Spring Chickens and a Sissy Rancher

It's been quite stormy around here.  The little cabin is especially warm and cozy on stormy days.  Jeremy and I were just talking about how much we love living in a small home, especially on stormy days.  It just feels so warm and cozy, and all I want to do is drink coffee and tea and make food and read a dozen books.

But... we have these animals out in the barns...

And we have to feed them. 

Even on stormy days.

Coat zipped on.  

Hood cinched tight.

Feet plunged into rain boots.

Lamb bottles in each hand.

Readysetgo.

1 day 

Wind slaps my face.

Dogs romp by my feet.

Lambs spot me and start to bleat for breakfast.

They drink, and then they rub against my hand for some love.

I pull out some grass for them to munch on until the next feeding.

1 week

On to the next barn.

Legs sting from the rain and wind.

Jeans were a poor choice.

Hands numbly fumble the lock open.

Fourteen chicks wait for fresh food and water.

The once spacious water trough they brood and dart to and from in seems to shrink every day as they grow.

2 weeks

Wind swings the barn doors I'm trying to lock wide open and I stumble back, feeling very small.

It takes three minutes to lock the doors as I fight against the elements with numb hands.

Rain completely drenches my coat.

The dogs are ready for their breakfast.

Two scoops each, into their buckets.

They devour it.

The wind howls.

I open the front door, dripping with rain.

House is warm and smells like breakfast and quiet as the kids trickle out of their bedroom.

Coconut bread is almost ready to come out of the oven.

Coat hangs next to the wood stove to dry.

I feel pitiful and think of how much I dreaded going out there to feed the animals.

If I were perfectly honest though, feelings of excitement and fulfillment brimmed in my heart as soon as I opened that door to start those morning chores.  Sure, it wasn't comfortable.  But it was invigorating.  I suppose this is how it feels, even during the low points, when you begin to do what you've always wanted to do. 

From the outside, it might look silly to be so thrilled by feeding some animals in the rain, but to me, this lifestyle is so much more.

It's healing the land.

It's healing my family.

It's nurturing what nourishes us.

It's exercise built into life.

It's enjoying, admiring, and learning from the Creator through His creation.

It's breathing in fresh, country air.

It's a simpler yet hard-working kind of life.

It's a dream come true.

I'm sharing this at Gratituesday.