A Year of Gratitude – September 6, 2024

I have our hens to thank for my gratitude today. As I type this, the hens are tucked away for the evening. They were getting ready for slumber, finding their way to their usual spots. I told them goodnight and pulled the doors closed to keep them safe until morning.

As a chicken keeper, I don’t think that’s very noteworthy to be grateful for your hens. It’s difficult not to be thankful when you collect fresh eggs from your coop. Much like a gardener harvesting a beautiful ripe tomato, there is a sense of pride that comes along with each fresh egg I collect.

We have been keeping chickens and ducks for more than a decade now. Yet the joy of collecting fresh eggs never fades. I still love to find them.

This time of year, they become less plentiful. It’s natural for hens to slow down, to concentrate their body’s energy on preparing for the colder months ahead. It’s just part of the season.

 Yet I do miss having dozens of eggs at the ready in the farmhouse kitchen. It’s the time of year when we begin choosing a bit more carefully what we’ll spend those fresh eggs on.

Today, I had enough fresh eggs to dream up a little baking. That was enough to remind me to be grateful. Then my gratitude grew as I turned those fresh eggs into something that my family can enjoy all weekend long.

So yes, I have chickens and ducks to thank for some of my gratitude today. I might be collecting fewer eggs this time of year, but the gratitude remains the same all year long.

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.