Editor’s Postcard: Who Knows Where the Time Goes?

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Farm Life is Lived in the Present

By Kim Roe

 

So come the storms of winter and then
The birds in spring again
I have no fear of time
For who knows how my love grows?
And who knows where the time goes?
– Sandy Denny

 

Photo Credit: Helen Roe

The song “Who Knows Where the Time Goes” by Sandy Denny sometimes feels like the theme song of my life. My late husband Theo and I used to have a conversation (usually around dinner time) that went something like this:

Me: “I don’t know where the time goes.”

Theo (jokingly): “How many times did you play with the dogs today?”

I love schedules. I begin every day with every hour mapped out, and I always intend to keep to it. Instead, I’m easily distracted by all that goes on around this place.

Like horses, I tend to live in the moment, reacting to what’s happening right now—the flat tire on the tractor, the knocked down fence board, the neighbor who drops by, the blue heron sitting on a fence post contemplating life, the chickadees in the bushes, the old mare that doesn’t seem quite right, the student who’s having a life-crisis, and yes…playing with the dogs. The list is endless. I know that being self-employed and living on a farm is a luxury; my time is mine, and I can waste it if I want to!

I’m learning to add more cushion in my schedule and plan better for the unexpected; Theo would be proud of me. I also try not to be too hard on myself if every day isn’t super-productive. The richness of life is found in the small moments on the farm, not in grand achievements.

As the years flow by I’m more appreciative of the time I “waste” playing with dogs, laughing with a student, or watching birds. These are the best moments—when I let time go, or as Sandy Denny puts it, when I have no fear of time. I measure my productivity more by how many times I was struck by wonder, not by how many horses I got worked or how many acres mowed.

I hope you enjoy our Barn and Farm issue this month. Relish those small, delightful moments with your horses, friends, and all the other pleasures that can be found on the farm.

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Published March 2019 Issue


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