A picture perfect day in Vermont.
It's the end of May. Sunny. 77 degrees. There is a slight breeze in the air.
But look a litle closer. The lawn over there looks like an August lawn. It's dry and turning brown. The Spring flush of grass hasn't come and I look to the blue skies for rain.
The neighbor says they won't have hay for sale this year. They'll struggle to get in what they need themselves.
Our other neighbor is nervous. So are we.
Luckily, I made my grazing plan to flex with Mother Nature.
Unluckily this will cost us many thousands in additional purchased hay. I am grateful for this life that challenges me and then gives me unspeakable beauty. We live in the balance of those things. Of challenges and unspeakable beauty.
The rain always comes. Eventually. The sun always comes. Eventually. It might not be exactly when we need it. But it always comes.
Next week we will have a rain dance with our friends. We will dance and sing and ask our great Mother to nourish us with rain. A drought is hard on a farm. Two droughts in a row are harder.
The fields haven't recovered from last year's drought. They are thirsty. And it hasn't rained.
Last night a friend asks us where the money comes from for the extra hay. It comes from what would be our paycheck.
And still. We are surrounded by abundance. Of food. Of sunshine and trees and air and sky. Of neighbors and friends and music and parties.
In previous years I would have worried more. Last year I did. Last year I was up at night worrying about the extra hay we had to buy. Worrying about the dry pastures. This year I have faith that the universe will take care of us like it always does.
Maybe I'm lying a little bit. I was up last night worrying.
And So. We will do a rain dance and hope for rain that falls gently and deeply on our fields. That nourishes the soil and the grasses and the trees and the flowers. That fills the ponds that water our wildlife neighbors.
Will you do a rain dance too?
Love from the hills of Vermont,
Katie