Sun Come Through

Winter is a strange time for a pumpkin farmer. You spend months eating nothing but unsold squash, and hours brainstorming with your spouse about yet another decorative use for gourd shells (maracas? bolt bins? cocktail shakers?). The holidays are such a sprint to finish things that you get used to the long days, the pace, the stress. Sitting at home feels like and earned reward.

But then January comes. The pumpkin patches are dormant, and Christmas' brilliant white snow has begun gathering dust, waiting for a warm day to become mud. There are still plenty of chores to do but the urgency is gone.  In the always-fading daylight, they just feel like...chores.

Then today came! The sun was out with a vengeance! Luke the Labrador, he's like a puppy again! We went out and restrung the broken wire in the fence, that's been staring at me through the kitchen window. On the way back to the shed, I grabbed him by the scruff and we wrestled like kids. Snow was getting down the scruff of MY neck! But I didn't mind a bit.

Luke seemed, almost relieved. If I'm telling the truth, he's been waiting for a day like today. It's me that hasn't been "alive". As the vines go dormant, I guess so do I. But he reminded me that that kind of winter is all in my head; the world is always there ready to be wrestled. I think I even caught Tara watching from that kitchen window. My "wrestling" for the day may not be finished.

Wish me luck!
-David