The westward winds send the walnut leaves dancing melodically through the air, smoke billows from our cottage chimney in the early morning hours as the cozy heat motivates us to stay in bed just a while longer, and the sunlight wanes low in the southern sky giving a softened hue to our beautiful surroundings as we button up the garden with the final plantings of winter cover crops. Fall is here, and with that we say goodbye to the furtive growth of previous months both within us and in the garden, as well to our tenure here on the farm.
Its been roughly six months since we arrived here looking forward to the wonderful experience, opportunity and challenge in front of us. We came here with very little familiarity in the art of cultivation. We leave here with a firm understanding, capacity and undying love for growing food. Obviously this is but one facet of the many things we have fallen in love with through our time here...the daily communion with the nurturing land we lived upon, the perfectly evolved, egoless animal friends who made us smile nearly every day, as well as the wonderful connections, laughs, fights, tears and all other moments of growth with the good folks around us. It has been nothing less than a complete experience...and what more could one ask for.
Needless to say, this past six months has been an accelerated full immersion learning process not only in the realm of our relationships with the land, but also too for our relationship together. Spending nearly each and every moment together, living together, working together, playing together has challenged every fiber of our connecting thread...and I'm so happy to say it has only strengthened it. I think life handed us a daunting test...and we passed...adding armor and will to the roads ahead...furthering our love and friendship into ever deepening layers.
And we look ahead with only one step revealing itself at any given time. How we often wish we could clear the fog above and see the entirety of the staircase...but what an utterly easy and growthless bore that would be. We understand and honor fully the great process of things, giving time and experience to accrue the necessary tools to continue forth more brightly than before to the next step.
So to all who have been a part of this wonderful journey with us, who have followed our story, and who have given love and support...we thank you with all our hearts. You are all such an integral part of this masterpiece of life. Shine on.
Love Tony & Shanna
P.S. We will continue posting blogs of our trip to Mexico and onward.
