Well, the auction is now behind us. It's amazing that when you realize that although it was in the planning for more than a year and a half, how very, very quickly the day came and went.
It was strange...I have really done so little of the 'work' of farming in the past few years, leaving that to my better half. But it seems like only yesterday I was the one out there! Chasing the cattle, needling the calves, marketing the end product! Wow....that seemed like another Lynda...the 'cow boss' ! Strange to watch that old life lined up and said good-bye to.
I think one of the hardest parts for me was the dismantling of the cattle handling system! Oh I fought hard to get that! To get away from the shabby, dangerous head-gate and rough planked shoot that led to it! Looking back over the years, I still wonder how it was that none of us were killed...or at least seriously maimed fighting with frightened animals to ensure they had the treatment or medication that they needed to remain healthy and strong. On our best year, I was finally given the okay to pick out a system that would work better for us, and ensure that both the animals and the staff could work in an environment that had less stress and danger. It was a wonderful day! And although I didn't think too much about the upcoming auction, and the life we were saying goodbye to, when I saw that system being dismantled and carried up to the auction grounds, I realized that we really were moving on. There was a definite pang of sadness that went along with that reality.
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| Auction day Early morning lineup.... |
One piece at a time, the possessions and tools of our old life went up on the block, and the bidders decided their value. It was strange, and different, as a price was put on the treasures of our past. But, in a matter of hours it was over. The sale finished, the past released.
We had made a conscious decision that it was time to move forward. Age and health made continuing the farming lifestyle we'd come to know and enjoy both difficult, and sometimes dangerous. And....so much has changed for us in the past few years. So piece by piece the equipment was lined up to say goodbye to. Machinery that had been purchased, tractors that had been inherited, and the memories that went with them.
It was time to move on, to branch out, to take the leap of faith that when we let this part of our history go, that there would be something new waiting in the wings. Not necessarily something better, but something equally as good and different from what we've known. The final call of 'sold' sealed the deal for us. There was no going back...
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| Now Selling..Going once, Going twice.... |
I kept myself, and many of my good friends very busy throughout the day, as we decided to do the lunch at the auction ourselves. Thank goodness for the support of friends and family, and some very wonderful neighbors from the Lavenham community! We decided that any proceeds for the day would go to the
Sunshine Dreams for Kids Foundation It's a cause near and dear to my heart, after the joy it brought to Shane's life in 2004. I decided that having a worthy cause to focus on for the day would take some of the nervousness out of the equation, and give me a chance to connect with most people at the auction one way or another. It turned out to be great ...busy, but great...and collectively we managed to raise over $1300 for the cause through our efforts. Hopefully our hard work will result in another child coming closer to having their dream come true, and life long memories created because of it!
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www.sunshine.ca
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So there we have it...feels like the end of an era on one hand, but feels like a world of infinite possibilities on the other. All in all we were happy with the day, not really knowing what to expect, but still glad that it's behind us now. Its a lot of work, a lot of worry, and a roller coaster of emotions, but as with all other things in life, we were surrounded by people that wanted to help any way they could, and ensure that we felt supported throughout the day, in every way. We are truly so lucky.
At the end of the day, I headed back up over the hill towards the house, exhausted and feeling a little lost. As I crested the hill, the sunset caught my eye, and I had to make a pit stop at my thinking benches to watch it set. I captured the picture below, and was reminded once more, that I have so much to be grateful for, and a world of beauty and memories to be thankful for. And the rest will figure itself out if I give it time and space to do so. There is an open book in front of me, which is the next steps of my life...I can't wait to write on those pages of all the possibilities that await!
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Sunset view from the Escarpment at the end of the day
Till next time,
Lynda
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