"Life returns, begins again ..."

Our neighbors went away for the weekend, and we (as in, Adam) took care of their chickens. Our reward:  eggs! We collected 22 eggs on two mornings.  I think that's quite amazing!

The "ladies" (as we call them) slowed down to zero production for part of the winter, but with the warming days, they've started up again.  It's so pleasant to see spring, to see life return, to see nature do what she is supposed to do: produce life.  We should all be about celebrating life, whether it means protecting babies, protecting the elderly (who are still alive, by the way, even when they are aged and bed-ridden! I think sometimes our culture forgets this), or loving the wonderful production of this world around us.

Our Canadian plum tree is just about to burst into white blossoms, but right now, this is what they look like:

And the forsythia is still ablaze - what a yellow!

We sang a song in community chorus last semester with such beautiful lyrics. Here they are:

Frozen lakes, frozen streams, frozen sky- or so it seems. 

All the world, so cold and still, hides in slumber from the chill. 

But I, with hope, in quiet, wait and look upon midwinter's fate. 

Knowing, trusting, it will end. 

Life returns, begins again.

"Midwinter's Chill" by Greg Gilpin.

If you'd like to hear it, here it is:

I wish I could find a more professional recording, with less audience coughing- sorry!