There are so many chickens running around the farm that it’s not difficult to capture one in a photo. Sometimes, like this one, I intentionally use them as part of the composition. Sometimes they just decide that they want to photobomb. The chickens and the people are the top two reasons that I love the farm.
In the silence…
The clock ticks on, without tiring, like the metronome to the tune of my life. Tick Tick Tick. A constant, dull beat.
I can hear the creak of my chair as I rock back and forth, sewing the button holes on my new dress.
An errant mouse scurries beneath the bed in the next room. Oblivious to the activity below, the cat sleeps quietly on the bed.
The kettle on the old wood stove steams away, letting me know the temperature of the oven by the sound of its whistling breath.
The house is quiet and in this moment, I can hear myself think. Good thoughts. Memories past and plans for the future.
The silence is good. It calms me and fortifies me for the day ahead. If I could, I would stay here…in this moment…in the silence.
She reads in silence.
Her lips don’t make a sound. However, occasionally they may move as her eyes leap across the page. Scanning. Looking for meaning in the words on the paper.
Understanding slowly creeping in as she reads further. These are after all, instructions. Yes, I said instructions. The lowest form of literature. Tricksters. Words whose only intent is to confuse and misdirect your thoughts under the guise of providing illumination and understanding. Vile words.
No words ever grew up with the dream of becoming instructions. Poetry, yes. Fiction, yes. Instructions, no.
I came home from Atlanta a day early because I knew that Lee and Jimmy would be hitching up the new mules, Kit and Kate to the plow and turning the soil to prepare it for Spring planting. What I didn't know was that the Carriage Hill Farm was also hosting the statewide plowing championships.
Now, I couldn't tell you what a well plowed field looks like. I imagine it is pretty straight but, that is about all I know. So, I can't tell you much about the championship competitions themselves. However, I can tell you that the beauty of the awesome power displayed by the animals as they pulled the plow blades through the heavy wet soil was like nothing I have ever seen. As the teams leaned into their harnesses, they seemed to exert themselves almost effortlessly. About a dozen teams were in action across the field, ranging from a trio of mules to a four horse team of beautiful speckled silver and white horses.
With all of these teams in action, we completely forgot about going to see the new mules. Tomorrow should be a nice day, so I will return to the farm to see if they are still turning the soil. I am looking forward to meeting Kit and Kate for the first time.
tim mcmurdo 