the lining of my heart

The problem has become: how to write about life as it races by in a colorful blur?

 

Spending time in the garden or with my chickens helps to slow down the pace.  When I'm barefoot in the sunshine with growing things nearby, ah, then I can breathe.

 

But the thing is, there's more to life than feathery, chirping chickens.

 

My children are growing up before my very eyes.  Austin starts his first job next week. 

 

And I know I'm not the first mother to experience an aching heart.  And I know we have miles to go.

 

It's the small details that make up the big things.  It's the gentle breeze ruffling a chicken feather the wrong way.  It's a brown eyed puppy dog staring at me in adoration.  It's 2 quarts of homemade yogurt turned into a sweet frozen treat.  It's an extra large batch of cookie dough baked into gifts for the neighbors, giving reason to head over and meet the neighbors.

A picture of chickens (for Quinn!!)  This is Mintie (on the right), Braveheart, and Nuggets in the background.

In having a garden my one and only goal was to have enough to share.  So far I've only been able to share spaghetti squash starts and lettuce but I am able to share.  I may not be very talkative with the neighbors but with a plate of cookies and a bag of lettuce in hand it sure is easier to introduce myself.

Laying in the sun one afternoon and I had to force my Charlie into a picture.  He was panting and the sun was in his eyes and he was less than happy to pose.  But whatever.  I still love him.

 

 

 

My chickens are spoiled.  They eat well.  They live well.  Every day I pull fresh weeds for them and talk to them.  I hold them and pet them.  And decorate their coop.  Here you can see the pallet planter box I made with some bright sunny Marigolds.



 

 

I hung a little windchime in there for them to play with.

 

 

 

On the back side of the coop I put some old windows to shield the chicks from the weather and add a little security.  I just love how it looks.

 

I read a really great post on Ann Voskamp's website this past week.  Here's one of my favorite quotes from what she wrote:

Beauty doesn’t live in your skin

Beauty lives in the lining of your heart.

That has nothing to do with anything else I've written here today but it's definitely something that is constantly on my mind so in that way it was woven in my words.  And it's important to read, to understand, to live.