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January 13, 2021: And Let there be light

The light is returning. I don’t consider myself to be a greedy person; I mean, I am not wanting more than my share. 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness, I don’t need much more than this. This will come about on March 21, the spring equinox. This is two months away.

I was up at 7:30 a.m. this morning. I expected it to be light then. But then it was still dark at 8:30 a.m. I went outside to take care of the animals, and by 9 a.m. it was light out. And tonight, I finished up the same chores, in reverse, and it was dark by 5 p.m.

I wonder if, as we get older, we need more light. I think so. I am dealing with this winter by getting out more. Today, I was out by 10:15 a.m. I came back in at 5 p.m. I rode all the mares, one at a time, and ponied Tinni when I rode Raudi. I took the dogs on two outings. They did not seem to tire. Would have taken them on a third outing but I then had two horses with me. Walking two dogs and two horses is a bit of a handful. The road grader and sander has not been by in some time, I didn’t want to take any chances.

I also cleaned the chicken roost and goat pen today. I have to clean the goat pen more often and check in on Stormy now, three times a day. I think that she is with kid or kids. Once again, I am finding myself imagining


"Bright Lights" New Yorker Cover

what it’s going to be like, having baby goats around and also milking a goat, twice a day.

It’s important for Stormy to have babies. This is her purpose in life. I think that Uncle Ranger will also enjoy having them around. If one is a male, for sure it will be named NOAA Weather/Noah Wether. This almost makes me wish that a male goat was on the horizon. Almost. If he was to remain a buck, he’d be livestock. And being livestock, he’d stink like his father, Buckwheat. This would be hard to handle. I could smell Buckwheat all the way down the road.

The best part about having baby animals around is that I get to name them. I’m still thinking about writing a book on the subject of naming, and how doing this empowers people. Animals can’t name anything, if I am wrong (and I am never wrong) well then, we aren’t privy to this information.

I wish (of course) that we lived in a place with more acreage, and often hope that this is in our future. If we did, and there was lots of pasturage and the right set-up, I would take Raudi south, let her run loose with one of Andrea Brodie’s stallions, and then hope for the best. I would not do artificial insemination, sounds like no fun at all. All or none.

More daylight. More daylight. This is now the rallying cry around here.

Next: 14. 1/14/21: What I like about Winter

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