A Storm to Remember

Mia brought the precious cargo safely to the farm last night where hugs and kisses and more hugs and kisses were exchanged. A fierce summer storm had hampered their progress from Buffalo and followed them all the way to the farm. We had scarcely brought the luggage inside when the sky turned black. I realized we had better get the flock in, as Mia had warned of thunder and lightning on the way. We stashed Hannah and Luke in the apt. and ran up the hill with the Finn and Knut who I had let off their lines. I hate for them to be tied under a big tree during a lightning storm - and they hate it too. It was every dog for himself. The sheep split when they saw us coming with one group taking off for the top of the hill and the other running down the gully past the apple orchard and the back field. Captain Mia (field hockey champ) ran up the hill and I took the lower group. Hard rain came in sheets. Got my group back up the gully with Knut staying close to my side, and around the pen and into the barnyard. The sheep take me much more seriously when I have the White Boys with me. Chris the llama and my aged Baby Thunder ran for the big barn doors, which are held shut all winter by a long thick wooden brace on the inside. Luke and Hannah came running out to watch the excitement and I shooed us all back inside. But where was Mia??? Here she comes, running down the hill soaking wet, surrounded by dogs with panicked sheep in front of her. You don't want to be in the middle of a wide open field with giant white streaks of lightning slicing across the sky. Whole flocks have been electrocuted by standing in the open, or even hiding under a tree in a field. I called to her to come help us get the big doors open. We climbed up into the hay mow and together lifted the brace from the brackets. It took some doing but we pulled the doors open to expose the view of the hill. Baby Thunder and Chris came inside and joined us to watch the show. We sat on the pile of hay bales and took it all in, the driving rain, the black sky with streaks of lighting and a thunderous accompaniment. So dramatic, and so lovely to be soaking wet and safe inside the big old barn. Mia and I squeezed the little ones on our laps and watched Baby Thunder munch on the hay. Knut was still sticking close but Finn had run off somewhere. Chris stood in the doorway, wondering if he should go back out, then decided not to. Smart llama! Some silly goats preferred to stand in the rain rather than join us inside, but with the lightning coming down I was not about to run out pull them inside. I offered them safe refuge and it was up to them to take it. We said hello to the hen who is nesting deep in the pile of bales. Hannah and Luke are fascinated with all the chickens nesting on eggs around the barn. Some are in the chicken room and some are very creative about finding places around the barn. I even have a hen nesting on top of the rabbit cage! I can see the eggs underneath her through the rabbit wire! We watched the storm journey past our little valley in Brookfield, then went inside to make Hannah's favorite meal, spaghetti and meatballs! Every once in a while I felt little arms around my waist giving me a squeeze - what heaven!