Farm Life Panama Aug 10, 2024

 Last night we had good friends come over for dinner. After the day's demands, it was a respite to just sit and savor a good meal with a good bottle of wine and talk. That was the plan, anyways.

It has been rainy, it has been cool so I returned to my Jewish roots and made comfort food...a pot roast slow cooked with small potatos and root vegetable tossed in the slow cooker. By 5P, the wonderful smell of my grandma's recipe wafted through the house and was the exact ambience I wanted for my friend's dinner experience.
They arrived with salad in hand and a Malbec from the Mendoza region of Argentina...the location of a five day horse ride I was to take with other friends about five years back but decided, instead, to go on a cruise where I met Gary. But, I digress...
The wine uncorked, the salad eaten, and now the steaming pot roast served. My phone bings...our farm worker is attending to an emergency with his dad, could I feed the horses tonight? Well, sure...that can wait until after our dinner is finished.
As I make coffee and set the table for dessert, my phone rings...well, actually was barking at me...a custom ring tone recorded from our pack...a husky mix, a lab mix and a Jack Russell who has learned how to howl from her big brother. Our resident equine vet is calling.
On our farm is a contraption called a 'stock'. It is a small rectangle made from several metal bars used to quiet and control horses and farm animals for the ease and safety of the person attending to the animal. Where this stock was built is on the side of the tack house but we did not install an outside light there. The original design was for that space to be used for other purpose... in daylight. Note to self...add another outdoor light!
For the attendance of a visiting pregnant mare, light was needed. It was now 7P and inky darkness cloaked the farm. The landscape lighting was not enough. So an ATV was positioned to utilize the bright headlights but after three minutes the battery died. That was when my phone barked.
There is something to be said about age, experience and wisdom...and the Girl Scout Motto 'be prepared'! I invited our guests to follow me outside with a headlamp and hand-held floodlight in hand. Problem solved.
I dispensed a quick kiss and pat to our newest farm resident, their 2 month old daughter, happy in her bouncy chair set amidst sacks of grain, horse blankets and saddles in the tack room. She smiled.
All was good for the night

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