Workload

The beginning and end of my days are bound by the care I need to take of the horses.  Plans are made around the care of the horses so that I can be sure that they are taken care of. When there's a storm I make sure that I have buckets filled with water (in case the power fails) and am well stocked with feed and shavings.

Every now and then someone will look at me and say something along the lines of 'that's a lot of work'.  The sub-text is that I must be a wee bit crazy.

And it is work. I could board them out and let someone else do it. And some mornings when I am digging out their doors from the snow or repairing something they have broken I think about it.

But I am never serious. The only reason I would board would be to have access to an indoor. Not because of the work.

The truth is I like it. No not all of it (I'm not that crazy). There are times when it seems like a grind. But in the morning when I step outside and the world is quiet and dark and I'm hit by the stars in the sky I feel my soul lift a bit. Or when it's spring/summer and the sun is just rising and the birds are singing their morning song I smile.

At night when the chores are done and the horses are snug in their stalls munching happily on their hay and I turn out the barn lights I feel a deep contentment that all is right with the world. At least a small piece of it.

My mother is in the hospital. She has cancer and there's nothing that can be done. I don't know if she will be leaving the hospital at this point. It's all very sudden and confusing. But when I go to the barn and do my 'work' I feel an easing in my heart that will help me get through whatever is coming next.

I found this photo a few weeks ago. I took it the morning that Steele
died and totally forgot about it. I quite like it.