Tag: writing

Toward Spring

Tuesday, April 02, 2024

Today will be this area’s warmest; I haven’t any pressing needs to take me away from home. I am going to rev up my tractor and clear the horses’ dry lot of dried muck and other ground-awful debris. The pitifully messy area has been on hold until a pause in our long string of wet, windy, and too-cold days, and it’s this one.

Last week, after charging the tractor’s motor, I tested its starter. The engine immediately powered up and with a good-sounding idle. I didn’t do any cleaning that day because it was overcast, and later it rained.

When I first moved onto this property and arranged it for horses, which had been my dream, I knew little about all actually needed. If today I were setting up for horses, many elements would be different. Years of experience teach; and I’ve learned and dealt with many unanticipated needs on my hilly, rocky property.

Hey, I count my blessings, too. Space with a rocky landscape reduces gardening demands; provides room for outside animals–horses, chickens, and a goat; enables privacy when it’s needed; and living up high makes visible a distant, beautiful mountain range.

When the tractoring is done and the dry lot better, I more easily will welcome spring. Already growing weeds need attention; the horses (and dogs) should be out on trails; and my favorite hobbies need resuming.

Dear Friends: A warm day encourages a shift from shrinking to re-engaging. Diana

From Time Immemorial

Thursday, February 29, 2024

Happy Leap Day!

I was having “the dickens of a time” recalling what Leap Years are all about. Soon, I began wondering what “dickens” may mean. I assumed it refers to Chas. whose stories contain worlds of woe and wonder. After some research, I learned that the origin isn’t that Dickens, because way prior Shakespeare had used the phrase.

It turns out the general assumption is that “dickens” originally was a euphemism for the word “Devil.” Back in the history of time, ‘What the Devil” or “the Devil take you” were very serious curses, however, in those very old days, “the dickens” could be freely used.

My mom often muttered, “What the dickens!” The phrase became woven into my learning DNA, and I have loved it. The words perfectly highlight my confusion and struggle to comprehend something complicated or make difficult choices.

Yesterday, somebody at work pointed out to me, that I “overthink things.” Well, maybe so, and maybe that prevents me from quickly processing some kinds of information. From one perspective, it’s a disability, and from another, an asset.

I overthink, indeed! Now, an equally famous phrase, “Face the music,” comes to mind. I am okay with processing thoughts slowly. That lets me separate the thought elements, turn each upside down and around, and examine it from various perspectives. Upon reweaving the elements, I wind up with a decent handle for taking them forward or dropping them.

Dear Friends: What the dickens–it’s snowing again! Enjoy this leap day. Diana