Mysteries of the Day

A day that starts with this is inspiring.

Frost, for which the nearby road was named, hovers above the land, and spirits which catch our attention, ascend into the above. And then, as the sun rises high, wetlands glisten with brilliance, as if they have been scrubbed and polished. This is the mystery of beauty.

Last night brought a mysterious blast of wind that toppled locust trees and obstructed traffic in three locations on the farm. We spent the morning with tractor and chainsaw, unraveling the force behind that micro-burst. Twenty-foot sections of locust tops fell on our gates at the back lane. Many hours of chainsaw work were saved by the front-end loader of the tractor. We were able to lift these tops in entirety and take them to a recycling depot with other trunks of similar fate. What a marvel that front-end loader is.

I was also impressed with the effectiveness of the new battery-powered chainsaw. At one point I had the forks of the front-end loader on opposite sides of a considerable locust trunk to be lifted and transported. One fork was below the trunk and one above - an awkward and somewhat inexplicable circumstance, that was creating stress on the forks and even on the arms of the front-end loader. Neither raising nor lowering the forks was relieving the stress. Finally, it came clear that cutting the tree at a strategic point in the trunk would swing it loose. With one cut, it did so! I was greatly relieved. How could a small chain-saw and one cut make such a difference. More mystery.

It is always feels like a mystery to see livestock in good health. When they don't look well, one can usually figure out why, but when they do, one feels such gratitude the plan is working that a sense of mystery seems at work.

Here the sheep are moving to the next paddock. They are in full bloom, have impacted the paddock behind, and are ready for the one ahead.

Bulls and cows are shining with good health. Glistening coats speak of fully functioning glandular systems. Here bulls are knee-deep in clover. The black cow shows a slick coat, as do almost all the cows upon inspection. What is the mystery behind this phenomenon?

And here is another - the great wonder behind migration. These Barn Swallows visit us every year, on their way to South America. In June they build nests and hatch chicks, who stay in residence for about 3 weeks. By mid-summer, they are on their way south. They are related to Purple Martins. This particular pair has built a nest on the fans of our new porch. We don't dare turn the fans on at this point. We find Barn Swallows particularly elegant and intriguing. 

Perhaps the greatest mystery of all is what is happening around the world in almost perfect concert. Solomon Hsiang, PhD, University of California, Berkeley, posits that 500 million cases of COVID have been prevented worldwide over the past 4 months, due to physical distancing. This kind of effort is unprecedented in human history. It speaks to a new connection among the peoples of the earth to invest in the greater good. That mystery is one we can feel particularly good about. We may need to call on that connection soon again.

Here we have strip steaks, chard with almonds and raisins, accompanied by hard-boiled pastured eggs, garlic bread, and the piece de resistance -- vichyssoise soup. Vichyssoise is very easy to make, as ingredients are simply: chicken stock, leeks, and potatoes. It is great either hot or cold. We love it.  

In the mystery of the day!