Thursday, January 29, 2009

normalcy, out of doors, wood hauling, and chickens

I am finally starting to feel, during this, the seventh week of Zoralee's life outside the womb, normal. There was a fog over the surface of my brain for the first six weeks; I'm not sure how else to describe it. I wasn't necessarily overly weepy or troubled (most of the time), just tired and foggy, and there was a lowgrade doubt that it would go away. I thought, "If this is motherhood, I'm in a bit of trouble."

But the sun is breaking through. One day last week I swept, mopped, and vacuumed all the floors in a single day. I think I got a load of laundry done too. But wait. Before you start applauding, I also cleaned the bathroom and the half-bath. I know. I know. I am amazing. And more importantly than productivity, I am feeling alive again! This is due in no small part to the facts that Z cries for no apparent reason a little less now and also we are starting to understand her schedule. She is sleeping in 4 and 5 hour stretches at night sometimes too, which is a big bonus. Big, big bonus.

Over the past few weeks, when it's not below zero, I have felt motivated to get outside again. The fresh air does a world of good for my psyche. Here are Z and me on a walk to the mailbox today.


snowshoeing last week
I fell
but while I was down there...

chopping down and hauling dead trees
to replenish the supply for the wood stove




Wood hauling is one of my all time favorite physical activities. I get nostalgic over it, as we hauled a lot of wood while I grew up. The smell of freshly cut logs, the crunch of snow underfoot, thermoses of coffee and hot chocolate, the sense of familiarity you develop for that one small spot of woods in those few hours. And when the chainsaw stops its slicing, you really notice how quiet the forest is.



I heard on the radio the other day that throughout history, some people have viewed nostalgia as a mental sickness that should be remedied. Especially those in the field of psychology in the 19th and early 20th centuries. People have historically been pretty weird.

In other news, chickens!! The forces of the universe have coalesced to allow us to finally have chickens. These forces include being at my folks' place where there is ample room, and having a daughter who looks like a baby chick on account of her fluffy hair and dark eyes.
Knowing this, Jason has been breathing, dreaming, thinking, and snorting chickens for a couple weeks. He's reading books and magazines, visiting online forums, talking to the old-timers. If I expect him to hear me, I have to cluck cluck at the beginning of my sentences. Yesterday he placed his order; 25 chicks will be on our doorstep next week! 10 will be egg-laying hens (Barred Plymouth Rocks), and 15 for meat (Cornish Rock crosses).

The chicks'll need to remain inside for awhile, in a feeding trough under a heat lamp, so we're getting the spare room ready. For those of you who know my mother, you'll know how excited she is about this. "Oh children," she cries to us day and night, "I won't rest until we've found more barnyard animals to keep in the spare room."

5 comments:

Rachel @ Lautaret Bohemiet said...

Yes, yes, I can definitely hear mom saying she wants more animals in the house. (pause) Not.

But seriously, this is great. I can't wait to come home now and share our bedroom with a whole bunch of chicks... and then after we've bonded all night... EAT THEM!

melissa v. said...

awesome!! i need some barn animals in my spare room, too. no, wait! i do have barn animals in there--my kids!!!!
glad you like my mommy musings, i feel so boring sometimes!! i def. recommend that ergo. i don't think you'll regret it. the cost is high, but it is fair trade so that's why.
xo
p.s. you should check out my friend dana's blog(s), she's a kindred spirit!
http://teamwillms.blogspot.com/
and her pregnancy blog:
http://www.babymakescinco.blogspot.com/
She also does EC, breastfeeds forever, tries to eat intentionally, and parent thoughtfully. You might like her blogs too. I've known her for a long time. She lives in Mexico. She also has some really good resources listed on her sidebar if you want some reading material.
Asheya is also a mom who ECs and is a kindred spirit. She lives in Whitehorse:
http://www.asheya.blogspot.com/

I firmly believe in mommy networking, and in transparency.

xo

Elaine said...

Oh my goodness! BJ wants to get chickens so bad too! I think he has checked out every book the library has on the subject! :)

Your daily adventures look like a lot of fun!

lori said...

Rach, ha. Fortunately, the ones we got for eating are real dumb, so we won't have to feel bad. The ones we got for their eggs are more sociable and will evidently follow you around the yard, something I know you'll personally enjoy.

Melissa, thanks for the blog info! I think I've visited Asheya's before; I'll have to check it out more indepth. I think that ergo dealy is next on my list. Maybe I can snag a used one someplace, but it sounds like the kind of treasure people'd hold on to for a good while.

Elaine, you guys should get chickens, yes! Once you get their quarters set up, they're way easier than a goat, from everything we're hearing, so you're ahead of the game!

Autumn and Dan's family said...

Go check out our blog...I responded to your comment. We love Zoralee and her inquiring eyes.