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 It is no surprise that death and new life are often intermingled.
On December 31, in the waning hours of 2021 our friend Sage came and helped us put our goat matriarch down (euthanize). I have been present at times of death before. I remember sitting vigil with my brother and at his time of passing called out, “I think he died.” At that point his breathes were so far a part and his passing so gradual that the moment of death was very soft. I’ve been witness to the time of death when we have butchered cows. Sometimes it has been a smooth passing and sometimes it has been hard. For Penny it quick. Karin and I held her, reassuring her of our presence and of calm, I began to hum softly (probably more to soothe myself) and then with the final needle her breath stopped immediately. One moment her lungs were inflating and then next there was absolute stillness. It was very final. Penny came to our farm with her daughter Amy in April of 2019. She was gentle, her eyes conveyed wisdom. She was calm and attentive. Since then she’s birthed 7 more beautiful kids who’ve gone on to other farms at this point. But Penny struggled to maintain health and enough fat on her to make it through the winter. She had a bad bacterial infection in the end. I am grateful for the ease with which we were able to journey with her in her final journey, and for the accompaniment of Sage and Karin. Thank you to all those that have come to Kingfisher Farm visited her through the years. She was well-loved. Green Bean Soup We don't freeze every vegetable but I do try to freeze some balls of spinach, broccoli and green beans. When I looked into my freezer this week I saw that I had many bags of beans left to enjoy. So I'm going to pick up a ham hock this week and go back to soup that both Paul and I grew up with. Sauté 3 T butter and 1 large onion Add: 6 cups stock (made with a ham hock) 1 cup carrots, shredded 1 cup potatoes, diced 4 cups green beans fresh parsley chopped 1 bunch summer savory Cook until vegetables are tender. Just before serving, remove summer savory. Add: 1/2 cup cream salt and pepper Enjoy on a chilly winter day! Some biscuits on the side would be wonderful. Recipe from More-With-Less Cookbook 
 And then the rain stopped
mist rising from sodden earth sun beams drawing our eyes to glimmering leaves. and we listened to the stories houses released from their foundations toppling into the river cows abandoned young children rescued by helicopter and other stories a feast gifted to those stranded 600 hands damming a pump station safe houses offered to strangers voices raised about climate change about supporting local about coming together and there were other voices voices being silenced water sacred yet poured out crying to protect our watershed to protect the rivers my mind reeled searching for clarity "be the change you want to see" so the saying goes so we tended the soil we donated toothpaste we shared borscht with friends we wondered about farmers in other countries that might need refuge we bought seeds we lit a candle for those who are sitting in the depths of this loss |
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