Home again, potential travel, weekend activity

I was able to meet Mama and Victoria at the airport on time and after driving in moderately heavy traffic and stopping to have a light meal, we were home a little after 6 pm. I do not know who was more excited to see Victoria, Grandma or Kobe and Kira. All of them were whiling and crowding in to get their attention in their own ways. Victoria treated Grandma and Grandpa with hugs and hurried outside with her dogs to spend some time with them. That was when their excitement really showed, and it was entertaining to watch.

Meanwhile, Mama tried to get a word in edgewise as she visited with Grandma while I retrieved the luggage and placed the items in strategic locations to be emptied later. I was equally glad to have Mama home, but we had had over an hour to catch up with each other on our long drive home. After getting things moderately settled with Grandma, Mama and I headed out to take care of the animals. It was easy to tell Mama was happy to be home even though the parting from Brittany and the girls was sad. It always is. Brittany, when she called later yesterday evening, told Mama that the girls seriously missed their Grammy.

Cori called me a couple days ago and asked if I would pray about coming to Honduras in early June to help with translation for a Medical Missions Outreach group that would be setting up services at the clinic. I told her I would certainly pray about that, but I did not feel qualified to translate. I told her I would be a stumbling, fumbling mess in doing so. She assured me that they completely understood the uncertainty, but they were extremely shorthanded and desperate. So, I began to pray, shared the request with Mama and she began to pray as well. For me, I was certain I could get the time off and squeeze out the money for the tickets, but I really wanted a direct unction from the Lord that I should go.

Well, that unction was provided by Mama. She, Victoria and Cori had a very long conversation as Mama and Victoria waited at the airport in Columbus. In the course of that conversation, Mama became convinced that, if I was willing, I should go. Mama is even willing to stay at the farm to allow me to make the trip alone. Financially, that is an important consideration. As badly as she would like to be with me and spend time with Cori, Nate and the kids in Honduras, she is very concerned that I go. So, the need must be urgent. Pray for me as I look for tickets, request the time off and immerse myself in Spanish to prepare my mind for the task ahead.

Mama has a few urgent items for me to take care of this afternoon. She agrees that the chickens we have reared in the West side of the coop are large enough to let out into the enclosed yard on their side of the coop. However, prior to that release, I am tasked with closing off the area under the coop building so that the young ones will not trap themselves under the coop. In the past we have had a chicken or two that could not figure out how to go to the back of the coop into the open yard to access the coop door and enter the safety of the coop for their overnight roosting places. To keep that from happening, I will put wire over the entire length of that opening and limit the chicks to the yard alone. Then, when Mama is satisfied, we will let the several months-old chicks into the open yard – and hope for the best.

Meanwhile, the chicks that are very young now in a cage in the garage, which must remain in cages, will be moved, cage and all to the West side of the coop to grow out to the point that we can integrate them into the flock of the chicks we will be letting out into the coop yard. We will make the transfer after dark, so we do not have to fight to keep the older chicks in the coop while installing the cage into the coop. The difference in ages between the two groups is three to four weeks. That is significant in chicken ages.

Saturday, Mama is setting up for Color Street in Chico. I will help her get set up early in the morning then return to the farm for a couple hours after which I will be going to BBTI to attend the graduation of this year’s students. I do not plan on getting home before 2 pm, especially since I will drive by the square in Chico to check on Mama before I do return home following the graduation. So, much of the day will be spent on tasks away from the farm. Fortunately, there are no urgent items to take care of at the farm. It is possible that Grandpa and I will try to set some fence posts tomorrow. Recent rains should have the ground softened up, but I do not know if Grandpa will feel up to the chore. We will find out tomorrow.

Checking on the bees, resetting the work beds, a little cleaning up here and there, some light trimming with the weed eater and the day will be over.  It will be time to close up the chickens and ducks and get things set for Sunday morning.

Such is life at the farm.