And They're Coming Around, He's in the Lead!

We attended a big state fair recently and the children watched a race- a horse race. It wasn't with riders on the backs but it was with carts and they were fascinated. We watched them practice and began to see who was connected and close to their horse and enjoying the animal/human connection and who was driving the horse like a beast.
The look on their faces, their stance in the rig and just the energy around each horse and driver said so much. And my eldest daughter turned as the announcer ran through the fast talking description of the racers when they set off and said, "I don't get it- are they auctioning them?" I laughed realizing that he sounded quite a lot like an auctioneer and explained that no- he was the announcer and it was a race so he had to speak quickly. With all the seniors around dressed up a bit, I wondered what this looked like 50 years ago- 80 years ago. You could taste the nostalgia in the air and it made my skin prick with anticipation.

Then we visited the barns where we watched the care and connection put into the 4H dairy cattle show. It was wonderful. Again that connection between humans and animals and how much connection we can have- or not- as the case may be. I fell in love with a cow there- I really did- a smoky grey Brown Swiss who was a few months old at most and sweet as frosting on a cake. I wanted to load her into the minivan and take her home. But I didn't.
There was also the horse pull which we could only tolerate for about 30 seconds before we had to walk away feeling slightly ill. I have been around horses for a good chunk of my adolescence and the treatment the horses received by the man in the ring made my stomach roll. My son walked away and said it was awful and the girls were upset at seeing the struggle and hard work the horses put in while the man behind them cursed and yelled and hit them with the end of the reins.

Thank goodness that cattle show helped renew our faith in the human-animal connection as we watched the boys and girls bring their calves and cows around and around while the judge worked hard to make a decision.
This event only drilled home even more the need for our own barn and some 4H animals- a real homestead. So I drew up a plan and submitted my application for the pole barn we want to build in the Spring-- and brought it to Town Hall. I attended the city planning board meeting in case they had questions and waited to see what they would decide- they teased me a bit in the neighborly good-natured way they have in this wonderful place and then- BAM- they approved it with big grins.

We are on the way.

Suddenly, I find myself wondering what animals souls will find their way to us- what will their names be and what personalities they will have?-- the ducks, the chickens, the geese- the goats and, possibly, a pig. Who knows? I can only hope and dream and manifest and cuddle my kids in close.