heart.
“I won’t take charity from a widow, except for the gift of Joe to Phoebe. I’ll pay you a fair price for any livestock you decide to sell.” He watched two ewes rubbing their heads together. “What breed of sheep are these? Might as well start my education tonight.”
Hannah swallowed, feeling a strange dryness in her throat. “These are a Cheviot and Merino mixture. Most sheep are crossbreeds these days, but you can still find pure if you look hard. I’m thinking ofadding some Lincoln to my flock. I’m sure you’ve seen them—they’re heavy wool producers.”
Seth scratched his jaw as though deep in thought. “Say, there’s a livestock auction in Kidron every Thursday. How ’bout you ride over with me and make sure I pay a fair price for any I decide to buy. You could point out what I need to watch for.” His skin was already tanned from a few sunny days in the fields.
Hannah suddenly felt like running for the wooded hills. During their outing to Mount Eaton, she’d felt comfortable and composed. Now that she’d voiced the idea flying around in her head, she suddenly felt like a girl at her first Sunday night singing. “I’ll check with Julia to make sure I’m not needed here, but if she can spare me, I’d love to ride to Kidron.” She tied her ribbons in a bow before her kapp blew off in the stiff breeze.
Seth plopped his hat back on his head as Julia stepped onto the porch and began waving. “It’s settled then. If your sister can spare you for an afternoon, you can begin your sheep lessons on the ride to Kidron.” He nodded and then strode toward his daughter, who had crawled halfway through the fence rails. “Come, Phoebe, let’s get washed up for dinner. You can see that Joe is already eating his supper.” He swung the child up to his shoulder as they walked to the house.
Hannah stood watching Phoebe’s lamb for several minutes as it hungrily nursed from the ewe. Maybe her move to Ohio wasn’t such a mistake after all. Tonight after supper she would write to her parents and brother. Lately she’d been reluctant to write for fear her unhappiness would spill onto the page and cause them worry. But with Seth’s announcement and Phoebe speaking in her presence, Hannah’s spirits lifted.
If only she could smooth things out with Simon and not ruffle any more of his feathers, she just might have reason to celebrate. Hope welled in her chest as she remembered Psalms 34:4 “I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.”With that she picked up her skirts and began to run toward the house and her supper.
Seth carried Phoebe all the way inside and straight to the sink, where they washed their hands as he held her aloft.
“Something wrong with that child’s legs, Seth Miller?” Julia asked, carrying a platter of sliced meat from the stove. The rest of the family was already seated at the table.
“Her legs are so short they barely reach the ground,” he said, swinging her into the chair. Everyone laughed. Everyone except Simon, that is. Seth’s bruder drummed his fingers on the tabletop until Hannah hurried into the room. She breathed heavily, as though she’d been running.
“Sorry if I kept you all waiting,” she said over her shoulder at the sink.
“Let’s bow our heads,” Simon said tersely, barely allowing Hannah time to sit down.
Seth folded his hands and gave thanks not only for the meal but also for God’s guidance in a difficult decision. Taking on another type of livestock was no small undertaking. An investment must be made not only in animals, but in food, medication, dietary supplements, lumber to build lambing pens, and new fencing to divide his pasture. He would also need a dog trained for herding and guarding against predators. And that was only the beginning. If he were to do his own shearing, more equipment would be needed down the road. But he felt he’d made the right choice. Sheep had always appealed to him as he
“I won’t take charity from a widow, except for the gift of Joe to Phoebe. I’ll pay you a fair price for any livestock you decide to sell.” He watched two ewes rubbing their heads together. “What breed of sheep are these? Might as well start my education tonight.”
Hannah swallowed, feeling a strange dryness in her throat. “These are a Cheviot and Merino mixture. Most sheep are crossbreeds these days, but you can still find pure if you look hard. I’m thinking ofadding some Lincoln to my flock. I’m sure you’ve seen them—they’re heavy wool producers.”
Seth scratched his jaw as though deep in thought. “Say, there’s a livestock auction in Kidron every Thursday. How ’bout you ride over with me and make sure I pay a fair price for any I decide to buy. You could point out what I need to watch for.” His skin was already tanned from a few sunny days in the fields.
Hannah suddenly felt like running for the wooded hills. During their outing to Mount Eaton, she’d felt comfortable and composed. Now that she’d voiced the idea flying around in her head, she suddenly felt like a girl at her first Sunday night singing. “I’ll check with Julia to make sure I’m not needed here, but if she can spare me, I’d love to ride to Kidron.” She tied her ribbons in a bow before her kapp blew off in the stiff breeze.
Seth plopped his hat back on his head as Julia stepped onto the porch and began waving. “It’s settled then. If your sister can spare you for an afternoon, you can begin your sheep lessons on the ride to Kidron.” He nodded and then strode toward his daughter, who had crawled halfway through the fence rails. “Come, Phoebe, let’s get washed up for dinner. You can see that Joe is already eating his supper.” He swung the child up to his shoulder as they walked to the house.
Hannah stood watching Phoebe’s lamb for several minutes as it hungrily nursed from the ewe. Maybe her move to Ohio wasn’t such a mistake after all. Tonight after supper she would write to her parents and brother. Lately she’d been reluctant to write for fear her unhappiness would spill onto the page and cause them worry. But with Seth’s announcement and Phoebe speaking in her presence, Hannah’s spirits lifted.
If only she could smooth things out with Simon and not ruffle any more of his feathers, she just might have reason to celebrate. Hope welled in her chest as she remembered Psalms 34:4 “I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.”With that she picked up her skirts and began to run toward the house and her supper.
Seth carried Phoebe all the way inside and straight to the sink, where they washed their hands as he held her aloft.
“Something wrong with that child’s legs, Seth Miller?” Julia asked, carrying a platter of sliced meat from the stove. The rest of the family was already seated at the table.
“Her legs are so short they barely reach the ground,” he said, swinging her into the chair. Everyone laughed. Everyone except Simon, that is. Seth’s bruder drummed his fingers on the tabletop until Hannah hurried into the room. She breathed heavily, as though she’d been running.
“Sorry if I kept you all waiting,” she said over her shoulder at the sink.
“Let’s bow our heads,” Simon said tersely, barely allowing Hannah time to sit down.
Seth folded his hands and gave thanks not only for the meal but also for God’s guidance in a difficult decision. Taking on another type of livestock was no small undertaking. An investment must be made not only in animals, but in food, medication, dietary supplements, lumber to build lambing pens, and new fencing to divide his pasture. He would also need a dog trained for herding and guarding against predators. And that was only the beginning. If he were to do his own shearing, more equipment would be needed down the road. But he felt he’d made the right choice. Sheep had always appealed to him as he
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