A Reprise

I was reflecting on what it means to be spring. The earth is ancient, and it is brand-new. Right now. These signs of new life have no memory of the previous season. They never knew the bitter parch of last summer or the snow of winter. The earth is new. Today I consider the path I have chosen, or maybe the inevitable path for me. Unable to trust the institutions of others, I just listen. I try, like the earth, to be old and new at the same time. Sometimes I find a path or a similar mind that gives me confidence. For example today, I saw this quote attributed to Buddha, "If you see the Buddha on the road, kill him." And I also engage in that delicately balancing practice. I walk with my hand open. I do not close it. I do not close it on someone. I do not close it on itself. I just walk with my hand open, welcoming the understanding that comes from the pain of loneliness, welcoming the joy that comes from fellowship. I am not saying I am perfect, but I try to be...

Love to my precious animals.

  I have not shared any photos of my chickens since they have grown. Till recently I kept them in the shed, but that wasn't working out. This summer has been unusually hot, and they were panting constantly. I couldn't even keep them in water because it kept evaporating. So one day I just opened the barn door and they walked directly into my life, and have upended our household. It feels like our land is now ruled by these chickens. Prince Charming, and Cinderella, most likely the layer of all these eggs. The two are constant companions.   Beauty, and Snow White.     In the evening, they perch on the fence, and one by one fly up into a large oak in the front yard. They settle in for the night. In the morning, Prince Charming is the first to rise. Right now, he begins crowing at about 5 a.m. Now that I have begun doing my embroidery in the morning, I am awake before him. While embroidering, I am listening to Shirley , by Charlotte Bronte. I am awed by Librivo...

Henry's wound is healing nicely. He has adopted an air of pensive melancholy since the incident.   Things I made. Rye bread, and two cloth bread bags. Yellow cupcakes and a cake stand liner. I'm trying to decorate. I never finished decorating for Easter, but these are some vintage cards.   I tried something different for the bathroom curtain. I tried making an oven mitt from my own pattern, but it didn't work. I'm going to try again though. Birds building a nest outside the sewing room. And the biddies. Left to right: Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty (possibly Prince Charming), Beauty, Snow White. Look at those feathers. They are getting plump now too.

      Every day, it rains. A few weeks ago I couldn’t even remember the sound of rain. Now I can’t remember our land’s former aridity. Due to the rain our grass has sprouted and is a six-acre sea of blue-green through which Reginald swims. When I took these pictures I still considered him half-wild and was a little afraid to pet him. Hard to believe two weeks later he’s curled up on the couch with me. It didn’t take this cat long to get domesticated. We are still trying to make him live outside.

Picture was taken by Nathan yesterday morning. When I arrived home this afternoon, Henry came down the stairs to greet me. I couldn't believe what I saw in his face -- simplicity, humanity, warmth. As I looked directly into his face and tried to shudder off the day I was thunderstruck by the fact that my cat is saner than many people I know, and I mean this sincerely. I don't have to hide any weakness from him that he will pounce on, I don't have to hold a boundary firmly in place with him. He is a self-contained peaceful being. As I met his gaze I felt really awkward, knowing at that moment he was more clear-headed than me. Henry has faults and weaknesses. He wants to attack Princess. He wants to eat the canary. He knows these impulses are wrong, and he works on them. We have seen him (and laughed at him) warring with himself. But this puts him miles above most human beings I have met right there. I know very few humans right now who are visibly working on themselves. Most...

  She fell asleep over her studies.

  One thing I would like to do one day is open a Persian Cat Rescue Shelter. After putting up with this one for five years, I think we can handle anything. I can’t get over the fact that I found her at the humane society, which is not no-kill, and that she had been there for a month. It was at least her second time in there, too. She had at least three different owners before us. We will accept donations of pillows and Fancy Feast.