2020 Hindsight

Just over a year ago, I started the new year by renewing my determination to keep a blog again. I wrote:

Facebook took a toll on my writing...along with a variety of distractions and general busy-ness in daily life. Now, in 2020, I hope to get back to less Facebook, more blogging.

Since my last posts, here are some of the significant changes, as well as continuities, at Pinwheel Farm.

Border Collie transition: Sookie left a couple years ago, and I adopted Daisy in spring of 2019. Daisy is a bundle of anxieties, erratic in her ability to pay attention and learn. On the other hand, she is sweet, gentle, and friendly with everyone, and she is VERY interested in sheep. Unfortunately, I can't do much herding training until she decides it's in her best interest to listen and learn. She's about 4 years old.

Livestock Guardian: Many years ago, I tried out a semi-retired Great Pyrenees, who turned out to not be a good fit for the farm. Then we had a llama, Freckleface, who was amazing. After his demise, I tried another llama who was aggressive with the sheep. Generally, we've done alright without a livestock guardian, but this spring I had the chance to see some great Great Pyrenees at work with a friend's flock that was scattered by the tornado, and then had a chance to purchase an LGD puppy from working parents on a friend's farm. Thus Luna became part of the farm...a small white bundle of fuzz at 8 weeks old, now a rangy 8 month old weighing over 70 lbs., with her back nearly at table top height when in the house. Daisy's most important contribution to the farm so far has been exercising and socializing this energetic puppy...a task that would have overwhelmed me if I had to do it myself.

Elder care: I have been traveling more and more to Manhattan, KS, to aid my parents as they "age in place." They are in good health and energetic for their advanced years, so a lot of what I do is groundskeeping and facilities maintenance on their 20 acres in the Flint Hills....

And then...I got distracted and never finished the post. I would have been busy preparing for my annual trip to Phillipsburg, KS, to the Shepherd's Mill to teach natural dye workshops at their annual fiber festival in early February, and to deliver fleeces. And J. moved to Lawrence to apprentice at the farm. And suddenly there was a pandemic, and everything changed.

So, it's January, and I'm going to try again.

J. is gone. Luna is gone. Daisy the Border Collie is gone, and Briar the Border Collie is on duty. I did not do Farmer's Market. Chickens happened, and continue. A year of solitude on the farm interspersed with trips to Manhattan has, in retrospect, been good for me, personally, and for the farm in practical ways, if not financially.