Last year, as I turned my focus from being a sixth grade teacher to being a shepherd and fiber farming, I began  setting into motion what will come to fruition today: a flock of sheep.

Last night, as I made the end of the day rounds at twilight, I paused by the big barn with its indoor silo lit up as it usually is by this time of the evening, and took measure of what lies ahead: a new adventure, a learning process, a time of nurturing a whole new menagerie of farm life.  Bowie, our Livestock Guardian dog, arrived on Saturday.  Thelma and Louis, our barn cats, arrived on Sunday.  And today brings the arrival of four lambs from Foster Sheep Farm.

I have not had much time to sit down and write anything worthwhile on this blog for a while, but I think it’s important to start doing so.  After all, it’s not every day that brings such a dramatic shift in one’s life.  I’ve been thinking sheep for so long that I can’t remember exactly when my thoughts turned in this direction, but…here we go, the shepherding life begins.

For some reason, I thought of my beloved sixth graders this morning.  Specifically, the way in which I (metaphorically) shepherded them through their year with me, and then did what I could to continue that work in the years after.  My teaching life, my shepherding life – they are connected in so many lovely ways.  The sun is just beginning to rise here, it looks to be a beautiful day in which to begin a new life journey.