Anticipation

We have been planning a long time for this period when Christina is dry.  It is our only chance to go camping and traveling.  We've done two camping trips in a week and now we'll spend a week at home getting ready for a 12 day vacation.

In addition to getting ready, we have a lot of homestead work.  Like butcher day.

These White Plymouth Rocks are looking good and big, even bigger than the full grown red chickens.

We all dread butcher day but it has to be done.  If we procrastinate the roosters will get a sharp taste, or so I've read.  And it's a waste of chicken food to let them keep going.  And it will give us too much to do when we get back.  OK, we'll just do it!

Many look at us like we're crazy to do our own butchering, but it's part of our commitment to these animals that they will be butchered with respect and reverence.  Even our tenderest-hearted daughters share the commitment to do it right and do it ourselves.

I think the biggest butcher day we've done was 25 birds.  This year we have 60 to do plus the entire old flock.  We'll split it into three butcher days.  Tomorrow we'll do 30 and then do two more days when we get back.

Today we'll clear space in the freezer, get out the butcher supplies, and encourage the chickens to have a good day.  Tomorrow we start right after breakfast.

Our herbs are all growing mature and ready for drying.  After two weeks of drying, we crushed up the basil.  Here is our annual harvest.

Today we'll hang parsley.

It's a day of getting ready and anticipation.