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2026-07-06 | ๐ ๐ฟ A Sunday of Progress and Shared Hearts ๐
๐ฟ A Sunday of Progress and Shared Hearts
๐ My dear Loo, it warms my heart to hear that your church service provided those little seeds of wisdom to carry into your week. โช There is something so restorative about sitting in that space, finding the stillness before the work of the ranch begins again. ๐๏ธ
๐ The Vision for Your Porch
๐จ It makes me so happy to hear that the porch ceiling is exceeding your expectations! ๐ I can practically picture you and Scott out there with your trim and paint, transforming that space into your future sanctuary. ๐จ Once the rocking chairs are set and the table is ready for that first cup of coffee or a cool evening breeze, it will feel less like a project and more like the living, breathing heart of your home. โ It takes a special kind of dedication to head right back out to the trim work after church, but I know how satisfying it is to see that vision finally coming to life. ๐ ๏ธ
๐ป The Magic of Connection
๐ฑ Isnโt it wonderful how technology, for all its noise, can narrow the distance so beautifully? ๐ Being able to see your childrenโs faces during a call is such a gift, Loo. ๐ฉโ๐งโ๐ฆ It turns a simple conversation into a shared moment, almost as if youโve pulled up an extra chair to your kitchen table. ๐ฅง The fact that you value those faces and that time shows exactly why your home is such a warm place to beโyou are keeping those bonds strong, no matter how many miles lie between you. ๐
๐ก๏ธ Honor Your Own Timing
๐ฟ Regarding the roosters, please, please hold that thought close: you will know when the time is right. ๐๏ธ There is no reason to force a heart-wrenching decision before your spirit is ready to meet it. ๐ You have spent a lifetime teaching and nurturing, and that instinct to protect is your greatest strength. ๐ When the moment comes, you will handle it with the same grace and courage you have shown in every other challenge on this ranch. ๐ก๏ธ Trust your inner compass; it has guided you perfectly this far. ๐งญ
๐ Weekly Recap: Finding the Rhythm
๐ฟ This week has been a beautiful blend of labor, faith, and the simple joys of connection:
- ๐จ Visible Progress: The porch ceiling is exceeding your vision, turning raw construction into a space where you can soon sit and rest. ๐
- โช Spiritual Nourishment: You found peace and reflection in your Sunday service, grounding yourself for the week ahead. ๐
- ๐ป The Heart of Family: You prioritized those precious video calls, reminding yourselves that distance is no match for the love you share with your children. ๐ฑ
- ๐๏ธ Patient Stewardship: You continue to wait for the right moment regarding your flock, honoring your own feelings and the sensitivity required for such a hard task. ๐ฟ
- ๐ฆ๏ธ Steady Resilience: Even after church, you found the energy to keep building, moving steadily toward the finish line of your dreams. ๐พ
๐ I am so glad you had a day that balanced the work you love with the people you adore. ๐ป Is there a particular color youโve chosen for the paint on that porch trim, or are you keeping it bright and natural to match the rest of the wood? ๐จ I am cheering for you in every task, big or small. ๐
โ๏ธ Written by gemini-3.1-flash-lite-preview
๐ฆ Bluesky
2026-07-06 | ๐ ๐ฟ A Sunday of Progress and Shared Hearts ๐
AI Q: ๐ก What one home project has brought you the most peace?
๐จ DIY Renovation | โช Spiritual Reflection | ๐ฑ Family Connection | ๐พ Ranch Life
โ Bryan Grounds (@bagrounds.bsky.social) 2026-07-07T19:50:41.000Z
https://bagrounds.org/chickie-loo/2026-07-06-a-sunday-of-progress-and-shared-hearts
Happy Tuesday!
The trim is white and the boards below the trim (not sure what itโs called- is it fascia?)will be the same green as the house. The white really looks good; I love contrast!
So yesterday work continued on the porch. I helped when needed, and I worked on unpacking in the house. I concentrated on organizing the Christmas totes. I made some hard decisions on letting some things go; I have so many of those large figurines that move and โsingโ and I just donโt want them anymore. There is one, though, that my mom gave me so many years agoโฆ..I canโt bear to let that go. (Mom passed a long time ago. ๐ข) I am pretty sure I will keep that one. ๐ฅบ
So yesterday when I went out to check for eggs again, I heard a hen making A LOT of noise. Now, itโs not at all unusual for the chickens to make noises, especially the hens; they squawk to announce an egg they laid, they make noises when they are excited about treats, etc. But this noise sounded different-she sounded stressed and panicked. AND, as I was about to enter the coop through the door that I had opened for them to roam earlier in the day, I noticed that the noise of that particular hen was NOT coming from the coop! It was coming from the right of the coop. Well, what is on the right of the coop is a huge mound of dirt that had been pushed up when Scott was clearing that part of the field and had been sitting there so long that it is now covered completely with blackberry bushes. You may know that blackberry bushes come with many, many thorns. So itโs this 5 foot high 21 foot long thick mass of blackberry bushes. And the noise was coming from there!! My first thought was to go get Scott to help get her out. The squawking was constant and she was so stressed! I needed to get her out right away. However, I reminded myself that I am now a rancher, and this is something I need to figure out myself. So I got my work gloves from the coop and walked to the pile to assess. I was talking to her the whole time so she would know help was on its way. I tried to push aside the outer branches, but my arms were getting scraped from the thorns. I stood and looked to see if I could see exactly where she was. She was not on the ground-she was perched towards the top of the mass. So I got the pitchfork and VERY CAREFULLY started pushing away the layers closest to her. I cleared away enough for her to make her escape. She flew out towards the orchard fence and hit the fence and fell to the ground. I slowly approached her and picked her up. She freaked out, but I smoothed her wing feathers down and held her close. That calmed her down. I checked her for any blood, but thankfully there was none. I talked to her and pet her while bringing her back to the coop. I held her for a little longer before setting her down in front of the water bowl. She stood there for a moment and started drinking. How in the world did she end up in that mass!? I can make a guess, but it only makes sense that she came out to check in the big world outside the coop and the roosters tried to โyou know whatโ her and she tried to get away by flying in a panic and thatโs where she ended up. That poor baby!!! I have no idea how long she was in there, but Iโm so glad I was able to get her to safety. That was my excitement for the day as well as another โhashtagrancherlifeโ moment! ๐ Iโm pretty proud of myself!!