Ready To Read Some Chick Lit?

Okay, calling this literature might be a stretch.....

You belong in this world. You make this place brighter. We’re so glad you’re here!

— Mama Chicken and her little surprise munchkins

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Here’s What’s Happening At Good Spirits Farm

I always find Mother’s Day weekend to be a little sad—I always thought I’d have children of my own by now. But last Friday, one of my hens delivered the perfect antidote to any impending glumness: a big ol’ surprise gaggle of chickie babies.

It’s funny, I saw a chicken acting “broody” a couple of weeks ago. When broody, hens puff up and make these cute little clucking noises. They’ll sit on their nests constantly, except for 1-2 quick breaks for food and water each day—on those food runs, they cluck and puff and act like they’re already talking to a clutch of babies. This gal was tan, had a bit of black on her tail and had these cute puffy cheeks, and I made a mental note to look around for her nest.

That night, when I went to close the chicken shack up, I saw a tan chicken with black on her tail and puffy cheeks sleeping on a roost. I thought, well, that’s odd; she must not really be broody.

Y’all: It turns out Mama Chicken has a doppelganger. Somehow I didn’t realize I had two chickens that looked exactly the same until one showed up with a bunch of chicks, and her twin sister looked proudly on from the sidelines. They totally fooled me!

I never actually found where Mama hid her nest, which turned out to be a problem, as the chicks slowly began disappearing. She hatched at least 15, and then there were 10, and then there were 8…Finally, I went out one night with a flashlight, determined to try and find her, and there she was, bed down in some deep grass—a terrible spot for predator avoidance. I got her and her remaining six chicks safely put into a little coop of their own, and so far, all six remaining babies are thriving.

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Here’s What I Loved This Week

I have some news! I have accepted a new job! I’m leaving journalism for a position at a tech startup. It is a total career pivot, but one that hopefully will start me on a fun new journey. As many of you know, I am taking on the farm mortgage all on my own (and losing my health care post-divorce). The journalism industry is in such disarray, and I found myself feeling anxious about my future almost all of the time. That seemed like a sign to make a change.

This position that uses a lot of my same skills—research, writing, and connecting with people—came at just the right moment, and I am hopeful it will help me feel secure as I transition into this next phase.

Don’t worry — the newsletter isn’t going anywhere! This will become my primary writing outlet, so I am definitely not giving that up! Oh, and the job is fully remote, so I’m not leaving this farm!

Thank you to the many, many, many of you who have offered love and support during this last really hard year. The end of the really hard stuff is in sight, and brighter days are hopefully coming.