She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy
I haven’t been blogging much these last couple of months. Even though I’d like to write about the migratory birds, the orchard, and the honey harvest, we’ve been too busy this spring. Most days I feel overwhelmed with springtime chores and worry I am not going to get everything done.
In an interview with Jesse Thorn on Bullseye, musician and singer/songwriter Neko Case talked about living on a farm in Vermont. When host, Jesse asked her, “Are you comfortable with the kind of like quiet and relative loneliness of living on a farm?” Neko responded, “Oh yeah, I love it. Farms are not quiet, peaceful places at all.”
She went on to mention the constant maintenance and the emergencies that pop up. But she also said living on a farm is exciting. That she notices the first night of fire flies and seeing Jupiter in the night sky.
I resent Jesse Thorn’s choice of words to describe farm life. Though quiet is influenced by our environment, loneliness in some sense connotes sadness and, at its core, desperation—a need for things to change, to get better. I don’t have room for loneliness living this close to the land. And I don’t think nature does either. The quail and coyotes travel in family groups. The migratory birds often show up in pairs or small flocks as they make the harsh trip together to their northern nesting grounds. There is order and dependency, the sense that we are all in this together. It’s a frenzied time of year. I feel it in my bones. I have the energy of a hummingbird right now and find it hard to sit still for any length of time. I am energized by the long days and the constant cacophony of birds.
I agree with Neko’s thoughts on farm life. She admitted that there is always something that demands attention, but she also mentioned the fireflies and clear night skies. There is harmony to country living if you learn not to push too hard. There is also joy, wonder, frustration, and even anger when a pipe breaks or the tractor doesn’t start. But loneliness? No, I haven’t experienced that.
If you find yourself in need of a break from your crazy world, check out Neko Case. While listening to her, take a mini break—a mind vacation to someplace quiet where you can spend a few moments alone. And if you are experiencing loneliness, call a friend or a family member. Believe me, they will be thrilled to hear from you.
