We got home just as the sun was setting last night. It was the first time I left my chickens all alone and was anxious to make sure everyone was okay. It's not always easy to find someone to 'chicken sit' during the holidays, but I knew the cold weather was going to break, so I didn't have to worry about frozen water buckets in the morning. I stocked them up good with a huge head of lettuce, seed, plenty of water and food, and a nice clean coop the morning before we left to go north for Christmas. I knew they would be fine, but it was still nice to come home. And what a welcoming we had! We arrived to the sound of the coyotes howling off in the distance, the sky was gorgeous shades of pink, orange, blue and purple, and three eggs were waiting in the nest boxes! I was overjoyed! We haven't seen a 'real' egg since Thanksgiving!

One more week of relaxation and then back to the grind. How time flies when you want it to go slow. I think I will force myself to take this week and catch up on some of my crafting. I should be getting a spinning wheel sometime this week, and I can't wait to spin on it! Though I've sure developed some mad drop spindle skills! Perhaps I'll get around to posting some pictures of my creations this week as well. Until then, goodnight from the farm.

Who wouldn't want to pick up a chicken?

Good morning from the farm! Another cold day, but not nearly as cold as it was last week. The chickens seem to be adjusting well to the colder weather. Of course, no eggs since Thanksgiving, but I realize that is to be expected. In fact, some of my chickens are still molting. Pumpkin, for instance, looks like death warmed over. I'm glad someone warned me beforehand that they can look this bad or I would have been quite worried. She is after all my best egg layer. I love the chickens in the morning, though! They are so fun to watch pop out of the coop when I first open it up. Moses, my large red rooster, is always the first out. But I think my favorite to watch hop around are my three silikies with their little 'pantaloon' rumps!

Christmas present for a friend.....

Invisible Ice

It's been pretty cold this past week. Not the "freeze your nose hairs" kind of cold, but close! I don't mind the winter so much, it's a time that reminds us to rest, just as nature rests. I do wish, however, that if it has to be cold, there needs to be snow to accompany it. Perhaps it's just me, but it seems colder without the snow; like the snow acts like a little (or sometimes not so little) blanket of insulation. Not to mention it's just darn pretty! Here's another reason why I like snow: Snow you can see.....ice is invisible! This I so ungracefully found as I stepped out my door this morning with a 2 1/2 gallon bucket of water (for the chickens) and BAM! I didn't even realize what was happening until I was flying through the air, feet out in front of me! OUCH! Like I said folks, ice is invisible! Snow you can see!

Soaking wet, but refusing to go back inside to change, I refilled the bucket from the well and headed out to the coop. As always, my 12 chickens were not-so-patiently waiting for me to arrive and give them their freedom. These birds never cease to amaze me! It doesn't matter how cold wet or windy it is, they want out!

The new hens have finally settled in nicely. I was worried about my little black silkie for awhile. When I got her she acted like she had no idea how to be a chicken. Everyone picked on her something fierce and she wouldn't leave the coop. Sometimes I would even find her hiding in a the corner between the feed and water buckets. Poor little girl. Today is a new day though, and she comes popping out of that coop just as confident as any chicken could be, heading out to pasture to forage with the rest of them. Above is a picture of my new little Delilah.

Full Moon at Dusk

If there's one thing I'm always amazed to see each month, it's the full moon! The way the farmhouse sits just on top of a hill overlooking the hills below creates the most perfect stage for the the moon as it rises up in the sky. I can't help but imagine what it must be like to stand on the moon and watch the earth rise in all her blue glory.

Everything is calm an quite now that the sun has set. The chickens are roosting in their coop, the pup's been fed and so have I. Though I've still got some work to finish up this evening, I think I'll just watch for a few more minutes. Dusk is my favorite time of the day...