Hello From the Stranger Down Yonward

Lovely. Wonderful.

Goodness gracious,  it has been a long time. Who knows..I may get out my idea list and soldier on to a nice long run like I did a few years back.  Just remember that I have not taken any grammar, phonics, syntax, spelling or what not classes since we last met.

As we continue to mosey down this road of farm life  many  emotions come to mind that will make me feel better if I share.  I feel the need to vent in an effort to stay  sane.    Doing the same thing  over and over again expecting  different results.   Would be insanity.

That would be me.

Living on this farm forces me to face my fears on a daily basis.  And I keep going back for more against my better judgement.

Every single time I walk in the woods with our crazy Gracie Coonhound, I fear that I will get caught in the crossfire with she and a wild critter.  I become tangled in a triangle of fury with Gracie and coyotes.  Or deer.  Or opossum.  Or snakes.   Kinda on a regular basis.

Our season has just transitioned from calm and safe to  woolly , furry and deadly.   Winter, for me, is a sigh and a breath of rest.  I can see where I am walking in the woods and the bare trees allow me a better view of what is ahead.  The snakes have kindly gone to where I dare not venture.   That makes me feel emotionally healthy.

I need to share.  Thank you.

I am frightened.

This Spring has brought me the knowledge of  Big Blue who lives directly outside my front door.   How on God’s green earth can I live like this?  Instead of running inside like I shoulda and woulda a few years back, I go to the back porch and bring two rocking chairs to the front porch and park myself about 6 ft. from his perch?  Really?  Did I just do that?

This afternoon, Mr. Shady  called me from our garden and announced that a  glob the size of a basketball was stuck to a branch of my apple tree in the orchard.  I drove down with my camera and got within scary close range to a glob ( swarm)  of bees so that I could capture a photo for the eyes of the curious. What?

If I had my wits about me at all or if I knew myself at all I should be locked in the meat locker in the  basement.   If I had one.  Instead I wake up daily in this woolly, furry and deadly season, wrap my body from head to toe in white cloth so that the ticks wont suck me dry and put one foot in front of the other and out the door I go.  On guard.   Someone has to milk those chickens.  Did I mention I have Lyme Disease?

For you who know me, you are probably asking why,  sweet Karen, why?  I don’t know why.  I cannot imagine living another way.  Maybe I need things messy.  Maybe I need things uncertain. Maybe I need things unpredictable.   Maybe I want to be so  immersed in the willy nillyness of God’s creation that I  am willing to live among the scary and the woolly.  Who knows. It’s easy to  get my head around it when I realize that many people live with bigger snakes than I.  Bigger bears than I.  Bigger tigers than I.  Bigger problems than I.  That puts things in perspective.  Thank Goodness.

I am thrilled to be here.  Thanks for letting me speak some words.

Peace,

Karen