In any grief, there are beautiful moments of the other extreme-joyful memories, and current moments, that envelop the ones who just said good bye to a friend.
I named my September show, "Calling All Wings" for a reason, and my intuitive inner companion[s] were correct. While there is always loss in every one's life, I knew that the farm was going to go through some major losses-it's not magic, it's a fact that many of the original creatures of Apifera are aging. My flock is aging too. I knew all of this when I signed up to run this ship. There is no complaining here, just a wee bit spent after losing Stevie and Sugee back to back-and the many that preceded them this year. And I do grieve, openly, here at the farm. I have go-to animals I grieve with, Stevie was one, he is gone now. But I have Boone, and Marcella and Benne. Huck too, but he is very sensitive and can soak up my grief so I wait to tell him things. I have Martyn, my stoic, but always funny mate. I'm not really made of rock, just a bit of muscle and fat and bones that keep me upright, but I do mourn.I get to be all calm here, I edit myself-who wants to come to a blog and read a poorly written, misspelled mess of an inept attempt to share grief-this is not a counseling session.
I want to always share the deaths here- but I hope, you also always see I point out the life surrounding the death. It's a beautiful thing-life and death work together and if you can grasp that, be it in trees, leaves, dirt, animals, your parents of loved ones who have passed, it is a skill to acquire and grasp through out your life.
But anyway, thank yous. Like I said out of sad moments come compassion of others. Some are strangers to me, or they read my blog and have been following along for many years. They too grieve when one of their online farm friends die, I understand that, and don't take it lightly. They send nice notes and buy some art in Sugee's honor, or outright send me a donation. Some just send love. All of it is appreciated-thank you so much. Thank you mostly for continuing to follow along. There are many new adventures in store for all of us. I can't wait to find out what they are. Death or life, we will have adventure together!
This photo of Birdie should make you smile. It was my view the day of after Sugee died. Around her were a scampering, limping army of small statured goats, some crippled, some wide bodied, but all very much alive and and asking me in unison,
Hail to Sugee! Where is breakfast?
There is much to do this week- I am getting the lavender bud ready to sell again, the Kickstarter project is 50% funded but we only have 10 more days to get it funded! The book will really begin in earnest this week, finally. And it is fall, the barnyard is preparing for the annual celebration in October - more on that later.
