GNATS

Some people are worried about their next meal, their mortgage, their nation at war....I am bothered by gnats.

I so abhor gnats.

Cockroaches, stink bugs, slugs--none of these annoy me much. Even flies and ants are more tolerable than gnats.

Even the spelling of their name is stupid.

Nothing is so pesky as a gnat. Why? Perhaps it is because they swarm in clouds that I seem to have the misfortune of finding, always with my mouth open.

I hate gnats above all other insects because they tend to be more invasive, that is, they end up in my nose, my mouth, the corners of my eyes, even in my ears. Horrible little creatures, these gnats.

I need to find a good way to kill them, for I have been plagued with them now in my work environment. Nothing says "filthy" quite like an annoying gnat.

Ugh.

Boys on a Farm

Yesterday the weather was great, so the boys and I were outside all day. I was able to observe them as I worked on the pirate ship and milled about the property. Here's a few things they were involved in:

1. Riding the horse--their Papa bought one and gives pony rides on fair days
2. Playing with kittens and puppies
3. Brushing the beagle
4. Playing in a big mud puddle
5. Playing, swinging, swashbuckling on the pirate ship
6. Digging a fox hole--the recent rains renewed Carson's interest in digging
7. Moving muck to compost piles (7 gallons of old coffee grounds, in particular)
8. Building ramps to ride and jump over
9. Building a opossum trap
10. Tying one another up with rope (hostage situations)
11. Riding bicycles, trikes etc.
12. Rustling and herding chickens
13. Harvesting chicken eggs

...and most amusing:
One of the boys had a chicken lay an egg in his lap as he was holding and loving on the bird!

Whenever anyone asks me why I work double-load, why I go to work at 5am, why I have a blended household, etc. I should show this list. Farm livin' is the life for me, and it obviously enriches the lives of the kids living there (and I guess, honestly, I 'm just a big kid, too.)

Lust for Life

I got a lust for life.
Recently attended a funeral that was, for once, truly a celebration of life. The family and friends of the departed spoke of her true character, her true authenticity, and I had waves of epiphanies all through the service.

1) While sometimes some people strive for greatness and acceptance, try too hard with all manner of grandstanding and pomp, this individual was remembered and cherished for simply being kind and loving. While this might seem an easy accomplishment, she was so sincerely kind that it was unmistakably her trademark virtue. I am charged with a mad desire to be more real, more kind.

2) Live large, die humbly. This person lived so largely, on such a grand canvas, yet from any distance it might seem so 'normal.' By this I mean, she was large in heart, large and long suffering in love. She did not fly rockets to the moon or bathe in crystal springs in the Mediterranean, but she touched the life of every individual who crossed her doorstep. She left an indelible mark on we who were lucky enough to have known her. I am chastised for trying too hard to be Something, not trying hard enough to be human.

3) Just keep giving. Right up to her passing, this individual was concerned for her son, her husband, even for the nurses that cared for her. I have known the power of giving, but I've buried it under many layers of preoccupation lately. I am pressed to be more involved in the lives around me.

There are many more Take-Aways from that service, many things I'll be hoping to apply. I wanted to pen a few here, pin them down for posterity and accountability.