Follow the child to the woods. Mama, come see the leeks, so much bigger than a few days ago. Oh yum, snap off a bit of bright green leaf and pop it in my mouth. Explosion of flavor, nourishing the soul with deep woods energy. Gather a basket and the new digging tool, a gift from the loving man that invited and shares life with us here at the end of our dead end road. Return to the steep slope and find our bodies perilously perched in position to dig beauty from the earth. How does our life continue to flow in such magical ways? Living Loved turns out to be a wonderful way to Live.
Build a fence to release the cows out into a hilly, wide pasture. Gather roll after roll of nice barbed wire, carefully wound up years ago, for just such a time as this. Weather turns warmer and snow melts away as April comes and moves along like the sun in the sky. Feet are bare now, tender on the dry, pokey earth. Walk slowly, feeling the soft winter soles evolving into spring hooves, in eager anticipation of the coming summer and fall. Fence work provides the labor that I love. Clean up old fence posts and barbed wire from this pasture, all the same work as harvesting material for the new pasture. Double bonus labor tops all other kinds. Walking long distances, carrying heavy materials, and exposing skin to sun and wind awakens my body to the freshness of spring. Focusing on project details and summoning courage to make decisions, clears the mind and feeds the love fire in my heart. All this labor for milk that feeds the body and a relationship with cows that extends beyond limited human understanding.
