Day: September 28, 2017

My own faith evolves all of the time, as I move through life.

I believe life is a gift to be used well and wisely.

And when we fail to use it wisely, we have no right to it

we surrender it to the angels:

Every day I find a joyful surprise in life and nature,

in the apples on the trees,

the pumpkins in the pasture,

the swallows in the barn,

the dogs and the sheep,

the mists on the hills,

the donkeys in their meditations,

the shadows in the forest.

Every day I wonder if human beings deserve the world they live in,

their failed history  awash in blood and hatred and cruelty.

When we abandon the poor.

When we abandon Mother Earth.

We we kill one another,

When we create a world of bitterness,

trial, greed and war.

When we abandon the animals of the world

to their fates and our avarice and blindness.

Do we really deserve the world we live in,

the earth we have been given, the cycles of life,

the wonder of the sea, the power of the seasons,

the sun and the moon

the humble snakes in the garden?

I am not important, and the human race is not important.

I am going to the woods in my heart and soul. I

take my place among the living things – the soil, the flowers, the trees,

the animals and dogs and butterflies and birds.

The trees do not kill in the name of righteousness and flag,

and bend their knees to the false Gods of hatred,

pride and domination.

It turns out, that

humans are not as important as they thought.

Already, the earth is taking itself

back from us, not because we

give it no choice,

really, if it is to live on,

and then

the animals will have a chance to live in freedom and peace again,

the rivers may flow again, the marshes grow back, the skies clear and cool,

the seas recede,

the ice will grow back.

I hope our better angels rise up and take the world back,

because it feels to me on some days,

that we have set fire to The Contract,

and broken our promises to God.

I am not important, and in this way, I rejoice.

I am free.

We take our sweet and loving donkeys for granted, we see them every day and forget sometimes how rarely other people get to see them. Jean got up out of her chair and walked stiffly and slowly down to see the donkeys, so did Peggie. Barb and WInnie couldn’t make the walk.

We gave them all some carrots to give to the donkeys and they just soaked it up. The donkeys, as always, seemed to sense what was happening, and stood patiently to get the pats and carrots. They are profoundly loving creatures.

Red put on a fine show for the Mansion residents, he went out and got the sheep and brought the right up to the gate where everyone was standing. Fate joined in, in her inimitable way. Gus was inside the gate cuddling with people, we are fortunate to have dogs that love people so much.

They peppered me with questions about the dogs and wanted to know everything about them. Standing out in the field, watching the donkeys and sheep clustered at the gate (donkeys know visitors mean carrots), I felt so grateful for my life.

I love the farm, Maria, the life of the farm, and I love having a farm that can mean so much to the people who visit it. I remind myself every day to be grateful for my life, there may come a day when I can only think of it in memory. In the meantime, every day here is a treasure

Maria offered to oversee a crafts class for Mansion people in her Schoolhouse Studio. She gave each of the residents some leaves, and they traced them on cloth with different colored pencils and markers. She’ll stitch the leaves together to make a Fall pennant to hang in the Mansion.

It lifted the heart to see how much fun Maria and Bar and Winnie and Peggie, and Jean were having at the farm, they could not get over  Red and the way he herded the sheep and Fate and the way she ran so fast and Gus who ran around the place like he owned it.

They are all animal lovers, each one, and Maria had as much fun as they did. They are well cared for at the Mansion, but they really need to get our, and your purchases of their book “Tales From The Mansion,” will make some exciting outings possible.

You can still buy their wonderful book for $10 plus shipping from Battenkill Books, they take Paypal and ship anywhere in the world. All proceeds will go to the Mansion Outing Fund (you can also contribute to the fun by sending checks to Post Office Box 205, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816, or via Paypal, [email protected].)

Please mark any donations or contributions to “The Mansion.”

The book is in its third printing. You can also call the bookstore at 518 677-2515. You can see and buy the book here.

It was a gift to have them here. If you wish to write to Bob or Peggie or Winnie or Jean or Barb, you can do so c/o The Mansion, 11 S. Union Avenue, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816.

Today’s Mansion outing was us, a trip to Bedlam Farm for those who could navigate the yard and the grass. We had five residents show up – Bob, Jean, Peggie, Barb and Winnie. They had never seen Red work before, and were stunned watching him herd the sheep, it was a side of him they had never seen.

They loved Fate, who jumped all over them and showered them with kisses, and couldn’t believe it when Gus sat up on Fanny’s back. (They were crazy about Gus.)  It was a beautiful, crisp Fall day. Then they spent an hour inside Maria’s studio making leaf drawing pennants for   a pennant she will put together for the Mansion. They are all coming back to see the Open House October 7-8, they are our honored guests.

The visit had a great feel to it, they needed some help walking up and down the slope in the back and getting in the studio. Gail, one of the activity director’s was close by to help out. During the drawing (photo coming) the talked and laughed and peppered us with questions.

They all said it was so good to get outside, to move around, to be in the fresh air, to get away from television screens and see different thing. They were all funny, joking, excited, full of stories. Outings are so important for these people, and I am excited to have $1,000 in revenues from their book “Tales Of The Mansion” to use for special occasions and outings.

We hope to have them visit us often. I’ve proposed using some of that money to pay for a catered special dinner during Thanksgiving week to celebrate Thanksgiving and the arrival of the holidays. (Decorations and favors would be welcome – The Mansion, 11 S. Union Avenue, Cambridge, N.Y.)

I hope to find a theater that could accommodate a small group, and go to Albany for the annual Christmas lights decrations.

And I hope they come to see us often, it was great fun.