Riding our bikes home from church two Sundays ago, mateo stated his desire to stop and visit with Kelvin. I remember feeling totally open that day, lighthearted, and it sounded like a great idea. It also felt good because I had been sort of imagining asking Kelvin to drive me to the car fix-it place to pick up my truck that was all fixed up and ready to come home. I love the feeling of clarity and when mateo suggests something that fits so well with my as of yet, unspoken ideas, the clarity and organization from the Universe feels so obvious and soothing. Its easy to just relax and see how I really am just taken care of. Steering our bikes into Kelvin’s driveway, we rolled past the house to the big barn in back and found Kelvin in his workshop, happy to see us both. These after church visits have been happening for a few years and its always pleasant to visit with our kind, generous neighbor Kelvin. He’s jolly, tells a good story, and is straight forward and honest, which feels like sweet relief to me. He talks to mateo like the intelligent capable being that he is and I appreciate my child spending time with this man who enjoys using tools and wood to create beautiful spaces and useful things. Kelvin is always showing us the latest project he’s working on and sharing what he has planned next for the latest load of old, salvaged wood he found. His enjoyment of this work is obvious and so pleasant to be around.
The truck came up easily in casual conversation and Kelvin offered to drive us down to get it later that same day. He also asked about the buildings on the South side of the road, what we were planning to do with those because he’s passionate about restoring old structures and curious about things in his immediate environment. I explained that those mostly sat empty but sometimes housed visiting laborers, also that those were on miguel’s property so weren’t really of concern to me. Then is seemed natural to share my desire of creating a primitive living structure on the property I own, in the pasture by the woods where I had constructed a fenced yard. I told him about all the different ideas I’ve had over the past two years, from the camper that’s there now, to the geodesic dome, the metal shipping container tiny house, and relocating an existing structure from the East field. Kelvin got all intense and interested when I mentioned an old building that needed to be restored and started asking lots of questions. It was a fun conversation and he offered to stop by our place sometime to walk around and take a look at the building and the yard by the woods. Mateo and I rolled away on our bikes with plans to stop by the next day when Kelvin’s grandkids would be visiting from Wisconsin.
We did ride down again and mateo enjoyed a ride in the “dune buggy” and jumping on the big trampoline with our neighbor’s grandchildren. I love that we live on a country dirt road and can ride bikes to visit with our neighbors. What a fun way for mateo to grow up.
The following Sunday mateo again suggested stopping at Kelvin’s and we found him again in the back barn workshop. I visited with Lyda while mateo and Kelvin went to get a cold beverage like they’ve done together before. I enjoy how some people make a point to involve mateo and offer simple routines that create a satisfying sense of belonging. We enjoyed another pleasant visit and made a plan for Kelvin to visit. The next morning at first light, about an hour before milking time, Kelvin and I set out on a farm tour. He looked at the pig building and the big old grey barn where the cows spend the winter. It felt so good to hear his clear, generous knowledge of original construction techniques and current state of condition. I know how to dress a burn wound, milk a cow, and make butter but I don’t know much about maintaining buildings. I do know how to connect to the infinite Source of energy and allow into my life the people that can help balance out the responsibilities in my life. I don’t need to know the skills to do everything that needs to be done on a farm. I can do the things that I’m good at, learn some new skills along the way, and allow the Universe to deliver friends and neighbors to take care of what needs to be done to live a safe, comfortable life. As I listened to Kelvin clearly describe his obvious, generous knowledge of original construction techniques and current state of repair, I rested in the pure knowing that the Universe was holding me in loving arms. Developing a relationship with a neighbor is pleasant and allows the Universe to take care of me well. I am functioning as a cooperative component to my own life.
That day Kelvin and I talked about my desire for a primitive living structure near the woods my mind switched gears dramatically between buildings that I know are "not my property" and the strong, long established emotional connection I have with the building in the East field. When I moved to the farm in 2011 that building, call it the cabin, was present in the East field. It called to me immediately with its leaded glass window, beautiful new roof, small, cozy size, and large, abundant windows. The potential in the cabin was clear to me. I have always loved old houses that want to be fixed up. From my earliest memories as a little girl, to present day, a structure like the cabin rests easily in the loving arms of my heart. The cabin in the East field seemed sad about its location. It sits teetering on the edge of a very steep hill, along the West side of an unfortunately narrow pasture, which shares a property line with neighbors that spray chemicals, spread smelly manure and keep animals in a way that causes them to call and call in their distress. The cabin was not at ease there, which made me love it and feel attached to it even more. It needed help to really shine and my old-house-loving heart wanted deeply to bring this particular structure home someday somehow.
Looking back at that conversation with Kelvin I can now clearly see another reason my brain compartmentalized buildings and property the way it did. When I moved to the farm in 2011, none of the property was "mine" and I never thought a thing about it. I was living there and laboring and that was enough. I owned a house in Ann Arbor and never considered owning farm land. Over the years, I considered purchasing land when my father offered to buy me a piece of property. There is a real nice 40 acre piece just East of my partner's land on the South side of the road. I met the owners and found out the plan for that piece of property. If I did own land, I imagined a piece that would make my partner's 400 acre piece that much larger.
No comments:
Post a Comment