I keep saying that Gus is not a herding dog, but I’m starting to think he thinks he is a herding dog. Today, he went right up to the flock and the sheep halted. Susie, up front challenged Gus by putting her head down, a warning that she might butt him.
Gus responded by digging in, glowering at Susie and holding his ground. The sheep, completely flummoxed about Gus and still trying to figure out what he is, just stood until Gus moved away, and then they went on with their grazing.
Gus does not have ego problems. He didn’t even have to bark, he just gave them his own version of the eye.
The Open House is just two weeks ago, and there won’t be another until next October. We are going in style this year, upping the game a bit. There will be wonderful, creative affordable art, shepherding, belly dancing, poetry readings, talks and donkey cuddling. Gus and Fate And Red will be working with the sheep together, each in their own idiosyncratic way.
Admission is free, no dogs please, the donkeys don’t like it.
Voluntary $5 donations to defray costs are welcome. We’ll have a porta-potty but can’t offer any other personal services, there are plenty down the road in town, along with good food. Children under supervision are welcome, please discourage your sons to not chase after the chickens, it can easily kill them.
We aim to have a great time, this is our chance to share our lives with the people who make them possible. This year, the RISSE refugee singers are coming to sing, some Mansion residents are coming in a van, artists Suzie Fatzinger and Susan Smith will be demonstrating and talking about weaving, our sheep will be shorn.
I’ll talk a bit and Mary Kellogg and Jackie Thorne will be reading their poetry. Maria’s belly dancing group will dance from the rear porch. Maria will be selling her own quite wonderful art along with the work of more than a half-dozen gifted local artists. Come on if you can, I’ll be taking photos for you if you can’t.
The Open House will be held on October 7-8 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Details on Maria’s blog.
Good morning from Gus, and here at Bedlam Farm we wish you a peaceful and fulfilling day. Gus begins his day on top of Fanny and Lulu and he took his first ride on a donkeys’ back this morning, Lulu took him for a stroll around the barn. Gus is pretty unflappable up there.
I woke up thinking about how we can stay grounded and hopeful in a time of conflict and misunderstanding, there is so much bad news and the good news is not considered news at all. Yesterday, I was writing about Nazi’s, today about staying positive and living lives fully. An interesting world.
When I was in hospice work with Izzy and Lenore, a social worker taught me about the idea of “putting it in a cup.” In hospice work, I was confronted with imminent death. Almost everyone I came to know and lived died, usually soon after I met them.
In our country right now, it was difficult to stay grounded, we seem to lurch from one ugly conflict to another, it sometimes seems as if we are being torn apart. I usually try to avoid the news, but sometimes it comes right through our many devices and dares us to hide.
The social worker told me to “put it in a cup.” To imagine myself with my own cup – I chose blue enamel – and whenever anyone tried to pass their anger or fear or sorrows onto me, I just conjured up my cup and put it in there. I learned to do that with grief and death as well.
It wasn’t as if I didn’t feel it, it was, instead, that I taught myself not to take it into my consciousness. This takes a bit of work, but every hospice nurse knows it quite well. Our country can be a daily trauma sometimes, the loss of community, common values, and peace of mind.
It is wearing and disturbing. My cup keeps me grounded, as does Maria, my blog, my photography, my friends, and lately and most especially, the Army Of Good. Whenever I get angry or frustrated or fearful, I ask myself what good can we do today, how can we fill the hole sin people’s lives, how can we feel good about what we do, rather than worry about what others are doing.
In this way, I not only survived this year, it has enriched and fulfilled me. Every time I see Gus on a donkey, take a walk with Maria, help someone at the Mansion, ease the journey of a refugee into America, herd some sheep, post a photo, walk a dog, listen to music, write a book, write something people think about, I am living my life, staying grounded, putting the daily outpouring of argument and grievance into my Blue Cup.
When someone sends me a pointlessly nasty message, i put it in the cup. When a politician says something hateful or stupid, it goes right into the cup.
We all have our own methods of keeping our feet on the ground, but I pass the Cup idea along, in case it is helpful to anyone. These are not simple times to be an American, or a caring person, I am thinking of you. The Army Of Good is my salvation, I hope it does the same for you.
Gus will do his part by sitting on a donkey most mornings at Bedlam Farm. Those who can’t smile at that may already be lost.
If the angry world bothers you, put it in the cup.
