Found on the windowsill at school. Clearly ready for mama to come home with lunch.
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Merging the flocks
In our second year of this chicken thing, I feel like we have much of it down. Not perfect, but feeling pretty competent.
New this year, however, is the merging of the flocks. We need to introduce the new chickens, who have been residing in the house, to the old chickens, who have staked the entire farm out as their domain.
We’ve been letting them all share the outdoors off and on during the day. Mostly the older girls act like high school seniors, who are clearly way too cool to talk to the freshman. But every now and then, they seem to share the same space.
I’m admittedly nervous about their first night in the coop together, and am contemplating ridiculous thoughts, like running a baby monitor out there, so I can intercede if there are any scuffles.
Is that weird? Someone please tell me that’s not weird.
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Hike
Our school has a fitness program each spring, encouraging students to run and walk as much as they can in three weeks. They find sponsors, and each mile raises money for the local food pantry.
I’m always amazed how enthusiastic the kids get, taking every opportunity to clock in a few more miles, like this school-led three mile nature hike. They muscled through, despite the huge amount of rain we’ve had.
All that mud? Nothing an hour splashing in the creek can’t fix.
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Miracleround
Today we met some friends at the zoo. On the way in, the Youngest eyed the merry-go-round. We were in a bit of a hurry, so we sailed right past.
But on the way out we stopped.
I realized she had been on a merry-go-round once, but not a time that she could remember.
When she got off, she declared it the most amazing experience ever. She smiled, “I can’t wait until the next time I get to ride the Miracleround!”
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Field Trip
When I was young, each year our school made a trip to an outdoor education center an hour and a half north.
We stayed for three days and two nights. Our days were filled with endless hikes and animal encounters. Our evenings were spent in bunk beds, giggling ourselves to sleep.
It was in this place that I discovered the pine forest. It was a forest that was older than I could fathom, with trees as tall as buildings. The counselor had us all lie on our backs, eyes pointed toward the sky. There we remained, in silence, for what seemed like an eternity. It was the moment in my life where I discovered that, for me, peace and calm comes from simply taking a moment to reflect on the humbling majesty of what simply lay at my feet. I just had to remember to stop, look up, and breathe.
Today I returned to that same place, with my oldest and her friends. I smiled as I watched their nervous eyes peek through the windows.
Welcome.
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