soulful pace

today was a gardening day - more soothing to my soul than any church or meditation or session with a shrink. i transplanted all the daylilies and iris i had to my front slope (someday, i will get pics on this thing, promise) and it's looking pretty nice, if i do say so myself. pup was racing around protecting me from bikers and people in the alley and other nefarious beasts. heavy labor is a great thing, in small doses, and i'm thrilled my back has decided to behave.

i got pup from my friend who has a farm. he used the pyrs for working - protecting the llamas and geese and scottish highland cattle and one pony. her dad was Thor, her mom Freya, and big beautiful animals they were. my sweet girl grew up in a barn with the pony until she was six months. human is definitely her second language, so i managed to find some books with dog language for me to learn and understand.anyway, now when she comes out to me mid-meal and *bhherrk*'s her approval of the kibble, i laugh, which only encourages her, and say, "were you raised in a barn??" it's our little joke.

farmer friend has "farmer pace", which is deliberate, un-hurried and infuriating to anyone trying to walk anywhere with him off the farm. he says that the work will still be there when he gets to it, whether he hurries or not. and he has to work all day, so pacing himself is vital.

i now have the farmer pace. lifting rocks, digging hills, loading sod bits into the trunk of my car to take to the compost site - all heavy, sweaty exhausting work, with no due date. so i take my time, walking deliberately, breathing, focusing on what the heck is next. it feels more meditative, too, more soulful and thoughtful. i think it has saved me from injury, so i'm going to keep it.

but not at work. too much to do there.