get my way (called a tantrum)

      c. work it out -- maybe with the teacher's help -- but after all these kiddos are little

Hmmm -- if 3 year olds can compromise & cooperate -- wonder why it is so difficult at times for adults to do the same?

So anyway -- been thinking about compromise just a bit lately. 

Seems that if two tom cats can figure it out -- we adults can do so too. 

Just thinking....

Just as free, free as we'll ever be...

It poured -- skies just opened, and it poured.

Still, we grabbed our folding chairs, rain gear...

Ian drove up from Madison,

and we arrived at CountryJam just as they took the stage.

Early -- things were moved around, acts were cancelled or changed.

And then the blue skies returned and for three hours they sang to us...
three hours!

People danced, sang back and were happy.

And, to hear thousands sing the chorus..."free as we'll ever be" with the

Zac Brown Band

magic, pure magic...

Every now & again you capture that moment,

tuck it way way back knowing it is special & will

be cherished.

Standing there, last night with Dave & Ian and thousands

of other folks that had arrived in Eau Claire-

Didn't matter our ethnicity, socioeconomic status, political views...

under that one sky, with mud on our feet

we were all happy -- just happy.

And we sang...

This is how it rolls in the country -- in Eau Claire, Wisconsin
 on a wet, stormy Saturday night.

Calm...at last

The winds didn't ease until this winter surpise returned last night.

It now feels peaceful -- not undone as it has
since the tornado last Sunday.

Friday we worked. 
My son, Ian, arrived, neighbor Rodney arrived,
 chainsaw sounds across the farm.

Before the backyard tree was totally down,
 I touched the bark of this beautiful 60+ year old tree
& thanked her for her shade
 & for taking the brunt of the winds to spare the rest of the farm.

From my last picture a post below, to this...

We still have several trees to remove in the orchard,

but we are getting there.

Repair around the farm will be the next step.

So far, we have filled this dumpster from Rodney twice with debris.

And let me share - Ian made the jump up

 into the dumpster with ease.

Pulling around branches,

stomping them down to make more room.

After he left to make his 2.5 hour trip back to his place,

 Dave & I both tried to just get up into the dumpster

...not a pretty sight.

At one point, I climbed a tree stump like a ladder,

Dave got to pushing me upward,

I got to laughing.

Laughter is good.  Faith is good.  Resilience is good.

Finally, all is calm at Meadowview Farm.

country "time"

I don't wear a watch.

And, most clocks in our house are stopped at a time in the past.

Our mantle clock chimes on the hour -

sometimes our only reminder beyond the rising or setting sun of time.

Country "time" is slower.

Days are planned based upon the weather --

that's how farming communities work.

We can really be snowed in if our driveway

(almost a city block in length) isn't plowed out.

I can't zoom about the internet -- because we still exist on dial up service.

A trip to the city is planned.

"Night life" are the animals that visit our farm in the safety of darkness.

But yet, there is an efficiency to this country "time".

Neighbors learn about comings & goings from the milk truck.

A helping hand comes with steady haste.

A truck & a hitch saves time.

Time is steadfast -- not fleeting.

I have only lived this country life for 4 years.

My other years were as a city girl -- not a big city girl, but a city girl all the same.

Learning to slow down has come easier than I expected.

Now granted, my office is in the city -- so I still enjoy that pace --

but my heart is in the country.

I have been reset to country time

and that's O.K. with me.

Half empty or Half full?

I arrived home tonight...

tired of boots,

tired of climbing over snow banks,

tired of winter roads.

My list of "poor me-s" ever so long.

Then I remembered I had taken some pictures this morning

as I was leaving for the office...

The choice is ours:  half empty or half full?

Or simply enough to take your breath away?

Enough

I'm home, not feeling well today.
Do a little something, then take a rest.
So, it was with disbelief & such sadness that I turned on the news this afternoon to hear of the shooting in Arizona.  A Congresswoman - a Democrat, shot.  Many dead & hurt.
I tend to not use this blog to promote my politics, my beliefs....but I have to say this because it is time for all of us to say loud & clear (no matter what our own political agenda), "enough".  

To those that believe politics is about anger.  -- Enough.
To those that believe politics is about fear -- Enough.
To those that believe that when there is a difference of opinion, we shout it down or shoot it out --- Enough.

Please take your tea pots & your anger & your selfishness & self focus and go home.

Enough.  This is enough.


We are all part of the solution.  We are all American neighbors, community members, stake holders in a fair and peaceful and just world.   So on behalf of the child that lost her life to this shooting today...enough.

Peace to you...pass it on.

And prayers to all...we need them.