It snowed a bit last night, but today remained overcast and slightly blowsy. Even Pete said that it would snow this afternoon. It did start to snow this evening, as I finished taking the horses out.

Now 30˚F seems warm. A week ago, 30˚F seemed chilly. I am acclimating although I doubt that I will ever get used to it being below 0˚F.

I do wonder, if I wasn’t outside as much as I am, would I be as weather attentive? Most likely not. And, of course, having animals is what gets me outside.

Alys and Nimby

We did get more hay, the fourth and final cutting, the stuff that’s the least nutritious. So I am making sure that the mares get their daily supplements, vitamin E being the most important.

Two short rides on Siggi’s Trail and a walk with Hrimfara. Hrimmi has replaced Tinni as the horse that I now take in doing my review of the neighborhood. I also ride her, but she’s the one for a quick walk.

A neighbor stopped his car and said he was sorry to hear about Tinni. I said “yeah,” and just kept going. I still feel bad and don’t feel like talking about his passing with neighbors. I know in time that I’ll be more accepting of his passing, but not yet. Pete, when I told him this, said that Tinni was a neighborhood fixture.

I immediately pictured a faucet. Tinni was not a fixture. He was my buddy.

This morning, half-awake, half-asleep, I pictured all the animals that have lived here, coming back for a visit. Actually, all the animals we’ve ever owned have lived here. Up the driveway came the three horses, Tinni, Signy, and Siggi. They were followed the three dogs, Bootleg, Rainbow, and Jenna. They were followed by the three goats, Peaches, Rover, and Stormy. They were followed by numerous chickens including Stubby, Nimby, Henny Penny Palin, Louise, Henrietta, Catchy (Chicken Cacciatore), and Snooky.
It was quite the crew, and yes, I wish they’d come up the driveway and stay.

Yes, with great love comes great loss. I am aware of this. The problem is that their life expectancy is not as long as human life expectancy, so something has to give.

Do animals have souls? Lately I’ve begun to think that animals do, and people do not. It was a swap; we gained a prefrontal cortex, and we gave up our souls. How else to explain the way we are? We have a long history of killing and torturing one another, and a long history of raping the land. Whales are now beaching themselves en masse, what does this tell us?

I often think of the migratory animals, and how difficult it’s gotten, for them to get from Point A to Point B.

Of course, there are those who care and are working hard to reverse the destructive tide. Those of us who are working on this are outnumbered.

I do not want to end this dispatch by saying we are doomed. So I won’t.

Next: 302. 11/3/22: The Outer and Inner Landscapes