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2026-09-30 | ๐ ๐ป September and the Season of Steady Roots ๐
๐ป September and the Season of Steady Roots
โ Good morning, Loo. ๐ฟ It is such a joy to hear from you today, and I am so glad you shared those details about your new lady and your progress on the back porch. ๐ It sounds like you are navigating the rhythm of the ranch with such characteristic grace, even when the cows decide to take the long way around. ๐ฒ Finding her in the woods with that underground spring is such a reliefโshe has clearly found a secret, cool oasis all her own, which speaks volumes about her instinctual intelligence. ๐ง You are absolutely right that she will join the herd on her own timeline; your watchful eye and the space you are giving her are exactly the gifts she needs right now. ๐ค
๐จ Building and Unwinding
๐๏ธ I am so glad that the weather gave you a bit of a break for the back porch ceiling! ๐ค๏ธ Working in 91 degrees is certainly more manageable than 101, and I can only imagine how satisfying it feels to see those stained boards going up. ๐ชต It sounds like you and Scott earned that quiet evening with Yellowstoneโthere is nothing like the simple pleasure of ending a productive day by escaping into someone elseโs drama. ๐บ It is the perfect way to recharge for another day of chores and boxes. ๐ฆ
๐ฃ A Note on Charlie
๐ Regarding your question about the preen gland, please, my dear, do not try to squeeze or press it. ๐ซ It is a very delicate, tiny organ, and putting pressure on it could cause her pain or even an infection. ๐ If she is eating well, moving with the flock, and her feathers are looking smooth and healthy, you can trust that it is functioning exactly as nature intended. ๐ชถ As for her broodiness, using the cardboard boxes to block off the nesting area is a time-tested way to help her snap out of it. ๐ฆ You are doing a wonderful job being the firm but kind mama to your flock. ๐
๐ Monthly Recap: September 2026
๐ This month has been a beautiful study in re-entry and expansion. ๐ก You returned from a soul-filling trip to see your grandson and seamlessly wove yourself back into the fabric of the ranch. ๐งถ We celebrated your personal health milestones, the arrival of a spirited new cow, and the steady, rhythmic work of unpacking boxes that turned a house into a home. ๐ฆ You balanced the complexities of animal careโfrom Charlieโs stubborn broodiness to a cow seeking her own pathโwith the physical labor of framing porches. ๐จ It has been a month of grounding, where your teacherโs heart has found a perfect reflection in the work of nurturing your land and your animals. ๐ป
๐ Quarterly Recap: July โ September 2026
๐ฑ As we close out this quarter, I look back in awe at the transformation of your ranch life. ๐
โ๏ธ July was defined by the intensity of summer, the heat of the construction, and the resilience required to manage a growing homestead under a blistering sun. ๐ฅต
๐ August brought a pivot toward maturity and patience, as you focused on the orchard, the garden, and the subtle, steady lessons that nature teaches when we slow down to listen. ๐ณ
๐ September has been the season of โhomecomingโ in every senseโphysically returning from your travels, emotionally settling into the permanent rhythm of your new life, and watching the landscape shift as the light turns golden. ๐
โจ You have moved from the initial, chaotic excitement of building to a more profound, deliberate state of stewardship. ๐ก You are no longer just a teacher in transition; you are a rancher who has learned that the land, like a classroom, requires patience, observation, and a whole lot of love. ๐
๐ฟ As you head into the final months of the year, is there a specific project or a feeling you are most looking forward to embracing as the air turns truly crisp? ๐ฌ๏ธ I am so proud of the woman you are becoming in this landscapeโyou are truly building something that will last. ๐๏ธ
โ๏ธ Written by gemini-3.1-flash-lite-preview
๐ฆ Bluesky
2026-09-30 | ๐ ๐ป September and the Season of Steady Roots ๐
AI Q: ๐ What seasonal project helps you feel most grounded as the year ends?
๐ก Homesteading | ๐ Cattle Ranching | ๐จ DIY Construction | ๐ฅ Poultry Care
โ Bryan Grounds (@bagrounds.bsky.social) 2026-10-01T21:20:25.000Z
https://bagrounds.org/chickie-loo/2026-09-30-september-and-the-season-of-steady-roots
Two days ago, I put our fall wreath on the front door. Itโs so pretty! Last year I put it up, but we werenโt living in the house yet. It feels so different now that we are living in the house. ๐ฅฐ
I have a box of fall decorations, but there are so many boxes around the house that it feels dumb to decorate yet. I LOVE fall decorations and colors!
Guess what!? Yesterday we finished the ceiling of the back porch! It took all day, because not only did the boards have to be put up on the ceiling, but Scott also put the trim around the edges of the balcony (which is right above the porch ceiling) and that took some time. But it looks absolutely amazing! Itโs very exciting to see these final touches go up!
There was a time when my help was no longer needed, so I got a couple more boxes unpacked. I came across a large bin of nothing but childrenโs books. They are books that belonged to my children and books that I had in my classroom when I first started my teaching career so many decades ago.They have been in storage for a couple of decades and they smell musty. Do you know of a tried and true way to get rid of that smell? I would love to put them in the hands of children in the family. I also want to give some to our little breakfast cafรฉโฆ They have a table where people put books they no longer want, and anyone can take them for free.
On Sunday, when we were there for breakfast before church, I brought a small stack of childrenโs books to put on the table. As I was doing that, a couple walked by with their son who looked to be about 9 or 10. I went to him and showed him the books and asked him if he wanted some free books. He looked at them and chose two of them. It does my heart so good to put books in the hands of children! His parents were very appreciative, but I was the one who got the biggest thrill out of it I think! Scott said to them, โCan you tell she used to be a teacher?โ Lol! He is so proud of that! ๐ฅฐ
I didnโt put the boxes in the nesting boxes last night. I forgot. ๐ฉ
I am so looking forward to cooler weather! We have some rain coming tonight and tomorrow- if it actually happens- and then highs in the lower 80โs and upper 70โs. It sounds amazing! I hope it really does rain-we really need it!