Blessings of Rural Life

 Chores are a family event.

During the winter the girls and I rotate who is outside, that way someone is always in the house with the boy.

Now that it's spring, we are all outside!

The girls first outdoor animal chore is cats and dogs.

Our youngest daughter who is 4 is in "charge" of making sure they have food and water.

She can also help collect eggs.

Our second daughter is responsible for the hen house.

She feeds and waters and collects eggs.

The oldest daughter feeds sheep hay and can also feed our docile horses, ponies, and donkeys.

Sometimes I feel a pang of guilt for my kids.

They don't know what it's like to ride their bikes to the pool

or have a neighbourhood kid "gang'

They come home from school and have homework and chores

and

when that is done they can play outside with each other.

BUT

I have to remind myself that they get to witness a full circle of life.

Birth, life, and death

untainted and unedited.

They get to know what it feels like to save a baby chick from the claws of a cat

and 

hold a brand new lamb.

I can't imagine a better life.

 

There is a quiet joy found in rural life for me.

I spend lots of time walking from pen to pen to check on our animals.

It's me and my thoughts 

most of the time some wind

and occasionally the gibber of a small child

I can hear my sheep and the horses.

I hear the owls and the doves

and the chickens

I usually have the cat and dog to keep me company.

I am really busy.

There is no two bits about that

but

in all the chaos of life and to-do lists

Animals must get fed.

I must make those walks to feed and check.

No matter what happens in my life,

I still find quiet

and there

is

joy

and

peace

in 

that.