A Year of Gratitude – May 26, 2024

Our hens gave me a reason to be filled with gratitude today. Well, they actually gave me eight reasons. How could I be anything but grateful for eight fresh eggs in a single day?

We started keeping chickens a few years after moving to the farmhouse. Yet every day that I discover a fresh egg waiting for me in the nest, I am filled with the same excitement as the very first time. It’s a wonderful feeling to know that the effort you have put into keeping your flock healthy and well cared for has been rewarded with a delicious fresh egg.

I spent time in the part of our garden that is adjacent to our chicken coop today. I was weeding and tending to the seedlings that we transplanted there. As I worked, the hens went about their afternoon, scratching, taking dust baths, and making their happy hen sounds. It was such a nice way to spend the afternoon.

Before I went inside for the day, I stopped to collect the day’s fresh eggs. I opened the door to the next boxes and found blue, green, and brown speckled eggs waiting for me. I found myself marveling at the joys of being a chicken keeper, of repeating this wonderful task of collecting the fresh eggs each day.

I did what I always do as I collect the eggs, I thanked our girls for the gift of fresh eggs. It seems only right to thank them. Each egg helps to nourish three generations of my family. These eggs will be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner in the days ahead.

Yes, I found my gratitude at the chicken coop and thanked a group of hens for their good work today. That might not make sense to everyone, but it made perfect sense to me.

This post is part of our A Year of Gratitude Series. You can find the introduction, inspiration, and entire year’s gratitude’s posts here.