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Common Things

I want to thank each and every one of you for sharing your stories and offering your support as we go through this difficult time with Faeden’s illness. Your comments, your poems, your emails and your stories of your own journeys in losing your beloved animals helped me gather my strength. You are all a blessing to me and there are just no adequate words to express my gratitude.

“The art of being happy lies in the power of extracting happiness from common things.” Henry Ward Beecher (brother of Harriet Beecher Stowe). And on a farm, life revolves around simplicity and the most common of tasks.

We are up before dawn and there to witness its majesty. Each day a little different but each day incredibly beautiful. Pink clouds, rising mist. Oh, I feel very blessed.

And then it’s on to chores. I’ve talked a lot about the turkeys and guineas I know but we’ve developed a special relationship. At first I thought it was because I fed them and so did Mountain Man but even he admits now there’s more to it than that. He thinks they have adopted me as one of their own.

They follow me everywhere. And when I manage to sneak off and they find me once again, I hear their feet pounding on the ground or their wings flapping to catch up with me. I have to admit I was intimidated at first but now the sound has become part of the music of my life.

At times, though, they are content to wait patiently for me. They will not venture into the yard with the dogs but they wait as close to me as they can be while staying safe. The dogs stand by the fence and wonder about these strange creatures while Mountain Man calls to me, “Your turkeys are waiting for you.”

But the guineas and turkeys have no reason to fear our gentle dogs. While we are out on the deck for a brief moment of relaxing, a small bird stops to visit.

Back out to do chores and the guineas and turkeys let me know how much they missed me. What a racket!

They’ve been hoping for a tractor ride but so far Mountain Man has not obliged.

Off we go to move the pasture fencing. The colors of fall surround us as we work.

What more could we ask for; beautiful vistas and still lush grass from the long stretch of warm weather.

The horses are tucked into their run in shed napping in the warmth. I’d like to think they also admire the view. They pay no attention to us as we work.

Up and down the hill we go.

Finished at long last. Flower and Bliss (the two little dots in the right hand corner) emerge in search of greener pastures.

And as I head down the hill to pick up excess fencing, I know I do not need to search for greener pastures for I have found joy in the common things.

May each and every one of you find joy today and thank you so much for joining our family on Red Pine Mountain.