a Fly By….

It’s been months, has it?  I remember a time when blogging was a daily occurrence here on these “pages”.  Lately I just haven’t felt the therapeutic urge to keep up with it.  I don’t keep track of traffic on this blog, so I’m not even sure it’s read very much, but I do miss those of you who have been reading my blathering and the friendships we’ve formed online, and I’m glad some of you are on instagram and FB where we still get to share with each other.

Some updates in case anyone would like them –  Politically, I have taken a step back and OH, how good that feels. Kinda horrified by what all went down in the past four years, and the obvious cracks (craters, canyons) in the system overall, the divide that I’m sure still exists and I had no idea was so HUGE to begin with.  I haven’t seen as much of it lately though, perhaps the very real and very vital notion that we really do all need to come together if we are to survive as a nation and not tank like the Roman Empire.  Never would I have believed what went down was even possible.  So, I’m not overly confident about our ability to right the ship and move forward but I’m gonna try.  And by trying I mean Hope, really hard .

The farm and cottage are beautiful this year – everything that grows has flourished in abundance due to I’m guessing the best weather conditions, and our efforts as well.  We are currently haying the fields, first cut, a little late but better late than never, right? There are more pine cones on the pine trees, the pollen allergy season was insane, there are more blooms everywhere, it seems.

The farm animals are all doing well – the horses, the goats, the chickens, new batch and old,  the dogs.  Every now and then I curse all the work it takes to keep them all fat and happy and their living quarters clean.  The husband curses the expense, to be blunt.  But.. the rewards are great if this is your thing… and it’s always always been my thing – the animals, the land, nature.  I made sure when I was a young person that I got myself to a place where it could eventually be a reality – and here we are.

We have adopted another dog, I’ve named him Kai. ( sounds like Rye)  The meaning is the Ocean or Recovery depending on whether you’re in Hawaii or Japan.  It’s fitting for this semi feral 2 year old dog who lived as a yard dog with his mother and sister down South. Rescued after they were dumped by owner at a kill shelter.  He’s a love, but he doesn’t trust – was given no rules or structure or socialization.  So, we will be patient and give him the time and attention he needs.  He loves the water! As I do… we will be a good walking/hiking team and water enthusiasts together.

I’ve continued painting, and it’s been so good for my soul.  This is my latest finished piece, and it will live at my sister’s house.  The Edgartown Light on Martha’s Vineyard, a place my guy and I love and walk to on our early morning strolls when we visit the Vineyard.  I’ve blogged about it – a place I could call home easily, has always felt like home when I’m there.

Have you cartooned yourself with the Voila AI Artist app?  Really fun! I’m getting a kick out of all the ones I’ve seen friends post on FB and Instagram.  Forget botox…. Cartoon yourself!

See what I mean?  Adorable!

Some inspiration for you before I close this post.  If you’re reading this, thank you for stopping by!  Leave a comment, let me know how things are going in your neck of the woods –

Barn swallow nest over the kitchen window sill.  Such an artist! Beautiful nest.

Till soon, friends –

Hello again, dear friend

It’s a miserable raw damp day to be doing anything outside here in New England, which is exactly what I was thinking when I saw my favorite harbinger of better days ahead and the warmth of the coming season….. Elizabeth Hird’s crocus.
She scattered them in the lawn by our garage many moons ago. I should introduce her – She was an educator, Traveler, an Artist, a great philanthropist and a Gardener. The tall stand of pines on one side of our (her) house and the cedar grove on the other were all planted by the Hird/Rausches with the help of the neighbor boy some 50 years ago. He was paid a nickel a tree and delighted in the work. Those stands of trees are like sentinels to this farm, I mourn the loss of any that come down in heavy storms. Alas there have been a few.
The ancient lilacs in my kitchen garden, the old pear tree that still bears tons of fruit each spring even though it is completely hollow through its trunk… they are all reminders of Ms. Hird and her husband Basil Rausch.
She never knew me but I remember her. I was a teenager who visited my aunts farm up the road each summer here on Roast Meat Hill. I would see her occasionally around town wearing her signature wide brim  hat, or gardening by the roadside as we plodded by on horseback to visit friends down the way.
Every year when I see those crocus I say – Hello Elizabeth … It’s so good to see you again ❤️

My Valentine to You

 

Have I told you lately how much I appreciate your dropping by now and then? I have come to know some wonderful salt of the earth people (my favorite kind) on this blog forum and that is a Valentine all on it’s own.

Lots to catch up on… How about that non-impeachment joke of an event?  Without  going into a diatribe about how thoroughly disgusted I continue to be, this sums it up pretty well…

Anyway.. Onward.

We’ve had snow and the typical cold raw grey New England winter days… and my back and neck remind me I’ve been doing barn chores in this weather for oooh… about 40 years now, give or take a few….

Above is Leah, our showgirl-come- home, and she loves being a home horse with less responsibility 🙂

Below is our old boy, Max… glaucoma clouds one eye.  He and I match with about the same amount of greys and no fondness for makeup- thankfully I don’t have his chin hairs.

The EggPlant during a recent snowfall….  I have 8 new chicks of colorful varieties coming soon!….

Our daughter’s house in the field nextdoor….

 

My son and his fiance have a new baby… their first… and he’s of the canine variety – Meet Leo, a 4 month old rottie –  I get to babysit a few times a week when the boy is at work.

 

When your mom becomes a grand and  suddenly has that McDonalds money you were always asking for….

 Some Valentine Wisdom……

And finally — whoever Emma Knight is… she is definitely  of my people❤

Till soon, Friends…

 

 

 

 

Let go or be dragged….

You know what I love about being 55 years old? A few valuable pieces of knowledge become fully ingrained. People who are not interested in the truth and integrity of a thing especially when it doesn’t coordinate with their own prejudices or enrichment are not worthy of your wasted energy in trying to shed light. They’re not looking for light, they like dwelling in anger or hate or chaos, maybe mean is in their makeup and their brand of broken is not yours to fix. For whatever reasons, that’s their comfort zone even though it is detrimental to their own well being. This is no place to allow any time suck of your own.
Also, those people who didn’t value your presence in their life on any real level, those who you allowed to erode your sense of self worth in a relationship, a job force, a club, a friendship , whether in a monumental or peripheral relationship even in the school yard all those years ago if that applies to you…. anywhere on your life’s journey? It’s a beautiful thing to discover and know fully in your heart you were the decent human in that equation all along, and you still are. You cultivated a good human in yourself, and they are still who they showed you to be all those moons ago. Believe people when they show you who they are.
Anger has no place in a healthy heart – let go or be dragged, and pity those who can’t see beyond their own existence to value the good relationships they could forge, and for a better world for all, including themselves. (!)
Onward ✨

Therapy

 

Holy Government Shit Storms, Batman.   I just don’t have appropriate words.  Or rather I’m too disgusted by it all to speak without many, many expletives right now and we just don’t need any more of that, do we.

GOAT THERAPY!   I know I’m repeating a post theme here.. but I just love my goatgirlz…. Star and Bella provide daily entertainment and just plain love in the ways goats show it.  They call to us constantly if we’re out in on the property in range of their view,… so much so that Star actually gets laryngitis on occasion….  and when we enter their pen they’re on us like white on rice.

ART THERAPY!  I’ve been painting more too…. and managed to auction off one of my St. John paintings to benefit the animal rescue I have befriended on St. John – for $650.!  I’m no professional, so that’s a big chunk for one of my little paintings, I was thrilled.  St. John lovers from from all over the country were bidding and can you believe the winning bid, which I determined within hours of starting the process… lives about 10 miles from me?  Just over the river.   What are the odds?

This one just finished… the Nathan Hale House with an early evening sky….

Some funnies for you before closing….  and if you can’t relate on some level, you’re truly special 🙂

I’m not a  ritual-practicing religious person, but I find myself praying for our country’s soul lately.  Please… powers that be.. above all, Good over Evil.

 

Till soon, Friends…. thank you for stopping by – 

 

The best laid plans…

My son and his GF have been together for six years now, since High School days.  They’ve had an exciting year – the completion of their home just over the hill next to this farm, and on Christmas Eve my son proposed.  There’s a story behind it…. the ORIGINAL PLAN was a big surprise for his soon to be bride – We were going to take our annual trip to  the Woodstock  Inn in Vermont for a December weekend this year instead of fall foliage time.  She would be under the impression it was just us, as usual.  (Plans were made when we thought the pandemic would be winding down.)  When we walked into the main lobby, she would see a huge banner across their main fireplace that read Will you Marry Me  M………. .    Her parents, step parents and beloved Aunts and Uncles would be there among the Inn Staff with champagne in hand ready to toast – and we’d all spend a lovely weekend in that beautiful town celebrating.    But COVID raged on.  We could have kept our reservations… the Inn was gracious…  but Vermont has strict travel rules due to the virus and they weren’t adherable.. nor did any of us feel comfortable traveling as the numbers in the news  got worse.

The Puppy Plan materialized.  The young couple has been eagerly awaiting the birth of their rottweiler pup, from a breeder in Florida with an excellent long time reputation.  My blog readers know I am an animal rescue advocate, but my son was raised with our two female rotties and what he really wanted was a male rottie of his own.  The rescues we looked at had a few in the past year but not one I would trust with a young family and their first official dog.  Hence, a solid  ethical breeder ( not a mill).   SO… off he went to Florida a few days before Christmas in a rental mini van with his cousin to pick up the pup.  When they arrived home the plan was to have the puppy with a big bow and a ring attached. And we would all show up at the same time, he’d pop the question and we’d have a safe distance toast on the front porch.  Except she was called in to work.  So.. he arrived home with the puppy and fiance-to-be at work.    We then decided to hide in the house , cars behind the house and garage, and she walked in…. hugged the new puppy… and we all strolled out with that big banner in hand, her dad handed M the ring, M proposed to M… tears, cheers, toasts, and puppy love.

The new baby’s name is LEO, or King Leo the 2nd, as he is named after his (HUGE) father.

 

The moms, unmasked for the picture and champagne…

So.. while this was a weird Christmas and we really missed having our moms right there with us for the dinners and the presents, etc… there is much to celebrate as well.    The wedding will be when the pandemic is over and we can all come together to celebrate in a big happy way.  – Karen 💕

 

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas….

…. and for most of us that’s exactly what it will be, a “little” Christmas compared to what we’re used to.  Strange times indeed.  This past month I have taken a step back from newsfeeds and my appalled reactions to so much of it.   I am grateful for this family’s health including our mothers and for the promise of better days ahead.  I hope you are weathering the multitude of storms and are feeling some optimism for the future.

I put Christmas up here in this house before Thanksgiving was done – we needed the cheer so I pulled out all the stops – even the SnowVillage that’s been in big bins in the basement for years came back out.  It’s true we won’t have the bigger family gathering we usually do, but that’s OK – it helps to know we are placing some insurance on having everyone round the table again next year by being cautious this year.  This will be the first Christmas without Dad. (Fuck Covid)  Last year he brought with him a mini drone that he loved – we pushed it around between us and had a good laugh…. I can tell you for certain it will not matter, whatever the issues in a push and tug relationship, once they’re gone, you’ll be reminded of the good, the bad, and you’ll miss them.  Also, no matter what you thought you were doing right while they were around, you’ll find regrets.

 

From the looks of these gingerbread men you’d think we’d been drinkin –

 

Sally’s favorite seat in the mancave…

We’ve had some beautiful snow, although it makes barn chores a little more difficult. My goatgirls Bella and Star are not impressed with the white stuff, but have adjusted .. eventually.

SO much joy I get from these two… they talk to us all the time, huddle around our legs, I’m grateful I can hear some of their little goat girl mumbles… mehhh-eh-eh-eh-eh-eh.

More snow pics here on the farm….

My daughter’s home next door can be seen in the photo below…

My son’s home is deep in the mist of the picture below.   Happy News to share with you on that front in the next post…

Some laughs to share with you next…. and wishing you all a very Merry Christmas, a joyful, peaceful holiday season in whatever the ways you celebrate, and good health and much happiness in the New Year – XO

Sharing this beautiful song , one of my all time favorites… click on the link and click skip the ads… enjoy ❤

https://youtu.be/ChcR2gKt5WM

 

Till soon, friends…

Amen, America. Amen.

How refreshing it is to hear an intelligent rational all inclusive uplifting inspiring speech intended for All Americans and the World tonight . Amen and God Bless Us All- 💙🇺🇸❤️

A poem written by an unknown author (to me anyway)

I learned how to flinch.
Oh god.
Every lie. Flinch.
Every casual cruelty. Flinch.
Every appeal to hate, to division. Flinch.
Every grasp at more power. Flinch.
Tear down health
tear down decency
tear down protections to the earth
when our clock is ticking and the world burns.
Tear down science.
Tear us apart.
Flinch flinch flinch.
Drag us backwards with each all caps Tweet
with each temper tantrum
each demand for mindless loyalty.
Follow him
take off the mask
die for him.
Flinch.
I have been pulling inward for years
holding my breath
desperately numbing my emotions
afraid disgusted ashamed under siege
helpless
flinch
flinch
Vote
Vote
oh please my country vote
and I kept vigil each long election week night
watching results come in
refresh
refresh
refresh
bleary eyed
7 tabs open
afraid
watching the numbers
hold out hold out just a bit more
stretched taut
maybe maybe
please
take a sleeping pill and wake and back to the vigil
again
again
And Wisconsin is blue
and Michigan is blue
and I begin to hope
but I have learned to flinch.
And Georgia is blue
and I begin to believe.
Wait. Wait. Refresh.
And in a pre dawn vigil
Pennsylvania flips blue.
And I know.
And 4 years of compressed pain
comes roaring up
in a torrent of
ugly cry
shaking
sobbing
wailing relief tears
And I don’t flinch from them.

One has to wonder what toxic crap has oozed out of the ozone layer…

Yesterday Trump embraced the actions of Trump Train supporters in Texas who surrounded a Joe Biden campaign bus in an attempt to slow down the bus and run it off the road. Police were called and had to arrive to break up the attempt so that the bus could get to it’s destination.
Trump tweeted a video of the caravan surrounding the Biden bus with the caption, “I LOVE TEXAS!” I couldn’t care less if he were a citizen, whatever, dude. But he is the President of The United States- the behavior is disgusting coming from the highest office in the land.
Yesterday in this small town, a group of older women stood near a previously antagonistic Trump supporter, both holding up signs for the candidates of their choice. The good news – the normally antagonistic was kind, even took pictures for one another, it was the kind of encounter we should all be capable of. Meanwhile, several times young men driving by waved “the finger” at the group of women as they drove by. The President probably loves those young men of Ktown too.
Trump embraces the divide in this country, in fact he encourages it. Not fake news – his words and action speak volumes on their own without help from the media. How anyone hasn’t yet learned from the lessons of history that divided we will ALL FALL is beyond my comprehension. This is no longer about politics, tribalism is front and center and some of you are embracing it whole heartedly. Sadly, what I’ve come to know is, those who continue to embrace and cheer on Trump’s asshole rhetoric can only do so because that type of behavior, those “values” are part of their makeup as well. With some it comes as no surprise to me because I’ve seen it via bullying or juvenile mocking or racism in your makeup long ago.
For others, I’m sad that tax breaks for the wealthy and a false narrative that police are going to be “defunded” and the bullshit line that Christianity is being attacked are enough for you to not do the research to know that’s simply not true. For some reason you believe a five time draft dodging, never religious science and climate denying three time married cheating lying bankrupt foreign dictator coddling racist narcissist idiot is your hero – all these things proven by his past narrative and actions, not fake news. It’s as if some toxic crap dropped out of the ozone layer and half of us were affected.
FUCK THAT. We need more than thoughts and prayers to turn this country around, we need a government that works in a unified fashion and ends the divide of We The People, and I just don’t see that coming to fruition with the current cast of characters and while so many of We The People continue to embrace the divide, the hate, the rhetoric, no matter which side of the divide it’s coming from. One thing is absolute – It should NEVER come from the President of the United States in the blatant way it is now.
Tuesday one way or the other will not heal that divide.. it’s ultimately up to We The People, because our governing officials all across the spectrum are failing us. I already know who will be offended by this post if they bother to read it through, and that knowledge both saddens me and releases me from ignoring what I think is no longer ignorable.
Onward –

Some inspiration when inspiration is hard to find

 

Did you watch last night’s debate?  The moderator did an excellent job staying on point  and didn’t allow any steamrolling. I think the threat of mic shutting down kept the two men in check.  That tactic should be used in every debate moving forward, don’t you think? If only we could install a buzzer for any lies.    We did get some answers, and as usual, Tr*mp peppered his responses with many falsities.  I don’t think Joe did enough to rebuke Trumps’ claim that in all his years in politics he got nothing done.  Bottom line is, I don’t think either of them performed in a way that will deter their supporters or gain new support.  It is what it is. 

As I have stated here many times before, this farm and the animals in our care keep me grounded and I am so very grateful for their presence in our lives.

…and Fall in New England is just so darned  beautiful…. There’s no question in my mind it is truly a blessing to live in this region where each season brings it’s own brand of natural beauty –

Swans on the Connecticut River

Chapman Falls at Devil’s Hopyard

 

The Hammonasset River

Dealing with more of a stay-at-home approach during the pandemic has given me the opportunity to focus more on painting – this is my newest piece to be gifted to my daughter – her house on a misty morning in the field next door.

 

Wishing you good health and peace of mind as we all muddle through the election season  and pandemic issues and whatever the outcomes shall be – Hopefully we come out the other end of this year in better form all around.

Till soon, friends –