Of Sun and Rain
The first view of the land that would become our farm was in October 2020 in a thunderstorm.
Through a rainy windshield.
We fell in love immediately.
Water is the key to life on Earth. Not too much though, and not too little.
The other key is sunshine.
And the sun finally came out two days ago!!!
(Actually. It was more like a week ago … but … pish posh … kids and work … the sentiment remains the same.)
The same view under the sun.
Sunshine has a way of lifting the human spirit.
We prayed and prayed for rain for weeks. All summer, in fact.
We summoned our friends and family: “Pray for rain!”
I monitored our “drought status” on the USDA Drought Monitor page every Thursday for months. That’s the day the new ratings come out. So we could see how much water our land was lacking.
It was kind of like the “Misery Index” in the early 1930’s during the Great Depression under Hoover. Hahaha. Check the report every week to see how horrible things are.
It’s part of the human experience. Wanting to know.
However, drought reports aside, we cringed as we watched our grass turn brown this summer when it should have been green.
Because farmers and ranchers live by the weather.
Then it started raining.
And raining.
And raining some more.
Then we were sliding around outside and the animals looked miserable. We thought maybe it would rain forever now. (Kind of like the endless rain of Summer 2021 when we never got our shop built, but that’s another story for another time.)
So then we wanted it to stop.
We summoned our friends and family: “Pray for sun!”
Because all the chores are worse in the rain, and such is human nature.
Getting stuck in the mud, slipping, ruining roads. Haha. Isn’t that like humans to always want what you don’t have?
The beginnings of our Ranch Store! (That story coming soon!) Poured the slab in-between rain showers. Literally.
Then there’s the milking … Since we are just getting started there is a (LOT) of infrastructure lacking. Despite this, we always seemed to be able to find enough minutes to milk in (relatively) less rain.
Until last week. Two weeks ago. Time flies.
Anyway, that week the rain just would NOT let up, and so one day we finally had to beg our sweet next-door neighbors to let us milk our cow in their shed. They were happy to oblige with a payment of fresh milk. :)
We are very grateful for our kind neighbors.
When our barn is built we will be BEYOND grateful … for we are living with very little.
At the same time, we are acutely aware that though we (currently) live below the poverty level for raising five children, there are others so much less fortunate than us and we always help wherever we can.
We are fortunate to have our land, our family, our skills and abilities and fortitude and HOPE that God has not led us here on this crazy journey to just let us down.
We are learning ACCEPTANCE and HUMBLENESS and GRATEFULNESS.
