I gathered my two trusty companions, Annie and Allie, (miniature Aussies) and headed for the hay field. They love to cut hay as much as I do. They know how to settle into the quietness.
Though it was almost a hundred acres today, this is more like cutting a person's very large yard.
It's a really beautiful day -butterflies and birds patrolling the field in front of me, and I'm listening to the music you're hearing now (I have the whole album). I've got a fruit drink, and a good air-conditioner, and I am floating on an air-cushioned seat. The phone never rings. There are no other sounds but the quiet droning of the engine, and my music. You will never hear me complain about this job. In the solitude of this great machine, I just try to mow perfectly straight winnows and I think. I think about my dear husband, my kids, my home, my art... and I try to just breathe in the moment, the fresh hay, the sunshine, my companions, my music, my life......and suddenly what would appear to be the mundane becomes a very spacious, gracious place to be in. I want it to last forever. And I realize my mind took me there, with the things I chose to bring along, and that's the gift -not this great job, not this great day, not this great life, but a grateful heart and a peaceful mind, that can take me to a restful place no matter what I'm doing or where I am. No one can ever take that away from you. Your inner space, His dwelling place.
This strange reflection appeared after several hours and I wondered if my camera would capture it. I took it to Flickr and enhanced some colors so you could see it. It captured my reflective day. There is a girl, with earrings, looking back at me, taking a picture... of her very happy day.
(My view from the cab of the winnower)
6 comments:
What a lovely post. It's an inspiration to use times like that in a more reflective way.
What wonderful little dogs...lawmowing is greatly underrated, some of my favorite memories of growing up are from those afternoons I walked in circles--always in slightly different patterns, though all ending up covering all the same ground, listening to tapes on my walkman as my bare feet turned green (yes, I know...but I got away with it)....
what a perfect day...i almost feel myself on the air cushioned seat. your music choice was an excellent soundtrack to your moment, your day, your quiet window into a healthy dose of solitude. thank you for sharing....
So beautifully expressed! We should all have a personal mower and hayfield! If only vacuuming could be so contemplative - maybe if we had to vacuum 100 acres in an a/c equipped vacuum cleaner :)
Just so no one is confused, I'm in a large Challenger Winnrower, and I'm not cutting grass, but cutting a hay field, but that day, it felt like I was cutting a "large yard" as this hay field is right outside someone's house perimeter. I'm not sure it really matters...
This has to be one of my all time favorite blogs posts ever! The joy you find in your everyday life is just incredibly beautiful. And you expressed it so wonderfully and thoughtfully and made me feel like I was right there with you. Thank you for this post.
Ernie
Gypsy Gold Studio
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