Absence

I have been long absent in my writing. The busy days of spring and summer had engulfed me, as if in a whirlwind. Rapidly moving & doing, yet not able to stay still for long. Thus the daily rhythm of our busy lives. As the cooler weather settles back in, the yearning for slower, more intentional living, resurfaces. The waiting for daybreak, lingering on the couch, wrapping your hands around a welcoming cup of warm tea. Longer evenings, the chance to finally read a book & the comfort of the first fire from the wood stove. The desire for more involved cooking, the nesting syndrome, the home making, that domestic drive settles back in. It is as if our bodies are preparing us for the cold winter months ahead. Slowing down, hearty nutrition & catching up on lost rest.

We have been blessed with an “Indian Summer”. A term referring to an unusually warm fall. It is as though Mother Nature pressed the pause button, during September. Sunny days with just a touch of frost at night. This has allowed us to accomplish so much, before the cold weather settles in. Yet I know we will still wish we had prepared more. Our weaned calves are happily grazing, the green grass a welcome change from the dry pastures they were raised on. Their mothers still able to roam freely in the remote sagebrush fields. The wildlife even seems to be in a relaxed state, casually browsing. Not yet caught up in the drive to migrate, to winter feed grounds.

It has been a long, hot, dry spell, as evidenced by the powdery dust engulfing every surface. The magic of irrigated fields, our only reprieve. Yet today, the promised rains have finally arrived. The repetitive sound of rain drops have kept us awake throughout the night. A sense of relief & excitement, yet a foreign sound we haven’t experienced for months. God is good.

So here’s to the hope of more consistent writing from me. It is an amazing creative outlet, a chance for quiet time by myself. Not something I usually have on my scribbled to do lists. Yet a task I should allow more time for & commit to. I know someday I will be very thankful for these short glimpses.