# 299 - Change Can Be Good!

No matter where I live or where I go...I will have chickens! To be sure, I will be the woman on that lovely piece of property tucked in the midst of towering trees and my chickens will be out back. They are such fun and the fresh eggs are a bonus!

The Buff Orpingtons are such beauties. Their rich feathering makes them look fluffy and soft, which they are. This breed is rather tame; they are content to be next to me without pecking.

And the photo below shows my little Beaker. You can see how her lower beak protrudes prominently because the top beak is missing. But, she is more adorable than the rest. Yes, she is my favorite bird of all. I plan to live in a small cabin in the woods with my own chickens and be a very happy woman, as I am right now. In fact, this morning, I've already been full of smiles as I've visited with the birds in the backyard.

Below you will see a shot that captured some pecking-order-business. These things happen with chickens, but that young one is pretty fast. Besides, the big bird isn't meaning to hurt the little bird, she just wants her little pile of feed all to herself and is asserting herself. That's why I make sure to spread the feed into several little zones so all the birds can feed in the morning and be in relative peace.

No matter the changes that occur in my life, I've realized that certain things can never be taken away from me. No matter what...I'll always have my own little vegetable garden, I'll have my chickens, I'll have my piece of the woods and will have a home that is welcoming for my daughter and grand-children to visit, any time they'd like.

I've made many different places a "home" throughout my life and I look forward to doing the same until the end of my time. That part of me will never change. But, I sure look forward to the country view and to some country friends and maybe to joining a country church. Looks like it will be happening sooner than later for me, and I am glad that the Lord always gives me good things to look forward to. He is good to me.

Here are all the girls happily pecking away at a morning sprinkle of feed. Soon, I will be back outside to feed them some treats and to check on them in this Texas heat. I might not always have these same exact birds, chickens come and chickens go, but I will enjoy raising chickens for the long haul. I can't wait to get a few more in the country that are of the wild variety - the kind with the crazy head feathering that looks more like they are wearing a fanciful hat than feathering.

I think the next time I start with a new flock, the circumstances will indeed be joyful and peaceful. The ride to pick up my chicks will be delightful and exciting. The entire experience is sure to be even better than the first time...I'll make sure of it. A little tweak in life here and there can sure make a huge difference in the overall picture.

My journey is just beginning. I am so ready that I can hardly express my optimism enough to get it across. I've had so many hard battles in my life that my perspective is much different than another person's. My goals in life are rather simple...it's a good thing I am compatible with solitude, but it will be even more delightful to enjoy as the trees sway in the wind around me.

For today, I'll enjoy my surroundings, knowing with gladness that this too shall pass. Changes are good for us, I'm welcoming change and welcoming deeper peace, probably as I've not been able to experience it in many years. The thought of being able to live in great peace is thrilling to me. I feel like a kid glancing up at fireworks in amazement and am not daunted by the mystery of it all.

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Speaking of fireworks, on the 4th of July, I decided to step outside my house in my flip flops and without make-up, so that I could check out the loud fireworks sounds. In this house, people are always walking out to do as they please, for me, I just wanted to see the fireworks. So, I walked to my left, just a couple of houses down to see fireworks launching directly over a neighbor's house at the cul-de-sac end. They came outside and we were talking about how they initially thought the pipeline behind their house had exploded. I guess that's the hazards of living in an industrial area, loud sounds are discomforting. But, we enjoyed watching more fireworks from the street together.

Then, behind me I could hear the constant booming of fireworks being launched from the Pasadena area, so I bid them good-night and headed to the other end of my street, only three houses down from my own. I stood there, on the sidewalk of my street, and I watched the Pasadena fireworks, catching peeks of brilliant lights in-between houses and trees down the block. It was enough for me. No crowds, no congestion, no traffic...just a glimmer of sparkling lights in the distance with an occasional high reaching firework to give me an "Ahhhh" moment.

I looked around to see a few neighbors on their rooftops...they must have had a great view of all the different launch angles. A kid from across the street walked over to see what I was looking at...a Curious George...he said he'd just come back from the LaPorte launch but that it was "crazy busy." He asked what town was launching the fireworks that we were looking at and I told him, "Pasadena." He admitted that he didn't really know what direction and what town he was seeing because he just came from Delaware to try to find a job in the Houston area; he said he was 21 years old and it was "really, really hard" to find a job, but it seemed that Houston was going to be better than Delaware.

In my formality, I wished him luck, shook his hand and said, "I hope it all works out for you, I have a daughter your age and it's sometimes hard to be 21 and to find a decent job." He laughed and said, "Yep, I just got a job at Krogers, but I don't like working the deli."

For some reason, I thought he would be in construction work, so it cracked me up. I turned to go home, the fireworks were dying down and the kid began to stomp his feet in a weird way as he said with alarm, "I've gotten into fireants; oh man, they are eating me up!" I said, like a mother, "Get those shoes off and soak your feet in hot water." He was polite enough to shake my hand again as he was being eaten alive, poor kid. Then, he made a dash for home to not be so embarrassed about having to strip off his socks in shoes to pick off the ants. But, I did have a great 4th of July right on my own street.

My husband had suggested I watch it on television, but that wasn't good enough, certainly not with the booming sounds of exploding fireworks being heard outside our house. Standing there, watching the fireworks, for a few minutes, I felt like a kid again. There is something about fireworks that makes you feel hopeful and alive. For me, it is an emotional moment as I think deeply about fireworks conjuring images for the line "And the Rockets Red Glare, the Bombs Bursting in Air, Gave Proof Through the Night, That Our Flag was Still There." And that's how it goes for me.

I was glad to have my moment of remembrance of those who saw the bright glares in the sky and how it spelled continued hope and triumph for them. Yes, it meant a lot for me to walk out my door and to see the fireworks in person, even though I felt bad for the kid who will now link the moment to being chewed up by fireants!