Driving up the mountain road yesterday, I noted the bareness of the trees, the long grey sweep of the mountainside, and I felt the coolness of the air seeping through the truck window, open just a touch. The stream is running high and fast again, fed by a much-needed soaking rain. And more to come. It feels like fall, now, and I do not mind, though I’m not looking forward to winter in my usual manner. I can’t say why.
This morning, milking in the early sun, crouched at Pip’s side in the barely-frosted pasture grass, I watched one of the pigs scratch herself against the trunk of an apple tree, wriggling her body to maximize coverage. I could see how good it felt, could almost feel it myself, that rough bark scraping away the itch, the solidness of the tree against the softness of the flesh. And I was glad for that fleeting moment of escape, in which no season was coming or going, no rain was needed or not, nothing to mourn nor to rejoice. No accounting to be made.
Only the pig. That tree. The sound of milk filling the bucket.
Ben Hewitt 
A’Yup.
Those moments can be difficult to find.
O to possess such a clear mind as yours Ben, and manage always to appreciate the full essence of what surrounds us!
I really appreciate that you get your thoughts down in 2 or 3 paragraphs. Sometimes 4. I think this is a good thing and more writers could consider how brevity may serve them.
Eventually, I’ll get it down to two or three words. Save everyone a whole bunch of time
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No! No! Than we can’t have any more books to look forward to. By the way, any in the works?
Hmmmm, 2 or 3 words? Well, if I know you they will be 2 or 3 really good words so let’er rip!
That’s beautiful…you’re a poet.
Thanks, Jan
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I’ve plucked out the heart of this one:
“It feels like fall, now, and I do not mind, though I’m not looking forward to winter in my usual manner. I can’t say why.”
Chin up, friend. Accounting/s be damned, even those uniquely our own.
Yeah, it’s either that, or I just really need my back scratched.
Hope all’s well over that way.
I feel like I was there. Thank you for that. Peace!
Thank you, Dawn.
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Sacred time to be truly in the moment and content. Whatever our lifestyle, we all need those moments. Thanks for sharing. Love your posts.
I regularly drop in at the Cannon Mountain, Gunstock, and Wildcat ski area sites to look at their live webcams as they are the best and easiest sources for me to get my long distance New Hampshire fix and noticed that Cannon Mountain and Mount Washington had a dusting of snow yesterday.
http://www.cannonmountain.com
http://www.gunstock.com
http://www.skiwildcat.com
I am glad I am not the only one walking around old apple trees scratching my back. 🙂 Ben, come on over to Arizona for some incredible winter sunshine! We look forward to January and July here because that is about the only time we get some moisture.
Said by a man with plenty of wood in the shed.
Yes, that does shift the perspective some.
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Moments like those are appreciated.
well written article i reckon webandcrafts.com