Summertime

I came home today a little bit sad.  Fall is my favorite time of year, but this year I find myself a wee bit sorry to see it end.  It's been a Summer beyond measure.  I think this Summer I've learned so much.....we've learned so much.  I learned that sand really needs a lot more support to help things grow....but I've still loved my little garden....and next year I'll be better prepared....however....I also had my first crop of tomatoes that actually turned red....the first year of my gardening life that I have had a surplus of tomatoes.....made me a little proud.

So tonight I came home, let the girls out and I said good bye to our little garden with the ripe red tomatoes (well, those have been eaten).....I smelled the leaves and thanked our little garden for how hard it worked....the girls hovered....hoping for a bite of the things I was picking and pulling.....they enjoyed what we called "goat corn" because it never really got big, but they liked it, and there were lots of corn leaves for them to eat....and we got a couple cobs out of....and Gordon and I savored those few cobs like they were oysters, fresh out of the sea....and we were content.

I looked at Layla's corner, and I thought of the other lessons we learned this Summer.....how we learned that goats break your heart even if you haven't known them that long.....we learned a bit more about saying good bye more about parasites than any book we could have read, or did read.  I also learned to trust our girls and they learned to trust us.....we've become a heard.

I also learned about priorities....that having a full-time job with a 3 hour commute isn't really conducive to goat farming....or garden tending.....or "nest feathering"....I learned that my husband supports the decisions I make....even if he wouldn't make the same decisions....he supports and loves me beyond anything I deserve or could ever dream of.

So I stood in my weedy end of season garden smelling tomato plants....surrounded by my dogs and 2 sweet goats and I listened to the geese fly over....and then I realized the new stage is coming....I have a new job where I am closer to home...and feel content....and coming soon our girls will get pregnant....and we will go through our first winter as goat people and we will watch them change and grow....and in the Spring there will be new goats on our hill and we will learn even more new things that you really can't read about....you have to experience.  And maybe one of those babies will have markings like their grandma, and we will smile about the "circle of life".... and then we'll start milking, and the dream will come to fruition.....and in the midst of all of this we will order new seeds, and make new garden plans....and we will try again.....smarter....with greater understanding of the pros and cons of our little hill.....and because we are who we are....we'll cling to each other and smile and laugh and cry through all of it....because that is who we are....so good bye Summer.....thank you for an splendiferous time together.....we look forward to meeting you again....wiser.....calmer....better prepared.

Oh.....and now it's time to celebrate the apple bounty here on our hill.....and all the things that go along with that....including a splendiferous early Birthday gift that will just add to the fun here on our little hill....stay tuned :)