Through the past couple years of drought the landscape feels as though it may have shrunk a little, become more bare bones and essential. The bare nakedness is made more stark on account of it being harvest time and all the neighbouring fields are now laid bare to bake in the dry heat. Save for the stint of winter season whites the landscape has been very similar in tone these past couple years - dry and brown. The green of spring has been so brief it might just be canceled out should we head into another dry year.
Even the wildness of the place feels less than usual; I haven’t seen skunk or rabbit or badger or snake in a long time and the bird song is light and infrequent. I suspect the animals are moving toward areas where there is water.
There is a minimalist feeling to it; not bad, not particularly good either, just a flat knowing that this is where it’s at. On the prairie Mother Nature is taking a foray into less vibrant color and chaos.
And in terms of life lived out here, well, life has gone along with the shift of mother nature. The work of looking after sheep and dogs is minimal because there are fewer of them, or maybe I’ve just simplified the work to the point of bare essentials, I’m not sure. I do know I’ve become more direct about what to do, and then making time to get that specific task done. And I’ve changed what I expect my self to get done, and that makes life feel minimal in a healthy way. The big jobs that take days upon days to complete will happen in due time and they are no longer a frequent occurrence like they used to be.
Many smaller habits of living have also become very minimal without me noticing they were heading that way. Far fewer trips to the city, shopping only for what I need, using the library again. It is my recent photographs and the strong pull toward neutral tones in recent felted artwork that caused me to notice this undercurrent of minimalism occurring in my life.
I like the minimal - it goes with the less vibrant, less chaotic, introvert I know lives within. This undercurrent will pass on though; when Mother Nature moves on from this drought and into vibrancy again I’ll feel that pull too. And life will bring its opportunities and slips that toss me into excitement and chaos. Nonetheless I find myself feeling comforted by being in this space now and in knowing this minimalist approach will serve me down the road.