Good Times

MRI Times, my friends

This past week David made his well-worn trek down to Houston for his first set of follow up visits to MD Anderson. It's with a blissful heart that I tell you David received an A+ from his radiation oncologist, his chemotherapy oncologist, and from his medical oncologist.

** David's favorite thing about having an MRI, are the socks he receives. He has a whole drawer dedicated to no-slip socks. **

His MRI looked good, his labs were spot on, and the healing of his nasal passages, throat, mouth, neck area (lymph nodes) and skin are all ahead of schedule in the healing process.

How about we take a look at what they saw in David's nose, shall we?

All the gold stars for you, David. We thank God for this wonderful news. Miracles are happening around here. SNUC is not an easy thing to have, and leave it to David to just blow right through it all.

What's next? Well, he goes back again next month for a PET scan at MDA, and then that will tell the tale of this story further. Dr Hanna is hopeful that all will be well on it, and David takes this information from him seriously, because if anyone knows SNUC, it's Dr Hanna. His words are golden.

The news keeps getting better, as David has a PreOp appt with Dr D on Monday and has inguinal hernia surgery scheduled on Thursday. Words cannot express how important this is to David and his livelihood. With cancer treatments delaying the surgery, he's been limited to what he can do physically, as the hernia just kept getting worse and worse. Next week is the Week of David. I'm so happy for him. No, the recovery won't be easy, but he's All-In and ready to move forward no matter what the recovery looks like. He can do hard things, no doubt.

Spring has sprung

This Spring weather is certainly a treat for everyone. It's wonderful to see the grass so green, the trees are all growing neon bright new leaves, and the animals are seemingly enjoying it as well. As I spend more time outside and with the animals, I didn't initially understand the power of farm animals and how they heal us and teach us how to live. Now, going on 5 years with so many fun and exciting experiences with sheep, goats, mini horses, donkeys, barn cats, ducks and chickens - I realize they teach me how to be. They guide me toward my truth. I feel it each moment I'm with them, which is why I think I love being in the barn so very much. This is how I want to spend the moments of my day, every day. It just feels right.

Cluckingham reigns 

Opening our hearts to our animals has brought us so much joy, but it also makes us vulnerable to the heartbreak of loss. I remember when we moved to the farm with Ginger and Butterscotch, our 2 Rhode Island Reds. We were so proud of our 2 chickens. Then upon moving to Gunter, we bought 2 buff Orpingtons and 2 Barred Rocks - and we thought we had SO many chickens. Silly us.

Sweet Pepper 

This is our 5 year old girl, Pepper (Barred Rock) whose sister looks just like her, Pebbles. They are barred rocks who are aging and showing the others what it's like to like a wonderful life up until the last breathe. It's with a sad heart that I tell you we lost Pepper this past Thursday night. She had gone up to roost in the coop for the night, as she usually does because she no longer roosts up high. She slowly and intently climbs the ladder up into the coop where it's warm and quiet. And that night, she died in her sleep. I found her the next morning with the most content expression on her face, eyes closed, and feet still curled as if still sitting on the post in the coop. God took her in peace. It was just the day before, that she was slowly moving around with the others. Slowly. The wonderful thing about chickens (or at least ours from what we've seen) is that the other younger chickens respect their elders. They all mingled together, with Pepper no longer able to move quickly these last few weeks, but she's always up and with the others. And now we see Pebbles slowing. In addition, we have several other older girlz that we have purchased as adults, so they too, are showing their age.

In Cluckingham, when our girlz no longer lay eggs, they reap the benefit of getting to hang around, grow old and free range. They are great at keeping the pesky insect population down, so even in retirement, they are useful. Exactly how we all wish to be.

Speaking of Cluckingham, we are watching several older sweethearts start making their way to the slow moving, early-to-bed, slow eye blink phase of life. Here's a few of our older girls:

We lost sweet Pepper, but her sister, Pebbles is now taking the same road of moving slowly, puffing herself out to keep warmer (even during the day) and her eyes are shut often as she rest in the very spot she stands. These girlz will still mix with the flock, just at a slower pace. I get you, my sweets. Take all the time you need.

Doing great, Cali!

Another older gal is Cali. We purchased Cali at an unknown age from a chicken lady in Oklahoma and have never been really sure what breed she is, but I think she might be a buff princess gem. She was already an adult and laying eggs when we took her home a few years back, but I can tell she's getting old because she goes to bed very early, and sleeps in each day. Her comb is wilted and no longer red and vibrant. Her feathers have dulled from the once beautiful sheen she had as a young hen. She's in no hurry to move around, all while the young'uns are feverishly moving around her. She does her own thing. You do you, Cali. We adore you're kind-hearted self and your beautiful just as you are.

Storm

Speaking of princess gems, here's an older gal, Storm. She's very quiet and keeps to herself mostly. You can see her comb is shriveled up and her eyes show her age. She's no longer a layer, and rather enjoys being retired. She roosts low to the ground, but still in the open area with the other girlz. We ended up buying another grey princess gem who looks just like Storm, but whose obviously much younger.

Raine

This is Storm's younger look-alike, Raine. She loves to roost on top of the coop at night, and poop all over it, knock over the weather vane and do things young girlz do. She's an egg laying machine. Notice how her comb is bright red, stands up straight and nice, and her ability to fly to the top of the coop is evidence of her younger age. Storm is just not able to do that anymore. Both these girlz are beautiful grey gems, and we love the contrast they bring to the flock.

New Beginnings

As we share our chicken loss with you for 2 weeks in a row now, I wanted to add a little Spice in here. Spice, as in a new chicken that was gifted to us by friends today. Today was the day that Carlos' parents (family) have been waiting for. As they came to pick up the 4 frizzle/silkie chicks that were fathered by their silkie rooster, Carlos. They in turn came to see us, with their daughter, Chloe jumping out of the car carrying a chicken for us. It's completely normal for a chicken lady's daughter to ride in the car, holding a chicken. Chloe jumped out of the car and raced towards me with Spice, a beautiful - and scared - brahma girl. If I'm mistaken on the breed, I'll correct myself later. She joined in the flock with caution, and this evening, is roosting inside the barn with them like she's home. Welcome, Spice to the chicken circus at the Graves Farm. 

Spice, and running scared day 1

We were thrilled with our new gifted chicken, and loaded up the 4 little silkie/frizzle chicks from The Little Girl Area to send home with them. This particular family are truly kindred spirits, as they see farm animals as we do. We want them all. We can't have them all, but we sure try. The 4 little chicks will head to their new home with their new family, and the silkie/frizzle mamas in The Little Girl Area are now relieved of their motherly duties. All is well.

But wait. There's more. More chicks that is. It was only a day before this day that David and I were at a local feed store who happen to have chicks. David, yes David, picked out 8 chicks - and here we are. With a new gifted chicken, Spice, and 8 little chicks of our very own.

The look like they are on the sun. 
It’s just a heat lamp, not Jupiter.

This little nugget took up residence 
in the food bowl

Pictures like this with the heat lamp on them do not really show off how cute they are. Trust me on this one, little chicks are so cute. And the excitement of it all is that with time, you get to see how they turn into beautiful chickens with their very own personalities and dispositions. The 8 chicks are 2 polish, 2 wyandottes and 4 buff brahmas.  

I appreciate the differences in each chicken, as well as the differences of the young and the old. I love all the animals and their uniqueness. They all bring something special to the farm. What I know for sure is that everything in the past has been perfect. We've had our ups and downs these last 5 years on the farm, and I wouldn't change a thing. I grieve with every loss, every time. And all that unspent love that gathers up in the corners of my eyes, the lump in my throat, and that deep feeling in my chest all tells me that it's just love with no place to go. Fortunately for me, all my animals I've lost, I'll meet again in heaven. Waiting for me. That in itself brings about peace, and I will carry on here at the Graves Farm loving and learning in the meantime. Farm animals make me come alive, and when life breaks you open, I keep moving towards love, with joy as our GPS. And chickens. Lots of chickens. 

Peace, love and chickens,

Cyndi