In the stream of things, if you have a farm, you probably need a tractor.  I reorganized the barn to make room, and now it is filled with green machinery.  Well, I call it my barn, but it is referred to by people out here as a “shed.”  In one side, I have built a beautiful wood-lined art studio, with windows all around.  Two thirds of the structure remains “barn.”  I also bought a straw hat yesterday, with a naturally curved brim in cow”boy” style, faded looking but new, to protect from the sun.  I had the nerve to wear this when the tractor and mulch were delivered, too.  There are piles all over on the land waiting for their projects.  Pulverized black dirt, excavated dirt from the new gravel drive, rough unfinished mulch, fnished mulch, garden mix, compost.  Two piles of pulverized dirt were used for practice with the tractor’s loader until the sun went down yesterday.

So, I am manipulating the landscape, setting up the farm, gardens and places for flowers.  This is literal and figurative, like dreams that you realize are symbolically accurate when you wake up in the morning.

My cousin, Sara, who is dying of cancer, spent time with me here over the past several months, listening to the giant orchestra of birds in the morning, looking out over the rolling landscape and the giant Maple by the creek.  Sometimes we choose to alter things to match a vision.  Sometimes things are altered just as much in ways beyond our control.  Now I show her photos and tell her stories about what I wish she could be supervising.

Last night brought with it heavy rains, thunder and lightening.  The new outside light on the barn is supposed to be on constantly when it is dark out, but I saw that it goes on and off in a kind of random way over the hours of the night.  I have no idea how to fix it myself.  I have enough of a learning curve with attaching implements to the tractor that have power trains or drive drains, or what might be called “PTO.”  I was good with the front loader right away though.  One friend noted she wasn’t surprised about that fact.

I am excited for the little trees in the orchard today, as they stretch more leaves out with the rain.  Giant piles of mulch await.