I am so in agreement with what you have written here. I am unable to put these thoughts and feelings into words myself as I lack that skill. I count myself very lucky to find writers such as yourself here on Substack so that I might find my voice. When I lived on a working farm in Devon and it rained ceaselessly for weeks we actually used to sweep up the mud and muck that seemed through the stones in two yards, load it up to be hauled away and then watch the whole process start over again. I used to think it was a bit like trying to dust a tree. Living in close proximity to animals and the land is hard, unremitting work always with the accompanying worry of harsh weather and too little money. I used to think it would be a great training ground for the SAS. It is that hard! It's also very wonderful, as you work through the daily tasks it leaves you time to think profoundly and look back at the ridiculousness of everything else in the outside world. Thank you.
Thank you so much for this lovely long message, Ruth - it's so true. I have never felt more gratitude than I do walking the fields, being with the animals, looking at the horizon. It is profound indeed and I am so fortunate to be in touch with other writers and readers here, sharing it. Thank you.
It's ironic that, as a New Yorker, I read this while sitting in London's Shoreditch area, surrounded by provocative street art. It's a pretty awesome essay. Thanks!
A great introduction to Montaigne and his essays is via Sarah Bakewell's amazing philosophical exploration/biography/history called "How to Live: A Life of Montaigne in One Question and Twenty Attempts at an Answer" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7624457-how-to-live.
All the best, with peace, respect, love and gratitude.
I worked for 26 years writing novels and never had a website or social media. I never knew if anyone liked what I wrote. I can't tell you what it means to me when people here tell me they like it. Thank you so much.
I must admit that at times I have a hard time following (I will read another time, maybe two and slow down to grasp every line), but what speaks to me most is the beauty of your words. That and your love for animals......I have the same love and I am hoping to be reincarnated as a Farmer. A love of the land and growing things has been alive in me since childhood. Unfortunately I didn't listen to that urge and lived my later life in a large city. My heart longed to live in Alaska or some other place as equally fascinating like Scandinavia or maybe Russia. Even the awful mud and rain sound tempting, but I'm sure that is due to your way with words. Thank you for the imaginings I have when reading your missives. Escaping the world's craziness every now and then is cathartic. Love to your goats and wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas!
Beautiful essay. I clicked on your link from elsewhere due to Goats in your name. But I was surprised to find a philosophical discussion instead of the expected glories and hellishness (rarely thank G*d) of goat ownership.
My daughter began last year reshaping my horse yard into a smallholding now that I’m retired due to aching bones and fatigue of old age. We have four goats with our eldest nanny, Jet, being numero uno pack leader. We’ve kept her gelded Billy goat because of the love he and I have developed between us. He runs to me to say hello leaving the others happily behind. He gives kisses when asked and loves being cuddled. Into the freezer he will never go. Over my dead body!
And I have been blessed with the safe and sound miracle of another grandchild which kept her away from the goats as too busy. But her loss has been my gain as they follow me to their patch, my front garden is only place they can be contained. And when they disappear into neighbour’s gardens, they call back to mr when I call their names. I must say, I’ve been surprised at how much I like goats.
Now pigs are an entirely different story. But our sausages are wonderful and their meat ever so tender. Free ranged as in kept escaping across fields, up the road, into neighbours’ gardens!
We all tried the goat milk in coffee and on it’s own but none of us found it palatable. But have made soft cheese that was lovely.
When I got married, wow, 40 years ago we had a dream of setting up an organic dairy. We are no longer together as my soul remained attached to rural life while my partner chose money over saving souls.
So it’s a beautiful Jungian synchronicity that our daughter has rekindled our dream from 40 years ago. Whether I can keep the land forever is in G*d’s hands. All I can say is that I have been blessed to live on my hill overlooking the Blackwater estuary for over 20 years. And I am truly thankful.
Thank you so much for this - it made me cry. I am also truly thankful. None of us know what will come. I am learning how to accept and hope - and grateful for the connections we can form across the airwaves. Love from Mid Wales. xxx
Thought you’d like an update. We sadly lost our milk goat. She had an abscess in her jaw inside her mouth. Way in the back. We tried to get a farm vet out but the cost was prohibitively expensive. £360! UK Pounds just to come out before any treatment.
We sadly had no choice but to put her down by the Slaughterman with whom I’ve used for twenty years. Very kind. Very quick.
They’ve been reducing the number of farm vets so that now there’s only one for the entire county of Essex.
I am so sorry to hear that. That's really painful. It's been a difficult spring for many of my neighbours here too - health issues for they themselves and for flocks. I've struggled with a scour on my weakest but thankfully turned the corner. Not an easy spring. Thinking of you there.
I am so glad you have sent this message. It is so great to read it, your mindset is very comforting to me. The pen in the first picture is so nice, made of saplings. I keep you and the creatures in my thoughts here in Poortland OR. best
Such incredible poetic beauty, wisdom, wit, depth and Love as always xxx
Absolutely wonderful, thank you.
Thank you.
:)
I am so in agreement with what you have written here. I am unable to put these thoughts and feelings into words myself as I lack that skill. I count myself very lucky to find writers such as yourself here on Substack so that I might find my voice. When I lived on a working farm in Devon and it rained ceaselessly for weeks we actually used to sweep up the mud and muck that seemed through the stones in two yards, load it up to be hauled away and then watch the whole process start over again. I used to think it was a bit like trying to dust a tree. Living in close proximity to animals and the land is hard, unremitting work always with the accompanying worry of harsh weather and too little money. I used to think it would be a great training ground for the SAS. It is that hard! It's also very wonderful, as you work through the daily tasks it leaves you time to think profoundly and look back at the ridiculousness of everything else in the outside world. Thank you.
Thank you so much for this lovely long message, Ruth - it's so true. I have never felt more gratitude than I do walking the fields, being with the animals, looking at the horizon. It is profound indeed and I am so fortunate to be in touch with other writers and readers here, sharing it. Thank you.
It's ironic that, as a New Yorker, I read this while sitting in London's Shoreditch area, surrounded by provocative street art. It's a pretty awesome essay. Thanks!
What about the Sheep for Satan? Are we not all about inclusivity?
https://bilbobitch.substack.com/p/generative-ai-the-new-hollywood-images
Wonderful. Thank you. In a style of Montaigne, a beautiful exploration of the Self with the help of what is here, now. Fantastic.
Thank you so much Guy - that's very meaningful to me.
Have you perused Montaigne's essays? Fantastic!
A great introduction to Montaigne and his essays is via Sarah Bakewell's amazing philosophical exploration/biography/history called "How to Live: A Life of Montaigne in One Question and Twenty Attempts at an Answer" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7624457-how-to-live.
All the best, with peace, respect, love and gratitude.
I worked for 26 years writing novels and never had a website or social media. I never knew if anyone liked what I wrote. I can't tell you what it means to me when people here tell me they like it. Thank you so much.
I must admit that at times I have a hard time following (I will read another time, maybe two and slow down to grasp every line), but what speaks to me most is the beauty of your words. That and your love for animals......I have the same love and I am hoping to be reincarnated as a Farmer. A love of the land and growing things has been alive in me since childhood. Unfortunately I didn't listen to that urge and lived my later life in a large city. My heart longed to live in Alaska or some other place as equally fascinating like Scandinavia or maybe Russia. Even the awful mud and rain sound tempting, but I'm sure that is due to your way with words. Thank you for the imaginings I have when reading your missives. Escaping the world's craziness every now and then is cathartic. Love to your goats and wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas!
“For myself I’ll be going back to join the things that make me real”.
Lordy. So beautiful
Beautiful essay. I clicked on your link from elsewhere due to Goats in your name. But I was surprised to find a philosophical discussion instead of the expected glories and hellishness (rarely thank G*d) of goat ownership.
My daughter began last year reshaping my horse yard into a smallholding now that I’m retired due to aching bones and fatigue of old age. We have four goats with our eldest nanny, Jet, being numero uno pack leader. We’ve kept her gelded Billy goat because of the love he and I have developed between us. He runs to me to say hello leaving the others happily behind. He gives kisses when asked and loves being cuddled. Into the freezer he will never go. Over my dead body!
And I have been blessed with the safe and sound miracle of another grandchild which kept her away from the goats as too busy. But her loss has been my gain as they follow me to their patch, my front garden is only place they can be contained. And when they disappear into neighbour’s gardens, they call back to mr when I call their names. I must say, I’ve been surprised at how much I like goats.
Now pigs are an entirely different story. But our sausages are wonderful and their meat ever so tender. Free ranged as in kept escaping across fields, up the road, into neighbours’ gardens!
We all tried the goat milk in coffee and on it’s own but none of us found it palatable. But have made soft cheese that was lovely.
When I got married, wow, 40 years ago we had a dream of setting up an organic dairy. We are no longer together as my soul remained attached to rural life while my partner chose money over saving souls.
So it’s a beautiful Jungian synchronicity that our daughter has rekindled our dream from 40 years ago. Whether I can keep the land forever is in G*d’s hands. All I can say is that I have been blessed to live on my hill overlooking the Blackwater estuary for over 20 years. And I am truly thankful.
Thank you so much for this - it made me cry. I am also truly thankful. None of us know what will come. I am learning how to accept and hope - and grateful for the connections we can form across the airwaves. Love from Mid Wales. xxx
Thought you’d like an update. We sadly lost our milk goat. She had an abscess in her jaw inside her mouth. Way in the back. We tried to get a farm vet out but the cost was prohibitively expensive. £360! UK Pounds just to come out before any treatment.
We sadly had no choice but to put her down by the Slaughterman with whom I’ve used for twenty years. Very kind. Very quick.
They’ve been reducing the number of farm vets so that now there’s only one for the entire county of Essex.
I am so sorry to hear that. That's really painful. It's been a difficult spring for many of my neighbours here too - health issues for they themselves and for flocks. I've struggled with a scour on my weakest but thankfully turned the corner. Not an easy spring. Thinking of you there.
Love.
xxx
Empirical science’s ‘hard problem of consciousness’ will never be solved by breaking our thoughts apart. I agree. See "How smart is artificial Intelligence really?" - https://thescienceanalyst.substack.com/p/how-smart-is-artificial-intelligence
I'll have a read!
Time to get on with the next one then!
:)
Just read it for the second time, wonderful, thank you
There's no changing the rivers round here, John - that's for sure!
Love, brother.
:)
Intention vs will... One works in the flow to guide the direction of travel.
One seeks to force the river into a different course.
One path to knowing is that of compassion, equating the good of others with the good of self.
One path to knowing is to immediately indulge any urge.
What is known as one travels these paths?
How much freedom to choose does one have as one travels each path?
What choices arise on each path?
Thank you so much Jaqueline - we really, really appreciate it! Love and solidarity.
I am so glad you have sent this message. It is so great to read it, your mindset is very comforting to me. The pen in the first picture is so nice, made of saplings. I keep you and the creatures in my thoughts here in Poortland OR. best