Prairie Post # 8, June 15, 2012

While walking in the pasture just after a rainstorm I was on my way back home when I looked up to see this elegant sky just before dusk. At first I only noticed the color of the clouds but suddenly I noticed the high moon emerging smack dab in the middle of the cloud cluster. It was breath taking, viewing it at the moment, and I wanted to share this with you. I named this shot "Margo's Moon."  You can read my reason for the name, below.

Prairie Post #8

New Prairie Woman

Susie Rosso Wolf

We've been experiencing a long hard wave of rainstorms here in Three Forks. Although the rain temporarily  put the kibosh on my garden planting goals, I must say that the hills and the valleys and our country roads are bright green in color and filled with lovely swaying grasses and many plants, trees and blooming wild flowers indigenous to Montana. The color is medicine to my eyes, eyes that were commonly spoiled by lavish color year round in Southern California. But as I mentioned in my last post, at last, I have trained my eyes to appreciate the new colors of brown and wheat and sage that sing to me in ways I never thought possible. However, the yellow and green and purple and blue of plants and flowers popping up here and there from the rainfall and sunshine that has finally broken through the clouds has drenched my eyes with rejuvenating joy. 

Last week the rain quit after several days on non-stop pounding. I waited a few hours and hoped that the sun that emerged earlier in the day had done its job and dried the soggy soil enough for the dogs and I to take a walk. We set out in the evening and made our way up to the prayer post. Although still a bit squishy in some spots I was surprised that our walking trail was hard and clear of mud for the most part. My Muck boots aren't the most comfortable walking shoes ever made but serve a great purpose in Southwestern Montana. As I made my way up in the cold hard souls I mostly focused on the ground, not wanting to slip and fall and break my neck. Believe me when I tell you...I've come close to killing myself as I slipped in the mucky mud around here, ever grateful for my trail being so close to the fence line making it easy for me to grab hold of.

Beany & Cecil and I stood at the prayer post for a long while that night, watching the clouds merge their colors then separate into bursts of white and back to pink, purple, gray, blue and shimmering silver. Although I was completely captivated by the show taking place on the heavenly stage above, I prayed my daily prayers and meditated for a while. In my prayers that night, I focused on my dear and darling little buddy, Miss Margo, whom I miss so very much and who had not been feeling too well that day after having some minor surgery. I thought about Margo so much and prayed that her surgical site healed well and without complications. 

Through the years that we've been living here we have both made major adjustments to the lifestyle, harsh extremes and the difficulties that we have had to face on many levels. After six years of adjusting to our move we've done fairly well to melt into the pot here but the one aspect that can't be cured by time and change is missing my deep friendships, bonded ties of a lifetime that tug on my heart each and every day. My Linda, Diane, Stella, Julie, Lois, Jo (who has since passed away, God rest her soul) and my little Margo continue to own my heart and soul and that ownership makes it all the more difficult for my soul's friendship to reach out to even the thought of inviting someone new to enter the heart that beats for my friends back home...and yet..we have been so fortunate to meet many fine people here that the loyalty I feel for my California home-girls and my Oregon cohorts weeps with sorrow as we both take the long walk toward new friendships with the special folks of Three Forks that are now woven into the life and times of Kurt and the New Prairie Woman.

Noticing this emerging moon while thinking of and missing Margo, I realized how blessed I have been throughout my life to have made not one but so many deep and meaningful friendships over the course of fifty some odd years. And now once again, I'm blessed (we both are blessed) to have the opportunity to forge new deep and lasting friendships on the prairie. Margo's moon is a reminder that no matter how far away one might be from home and the people who love and care about you, the heart is a constant vessel of love that beats on and on over the course of many years and thousands of miles...

...My heart beats...

...because you are in it.............

Susie Rosso Wolf

New Prairie Woman