Gloriously Powerless

Living in the countryside has its adventures. There is always some tree branch flying through the air or some crazy animal (usually drivers on the main road) causing a power outage up the line. The night before last the power took 18 hours to resume. We cooked scrambled eggs and toast in the frypan on the wood burner. We listened to old music saved on the iPad. We lit candles, filled hot water bottles, left the dishes for another time, and just cruised for the evening.

I’d been thinking about switching to more power tools in the workshop to save my arthritic hands a bit, but one of the reasons I started all this was to exercise them... playing with exercise putty can be so mind numbing...

When the recent outage came though I realised that electric tools weren’t really a complete alternative. There is a sweet tactile pleasure I get drilling holes by hand, cutting sheet metal with a saw, bending with hammers (I have 7), and smoothing with sand papers. It can be rhythmic and meditative and, let’s face it, I’m not in a hurry with this work.

Then last night the power was on, the hot tub was hot and we saw a lovely copper coloured (Blood) moon... and two shooting stars.

And three little birds emerged from that power-free time.. wee heat-coloured copper chicks, made with time and love. Two have sold already and the third might just stay here and hang out with us.

I have a wonderful life.

They remind me of Bob Marley’s tune...

Rise up this morning

Smiled with the rising sun

Three little birds

Pitch by my doorstep

Singing sweet songs

Of melodies pure and true

Saying

This is my message to you...

Singing don't worry about a thing

Cause every little thing gonna be all right