Pages

Thursday, February 11, 2010

wrap your spirit around you

 
  
  
  
  
  

"How can you stand it?" I asked Dick as he was getting ready to go out to do the morning chores at the barn. Snow had fallen in the night. The sun was only a pink blob on the horizon like a smear of fruit on a plate that has been washed and ought to be clean.
"You jist take a look at that pile of clothes I put on when I go out," he answered, picking up a tall felt boot and knocking the chaff out of it. There was a hooded wool jacket, a quilted jacket, a cap with fur-lined ear muffs, a pair of denim overalls, the tall boots, and a piece of bailing twine to tie around the waist because, as his Uncle Howard taught him, 'It's equal to another jacket.'
I said, "Oh, I don't mean that. I mean this perpetual gray, this winterness going on forever..."
"It's all in the spirit," he said. "If you have some way to keep your spirit up..."
"Well, what's your way?"
"You look at the calves and think how nice they are...or the fields...or the mule colts. If you have something you like to think of you don't have to think, 'How can I set foot out in that cold snow?'" He put on one boot. "My feet haven't been really warm since last August," he admitted. Then he put on his other boot and wrapped his spirit around him and set his foot out in the cold snow.

Excerpt from 'Speak To The Earth; Pages from a Farmwife's Journal' by Rachel Peden

Wrap your spirits around you dear friends...it's still snowin'.

xo country girl

13 comments:

  1. Oh, big hearts for this passage and these photos. Love, love love this post, and I must read this book! Thanks! xo Gigi

    ReplyDelete
  2. i am absolutely head over heels for that picture of kiki in the snow!! that passage is beautiful :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. soaked in every word of that passage..love it....

    and YES ! little kiki in the snow is adorable...wonderful photos as always...

    sending love and warm hugs...

    kary and buddy
    xxx

    ReplyDelete
  4. and it's supposed to snow here in the deep south tomorrow - crazy winter.

    the best thing I can think of is that maybe the bugs this summer will be much more tolerable.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Great tale, great philosophy, great photoes. I love the trailer, but my favourite is the fence.
    I guess Spring is bunching up in readiness there, under the cold and behind the dark!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Great photos and great story. Also, you're blog header is very tempting.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi, Dawn !!! Wonderful Friday :)

    I have an award for you ! Stop by and grab it :)

    Blessings,
    xoxoxo

    ReplyDelete
  8. What a lovely little passage and warming sentiment...I love the photos that accompany it too. xxx

    ReplyDelete
  9. Darling dawn - yet another book I haven't heard of & must get....the pile grows higher & higher! Thank you so much for the introduction & gorgeous photos. The passage reminded me of one of the Little House books, when there's a huge blizzard & Pa has to fix up a line from the barn to the house so they don't get lost in the snow on the way out to feed the cow & calf. Love it. Happy weekend xox Rachel

    ReplyDelete
  10. Lovely photos, Kiki looks so tiny in the expanse of snow :)
    Love Morwenna xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  11. awe...this reminded me of my sweet grandpa. he would bundle up to head out into the harsh cold winter and would walk to check his cattle & horses instead of driving....he loved his world and the peace that his land & home brought him...
    i miss my grandpa
    xo.
    k

    ReplyDelete

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails