Ordinary Time

It was cold today. Cold enough I broke out my snow pants and extra long wool scarf. But really, it didn't feel too much different appropriately bundled than the times we have been in the single digits this winter.  The animals are doing fine. As predicted, the sheep appeared to be completely unbothered. Our new hens, the ones who were chicks in June and and are now full grown, are buff brahmas. We chose them because they are supposed to be particularly cold hardy. I guess they are because while all the other chickens didn't mention so much as a beak out the door, the five new hens were out and about as if it were thirty degrees warmer.  We still have running water in the barn. It feels almost miraculous. Both I. and I have a brief moment every time we use the hydrant where we wonder if this is the time the hydrant freezes. Trust me that we don't take running water for granted. It was cold enough last night that L. opted not to stargaze with her telescope despite Jupiter, Sa...

I realized this morning that it was ten years ago today that J., P., R., Y., and myself took a terrifying car ride to Hong Kong from Guangzhou, boarded a plane, and flew home to begin life with our two new daughters. Like so many things I both can't believe it's been ten years already and surely it's been more than ten years all at the same time. Time is funny. Consequently, I've been thinking a bit about those three weeks we spent in China adopting R. and Y. Ignorance is bliss, isn't it? It's a good thing we cannot know the future. I had no idea of the challenges that awaited us while we tried to figure out what was going on with R. and her seizures. It was... a journey.  And while there were some very hard moments, these two girls are worth it. We love them both to pieces and are overwhelming grateful that we get to be their parents.  If you missed the details of our adoption trip, click the 'Adoption' tab up there on the top and scroll down the page t...

I'm currently reading (among other things) What Sheep Think About the Weather: how to listen to what animals are trying to say by Amelia Thomas. I'm enjoying it, but the bit I read today made me laugh out loud and I have now read it to every person in the house who has crossed my path. And now dear reader, I shall share it with you. We absolutely cannot pass up things that give us a moment of joy.  This comes as part of a bigger discussion regarding training and if some animals enjoy it, especially the question of whether they would prefer to get food for having done something or just have that food available.  "Researchers investigated further and found that mice, birds, primates, wolves, gerbils, horses, and pigeons all chose will-work-for-food over the free buffet option.  The only species that didn't?  Cats.  To no one's surprise, ever." (p. 200) And you can't have a post about cats without cat pictures. Apollo Apollo Nefertiti Basil Juniper

I have a few projects that I have begun which I realize are all going to become much bigger things. I didn't necessarily plan it this way.  The first is the project I just got started on my floor loom. I decided that I wanted to teach myself the structure of doubleweave. This is a cool structure where you can weave two layers of fabric at a time. They can be completely separate, attached along one side so that it opens into a piece of fabric twice as wide, or sewn into a tube connected on both sides. I just haven't been able to wrap my head around how it works, but I knew if I just followed the directions and did it, it would start to make sense. So that is what I did. I have a three yard warp on the loom to learn doubleweave.  Today I finished dressing the loom and could start weaving. I have two separate layers of cloth! And I was correct that it now makes sense. At least this variation does.  Do you see the green layer of fabric underneath and the white layer on top?...

Can you stand one more post about me musing on my general adjustment to tolerating winter? Clearly I find the subject somewhat fascinating based on how often I mention it. This time it isn't just about weather, though.  I mentioned on Monday after my weekend away that I was exhausted. It was a full weekend of pretty constant people-ing and I assumed that was the root of my fatigue. I'm sure it was part of it, but my physical fatigue was significant. The first morning back to caring for the horses and cleaning the barn felt really hard. So hard, in fact, that I felt the need to break it up into two sessions. The next day, it still felt really hard, though I was able to complete the job all in one go. By Wednesday, I felt back to my regular endurance and nothing about it felt hard.  I sat a lot during my weekend away working on various projects of one kind or another. Certainly I sat more than I usually do. But even then, there were other times I was standing, to use a suspended...