The Reindeer Keeper

When driving by this group of sheep gathered together in one massive nap underneath a pine tree in the heat of the day, I had to stop and try to capture the moment. They all looked so comfortable curled up, side by side in the cool grass. So, I parked down the road and quietly made my way back to the sheep sprawled out in mass. But despite my thinking I was quiet, I did stir a few of them. And they, in turn, stirred a few more and soon some inquisitive sheep were watching my every move. I understood. I certainly would not enjoy a group of inquisitive sheep staring at me when napping in the daytime. I only intruded on their break in the day for a few minutes. I did not want to scare them. I did not want to make them feel so threatened that a few would jump up and hurry away from me, followed by the rest of the gang. So, I took a few photos and left, hoping those curious of me would put their heads back down and fall back to sleep. I did wonder as I walked away if they themselves ever co...

I don't think anything turns a house into a home more than a rocking chair. Just the presence of a rocking chair evokes warm feelings. A rocking chair embraces and comforts. Its rhythm soothes your soul. Its never-changing melody feels like a familiar hug every time you sit down and put your arms in place and push your feet ever so slightly. It becomes an old friend, a good friend. A rocking chair links generations. Those once the infants and rocked in the chair become the adults doing the rocking and comforting sometimes late into the night or all through the night as the wind might blow or the rain might fall or the snowpiles might grow higher or the magical moon might shine brighter. A rocking chair can tell a family story-and it's a story little ones love to hear. When I think about rocking chairs images of my grandmother in her farmhouse kitchen come to mind. Although her time during the day was limited, sometimes she was a...