It's a Puzzlement!

Three months ago Penny laid the last egg of the season. We thought we would have to buy eggs for the winter. But, wonder of wonders, yesterday Henny laid an egg, with a loud announcement to the neighborhood. Then another wonder! Today Penny laid a beautiful blue egg. It was her first of the season and she was on the nest for several hours.

Three months only without our fresh eggs! They stopped laying in mid-October and started in mid-January. Now according to the experts, chickens do not lay during the dark winter months unless they are supplied with artificial lights for about 14 hours a day. Well, we did not furnish lights. So, how do we account for this strange behavior by our two older hens?

We can't and so we won't. We are just grateful that our fussy hens are supplying us with fresh, organic, delicious, nutritious eggs. We might ask the question but, so far, no one has the answer.

Thank you Henny and Penny. You are worth the time and effort of caring for you, cleaning your messes and feeding and watering you daily. Perhaps you appreciate our efforts and decided to pay us back. Whatever, we will eat your eggs with gratitude and enjoyment.

Each day when I go out to do the chicken chores, I will feel the thrill of anticipation of hoping to gather a beautiful blue egg lying snuggly in the straw.

Taking the Time

We were in Rapid City yesterday and while there we stopped at Menards. I went to the back room to see if I could find a small plant for a certain window. Bob discovered an interesting plant and the perfect size. The problem was that it was the only one left in an almost impossible spot to reach. I was struggling to get it down when suddenly an elegantly dressed woman of mature age came by and offered to help. She began taking large plants off of the lower and middle shelves so that Bob could step on the bottom shelf to reach my chosen plant. When he brought it down the woman admired the strawberry begonia plant, commenting on its many possibilities.

"Do you work here?" I asked, impressed by her kindness. I was not surprised when she replied in the negative. After all, she was dressed to the tees, as if she was going to attend an important banquet. She chuckled at my question, said her goodbyes and moved on, out of our lives.

It was a brief encounter, but it reminded me sharply of the importance of taking time...time for pleasures, for connections, for relaxing, for helping others not on our list or agenda for the day.

I am often advised by my husband that I too often am rushing to here or there, saying "I gotta, I must, I should, I have to". My thoughts or words could change to "I want to, I may, I would like..."

That special lady from Rapid City took time out of her busy schedule to help this little old lady purchase the plant she desired. I did not have to have it, she did not have to stop and help, but she did. I was impressed by her giving of her time, and her interest. She moved on, our of our lives, but she lives on in my thoughts of gratititude and reminders to "stop and smell the flowers" on life's journey.

This is a busy time of year, but I will remember.