Dear Farm Journal,

At times when the critical questions of life overwhelm our emotions and overtake our thoughts, we have to divert our attention to the miniature moments in our day that make us smile. As I walked across the farmstead, I saw an injured monarch butterfly in our driveway. I lowered my finger to the gravel and she climbed aboard. I whisked her away to a nearby milkweed patch, built her a tiny hut of milkweed leaves and stocked her up with a pile of purple clover. I know she won’t make it long, but this setup is much preferred to dying in the driveway. While I was taking down the trellising twine from the tomatoes, Balio somehow got majorly tangled up. His paws, tail, and snout were wrapped up in a tangled mess, and instead of getting frustrated, I couldn’t help but grin at his silly antics and gently disentangle him. Sometimes our furry friends know just what to do to cheer us up. Later, as I shared a beer with Papa Rich and Mother Mary, I spotted some miniature farm animals and invited them to the party for a drink. Remembering how to play can be a form of resilience, and it sure beats losing your shit on everyone.

~Joy