The wiring of my mind

A type of tragedy befell us - our calf, Mac, died very unexpectedly.  This was quite a blow.  I milked the day before and he was energetic and fine - when I went up the next morning, he was unable to get up and died by noon.  It was particularly difficult to dig a grave... in the poison ivy... the day after I played a 5v5 soccer tournament in Boone after being a sloth for a year... I could hardly walk (let alone dig) and the turf fields took huge patches of my skin.... however it was an absolute blast... we got killed but it was fun.... I was invited by an old student (Chandler H) and some Emory players.

We still don't know what it was that killed Mac, but it left us in a milk situation.  We were delaying the final decision about what to do here when we move.  We were going to leave her here with her calf and by August, Mac should be taking all the milk - and we would just raise him for meat.  But once he died, we were forced to make a decision - which was probably what we needed to do anyway - we just needed the push from the universe.  Peg was giving 2.5 gallons each morning (no including goat milk) and that quickly makes life a bit busy - the fridge fills up like crazy, we were making butter, cheese, and ice cream every day.... so we sold her.  It was tough to see my old friend go, but I do believe it was for the best - the money went straight into the building account and the extra time is nice.  Time and money - those are nearing critical levels now.  So now we have more time and money - but abundance that was my old friend is gone.  I think I have enough for one last bit of butter now...

I finished the framing and I should finish wiring today.  I really enjoy just slowly making my way through this process - Its satisfying in a deep way to build a house from scratch.  I know every square inch, every board, every nail and screw... every mistake too:)

From the kitchen - the frame is for a lowboy water heater - it will be on a convection loop from our wood stove - hence the height.... not to mention that it saves space.  There is more framing that has been done, just no pics yet.

From the living room (if it can be said that we have such a thing:)

The beginning of my panel... it has grown, but there will not be that many circuits in this small place.

River

A wide river is my consciousness

But its fed from smaller streams

Then thinner flows that branch and narrow

Begin as drops of half-forgotten dreams

My words speak from the river

And my soul leaks from the springs

Yet somehow you were in the rain

That the cloudy season brings

I swim within my river

And let those blended streams just clean

My mind out of the present

To the song of life you sing

I taste a trillion perfect moments

In every glass of me

You are there and all the rest

I drink your cacophony

And yet...

I am forever helpless to stop the steady flow

Of memories to the sea