One of my favorite parts of the farm is my mornings.
This is a deliberate time to prepare for the day ahead, focus on my objectives, and tap into my creative energy.
Here’s a little story about this morning and our farm cat 'Oscar'.
Fog rises off Little Lake (St. Catherine) in the early morning, changing from night. The cliffs are steepest at the center of town, where the fog line cuts them in half.
Wells, VT Taconic Ridge Northeast Towards Little Lake
The horizontal fog wall crests the peaks of the northern edge of the mountain line first.
At this time of year, the sun still rises behind the cliffs, but it begins to glow warmer in the valley’s north mouth as the fog blends into the light.
I see the opening through a scaffolded silhouette of Pin Cherry Trees and the branching brushes of White Pine.
The house is too constrictive for meditation now.
Too regular and unchanging.
Outside the world is alive.
It's Spring.
Listen to the Peeper song at dusk again.
Now Robins call their enchanting rhythm that moves the morning onward.
They sound regular alarms interspersing the song because Oscar, the farm cat and Ashes, the Border Collie are running the yard.
Oscar, a formidable cat, hunts in serious combat.
A true threat.
Robins chirp and dive attack because they take him seriously and understand his dangerous potential.
Ashes, the uneducated, approaches with abandon and is fully noticed as a court jester by everyone.
You probably wouldn't believe what a good sport Oscar is?
He dedicates time to teaching Ashes the finer points of playing with your game.
He even demonstrates stalking and patience for Ashes’ benefit.
Can you believe it?
Ashes only notices the play, though.
Oscar is the first cat I’ve met who’s a skilled hunter and plays ‘O & D’ with a dog.
He gets under the legs of the chair, since Ashes is improving his accuracy and focus, and bats out quick paws in time towards the silly, excited dog.
One night this week, I couldn’t get back to sleep and went on the couch to read.
A scuffle in the laundry room turned out to be Oscar catching a mouse.
He brought it under the table, behind the chair legs, where he let it go for sport.
Here, in the middle of the night, Ashes is trying to get at the mouse behind the barricade and I’m starting to think Oscar might let it go.
What would you do?
Tell Ashes to get it.
Maybe he should back off so that Oscar doesn’t lose interest.
Chase after it myself before he runs under the couch with me.
I only watched and talking calmly to Ashes.
Oscar was growling through clenched teeth with intensity.
It all worked out.
Ashes was encouraged to stay ‘Back’, and although it was a challenge for him, he let Oscar finish the job.
After a brief chase, of course, around the Djembe drums and nearly under the base board…
Living here with farm life, mice, and mornings is one of the best things I could ever imagine.
It feels free and open.
Spacious.
Oscar walks with me in the pasture like a dog, too.
Oscar, the Farm Cat Walking in Meadow
He has made an honest friendship with Ashes.
Not at first.
Then, it was awful.
But now, they’re golden.
Does this place hold A getting-along peace?
With boundaries created with of love.
Mice stay out of the house.
You’re no match for Oscar there.
Birds give him hell.
He still hasn’t learned to fly…yet.
Could it be?
A simple story shared creates a sense of place.
Where you can imagine space for yourself to…
Prepare for the day ahead,
Focus on your objectives, and
Tap into your creative energy.