December 15, 2008 – Honey, Ruth and Murray left the farm Sunday for another farm, where they will  do therapy work and participate in 4-H programs and visit with emotionally disturbed children. I was sad to see then go. They are bright, curious and have great personalities, and they made a lot of people smile.
  They were also loud, destructive and restless. They were not really for me. I have decided in recent weeks I need and want a quieter, more peaceful place, not because I can’t handle it, but because I want to center down and focus more on my work, friendships and personal life and photography. Not all animals are for everyone. I am getting closer to my original notion of the farm, circling back to it – animals that I can know well, space to write. The circle turns, and then keeps turning.
  The weather this week has reminded me why it is best to have  fewer, rather than more animals. And I have quite a few left. I am rethinking the farm. I am taking it back. I became distracted by my own success, and forgot to focus on the things that matter to me – people, the dogs, an environment to create. I am getting it back. That it also reflects what I think will ultimately be a positive sea change for the country is also true of me and my own life. Considered change is essential to living my life. Impulsive change is not.