Piercing the Storm

A woman, a goat and a wheelbarrow.

Piercing the Storm

The winding road toward Soldier Canyon in Stockton, where it meets Alex Baker Memorial Park, delivers a magnificent valley and mountain view, in almost every direction.  And, on this July day, it was magnificent as well as a little terrifying.  In just moments, the sight shifted from the beauty of cloud-filtered-sunshine to dark, ominous clouds, punctuated by strobing streaks of lightening, gusting wind and driving rain.  It was enough to coax even the hardiest toward shelter.

Thank goodness for the safety and comfort of a car!  Rain pelted the windows.  Vibrations from the blustering wind rocked the car and the once, seemingly endless vista shrank in dramatic fashion.  All these signs suggested a retreat.

In this case retreat meant a departure from the exposed area and a drive back down the hill toward Utah Highway 36 through a quaint rural neighborhood.  A neighborhood with homes often sidled alongside barns and corrals dotted with horses, cows and goats.  On this squall enhanced drive, through blowing rain, most resident animals were scarce, as they hid within the protection offered them.  It was seemingly the common choice during this storm.  Yet, it was not the choice for all.

Just ahead on the left was a woman, a goat and a wheelbarrow headed toward making the consensus decision.  She, the woman, held the handles of the wheelbarrow, one in each hand.  She walked forward, pulling the trolley, filled with hay, behind her.  This part of the sight didn’t bring a smile to my face, as it was not unusual.  But, a smile was about to spread across my face, as soon as my eyes drifted a little more to the left.

I saw two legs, covered in hair and tipped with hooves, supposedly positioned to push the wheelbarrow forward, as if helping the woman.  I had to look a little harder through the rain covered window when I was the sight!  Further inspection revealed the head, neck and front legs, of the goat, firmly inside the wheelbarrow, as the hind legs propelled the yearning creature onward, toward the transient food.

“Sometimes dinner can’t wait!”  I laughed to myself as I continued my drive.

The winding road away from Soldier Canyon in Stockton, where it meets Alex Baker Memorial Park, delivered more than a magnificent valley and mountain view, in almost every direction.  On this July day, it was magnificent, a little terrifying, and quite humorous.  In just moments, the sight shifted from the beauty of cloud filtered sunshine to dark, ominous clouds, punctuated by strobing streaks of lightening, gusting wind, driving rain, a woman, a goat and a wheelbarrow. 

It was enough to coax even the hardiest toward laughter.  And, it was enough to make me realize that even when storm clouds threaten and the world seems to be in complete commotion, we can all receive a retreat of joy, delivered from a simple, unexpected source.