An unintended break, but a break nonetheless. Not so much because I consciously felt a need for time away, but perhaps because in the wake of a contentious election and the subsequent oversharing by everyone else, I needed some quiet time to draw inward, to listen and read and absorb. And wait. Wait and see.

And then I went out of town for work, a whirlwind trip that thrust me back into a different world from the one in which I live day to day. I wore heels and pearls and lipstick, and funnily enough, still felt very much myself, if a bit out of practice. It’s a strange dichotomy.

I was, once again, very glad to get home and back into my mama uniform of yoga pants and flannel shirts. We’re prepping for wintry weather here, as things have taken a chilly turn the past several days. The trees are all bare now, and we had our first dusting of snow over the weekend. I stepped outside this evening to visit the chickens, tucking those beloved yoga pants into my boots without socks, and didn’t bother with gloves – a decision I quickly regretted. It is time to make hats and mittens our standard attire. Even Stubby is wearing his sweater to go outside now.

Big Barred Rock and Buttercup
Buttercup, Big, Pinky and Cinderella

Speaking of chickens, we have three new girls – Marigold, Daisy and Daffodil. I believe Marigold is a Golden Comet, and the other two are Barred Rocks, though in naming them, Swee was not clear who was who, so we’ve simply been referring to them as Big and Little. We purchased them from a family who was selling off their little flock, and its estimated that they’re about 2 years old. It’s unclear yet if they’re laying, though I think at least one of them is. Our original three girls lay medium brown eggs, and we’ve begun getting a pale cream colored egg every now and again that I’m assuming is from one of the newbies. With the shorter days, we’re down to 1 or 2 eggs per day; yesterday, we didn’t get any. They’re sweet chickens, and don’t mind being picked up unlike our first three. I’ll have to track down Little and Marigold tomorrow for photos – they were hiding in the coop tonight, scared by the lawnmower.

Dottie on his final day

The whole coop is much calmer with Dottie gone. He was a handsome fellow, but I am glad we don’t have to worry about him any longer. The girls are excited to see me in the morning now, and I haven’t witnessed any scuffles in the run. I made them a pan of nice warm oatmeal this afternoon with strawberry tops and crusts from several peanut butter sandwiches mixed in. They loved it.

J tidied up the yard and shed this weekend, putting away the furniture and toys and wading pool. I brought my thyme and geraniums into the laundry room, but have to figure out what to do with my pot of strawberries and my chives. It looks so empty outside now, the gardens bare and the leaves all gone.

How are you preparing for the coming cold?