Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life. Confucius
This is why when I am suiting up to go outside into the bitter cold on yet another day of considerable cloudiness, I don’t mind. Milking Daisy is like visiting a very large cantankerous and beloved friend. Taking the pigs for a walk is a gift because pigs say thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you all the time as they love the attention so. Lambs frolic, children laugh. Mama sniffs and nibbles at my hands making sure I am clean enough. In the middle of the night, last night, Mama and I turned as one at her gate and stared intently into the corner of the barn because we both saw something move in the shadows. A cats head peeped around and we both relaxed as one and turned back to our lambs. I have a peacock who will sit on a fence inches from my face and watch what I am doing with studied disinterest. Soon we will begin planting. This is my work.
I know things go wrong sometimes. They have and they will. I know that this summer you and I will make some hard decisions. These come every summer. I know I am on a steep learning curve because this girl from the beach is so new to farming. But aching, cracked hands and all, I love my job.
So yesterday they said there was a storm coming and there is one thing I know, if you lock the kids up in the house, without a good walk first, they will scrap and fight and misbehave.
So I opened the gates up and sent the Girl Band and the Shush Sisters out for a run.
Mia and Minty walked solemnly about (taking the air) but Meadow and Sheila leapt and sped about with great determination.
See how lucky I am! Surrounded by dancing animals!
Well, not all dancing but I know for sure that Daisy is deeply envious of the cavorting and gallivanting that she is quietly observing. 
Sheila is my treasure. On all our walks she goes everywhere twice doubling back endlessly to check that I am keeping up. Charlotte wanders off in the opposite direction as usual.
Good morning. Our school visit was a frenzied delight. The two lambs and I had mob after mob of children coming in to the classroom to see the babies once word got around the building that there were lambs to be seen. There was absolutely no time to take photos. Even if I had wanted to there were always at least one or two kids hanging at my knees and another couple attached to my arms, tucking themselves in beside me as they all crowded in to tell me stories and pat lambs and shriek with horrified delight when they peed on the floor ( yes Eha!) and ooed and smiled when they drank with such gusto from their bottles, and lay their little children’s hands on little lamby hooves and scratched their heads and nibbled at their woolly backs with their fingertips.
Children adore baby animals. And the lambs sniffed and tasted the children, the teachers, the tables and chairs. We kept the visit short so as not to exhaust the two week old lambs, and left with promises to bring in the chickens when this years crop comes in.
The storm that was causing such a stir amongst the locals has not eventuated. How we all long for a decent drop of snow. Maybe there will be something later in the day. But so far we only have a little ice on the ground.
Milking time.
Have a lovely day.
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
74 responses to “So lucky that my work is what I love to do the most!”
with all the ups and downs, ins and outs, isn’t it absolutely lovely to know you are where you are meant to be doing what you love. Life is a grand adventure indeed.
Morning C, have a lovely day too.
🙂 Mandy xo
Lovely to see the piggy gallop – I was always surprised how FAST they are on such little legs!
Christine
Totally agree that your life’s work should be what you love and it will not feel like work. So few are so fortunate.
I cannot believe the lack of snow in your landscape. We got another six inches overnight to add to the four that fell yesterday, adding to the snow already on the ground. I would gladly bus some your way, although we, too, need the snow for moisture.
I think you are getting a drought breaker amount, that is so good for your spring.. I do wish it was us but it will come one way or the other, fingers crossed it is this year.. c
What a delightful day and appreciation of your life! Like you everything is iced over here in Southern Ontario even the snow, which can make walking dangerous. But the day is crisp and there is sun in the sky. Celi, when you express your joy at your life it enriches my day and my life also!
Snow supposedly on it’s way here tonight/tomorrow. Then a warm up (YES). Although we have been lucky with hardly any snow (Bedford VA), it has been so cold and I am way behind in doing/planting. My chickens are ready for a warm up too.
Love your blog and although my farm consists of 2 dogs, 3 cats and 8 chickens I love my work planting veggies and trying to be self-sufficient as possible. Wish I could run a farm like yours!
what you are doing is wonderful Lyn, you can get piles of food out of a little plot! I wish everyone could do what you are doing! c
Ha ha – I think grown ups adore baby animals too 😉
Vivinfrance said it for me this morning; no matter how I feel when I start to read your posts, I feel better (enriched, even when the posts are sad) for having read! Your posts are usually my first read in the morning. I so admire your gift for finding joy, even when things don’t go exactly as they should. What a gift, to take the lambs to school! (Running in my head: “Celi had a little lamb, little lamb, little lamb . . .” Sorry! Couldn’t resist.) Have a wonderful day.
I know, and that little blue murphy follows me everywhere.. My second name is Mary!! c
You’ve learned quickly – everyone run around before the weather is bad (some human moms might think about that one, too – giggles)
Thanks for taking the lambs to school – can you imagine what the dinner table conversations were about that night?
Such a great series of shots, dancing farm animals. I bet those kids yesterday loved the lambs. What a treat for them. Heck! I would have enjoyed the visit. I hope things have changed a bit and you’ve gotten some of this white stuff. We’ve got about an inch, so far, but the worst part of the storm is still a couple hours away.
I’m sending magic thoughts your way for a drought breaker of a snow storm…I would wish for a wet spring but that would not work…ground needs to be dry to work and plant in. So for a short time…LOTS OF WET SNOW to just dump on you and the surrounding area…enough to break the drought!
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com
I think your magic thoughts have arrived.. it is SNOWING!!! c
Happy, happy farmy critters!
at last I have found the comments box! I scrolled down for ages and ages!
The fact that you love your work is so apparent. Anyone who stays up all night to care for sick or pregnant animals and then gets up at 4am to milk a cow but indeed be an angel in disguise. I think that you are superb! Then you go to the school and have children to your farmy…there are no words that can describe my admiration for the love and the work that you do with your animals.
Not only that ..you also write an absolutely fantastic blog! Wonder Woman in the flesh!!!
Wonder Woman in disguise! You really are a fantastic person and not only that you are a gifted writer
Wonderful photos of your happy dancing critters. I’m sure the children cannot wait for your next visit with more animals. Hope you get some of the snow after all.