The Sounds of Content

 It's happened. I must be getting old, because there are many times when I just crave silence. In the past I have required the television to be on "for company" or the radio to be playing "just because." As I write, the freeze drying has been running for 20 hours -- it's loud. The television is on and it makes sense that the volume is up higher than usual, because of the noisy dryer. Then maybe add the dishwasher or the washer and dryer. And sometimes talking becomes yelling. Don't even get me started on someone ringing the doorbell and all three dogs shouting about it.  Silence. Please.

The silence and tender soundtracks outside feed my soul. I love the sound of the wind blowing the trees and the branches rustling. The sounds of a content chicken are relaxing. I hear their little chirps and know that my girls are all happy. Years ago when there were llamas in my mix of animals, I would wait in the silence at dusk just to hear that contented hum and know that all was well in the camelid world. My antisocial cat, Marie even manages a low and contented purr as I rub her ears.

The goats all fed, spoiled and in their stalls express little grunts and sometimes not so polite pushes. When a mama is with her newborn kid, she talk to them in a language used for only that occasion. They are content.

About this time of year, maple trees are being tapped to provide us with delicious maple syrup. I've often made the effort. The sound of the liquid dripping into the metal pail is quite satisfying.

I take out the rolling pin that my Mom used for the entirety of her married life. As I begin the roll a ball of sticky dough to make a pie crust, I hear the sound that only her rolling pin makes. It's just one of many soft sounds from childhood. I am awash with sadness, memories and joy. Ultimately I am content with the sound.

Sometimes in the silence, we hear the most powerful sounds. We are lulled by them, nourished by them and we are content.

                                            Cinnamon and Clove, my happy Buff Orpingtons.

For The Love of Color!

 I love color. I delight in a variety of colors and sometimes I enjoy seeing them all at once. Sometimes I hear of people who are afraid of color. This is a fear that I don't fully appreciate. Why do people drive beige cars? I just don't get it.

My parents stayed away from colors as best as they could. They would debate for days over their top choices for indoor painting. The options would be between antique white or egg shell white. I failed to see a difference.

And one shouldn't wear loud colors because on would stand out. I was taught that I should try to blend in. I recall thinking that purple was an amazing color. My mom told me that was a color for "trashy" people -- not for me.  So for years, I didn't bother to acknowledge purple.

  As a senior in high school, we moved and I was allowed to pick colors in my room.  The walls would be white, of course, but I could pick out the curtains. "Yellow," I said. I was so excited. My yellow drapes arrived and Mom put them up. "Yellow? Where?" I asked. They were off white to my eyes. But on closer inspection, there was the tiniest bit off yellowness. I was not pleased.

Time for my senior picture came and I was told in no uncertain terms that I would not be wearing make-up and that Mom would choose my clothing. Great. I wore a beige suite. Do you know who looks good in a beige suit? No one. Then of  course, everyone I knew would receive a blah photo of me, looking nothing like me, wearing a suit that I wouldn't choose for myself if it were the last suit on planet earth. Blah!

Aside from being totally open for my own children to pick out their own clothing for their senior photos, those types of experiences taught me to embrace the delights of colors.

Luckily, I have a spouse who enables my colorful tangents and paints what I choose. Here is my living room with some not very subtle pink.  I love how that color brings coziness and life to a room I spend a great deal of time in.

I'm happy to say that my Mom stopped being afraid of color and boldly embraced it in later years. What an amazing transformation. I now openly love the color purple. And I don't care if I ever blend in to the scenery. No one, ever should have to go unseen.  See all the colors, drape yourself in color, see how all the world stands out in amazing colors.