Babies, etc.

Late August graced us with rain and cooler temperatures, and lifted our spirits. The grass is green again and we can imagine the cow herd will make it through ok. Fall is sneaking in. We were surprised to see frost on the grass two days ago. Luckily it only scared the cucumbers, a reprieve for now.

There’s a richness to late summer when all the plants are ripening, seeds are filling, and the haze of late summer fills the sky with smoke from faraway fires and dust from grain threshing. The garden is bearing full-on of course. Colorful beets and carrots, cucumbers galore, buttery cabbage and giant zinnias in hot pink and orange. I planted purple potatoes this spring and they’re such fun to pull out of the soil!

We got our second grandchild about a month ago. I spent a few luxurious days with her and her mom relishing the magical space a newborn occupies. It’s true that when you accompany death or birth one glimpses the transcendent. Something otherworldly manifests itself and we are awestruck.

Her name is Freya Rain. Freya is a Norse name for the goddess of beauty and fertility. Such a lofty title for such a tiny girl.

There’s a bit of a pause right now on the ranch. The streams Mark has been tending all summer are waning. The cattle are still in the mountains. The hay is in the stackyard. We’ve been harvesting grass-fed beef animals and there’s only a few left on the ranch.

I had Emma, the other granddaughter, one day and was not being successful trying to make her happy. She’s five months old and doesn’t think Grandma measures up to Mom at all. Mark came inside for a minute and took her from me and sat with her out on the deck. Outdoors always helps with Emma. She fussed for a bit, but was soon examining his rough hands and trying to maneuver his fingers into her mouth. I watched them for a while through the glass door. He whispered to me that she was happy as long as he didn’t talk to her and kept her facing forward. His calm fed her calm.

Oh, if this time of year could just stretch out - way out - like a lazy cat in the sunshine. And let us catch our breath from a hectic summer and allow us to soak up these bittersweet, pungent days of September.