This Week on the Homestead

So how many of you have had their fingers just itching to get into the dirt with this January thaw?  

I know I have!  I did not give in to it, but instead have been gathering eggs to incubate.

Hatching eggs is a bit more rewarding when starting this early in the season compared to planting.  I have learned that from experience and have had a greenhouse over run with so many plants that
I didn’t have room for them all. 

Our first hatch will be some beautiful Lavender Orpington eggs and hopefully some French Blue Copper Maran eggs.  If you aren’t sure what types of chickens these are, be sure to look them up. 

It is a long story of how we got into all of the different varieties.  Our daughter absolutely loves chickens.  We had several run of the mill birds for laying eggs, but she would pour over the pages of the egg catalogs, studying every breed she could find.  One day my husband gave her an assignment.  She was to list ten different rare breeds that were popular and the reasons for why they were popular.  Most of the reasons listed were for hardiness and a high demand for hatching eggs and chicks.  She worked very hard researching her list and spoke to many professional chicken people before composing her list.  Then my husband told her to chose her favorite top three breeds.  She chose the Rumpless Araucanas, the Lavender Orpingtons and the Barnevelders. 

It has been quite a long year with learning how to raise them, but we are finally at the point of hatching out our own eggs.  Through all of this learning period, I found a few breeds of my own that I absolutely had to have thanks to some new “chicken” friends (I won’t mention any names, but you know who you are).  My favorite breeds are the French Black Copper Marans and the French Blue Copper Marans.  My most recent little flock are called Icelandics.  They are the most interesting to me and very rare. 

We aren’t able to hatch a whole bunch at once until we acquire another incubator, but I am saving up for it!  Probably a good thing or the chicken house would be overrun with chicks a long time before spring!

Once we get the eggs all set for hatching, I may not be able to resist starting some seeds. 

The steadiness of the seasons is comforting, especially at this valley in our families life.  

My father, the patriarch of my maiden family, is slipping away into glory.  

I cannot say enough about all of the wonderful caregivers that have helped us through this journey.  We have been blessed with a physician that is an incredible testament to his profession.  We have brought my father home to spend his last days in comfort.  

The physician himself has visited often and each time kneels beside my father’s bed and with tears in his eyes, he prays.  He has been my parents physician for several decades and during that time became a treasured friend.  I share this part of our journey with you for those who have walked this path and for those who are walking it now.  May the Lord bless you with His peace and comfort.  For without it, this journey is unimaginable.  I treasure these sacred moments with my father, but I will meet him again one day and he will be watching for me.

Life is a blessing.  I see God’s hand each day during this time and in everything, even as small as hatching out little chicks.  I thank Him for the rhythm of life, the steadiness of the seasons and am grateful when I am able to slow down enough to notice the small details of what makes life glorious.  Our life is but a vapor, a wisp in time.  

Because of those sacred moments, I will forever have etched deep in my mind and senses the gaze of my father looking deeply into my eyes and hearing him say the words "you are a wonderful daughter" and the warmth of his hand cradling my cheek as I wept while saying good-bye....yes, he will be watching for me.