Season of Discontent
I feel restless in the summertime. Traffic and hot weather conspire against my serenity, setting my teeth on edge and souring my mood. And it seems summer is longer than ever, starting in May and ending well into October or even November. I can’t remember a Halloween when I wasn’t sweating.
No, I have never been a summertime gal, I prefer the quiet and cool of off-season anywhere. So when Chad suggested a quick run to Hummingbird this past week, I was trepidatious. It is not unusual for June temps to soar into triple digits up at the ranch, but the forecast looked promising and we went for it. By the time we hit the central valley it was 94 - gulp. When we arrived at the ranch, however, it was a comfortable 72, with a cool breeze rolling up the coastal pass.
The trees are still leafed out, creating punctuated lushness against the dried out grasses of the hillsides; and the daisy clumps are chest-high, hiding spring’s new fauna in their thickets. The trails on the ranch are crunchy with burrs so Charley and I are relegated to the dirt road for our walks. Rabbits, squirrels, and birds dart back and forth across our path making walks with the dog an exercise in restraint more than leisure - his prey drive is strong, he would throw us over for a gopher in a hot minute.
The wild turkeys have three new babies to show off, all of them scurrying across the road in a single file and dispersing into the wilds of the meadow. The longhorn have been down in the meadow too, munching thistle stalks and touching noses with the new black cows next door.
It seems that if I can manage the timing and temperature equation correctly, I can spend summer months at the ranch, which is a great thing. However, it does make me excited to create infrastructure to make things more comfortable, ie: house with AC and a pool. Sigh.
I am an unabashed dreamer. I enjoy imagining what could be. I also believe that contentment and desire for more are not mutually exclusive. Both things can coexist. I can relax in the shade of the pepper tree and sketch out my dream barn, whilst also being supremely happy with the status quo…at least for now.
