I don't know why but I had another restless night here at the base of Green Mountain at Golden Unicorn Farm. Perhaps some unknown nocturnal god was angry because as I tossed and turned attempting to grab a few more zzz's before I was completely awake, I saw flashes of lightning flickering through the leaves at the edge of the forest and heard a slight rumbling in the distance. Since our well is running on empty and realizing the garden was in need of a good dump of rain, I was glad to hear that the storm was rapidly approaching. When shafts of lightning soon lit the sky directly around our house and the crack of thunder was almost deafening, I leaped out of bed, wearing nothing but my undershorts, and hurried outside to uncover the rain barrels so they could be refilled with rain. The rain was coming down in torrents by that time and I had no sooner taken the lid off the rain barrel just outside the front door when a rush of water spurted from the eaves trough and into the barrel. The rain was heavy and felt warm on my body in the cool night air; a refreshing way to greet the morn.
Yesterday was hot, barely a whiff of breeze could be felt as I worked away on the barn's roof; at first worrying whether or not I had salvaged enough lumber from Glenn McLean's old barn to finish the job and then feeling a sense of relief after I passed the half way point and realizing there were still plenty of remaining boards. My shirt was soaked with sweat as it poured from my body under the hot sun. I felt as though I was melting as I chugged liters of cold water while sawing boards and pounding nails during what seemed an endless time of climbing up and down a ladder. I guess the ladder must have been a little pissed at me for climbing up and down it so often because suddenly one of the legs broke apart as I stepped on the bottom rung and a sharp piece of thin metal, which was holding it together took a little chunk of flesh out of one of my fingers. Since Sarah had some customers in her little coffee shop, I tried to ignore the blood but each time the hammer struck the head of a nail, it spurted from the wound and began dripping a little too much so I was forced to seek out a band aid. Fortunately, like many of her customers who live in close proximity to the shop who I had previously met and shook hands with, I wasn't introduced to anyone.
Dawn must be breaking across the distant ridge by now but since the sky is covered with dark clouds, it still looks like night time. A gathering of moths are assaulting the glass door to the studio in their attempts to reach the light and I have yet to hear the birds cheerfully greeting the day. The rain stopped almost as suddenly as it appeared after the storm traveled over the ridge and rumbled off into the distance. I'm hoping the day is a touch on the cool side; it'll make working on the roof a lot more pleasant, especially while applying the tar paper to its surface. I doubt very much that I will have enough time to start screwing the sheets of corrugated metal to the roof today and I'm really looking forward to getting that part done because it shouldn't take too much longer after that to get the windows and doors in place - George Probst, a good friend of mine, said he would give me a hand with that part - I seem to have a little trouble installing doors and I am worried about the windows since I've heard they can break once the frost arrives and the building settles. I didn't have a problem with the windows I put in my studio last year but then they weren't installed in a new building that's attached to the garage, so that's probably the reason.
The sumac trees just outside my studio window are now silhouetted against a pastel bluish grey sky and after the thunder and lightning storm that passed over Golden Unicorn Farm, all is very quiet. I enjoy this solitude time reflecting on my past chores and the chores still lying ahead and as odd as it may seem, winter and its lacking of busyness is something I'm already looking forward to; a chance for my body to take a break and let my mind roam freely in the world of fantasies.
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