We are in the season of betwixt and between. Because swimming is over, we unofficially declare it fall. However, our summer seems to have one final BBQ in it. While the angle of light is autumnal, the heat of the sun remains warm on some days. When that is not the case, the wind blows…
Author: Melissa Perley
Bounty
Driving down our dirt road I am beginning to see the first signs of leaves turning. At first one puts it down to only the weakened maples beginning to change, but then I started noticing tinges of orange and yellow dotting entire hillsides. At home and on the farm it is the busy season. We…
What Does It Take?
My summer teaching schedule is lighter… by design. Summers in VT are short. We burn off the morning chill with our wood stove in the early days of June and will begin lighting small, poplar fires in the late days of August. That kind of short. We know that our warm days are limited so…
Musicians Farming Sheep: The Harvest
In Vermont, although it is only early August, we are way past the halfway point of summer. We have been experiencing heat and humidity that makes this the one time of the year that we run a fan in our bedroom at night. Despite the sweat on Paul’s brow and desperation in his eyes, I…
The Need to Rest
The week before any vacation is hell. Even when I am really excited about what we have planned, which I normally am, the week before we leave is chaos. This year we were returning to the farmhouse on the lake that we rent every year, only this year our entire extended family was joining us….
Musicians Farming Sheep: Moving Forward
In early April we brought home Muir, our herding trainee Border Collie pup. We were back to being up late at night, up early in the mornings and clapping like fools at any tiny bit of urine done outside. In late April all of our sheep got their spring haircuts. Everybody raced back into the…
In Person: Over a Year Later
Summer has arrived in Vermont and with it a less cautious approach to Covid. In following the Governor’s guidelines, I kept restrictions in place and held the studio virtual through two weeks of spring recitals. Once notes from the last piece faded, I sent out my summer sign up schedule including the news that lessons…
Bach Shock
Sitting here writing, the wood stove beside me silent, resting after a long winter’s work. Outside I’m watching the new, tender, green leaves tremble under a steady spring rain. I’ve just come back from an aborted run with two out of my three dogs. Bronte lies curled on the stone floor next to the bathtub:…
Musicians Farming Sheep: Naked & Afraid
Tuesday morning, late April, we wake up early: I should say earlier because we are already waking up early to the melodic cries of Muir each morning. We have a laundry list of chores to complete before Mary, our shearer, arrives at 8:00. I carry out a bag of blueberry muffins that I’ve made the…
Musicians Farming Sheep: Muir
If you use working dogs on your farm you have to realize that, at some point, the dog(s) that are working will, like all of us, slow down, break down and wear out. A lot of working-dog owners will begin looking for their next herder when the older dog is about three. Our border collie,…
Only One Way to Speak
My father died Saturday. I find myself beginning to write, “passed on” and then stopping. At first I think it is because it is easier for me to hear, rather than the word “died,” but in thinking about it more, I believe people use that phrase because it is easier for others to hear. One…
Musicians Farming Sheep: March-ing
I’m driving past the pond on my way home and watching the icy wind lift swirls of snow into the air. They skitter across the frozen surface of the water, lift and dance like mini-tornados. creating white-outs as they blow across the road in front of my car. To me, they are the embodiment of…
Days Like This
Each Saturday we make an effort to get a change in scenery. Because we spend so much time at home, we try to find a different place to be outdoors and hike or snowshoe in the company of our very happy dogs. This past weekend we headed up to the Champlain Valley. The temp was…