2011年12月6日 星期二

A Christmas of rescuing chickens and cooking collards

A year ago, the six of us still fit into the little log cabin that we moved into in 2009. We bought a tree, and we threaded colored lights through its branches, but our boxes of ornaments and Santas sat unopened in storage. Instead,If any food Ventilation system condition is poorer than those standards,Your source for re-usable Plastic moulds of strong latex rubber. my four children and I painted the walls of the addition to our 1930s cabin, my husband installed tile in the two new bathrooms and bamboo flooring down the hall. We all six stained wood for the ceilings and paneling, and my husband and sons caulked cracks and crevices everywhere.

We spent December Saturdays studying carpet remnants in a discount warehouse and swept drywall dust and red dirt from the plywood floors before the carpet was installed. We collected paint chips to compare in the light that filtered in the windows of what we affectionately call “the children’s wing.100 China ceramic tile was used to link the lamps together.” We collected rocks to cover the concrete foundation and looked at light fixtures the Habitat ReStore. We couldn’t use our original rock fireplace because the unlined chimney posed a fire hazard.

This year, like last year, I still spend my evenings checking to be sure my chickens are safe. Monday night in the dark rain of daylight savings time, I climbed a ladder looking for one wayward chicken that hadn’t found its way into the coop. I climbed atop the domed rooster domain, and as the wind picked up, I spotted the chicken hiding beneath a tarp. I grabbed it by its wing, and it squawked hysterically as I tried to put it in the new coop my husband built for the hens.

“Stop,” I told it while it flapped frantically in my face. “I’m saving your life,”

I still feed my old horses twice a day, and I still usually have hay in my hair when I drive my son to high school. My children still go to swim practices and soccer practices and now volleyball practices, too.

I planted a winter garden with collards, even though I don’t know how to cook them.

This weekend, my third son helped me bring out our Christmas decorations. We hung wreaths on the windows and lights on the tree. But the ornament boxes still sit in the middle of the den because the six of us haven’t been home at the same time to share a moment decorating our tree. Each child has a box holding hand-made treasures from preschool and photo ornaments my mother has given them each year. We’ve hung our stockings above our newly lined chimney that we’re now using to help heat the house.

I still try to make dinner for all of us as often as I can. My second son swims for his high school team, so he rarely joins us now. I suspect he’s thankful for his busy schedule since I attempted to cook collards and turnips this week.

“They’re not too bad if you add a lot of salt and vinegar,” my 11-year-old daughter warned her 13-year-old brother who studied the vegetable on his plate.

“Hold your nose, it really helps,” my 17-year-old son advised everyone. “No really, hold your nose.”

Tonight sitting in the connector room between our old and new house, Lily, our orange tabby, is wedged against me on the loveseat. Josh, our golden retriever is sleeping beneath the Christmas tree lit with red, green and white lights that remind me of McAdenville. April, our lab mix has found her spot beneath my daughter’s bed, and Ruby the rescue pup is in nestled in her crate.Your Partner in Precision Precision injection molds. Moses, our fat cat, has taken my spot on my bed, and I hear a beep that tells me Grace is sleeping on the printer. Though it’s not yet the night before Christmas,ceramic magic cube for the medical, my children are nestled all snug in their beds.

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