Home Bound

During the rush of the short summer months, I envisioned myself enjoying this sleepy reflective period by knitting beside the woodstove, while watching my youngest daughter engaged in imaginary play.  Any sedentary and reclusive routine is welcome, this time of year.  My growing belly is ripe with our third child, a spring surprise pregnancy, slowing daily activity and jeopardizing barn chores.  Carrying warm water up the hill twice a day, climbing fences and wrestling hungry pregnant goats is exhausting.  They seem as perturbed by their predicament as I am mine.  We commiserate by exchanging hormonally charged insults.  I'll go first, thankfully, about four weeks before kidding season begins.  While looking ahead to a full farm and market season with a baby in tow, for now I am content to patiently wait for my labor to begin.