Afternoon chores

nearly every afternoon A will walk down to the lower field to feed the pigs with me, and then we make our "loop" of feeding the animals and tending to the fire. i enjoy this time with her, as well as the chance to be outside. both Dave and i would like both of the little girls to find pleasure and satisfaction in the daily routine of country life, and in a job well done.

we have a nice variety of wildlife on our 7 acres. we don't always get to see the woodland creatures, but on this snowy day we were able to observe some of their comings and goings.

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squirrel

cat
possum intersecting with rabbit
resident two year old

next we head back up around the house, and stop off at the chicken tractor to gather the eggs. we have 8 Buff Orpington chickens; 1 rooster and 7 hens. we are getting about 5-6 eggs a day, which is remarkable, considering how cold it has been! (when it is very cold, we collect the eggs twice a day.)

A has a little pail that she carries along, and uses that to put the eggs in. that increases the chances of the eggs actually making it safely into the house! i have noticed that while A enjoys gathering the eggs, she's not too interested in eating them! other than french toast, i can't get her to eat eggs.

the chicken tractor is on part of the garden. last fall we planted a cover crop of winter rye, and it's nice and green. just what Dudley the bunny likes! we pick a nice handful of grass for the bunny, and stop to visit with him for a moment.

we've almost completed our circle now, and just need to feed the outdoor wood furnace. i feed it more often in the daytime, but the boiler will hold a nice fire all night long.

now we're done, and after putting the eggs in the fridge, A is ready for her nap, and I'm ready for a cup of coffee and a quiet moment. or as A likes to say, "a little bit of peace and be quiet."