Hey folks,
It’s quiet. The power went out Monday after the crazy thunderstorms rolled through, and it’s still out.
I’m writing to you from a laptop connected to a temporary hotspot, connected to a backup generator, that is working hard to keep all the farm market freezers running.
The frig and freezer are plugged in at our house, but that’s about all. It’s amazing the undercurrent of fans, HVAC, chargers, humming, buzzing, and noise that surrounds us most days.
Now it is quiet. We enjoyed a candlelit dinner last night, then off to bed early because what else is there to do? Usually, we’d fill the evening with TV or audiobooks, but sleeping in the quiet dark seems right.
It’s not quiet very often anymore. It’s often not dark anymore, with screens illuminating our faces as soon as the sun goes down.
It’s not good or bad, but the juxtaposition of the darkness and light, the noise and quiet, created my observation and curiosity.
Electricity is so central to our lives. Pumping water, offering light, connecting us to the internet. It’s wild to think about a world just 100 years ago when only half of the homes had electric lights. You may know people old enough to remember that or have met them in your lifetime.
I think modern conveniences are fantastic. I love A/C and espresso machines. This is not a blog railing against modernity, but instead, a grateful human, pulled only temporarily away from convenience, reflecting on everyday luxuries.
Trust me. Only two days separated from flushing toilets, hot showers, stable food storage, and lighting, and you find yourself profoundly thankful for them all.
Nay, I dare say, FILLED with gratitude.
I am thankful for the electric linespeople working day & night to get the power back on. I’m grateful that, two days after a crazy big storm, it’s even an expectation that we’d have power back so soon.
Life on the farm goes on. Trees are still ripening peaches, sunflowers are still blooming, and corn & soybeans are growing and using the water dropped by the storm.
As busy as we are in our daily work, it’s comforting to know that, even through a crazy storm cycle, nature wants to survive.
The crops don’t give up and get depressed. They strive ever forward, push, bending, reaching for the sunlight to complete their mission of growth and production.
These are the lessons from this week.
- Bend, but don’t break.
- Take the good from the storm and use it to grow.
- Never stop reaching for the light and strength to complete the mission.
See you this weekend when the power will be back on, flowers will be blooming, Miss Dee will be baking, and the sun will be shining.
Farmer Hugh
