Spring snow...

An enormous brush pile has been growing for the past two years in the pasture. Two dead pine trees that were cut last summer were stacked there, along with a few Christmas trees the goats and donkeys had been nibbling on all winter. Then we had a apple tree taken down, (it was dying,) so all of its smaller limbs and branches were mounded up. The pile was 6 or so feet tall, and I was tired of looking at it. I wanted it gone before some sweet migrating song bird built a nest there. Sunday evening was chilly and rain or snow was in the forecast. Good weather to burn brush. Rachel and Evans came over to help.Evans is a pro at playing with fire.

 Chris grilled some chicken and Rachel cooked up a family favorite dish of pasta with vegetables. We dined outside, in warm coats, watching the flames. They shot up into the evening sky 20 feet or more to start, then settled down to piles of screamingly hot embers with a nice manageable flame. Evans jostled logs into position to help things burn more efficiently. We pulled chairs up around the glow, our fronts hot from the fire, our backs cold from the chill evening air. We toasted marshmallows and feasted on sweet, sticky, s'mores. Opal the pug raced around the pasture in the gathering gloom, stretching her city dog legs, visiting goats, sniffing lustily all the farm scents. She ran and played and finally, after a few hours, tried to dig a little hole under a chair and curled up, exhausted and shivery. We brought her inside.

Around 11 PM, long after Chris and I had claimed our favorite couch positions, the "kids," put the fire out. A cold rain had started about an hour before and wind was whipping up. All night it screamed around the eves. The brush pile was reduced to just a few of the larger logs, now blackened and diminished.

All day  Monday a cold rain came down, and gusts of wind tossed the trees. My neighbor was going to walk down to get some eggs, but chose to drive instead. The goats and donkeys stayed in their clean shed most of the day. Mid afternoon I went outside to check on all the animals. I started with the 40 new baby chicks in the garage. When I opened the door it was too quiet. Usually they are making sweet, soft, peeping sounds. When I looked in their heat lamp was out, and they were in a miserable pile. The bulb had burned out, and though I thought I had a replacement, I was mistaken. I rushed to the hardware store and came back as quickly as I could. Baby birds have trouble regulating their body temperature, and I had no idea how long they had been cold. I screwed the bulb in with trembling hands, and they quickly moved under its red glow. After just a few moments they began to chirp happily, and scurry about to eat and drink. I was relieved. Apparently there was no lasting harm done, because they are all fine today.

When I woke this morning and looked outside I was dismayed to see a layer of white covering the greening grass.

I am yearning for spring, for budding trees and flowers and grass growing so fast you can almost see it. I want to plant things in the garden and smell the incomparable scent of warming earth. Instead I am home fretting over the Covid lockdown, watching the snow fall and pulling my warm gloves out of storage. It's disheartening.

Focusing on good things helps, of course.  The new floor in the studio is lovely, and dreamy to mop. The old wood floor required vigorous scrubbing and still never looked clean. A quick stroll with a damp mop and this floor is perfect. I've taken care to only put back the things we really need or love, and the place looks fresh and tidy.

I splurged and bought a huge stack of new towels for the pets. Petal pink, looking soft and cuddly in the old wicker basket.

While we had the tub disconnected and out of the room, I painted behind it. That wall takes a beating with dogs shaking shampoo and shedding hair all over it. Some elbow grease and fresh paint made a big difference.

I don't expect to see a soul today until Chris comes home at supper time. He had to go to Yarmouth and Portland, but will work from home the rest of the week. Still, I have showered, fixed my hair and put on makeup. I'm going to tackle a project or two and work on an article.I have tidied the house and planned supper, now I will try to enjoy the quiet time, hush the worry that crowds my mind, and create a bit.