‘Peace In The Valley’….well, pasture…..

Spring is very quickly turning to summer here in the Pacific Northwest and the weather has been just beautiful! My husband is over the moon happy that the next few days are going to be clear blue skies with over 80 degree weather. I am not as happy about it as I am more comfortable in the low 70’s, but I suppose I shouldn’t complain. It’s so much better than rain!

Last night I took the opportunity to go up to Scarlett Homestead and collect our eggs and check on our chickens and Judah and I decided to ‘tailgate’ for supper. It was beautiful. It was warm and peaceful with just the slightest breeze and only the sound of tree frogs and the rustling of leaves in the trees. It reminded me of that old hymn “There will be peace in the valley for me”. The song is about something entirely different, if you know the one I’m talking about, but it still ran through my mind nonetheless. Peaceful was an understatement.

We spread out a blanket on the grass in the shade of our truck and watched our chickens live their best life.

Our Rhodies are healthy and beautiful and I really could watch them for hours. Tic Tac, our rooster is so glossy and gorgeous. But boy oh boy is he ever getting aggressive. He’s gone after my husband a number of times, and a few weeks ago he got me with his spurs when I wasn’t paying attention. That bully of a rooster better watch out. We are probably going to have to make a plan soon.

If you are a chicken owner and lover, you’ll appreciate this: last night was a first for me. As we were sitting out there eating our supper, Tic Tac “went after” the hens, and sure wasn’t shy about it. I know how it all goes, we all do, but it was the first time for me seeing it first hand with chickens.

Judah got quite concerned at the ruffling of feathers and, well, attack to put it bluntly, and was really worried about the girls. I just told him they were playing and wrestling. I’m not ready to explain that to a 4 year old. Right?

Judah is always in his element on our 40 acres and knows the ins and out of the trails and roads like the back of his hand. He’s also very skilled. It’s great when your child is still young enough to love clipping and doing labor intensive chores around the place while you sit around in the shade telling him “go back over there and clip those blackberry bushes (we have way too many – it’s a nuisance)…you missed a few” and he happily goes and does it. I know once he’s older it’s probably not going to be so easy.

I should also note that we don’t just let our 4 year old run around with yard clippers unattended. Just in case you had your eyebrows raised.

It warms my heart to see my boy so wild and free in the outdoors, just being a little boy, doing what makes him happy, with no cares or concerns.

It’s these moments for me, when I just sit back and watch him, in such a peaceful and beautiful setting that I truly am thankful for what I have. Breathing in fresh clean air, enjoying the warm sunshine, watching our little animals do their thing and live happily. It really is a simple thing, but it is so refreshing for the soul to get away from everything and everyone and just enjoy God’s green earth now and then.

Go outside today, enjoy the sunshine (if you have some!) and be thankful for what you have. Whether you live by the ocean and get to hear the waves crash, or you are like us and can sit out in the still silence of a pasture, soak it up and let it hit the reset button for you. I know I need to now and then, and doing it with my beautiful little boy, makes it all the better.

– The Homesteaders Wife