A New Favorite Spot

I love to be surprised. It's a good and glorious reminder to never think you know it all or can plan it all or can be prepared for it all...whatever it all might be. Well, we got such a great surprise last month when some friends invited us here. Yes. I had checked out the website for directions and had low(er) expectations, but we. were. surprised. And it was beautiful. To start, it was an intoxicating-air day... sparkling clear, blue, and earlier in the morning when we headed out. We took a turn down a road we'd never been on and arrived to the almost empty parking lot of a pretty non-descript farm property. I almost felt like I was trespassing because it was so homey. Our sweet friends arrived and we ventured off with all manner of glee and anticipation. We fed the placid goats and dodged cow tongues and talked to the noisy rooster. I breathed deep and (later told a friend) how sometimes I feel as if I've missed out on some very important part of existence because I lack the experience of working a farm. Maybe so.

 

But then, we were surprised again. As we wandered into the barn, warmed with slanting sun and creatures alive, we came across a young farmer sitting in a stall with 8 baby pot-bellied pigs. We smiled and he smiled and the children clamored to see and then after a few minutes he simply said, "They can come in." And so they did. For the next 20 minutes. No one was in a hurry. No one wanted it to end...well, the farmer never actually expressed that, but he seemed entirely at peace with 4 little girls and 8 piglets getting acquainted that morning in a dusty glow. I, as I often do, had to hold back tears at the beauty of it all. My girls were so enamored and so delighted and the pigs were just the wiggliest, most curious, cuddly, darling little beings. What sweet fun.

 

And then we got homemade ice-cream. At 11am-ish. And the warmth and contentment from such a happy time colored our next days brighter. Joy.