Roof shadows lean on the barn siding, poured across gravel and snowfield by the porch light.
Sad ghosts of frozen water buckets dot slumping snowbanks, mere skeletons of robust ice blocks that had to be half-thawed before they could be banged out of the buckets. But for the coming storm they would have been gone, exorcised by the howling wind and sometimes apricity of the late winter season. A new word for me this year, but a welcome one full of love and promise. Soon the snow will cover those ghosts preserving them for the next round of sunshine.
A seething snake of a water hose snarls itself in the bathtub. Animals come first in the farm world and if you have to postpone your shower so the sheep can drink, well, too bad for you. They are thirsty.
Hoses and buckets are constant chores in winter no matter how warm and cozy the barns.
The East Wind is already getting frisky all these hours before sunup and storm-due. Best send the boss to town for extra milk and eggs.And soon.
A storm is coming.
But hark! Lo! On yonder street side, down in the village in TWO places yesterday, we saw the first sapcicles of the season. Snuggled up against the river there the maples are warm enough for the sap to begin to run. It's a sign. I know it is.
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4 comments:
You are so right...on a farm, no matter what, the animals come first! Always and forever. And on our farm, the irrigation water takes precedence to anything else. Unless it's the animals.
Beautiful, evocative writing Marianne. I'm trying so hard not be spring "green" with envy. Happily, the pleasure your imagery provides just leaves me smilingly wistful.
A sign, indeed! Apricity! A warming sun, like the sun in April. We sure could use some. Hope you are feeling better by now. I was about to tear my rotator cuffs shoveling ice-heavy snow this morning, when I heard a snow blower start up across the street. I ran over and offered him some cash if he would cut through the snowplow heaps by the curb for me. I have never paid anyone to shovel before. I guess I am getting old.
Linda, Exactly!
Cathy, thank you so much. I am having a hard time this month, as usual, for all the usual reasons. Added to that we have all been so very sick, and people i care about keep dying suddenly. Ugh.
Jacqueline, this stuff is bad! Becky and I gave the boss heck about trying to shovel it....stopped him in fact. We have a skid steer for that. I don't mind shoveling at all, and I managed just the step by the door. It is very, very heavy and half frozen as well. You were wise to hire it done!
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