Back to Basics

While I love the holidays and truly love the time spent with my adorable mother, fabulous sister and scads of comical and charming cousins, I am glad to be back to routine.  For the last several weeks it has been a frenzy of packing, traveling, un-packing, more travel, hugs, kisses, goodbyes, hellos and work sprinkled in.

During the time I was away, I know the ladies were well cared for by my adoring husband.  He loves to free range the ladies as much (if not more) than I.  And while I know they were out and about on a regular basis, is was not with me.  Their routine may have not changed but mine did and I was ready to have it back.

Today, for the first time in weeks, the ladies and I had an entire afternoon to free range and I had the opportunity to really get back into routine.  The run was cleaned and raked.  The water and food cleaned and changed.  The coop scrubbed and cleaned, all with the help of Lois (the watch chicken).  Lois is the supreme supervisor when it comes to my cleaning abilities.  Rarely does a coop clean go by without Lois on the high roost keeping a watchful eye.

There is just something about walking about the yard with hens under foot, cooing and pecking and making us smile and laugh.