Having just returned from a lovely time on a friend's "hobby farm", I have come to realize that this description could not be further from the truth, and in fact is somewhat insulting to all the 'hobby' farmers out there.
She is one of the hardest working woman I have the pleasure to know; she hits the ground running at about 6:30 am, and allows herself some horizontal peace again sometime around 11:30 pm.
As another 'hobby', she is near-completion of her certification as a Master Spinner. To fulfill her spinning needs, the focus of her farm has become her fleece-bearing critters: a llama, 2 alpacas, and 3 sheep. To listen to the process that goes into getting the wool from animal to tidy little skein is to be in awe; it has given me a true appreciation of all of the blood, sweat and tears that go into something that is, by and large, taken for granted - bought for few dollars at the wool shop.
While she is so very accomplished in so many areas, I think the thing that impresses me the most is the way in which she goes about her daily rounds with a graceful purpose. She has seen the big picture, and she mindfully carries with her the knowledge of all the little steps that it takes to get from Point A to Point B.
Today's TT from Sarah Ban Breathnach's "Simple Abundance" marries this idea of grace in little things with the larger concept of purpose and our expedition to find our our 'raison d'etre':
She is one of the hardest working woman I have the pleasure to know; she hits the ground running at about 6:30 am, and allows herself some horizontal peace again sometime around 11:30 pm.
As another 'hobby', she is near-completion of her certification as a Master Spinner. To fulfill her spinning needs, the focus of her farm has become her fleece-bearing critters: a llama, 2 alpacas, and 3 sheep. To listen to the process that goes into getting the wool from animal to tidy little skein is to be in awe; it has given me a true appreciation of all of the blood, sweat and tears that go into something that is, by and large, taken for granted - bought for few dollars at the wool shop.
While she is so very accomplished in so many areas, I think the thing that impresses me the most is the way in which she goes about her daily rounds with a graceful purpose. She has seen the big picture, and she mindfully carries with her the knowledge of all the little steps that it takes to get from Point A to Point B.
Today's TT from Sarah Ban Breathnach's "Simple Abundance" marries this idea of grace in little things with the larger concept of purpose and our expedition to find our our 'raison d'etre':
"Each of us possesses an exquisite, extraordinary gift: the opportunity to give expression to Divinity on earth through our everyday lives...we live truth even if what we think we're doing is just planting a flower bed, cooking a meal, nurturing a child, editing a book, producing a television show, sewing a curtain, writing a brief, painting a picture, teaching a craft, composing a song, or closing a deal. As the Vietnamese Buddist monk, poet, and writer Thich Nhat Hanh reminds us, "Our own life is the instrument with which we experiment with truth."
Seek that truth. Live that truth. For you are all exquisite and extraordinary.
Seek that truth. Live that truth. For you are all exquisite and extraordinary.
8 comments:
Sigh. Just a wonderful reminder. And very thoughtful. That "hobby" farm sounds exhausting and makes me want to take a nap.
It's been a long day for me and I am not running a farm and herding llama and whatnot.
Kudos to your friend. Gives new meaning to those few skeins of wool I bought last week.
What wonderful words!
Busy women rule!
A beautiful post.
Your exquisite, extraordinary gift has just helped me focus on the proper things in a life full of chaos and questions.
Thank you.
Countess Mama: Let me count the ways I imagined in my head for sneaking off to have a nap. I just couldn't. The guilt (and my friend) would have killed me.
Countess Country Girl: It really is quite extraordinary - just like when she told me all about the vegetarian-inducing chicken we had one night for dinner...
Although I must say it was pretty cool to pick out my own corn on the cob (and less distressing - corn doesn't have a face)
Countess NNG: Busy women DO rule - indeed!! All hail the harried.
Count Tiki: As I am an equal-opportunity flatterer, let me say that busy men, who can move through their day with kindness and thought, are equally as exquisite - although I think they prefer adjectives like 'innovative', 'astonishing', or 'stone cold Norris-esque fox'.
Whatevs. Y'are what y'are.
Countess CBW: You deserve a life of gifts, and it's my true pleasure to pass something your way.
BTW - verification word is 'hystalom' - I think that's something that menopausal women weave on... ;)
Once again I am flimflammed .. I thought those old wives tales about Canadian Hobby Farms were true ... do you mean they do not breed/raise hobby horses? Well, then where do they come from?
Countess Daryl: I consider it my duty to keep you flimflammed! Did we not already have this hobby farm discussion at the Great Sea Shanty Summit of 09? I believe, if I look back at the official transcripts, that it was agreed that hobby horses came from Hobbyland.
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