U Is For...

Up...and its counterpoint, down.  One of my favorite lines from a great movie, "Lion In Winter," comes after a particularly violent quarrel and Katharine Hepburn says, "What family doesn't have its ups and downs?"  I am so fortunate to be spared the emotional sturm und drang in my family that I sometimes observe in others, but that doesn't mean life at Farview is without its Ups and downs.  The hike back Up the hill from the barn always seems steeper and longer than the walk down.  The mercury rises and falls (lately just rising).  Most trees are standing Upright, thankfully, but I've had my share of those dropping this year.  It's an exaggeration, but it seems I get Up from my chair a hundred times a day to open the door for my little Inagin-Outagin Flanagans.  The weeds come Up; I cut 'em down.  Not unique to Farview, the price of everything just goes Up.  It surprised me the first time I saw the hackles go Up on the neck of a testy goat...I didn't know they had any.  Egg production in the Silkie pen is Up, but down in the big hen house.  (I think the heat has sent the big girls on strike.)  Yesterday I sold two dozen of the half-size Silkie eggs for the price of a dozen of the regular...only seemed fair.  Today my sense of anticipation is Up.  My friend is coming down from Seattle for four days.  I'd better hurry Up and get some chores done so I can enjoy some down time with her.