Starry skies

At 2:40 AM, I had to pee.

Usually I'd be annoyed that my bladder woke me up yet again from a good dream, but not this morning. As I   staggered towards the washroom, and got done mumbling things under my breath when my toe caught a box of books that had been moved, I saw what I'd been hoping all night to see.

The stars were out. I ran outside onto the porch, and in the darkness looked up at a bright, bright sky. It was calm outside, warm at almost 40 degrees F and the wind had for the most part died down. I held my breath and starred up at the sky. 

Then I saw it - the streaks of light dashing across the sky, and falling straight down. It looked like all the shooting stars I've ever wanted to see in my life, came all at once. 

I was grateful. I wished I wasn't so tired because I wanted to watch more, but my eyes kept closing even with my excitement. It was when I was preparing myself to come back inside the house I heard it... Snap...pause...snap....pause...snap...

It could only be one thing. I sighed. Obviously I could not go back to sleep and just leave the problem to continue throughout the night. Somewhere on the line, something was touching the electric fence and it was snapping. I put a jacket over my robe and trudged up to the barn. As soon as I hit the gate, everyone woke up from their sleep, excited, wondering what was going on. 

Max and Flavious led me to the barn safely, each dogs back comes up to my waist and they walk on either side of me with my hands on their backs... I turned on the lights and unplugged the electric fence. I was not going to mess with it at 3 AM and walk fence lines looking for trouble with a flashlight, it could wait.... and once unplugged everything would be safe till daylight.

All the goats woke up just assuming we were starting the day super early today. I told them all I loved them and to go back to sleep. I waited for them to quiet down with just the last frustrated baa out of Brina because she wanted a cookie.

I turned off the lights and closed the door to walk back outside into the starlit barnyard with the dogs and Izzie the cow. We all watched the sky for more meteors and I just took in the fact that I was standing outside in my barnyard at 3 AM on the 14th of December in a robe that fell above my knees. I had pulled on my light fall plaid jacket over top of it, and that was all. 

Once I got home, sleep came back pretty easily. I lied in bed listening to one of the Prairie dogs squeaking for a while...When they dream, they talk in their sleep. They have a couple different noises that come out and it's ridiculously adorable. I try to imagine, what does a Prairie dog dream about? Who is she arguing with or what is she saying? 

This morning I quickly found out what was wrong with my fence...

Just that simple branch on the line causing all the trouble.

Then I saw the news about the School in Connecticut. All I can say is, I felt the same way I'm sure everyone else felt. It was heartbreaking. All I could do was turn off the television, I do not want to watch the constant barrage of news we have in today's world. I said a prayer for all the families grieving, and I went straight back outside to be with my animals. To just be close with them, and hug them.









They remind me of the good in the world and ground me.

Kevin and I spent some time in the bush checking our trail cameras and we've had one coyote (sometimes with friend) passing our camera every single night, sometimes in the morning, sometimes in the afternoon...





I swear he must be looking for Barnaby because when he cries, it sounds like someone being strangled... You know those rabbit distress calls you can buy for hunting? Barnaby sounds just like one of those.

As it got later in the afternoon, the sun went away and it got damp outside...



That's when I came inside to focus my attention on cooking a big pot of bolognese sauce and some homemade pasta... nothing makes you feel better than kneading pasta dough... well, other than kissing a goat.



I hope you are all safe and warm tonight and the animals and people you love are too.

P.S. The 19th is getting close... I've been trying to decide whether or not I should give you all a clue on what little big thing is going to happen that day...