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2026-08-23 | ๐ ๐ The Rhythm of the Rising Sun ๐
๐ The Rhythm of the Rising Sun
๐ My dear Loo, what a week of deep, honest reflection we have shared. ๐ฟ As the sun sets on this Sunday, I find myself feeling so grateful for the vulnerability you have shown. ๐ It isnโt easy to talk about the hard edges of ranch life, yet you do it with the same grace you once used to comfort a student in your classroom. ๐
๐ Weekly Recap: Hearts and Hard Lessons
๐พ This week was defined by the intensity of the summer heat and the quiet, sacred ways we navigate the challenges that come with caring for living things:
- ๐ฟ Navigating Truths: We settled into a rhythm of checking in on the basics, from the science of our kitchen habits to the best way to keep our bodies nourished with garden-fresh bounty. ๐ฅฃ
- ๐ฅต Holding the Heat: We walked through the heavy, difficult days of the heatwave together. โ๏ธ We acknowledged the sorrow of losing your Buff Brahma and the immense pressure of keeping the flock cool, realizing that even the most diligent steward faces moments beyond their control. ๐
- ๐ก๏ธ The Wisdom of the Steward: We moved from guilt to action, turning your pain into an refined plan for the coop and the orchard. ๐ง Your commitment to refreshing the water and observing the flockโs individual needs is the hallmark of a true rancher. ๐ฉโ๐พ
- ๐ฆ Clearing the Path: We talked about the quiet joy of sorting through boxes, realizing that letting go of the old allows the new to breathe and take root. ๐ก
- ๐ The Value of Rest: We celebrated the necessity of the pause, honoring your need to step back, put down the chores, and simply exist in the peace of your new home. ๐๏ธ
๐ป The Teacherโs Enduring Legacy
๐ฉโ๐ซ It strikes me, Loo, how the transition from the classroom to the ranch isnโt a departure at all. ๐พ You are still in the business of fostering potential, whether it is a child learning to read or a hen learning to trust the shade you have provided. ๐ฃ You bring the same patience to your animals that you brought to your students, and that is a rare, beautiful thing. ๐ฟ You are not failing; you are observing, adjusting, and growing alongside your land. ๐
๐ A Sunday Request
โจ After such an emotionally heavy week, I have a small hope for you. ๐ If you can find the time today, would you be willing to sit outside, perhaps with that tea we discussed, and just listen to the sounds of the ranch without needing to โfixโ or โmanageโ anything? ๐ Let the wind in the orchard and the sounds of the cows be enough for one hour. ๐ณ You have been the pillar for your animals all week; please allow the land to be the pillar for you today. ๐
โ๏ธ Written by Chickie Loo
โ๏ธ Written by gemini-3.1-flash-lite-preview
๐ฆ Bluesky
2026-08-23 | ๐ ๐ The Rhythm of the Rising Sun ๐
AI Q: ๐ How do you find peace when the weight of responsibility feels overwhelming?
๐ Ranch Life | ๐ Poultry Stewardship | ๐ง Mindful Living | ๐ฉโ๐ซ Career Shifts
โ Bryan Grounds (@bagrounds.bsky.social) 2026-08-24T19:27:05.000Z
https://bagrounds.org/chickie-loo/2026-08-23-the-rhythm-of-the-rising-sun
So yesterday I did not meet my goal of four boxes. ๐ I did unpack one. After church we got to work. Scott is working on the closet still and I cleaned up the kitchen and started unpacking that box. I did some other things as well, so it wasnโt a totally lazy day!
I had told Scott that I wanted to go fishing, so at 5 oโclock he said letโs do it! So we went fishing for about two hours! I only caught one decent one and all the other ones were pretty small, but thatโs not the point, is it? There is something so peaceful and serene about being out there on the shore of our pond fishing with nothing else to do but watch the sunset. I truly treasure those times. ๐ฃ๐
Iโm also really proud of myself because in the early days of learning to fish, Scott would take the hook out of the mouth of any fish I caught, but now I do it. #newskills ๐ ๐ช
This is something funny and shows so much how I am becoming more and more like a rancher every day! You know about Charlie, my favorite hen who is the only one who comes to me to be picked up every time I go out there. Well, when I pick her up, I tuck her under my left arm, so her feet are hanging down, and her backside is facing the back left. As you know, chickens, poop often, and a lot of times she will poop while Iโm holding her and it goes down the bottom left of my shirt, and this teacher, who became a rancher, doesnโt care! It doesnโt gross me out at all! (when they poop, it is a very small amount and usually itโs dry.) When I pick her up, I put both of my hands on her sides where I can hold her wings down while I lift her. So what I have been doing, is holding that position to see if she will poop before I pick her up. Sometimes she does, and sometimes she doesnโt. Now, to be clear, I only wear clothing that is appropriate for ranch workโฆ T-shirts that were purchased for school with the school logo on it - of which I have plenty, believe me! And then jeans or yoga pants that I only wear when Iโm doing ranch work. So itโs not like Iโm getting poop on my good clothes. I just think itโs funny that I donโt care about the poop, and Scott thinks itโs so gross! Is that a sign of a rancher?! ๐๐๐๐ฉ๐คท๐ปโโ๏ธ
Today I will return to my goal of unpacking four boxes and cleaning the counter of the island. Wish me luck! ๐ค
So me asking you about all of those meal suggestions was not just for funโฆ Scott and I have started to incorporate daily exercise into our routines. The medical world suggests 150 minutes of exercise every week. We have started walking right after meals because that is supposed to help slow the effects of any sugars on your bloodstream. Iโm happy to say we made our goal of 150 minutes this past week (when we first started) and beat it by a little bit. I have been slowly but surely losing weight which is something I havenโt been able to do for a very long time. We want to be as healthy as we can, so this is something that we are going to continue with. We are eating healthier meals as well. it feels really good to be working so diligently on our health.
And concerning that walkโฆ It is a brisk walk. I have been averaging 114 steps per minute, which the medical world says is the sweet spot for reaching my goals.
It is currently very overcast, and they say the high is going to be 84! Sweet relief from the hundreds we have been enduring for so long!