Moon Set

Up early at five or so. Body doesn't know there's no school today. That's okay, I don't need to stay in bed. There's too much to miss to lay in the darkness. I've been spinning the lovely chartreuse roving I want for a vest. This wool just wants to be spun more fine than the worsted weight I usually do. I got the doggies out just as the sun was coming up behind the ridge, illuminating the barn and silos so nic

ely. The setting moon was just about to disappear in the western sky. I ran back in to get my camera, slow going in the new snow, always fearful of stepping in a fence pole hole or something (a past foot fracture will do that) but when I got back out to the perfect spot in the lower front field the translucent moon was gone. Maybe tomorrow morning. I found some Winken-Blinken-Nod bacon in the back of the refrigerator and thought I would get that going, but had to go out into the barn in search of eggs. I have some cute little free-rangers that like to lay eggs in the cat carrier I have on the milk room steps, propped up on a hay bale. The tiny little hens had formed a queue, lining up to get in the box and offer their gifts. I didn't have the heart to disturb the process, confident that I'll get them later. These eggs are always clean and pristine, though tiny, unlike the chicken room eggs which are usually dirty from the big hens who like to mess up their nest boxes. My students call them Poo Eggs. Eggs should not be washed with water, as the dirt will then permeate the pourous structure and soil the food. The dirt should really be sanded off and chicken companies sell little egg sanders for this purpose. I found one lovely green Araucana egg, and a few under the ledge. This has been a sore spot for a while. There is a platform in the chicken room, formerly a "calf room" where calves are separated from their mothers so the milk can be taken by humans. I should have removed the platform before I put chickens in there, but I thought they would like to sit on it, etc. Instead, they go under there to lay their eggs where I can't reach them. As eggs are needed on the farm for dog/cat/human food, I get on my knees (not a pleasant posture in the chicken room)and reach into the darkness to get them. I am always pecked by the hens who are intent on hatching their eggs, which is why they laid them under there in the first place. My fingers occasionally collapse into a rotten egg, or I get one that has a half formed chick inside. These eggs are always given to the kitties, who will eat any egg unless it has become green foam, then the chickens will eat it. Yuck! I went back inside to my bacon, which was cooked perfectly - amazing. I always burn it. The grease goes on to the doggie kibble to make the dry stuff more palatable. A lot on my pallet today, hopefully none of it will require leaving home. The ground is covered with snow and the weather looks lovely. We had a few hours of steady snow yesterday, once again making me glad I don't have to go far to get to my animals. The snow obscured what would have been a beautiful full moon. Oh, well, she'll be back next month.