Thought for the day - September 24, 2000

Subject: Thought for the day - September 24, 2000
From: katlaughing
Date: 23 Sep 00 - 11:58 PM

Excerpt from the ranch book I mentioned in yesterday's TFTD thread:

The sun barely blushed the horizon, the meadowlarks tuning up when I heard a soft snuffle near my ear. Thinking the soft touch was a cat I reached up to give a soothing pat, when I felt a faint brush of air pass my face. Knowing it was time to wake up anyway, I propped open a sleepy eye and saw a horse's head coming through our bedroom window.

Fleet, the patriarch of the prairie, well at least our patch of it, was standing there, impatiently demanding his breakfast of rolled oats, corn, and molasses. If we were going to sleep with an open, unscreened window, letting cats go in and out, then we'd better not keep a horse from making his presence known in much the same manner! I could just see the wheels turning in his clever head, imagine him slinging first one foreleg, then the other, over the windowsill, heaving his awesome sixteen-hand bulk through the too small window. I am sure he would gladly have joined us on the waterbed if only there'd been a way. As it was he had no problem in getting our attention. Even if I'd wanted to roll over and sleep some more I couldn't have with those flashing white teeth hanging over my head.

By then the other household creatures were astir and equally vocal about their need for sustenance. Wrinkles (our dog) tap-tapping his tail, quietly letting me know he was ready and on duty; the cats declaring their mock-starvation in strident strains of yesterday's refrains; the ducks and geese muttering and outright screeching their opinion of late-opening cafeterias; the cockatiel and finch busily greeting the sun with happy, lilting whistles.

What a wonderful way to wake up. I loved it. It was my heaven; a barren patch of dry dusty prairie atop a hill of sagebrush, cacti, and scrub grass swept clean of lingering winter. A strong affirmation of the eternity of life; the cycle which turns round and round from one spiral to the next; a continuity of ever-changing, ever-lasting life without end.

©1996 K. LaFrance All Rights Reserved

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - September 24, 2000
From: tar_heel
Date: 24 Sep 00 - 12:07 AM

duh!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - September 24, 2000
From: Little Neophyte
Date: 24 Sep 00 - 09:25 AM

So kat, think you will ever write a novel?
Or how about publishing a book of short stories?
Or short stories on cassette?
You have some good talent there.
Bonnie

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - September 24, 2000
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 24 Sep 00 - 09:29 AM

Beautiful, Kat. Thanks again!

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - September 24, 2000
From: Naemanson
Date: 24 Sep 00 - 10:59 AM

Lovely excerpt. I'll check the other thread for the author and title.

When I was in high school we engineered a similar experience for Dad. One of the horses had foaled about a month earlier and the girls lead the little colt, Brandy, in to the room where Dad was sleeping. He was attracted to the strange sounds emanating from dear old Dad and went to investigate. Dad awoke to find himself eye to nose with a very curious and out of place horse-let. Fortunately there were no "accidents" to clean up.

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - September 24, 2000
From: katlaughing
Date: 24 Sep 00 - 11:08 AM

Haha, Naemanson, that's a good one. The piece is my own and the book is not yet finished. That is about the umpteenth rewrite and still has a ways to go, I think.

We did bring Fleet into the house, one time. We'd had a horribly wet spring snow and he got soaked to the bone. Our long front hall had a concrete floor, so we brought him in to dry out. Had to move all of my plants, though, as he was right in front of their huge windows and had already tried pruning them earlier in the year. We came out to the sliding glass doors in the kitchen one day to find him stretching his neck in as far as it would go, with my four foot hibiscus tree dangling form his mouth! He was a character!

LilNeo, I am working on it, darlin'....thanks. You, too, Animaterra.

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - September 24, 2000
From: Giac
Date: 24 Sep 00 - 11:18 AM

Fine work, kat, I look forward to the next installment.

While recovering from a mishap in my teens, my pinto horse, Apache, would come up the stone steps and onto the porch, where we consoled each other through the bedroom screen door. A few days after he accomplished that, my mother woke me up early and said, "There is a horse in my kitchen, would you like to explain that?" Apache had opened the other screen door, then nuzzled the door knob on the wooden door until he was inside. He repeated the feat a few times after that, until my mom finally banned him from the yard unless I was with him.

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - September 24, 2000
From: Metchosin
Date: 24 Sep 00 - 03:34 PM

Thanks for sharing that kat! For me too, there is nothing like the daily tending of livestock to connect one to the cycle of seasons and affirm the eternity of life.

On the other hand, I could do without the piles of pooh they generate, even though the time with fork in hand, does provide some opportunity for contemplation.

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - September 24, 2000
From: tar_heel
Date: 24 Sep 00 - 04:47 PM

i have wonderful thoughts for the day..but a horse sticking his head in my bed room window...aint one of them!

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - September 24, 2000
From: Amos
Date: 24 Sep 00 - 05:02 PM

Kat,

The good news is you have all the wrting power of Farley Mowat, a writer of similar ilk whom i admire most deeply for his simple, frank and powerful presentation of deep beauty in the world.

The bad news is you are taking too long, lass.

Get that copy out into the world!!!

G'wan!

Love ya,

A.

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - September 24, 2000
From: katlaughing
Date: 24 Sep 00 - 05:44 PM

Ah, Jaysus, Amos, I love Mowat's stuff, donchya know you'd just charm ma' heart with that kind and generous opinion?! I am working on it..:-)T'anks!

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - September 24, 2000
From: JenEllen
Date: 24 Sep 00 - 08:11 PM

LOL! D'aMoose is right, get that out in print!! Mostly so I can pass it along to the Mister....other folks DO live like this!! *bg*

~Elle