I wake each morning under a large window to the blooming light and the sound of Sage. As soon as Darwin walks over from his house down the road and into his office across from where we sleep, Sage makes a noise that crosses between a huff and a bark. I am either big spoon or small spoon with Kev as my beautifully warm partner. I usually get up first to pee in the bucket behind the curtain next to the stand-up shower in our little room, but I hop back into the heat of our bed as Kevan puts on his clothes and shoes to go to the real bathroom out in the cold shop. The pee bucket is my personal little place to tinkle in the night and early morning because I don’t want to make the trip to the bathroom in the dark cold.

Kevan usually makes coffee and walks the few steps to hand it to me in bed. I sip until I have the energy to finally get up and pull my overalls or dirty jeans over the long johns I have slept in.

No bra. No deodorant. No makeup.

I put on thick wool socks and slip my feet into muddy boots. Within moments, I am outside with Sage in the open air and open land, both of which carry the smell of cows.

I feel free here.