Morning Reflections

Diana the Araucana

Like many people I have a regular morning routine. Mine just may be a little different than most people living the 'rat race'. I work hard, but it doesn't feel that way at times. But I look back at my daily activities and realize how much was accomplished. I multitask, and grind away at household/farm chores, but I take time to pause and reflect. And I give myself time to relax in my schedule.

A silk dress embroidered with Columbines, my flower.

I take the time to knit, and to sew. Which feels more like a vacation. But the reality is that even in my spare time I am making something useful to add to my home or wardrobe. Even in my most relaxed times I am really working. 

Pickled Radish and Onion

But if you want an example of a typical morning for me: I wake at 5am to make coffee, lunch for Evan and my Husband and a light breakfast for myself, and feed my cats. Then I relax and drink my own coffee while reading the news and Facebook. Sometimes I chat with my best friend and we talk about our upcoming day. At 6:30 I wake Evan for the School Bus and get myself dressed. Take coffee to my Husband and wake him for work. The bus picks up Evan shortly after 7am and I get my boots and coat on to feed my livestock. The horses get grain and hay, chickens get scratch, water, and I check their feeder. Refill any bedding that they need. If it is cold, I will break up the water for the horses and scoop off the top layer of ice.

~Then there is this moment of waiting. I must wait for Tristan to finish his food so that I can untie Lilly. Otherwise she will push Tristan away and hog down his food. But instead of this being a time of impatience, I stand and listen. The crows are announcing the arrival of the sun. The horses are munching their grain and hay and blowing softly. The hens are trilling and scratching and the rooster is making his rounds for the day. I will often stand quietly with Lilly to pet her while she eats. And she will raise her head between bites to nuzzle the palm of my hand or mouth me gently on the shoulder. A dog barks, the chewing stops, all of the chickens raise their heads and it is profoundly quiet. Then all relaxes and sighs and the entire wonderment of that moment within the universe floods the senses.~

And then Tristan is done and Lilly gets untied. And I go back inside to warm up and start my chores for the day.

My beloved horses, Tristan (black) and Lilly (Chestnut)

It might seem like the smallest most insignificant thing. But those moments make up my day and I remind myself to enjoy them regularly. The softness of a cat in my lap as I knit a dishcloth. Or a Thrush on the windowsill while I wash dishes. 

Do you "Stop and smell the roses" on a regular basis? Maybe you work a regular job, but you can still find profound moments of reflections in the smallest things. A crow flying in front of your car on the highway. The sound of a rushing creek on your walk into the office. The assortment of birds in the sky whether it be city or farm. The intricate silhouette of a tall tree against an early dawn. If we all learn to reflect, maybe the world can be the place we all want it to be.