WINTER WEARY

I have to admit to being a mite weary of Winter. I don't like to admit it because it sounds like a complaint, which I admonish people not to do. Well, you folks know I am far from perfect and, as I have said before a teacher teaches what he/she is trying to learn. Yes, complaining engenders more to complain about. It is not the best idea.

Actually, this is a perfect Winter day. It was below zero when I got up, it is about 4F now. I watched the Sun come up. It was a sparkling clear Morning, it was a wonderful experience.

I loaded my toboggan with my water containers. I use two, they hold about six gallons. I haul my toboggan out to the barn area, about a hundred yards. The chickens are happy to get water. They flock around me and pick the snow off my shoes when I enter the coop. I usually let the chickens out in the Winter. This year I haven't. There haven't been many warmish days and they have no where to go. The main reason though, is that I added some new pullets right before the snow storm, that pivoted us suddenly into Winter rules. I don't want to let them out and discover they won't go back in. I would be gathering them from roosts in the barn or low hanging trees. That is not something I want to do on a dark cold evening. Usually winter doesn't come so suddenly and I have time to make sure they are properly oriented to their new home.

Yesterday, as I was going through the pasture gate, on the way to the chicken coop, I caught my foot in the toboggan rope and made a nose dive in the snow. Now, I slip and fall two or three times every winter. Generally, it is that slip and lose the balance kind of thing, where one frantically waves their arms in a futile effort to stay upright. I generally fall on my back and have to roll over and crawl to a fence post or tree to pull myself up. It was new experience to be face down spread eagled in the snow. I was happy to discover my glasses were still on my face.

There is a point in mid-winter where many of us long for Spring. We are eager to take on the challenges of the coming Season and it still seems so far away. And this year.............we have been listening to the promise of a New Age. We know the light is shining more and more intensely. We see people waking up. We see the light shining from our friends eyes. We know it won't be long before there is evidence of institutional change. Yet the mass media shouts its usual blather of fear and violence; yes, we need to shut it down. We need to listen to our hearts and follow our visions of love.

We discover as we take one day at a time, love every minute and care tenderly for those around us; it's not so bad. It is not so weary after all. Life is full of wonderful things. Each day is a great celebration. Each day is a little brighter. We discover that as we give love, love comes pouring back to us. As Spring sleeps under the Winter, waiting to emerge when the time is right; Our New Age of Love is getting ready to push up through the rubble of the Old World. Let us shine our light on all around us and help it emerge.

Have a great weekend!

Love and Peace,  Gregg