Ain't Much an Old Contrary Goddess Like Me Can't Hack

Life on the farm is so much like life. In and out, up and down, round and round. There is great and aggravating side by side: The great day of the clay; the aggravating day of contrary cow; all the same day.

The great thing was having found this pure grey vein of clay early in the spring in our front creek, I had something I had need & desire to make with it, so went down and got several pounds of it.

The aggravating thing was the cow not at the milking stand when I went out. It is the third day this has happened, but not in a row. The electric isn’t on the fence, but that isn’t unusual -- except for the goats they usually all stay in there anyway. And the goats don’t care if the electric IS on, they go where they want to when they want to and we eat any who get in the habit of wandering too far. So anyway, I took of down the shortcut through the woods to the garden, orchard, front pastures. And sure enough, I begin to hear her bell. And I just hope she is not in the corn.

She wasn’t, just grazing in the orchard, but she wouldn’t drive back up the road, at least not at first, but she bucked and ran and balked and took detours. I tried to patiently drive her but sometimes found myself sprinting to try to keep her out of something specific, like the road. I thought, me and a balky cow in the middle of the road at going to school time, not good. And eventually she came up just as if nothing was odd at all.

I went inside and had my coffee before I went back to milk, damn her. Sprinting before coffee is not exactly my idea of a good beginning to the day. Still, it was pretty funny. And no harm done.

The great thing was how very nice the clay turned out on first milling (by hand). And there were a lot of other darn good things, like a nice chicken bone stock I made into a soup with tomato sandwiches for supper, the shop actually cutting wood today, a visit with a neighbor, that I actually washed a couple of windows.

Anyway, we go on singing here:

Well life on the farm is kinda laid back
Ain’t much an old contrary goddess like me can’t hack
It’s early to rise, early in the sack
Thank God I’m a contrary goddess

Well a simple kinda life never did me no harm
A raisin’ me a family and workin’ on a farm
My days are all filled with an easy country charm
Thank God I’m a contrary goddess

When the work’s all done and the sun’s settin’ low
I pull out my ‘tar and get ready to go
The kids aren’t asleep, no need to keep it low
Thank God I’m a contrary goddess

I’d delete my blog at you if I could
But the lord & the husband wouldn’t take it very good
So I blog when I can, work when I should
Thank God I’m a contrary goddess

Well I wouldn’t trade my life for diamonds and jewels
I never was one of them money hungry fools
I rather think my ‘tar and draft horses are cool
Thank God I’m a contrary goddess

Yeah, city folk are eatin’ take-out Taco Bell
A lotta sad people thinkin’ that’s a mighty swell
Son, let me tell ya now exactly where I dwell
Thank God I’m a contrary goddess

Well, my ’tar was my uncle’s till the day that he died
And he took me by the hand, held me close to his side
Said, “live a good life and play my ’tar with pride
And thank God you’re a contrary goddess”

My uncle taught me young how to hunt and how to whittle
Taught me how to work and hum a tune with his fiddle
Taught me how to love and how to give just a little
Thank God I’m a contrary goddess

Well I got me a husband and I got me a ‘tar
When the sun’s comin’ up I got cakes on the fire
Life ain’t nothin’ but a funny funny koan
Thank God I’m a contrary goddess