Dragonflies The Size of Hummingbirds

My morning has been made up of the sights and sounds outside of any confining walls. Milk bucket in hand, swinging at my side, child like in my steps, happy, looking out for adventure and that amazement that comes from enthusiasm. The gate squeaks, the chain on the gate rattles as I unhook it, and hook it up again, another gate, this one silent...the cats come running, they know its feeding time and they are hoping for some nice warm milk to lap up. The kittens hide in the hay, these kittens are all silent, they can't meow and I have to wonder if that has something to do from their near drowning experience, where momma cat had them nested in a place that flooded in one of our storms. I feed the cats, scoop out the goat feed, sweet smelling grain, sprayed with molasses. Licorice hops up on the milking stand without any need of my help, she knows the routine well. Faith, waits for her feed at the dish by the barn door. I sit on seat part of the milking stand, mindlessly milking, my eyes eager to spot something of interest off the the south, and sure enough in a moments time, two huge dragonflies, that are the size of hummingbirds come across the pasture, darting here and there, chasing one another as if they were fighter jets. I watch while I milk and soon the job is done, time to get back to the chore at hand and leave the day dreamy sort of moment behind. I let Licorice of the stanchion and she heads out the gate with no help from me. I pour some milk into the cats bowl and laugh a bit at how loud the gray cat laps up the milk. She is slurping it as fast as she can. Her babies stand off to the side, not sure if they should try some or not...they will soon figure it out and enjoy it too.

Harry is pacing by his milk bowl, he tries so hard to be good and sit like he is supposed to, but he does a little dance of sitting and standing which makes me smile. He gets his milk and its gone before I take three steps towards the bridge. The chickens we let out of their hen house first thing this morning and they are contentedly scratching at the earth, hoping to find a bug, which makes me smile thinking about all the people that ask when buying eggs, if our chickens are vegetarian. They get grain from me, but they have a huge appetite for bugs and worms which sorta makes them non vegetarian. I have seen them pick apart a small snake on occasion too.

An egg customer comes to the door bright and early for 10 dozen eggs. I am so happy as my fridge is full of eggs. I will send a few dozen with Casi for his family today too. The egg customer has his stallion in a trailer and I ask to see him. A big fella, full of energy and with kind eyes. I admire him, scratch is head and talk about the joy of having horses with his owner, sharing with him how much fun my children had with our pony Tony and how they would take the little buggy all over town with Tony faithfully pulling them here and there.

I am glad we raised our children the way we did. Not all connected to electronics but connected to life on a farm, with lessons learned from caring for animals and chores that taught them responsibility. With lots of family time and every meal together at the table. Its paid off.

A walk through the garden yielded up more squash, some heirloom radishes, some tomatoes and a few other goodies. Supper will include these...no fuss about what to eat..no flip flopping from one meal plan to another. We eat what we grow, when its ready to eat.
A load of wash in the washer and dishes all done, milking equipment bleaching as it is every Saturday, now time for the camera. Flowers, the garden, the animals, the very things my morning is made up of. I am going to sew today, work on a baby quilt...perhaps there is a hint in that kind of quilting. I have been looking at baby yarn too. NO its not me....I am not going to be making the news as an old lady having a baby !

I have plans for some red work to be started this evening too. Health restored, energy back. Life is good, if we just take the time to count our blessings one by one.