May your year ahead be filled with laughter, fat chickens and just the right amount of snow, with an early spring, with plenty of love, a summer of abundant garden produce, a good apple season, and a warm home.  May you always be able to find the good, and may you always steer through any rough spots with grace.  May you manage to find goodwill and grace towards all.

These guys move so fast that it’s hard to get a sharp picture with no blur

Early ripe apples, the ones that fall off the tree in August and must be sorted carefully, the unmarked ones gathered.

A basket of apples that my dehydrator will just hold once peeled, cored, and sliced.

May 31 10 weeks

The garden at the end of July

Sweet William in raspberry swirl glass

An obvious barred plymouth rock rooster, at three to four months (this one is a keeper).

3-week plus barred rock rooster

Our pumpkins (planted last month), backed with sunflowers.

One day’s harvest from the garden, from six or eight plants.

Bean & Bantam all rights reserved

November: First Fall hen in front, rooster in back