Winter Approaches

Winter is approaching and is teasing us with what is to come.  We have had one good snowfall and now several days of sub-freezing weather.  Despite my resistance, I've been forced to dig out our winter gear and get it ready for dealing with horse chores during winter. 

I am always somewhat amused when I see these peaceful gorgeous pictures of farms blanketed by snow, icicles and frozen ponds.  I do appreciate the beauty of a winter scape but I see beyond those images, as probably do most people who live on a farm.

I see the sloshing of water buckets as that chore becomes more manual, the picking up of frozen manure as that chore takes twice as long, (why is frozen manure twice as heavy as thawed manure?) and I envision the reluctance to bundle up and go exercise horses.

But this year, I feel it all coming on a bit differently.  I'm a glass-half-full kind of person, even in this the 'Age of Covid'.  In a way, a sentence to 'shelter in place' is no sentence at all, but rather an excuse to stay in my favorite place on Earth. 

I have felt that way most of the days since early March when the changes of this year were becoming more clear.  A natural introvert, I don't need much outside interaction to satisfy my social needs.

With winter coming, it will be a new test of my ability to find the joy in this year (something I dubbed 2020 in early January, calling it the Year of Joy!)  I refuse to change it now that we are entering our 12th month of that year.  After all, Joy is a relative state and with life comes pain and suffering, so why not continue to embrace it all.  

With the winter solstice approaching and December's cold fingers working their way into our lives, I hope I can fight off the urge to just hibernate and knit/binge-watch my way until spring.

Seeking joy,
Sue

(Note:  written in 2020)