Blooming

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Almost back with the land of the living… but wait—was that my weekend? I wish I had timed my downtime better. A day or two in bed smack dab in the middle of the week would certainly be better than wasting a whole weekend away under the covers.

I made my way down to the kitchen, unsure of how long I’d last, but I managed a cup of coffee, got some writing done, and even started a few chores in the laziest fashion. I was thrilled to see my cactus in full bloom,  that darn plant surprises me every day! I’ve never had luck growing a Christmas cactus, and right when I was about to give up, this one decided to flourish under my care.

I felt better than I expected, certainly better than the day before, when I’d lain in bed with every inch of my body aching as if I’d been run over by a truck. It hurt to move at all. My chickens were thrilled I was up, especially since Tim had been giving minimal care and very few treats. I even gathered my strength to clean their henhouse and put down fresh bedding there and in their nesting box.

I collected several eggs, made another laying zone, and placed a few colored golf balls in the spot, still trying to trick that darn egg eater. It’s tough to know if she’s still at it, but I’m hoping she’s tried to peck those decoys enough times to get a hard welcome to her beak and maybe stop. Time will tell.

I’ve had Tim and several friends ask about my plan to cull the flock if the behavior continues. Yes, culling means killing the culprit. It might sound mean, but I can’t have chaos in my coop… so that egg eater better stop soon. I guess “culling” just sounds better, maybe it softens it a bit. Although by definition it means, "selective slaughter"... tough to soften. 

For now, all my hens are safe, I’m feeling much better, and flowers are starting to bloom. Here’s hoping this little burst of energy sticks around and carries me fully back to myself. With any luck, spring warmth will settle in for good, and all the winter doldrums will finally be behind us.

"Time is precious, waste it wisely" ~ K. Bromberg