Yes, I know. It's Cold

At least these two seem well-prepared

It's been a long, long time since I tried rehearsing a play in January. It can be done here on the farm but it's not easy, and you have to have actors with some very steely resolve. Not that anyone would be able to get up the driveway right now anyways - even the four wheel drive isn't enough to tackle the drifts. 

And it's also a busy time at the day job (annual maintenance) and on the farm - January is kidding season for us, and while things got off to slow start today was another day of multiple births, with many more definitely coming in the hours and days ahead. Apologies for the lack of pictures - there just hasn't been time. 

But even with no rehearsals, lousy weather, long days at the top of a ladder and long nights in the barn I still have room in my thoughts for the summer, and getting ready for the shows that we're planning to do. It's something to think about after I'm tired of pushing through all the struggle, something to look forward to when the weather breaks and the light begins to return. 

I think we all need something like that - something to balance things out, the darkness with the light, the setbacks with the victories, the cold with the warmth. We need both, and having one helps us appreciate the other, or at least tolerate it a bit more pragmatically - rehearsing in sweltering heat requires (almost) as much steely resolve from actors as rehearsing in the freezing cold, and enduring hardships makes us savour the wins, however modest, that much more. 

So yes, I know. It's cold. And that makes for a lousy blog post. But that's all it makes for. It doesn't define, it doesn't defeat, it doesn't destroy. Not completely. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go and check on some baby goats.