Well...at least RED is a Christmas colour!

OK, so I'm not going to beat around the bush - I'm angry and I'm struggling with my new reality.  I've been angry since Friday and no matter how I try to process and flow with this anger, it doesn't want to move.  Why am I angry?  As of this morning, the District of Muskoka has moved into a RED Zone.. Seems simple right?  Everyone must do their part?  However, Muskoka is only a RED Zone now based on the numbers of covid in the Simcoe/Muskoka Health Unit - which predominantly means the City of Barrie.  As of this writing, Muskoka has 9 active cases of confirmed covid currently and none are in the hospitals.  So why are businesses in Muskoka being forced to shut their doors once again?  To me it seems like lazy politics and bad decision making.   For the time being, my business operations are having to adjust once again.  I will do everything in my power to keep fighting.  I am not willing to throw away 12 years of work and give in now.  So now in order to be in compliance with the Province of Ontario, I can only now allow a max of 5 people on site at a time.  I can only hope this restriction doesn't last long.   I worry about the ability of many small businesses to be able to stay alive during this period.  I have been trying to distract myself by filling my free time with decking the halls in the barn.  For those who will be choosing to come to the farm for a visit over the holidays, you are in for a real treat!  The magical glow inside the barn is enchanting when the full lights are turned off.  I was attempting to make the barn feel more intimate and cozy for the colder months ahead, and I am not disappointed in the least!  I literally have had to stop myself from stringing more lights.  For safety, all of the lights in the barn are battery powered.  I have to admit it is kind of tedious turning them all on and off each day, but I am admittedly obsessed with Christmas lights so don't mind one bit!  So while I worry about the future of my farm through this prolonged pandemic, at least I can enjoy the cheer of the decorations while they are up.

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I think my flock of hens has really sensed how stressed I am as well.  They have been going out of their way to gift me with beautiful fresh eggs each day.  Yesterday was a record with 5 eggs left by the ladies!  This past week our Black Copper Marans have also decided it's time to start laying!  We've collected 8 rich dark brown eggs so far that sure do stand out in contrast against the Bielefelder light brown eggs.  If production keeps picking up, soon I will enough eggs to share with my neighbours.  I never thought I would have taken to my hens (and rooster) the way I have but I am very glad they are here.  I get a different kind of joy from spending time with them.  I am sad that Attila has reached her maximum size for being able to perch comfortably on my shoulder though.  Not only is she heavy but she is just a very large hen and I am not as big I once was.  I have yet to catch Attila in the nesting boxes so am pretty sure she is the only Bielefelder not yet laying eggs.  Why is it always the ones I spoil rotten that become the freeloaders around here?   Regardless of how many eggs I get each day, I won't ever be able to go back to store bought eggs.  The colour of the yolk, and the flavour of our home raised, loved eggs can't be beat!  

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I have been fairly silent on social media for the past 2 weeks.  This was literally just so I could stay focused on my studies and not be distracted by world events while working through my next level of teachings.  As a way of making up for the lack of recent posts, I decided yesterday to launch the "12 Goats of Christmas"!  Each day between now and Christmas I will feature one of our beloved herd members on our Instagram and Facebook accounts.  In case you are not on those platforms, I will share the same photos here on my weekly blog.  What started yesterday with Carmela, continued today with Vanilla.  I hope you enjoy these photos, and that they bring a smile to your heart in these troubling times.  Hang in there my friends.     With love ~ Angee