On A Christmas Eve...

Christmas Eve night - it's bitterly cold.  And it's clear. The night is lit by thousands of shimmering stars and my path to the barn is illuminated.  No need for a flashlight.  Darkness doesn't exist in this starlit sky.

Oh, it's cold.  So frozen the boards to the deck crack under my weight.  The snapping of the boards make me think of all the children with their faces pressed to frosted windowpanes hoping for a glimpse of Santa and his sleigh while harried parents busily wrap presents and assemble toys.

Days of anticipation for so many culminating in this one frigid night.

In the barn, the horses are resting in their stalls.  I can hear them munching on hay and for a while, I get lost in the sound of them chewing.  It's a relaxing sound; rhythmic, pleasing, soothing. I could sit for hours just listening to them chew hay.

Reluctantly, I switch on the lights and the atmosphere changes.  Nickers from all around me.  Anticipation of what is to come.

I switch on the radio to my favorite Christmas carol channel.  Not the new ones that are so sanitized but a station playing the older favorites.  I sing along "Joy to The World The Lord Is Come" and my spirits soar.  Earth preparing to receive The King.

I start to fill small feed buckets with warm water and begin to mix in their special mash.  Soon the aroma of peppermints fills the air.  I go from stall to stall lingering with each horse, talking to them, petting them and feeding them their mash.  My heart is soothed from the friendship I share with my horses.  They ask nothing from me yet they give me so much in return.

I turn off the lights, let the music continue playing.  The barn is awash in starlight.  Contented horses sigh.

I have nothing philosophical to share.  No witty analogies.

I can only tell you that on a Christmas Eve, oh so cold, where stars magically light up the sky, darkness doesn't exist.

Merry Christmas to you.  May you find joy in the simple pleasures in life and may faith always guide you on your darkest nights.

Starting Again

Fall surely was fleeting this year and winter arrived early.  Temperatures have been below zero nightly and snow surrounds us.

Lots of things have been happening on the farm.  Another foal was born; a beautiful cremello filly with sparkling blue eyes.  Born in October, I've named her Bewitched by Autumn Mist.

And I've started hiking with the pigs.  Yes, pigs.  I've found they like to travel at a slower pace which suits me just fine at the moment.  But when they know we're headed back home, they make a beeline for their dinner dishes.

I've enjoyed watching the foals turn into young fillies and I'm always photographing them.

One day, my teeny, tiny little girl found a dog door and a new game was discovered.

Dawn has been particularly lovely these frozen days.

And while the scenery is enchanting and the animals are delightful, I have been struggling.  And when every task seems insurmountable, it's easier to become more depressed so I started making lists to get myself moving again and at the top of my list is:  Give Thanks.  And for a while, I only managed to succeed at doing that one thing on my to do list but that one thing for me was critical.  It's changed my perspective and helped me find focus again.  Prayerful thanks at the beginning of each morning.

On my list has been to start writing again.  Weeks have passed and that item still remains so today I'm picking up my blog again and going to start writing.  I'm out of practice and the words don't come easily.  I have no idea yet the direction I'll take or where my words will lead me.  I only know it's something I need to do.

So until the words flow freely, I shall share with you pictures of this frozen paradise I call home.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and I'm so glad to have you here!

In The Pasture...

I'm aching these days.  My body has crossed some invisible line of aging and my arthritic joints creak.  Oh,, and there's no sunshine.  Day after day of drabness comprises winter this year.  Until yesterday.  The sun decided to make a rare appearance and stay for the day and I decided it was time to find solace where I always do; in the pasture.

I climbed to the top of the hill not expecting to have any company.  The horses never travel far from the barn during winter.  I sat in the snow, gazed out over the beautiful mountains.  Lost in thought.  Alone but not for long.

Two of my mares decided to join me.

And it wasn't long before the rest followed and what happened then filled my heart with joy.  The girls decided to engage in a game of chase, running, kicking, twirling before ending up back at me.  It was as if I were home base in a game of tag.

I've decided I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.  My hope is that if your spirits are low and you are burdened, you will be able to lose yourself for just one moment in the joy of the mares as they play on a beautiful Vermont day.

We're all done playing and it's time for evening chores but the experience I've had this afternoon will stay with me forever.  Yes, I ache and yes, I'm aging.  But I promise myself to never close my eyes to the beauty that surrounds me and the joy in the simple things.

Thank you for joining my Horses In The Pasture on a beautiful winter day.