Today

Jamie took the children outside this morning to transplant tomatoes in the rain. Abigail came in first, covered in mud. I changed her into clean clothes. After two bowls of oatmeal with raisins and two Big Franks with ketchup, she was satisfied. The men came in and ate while wearing their muddy clothes. I washed the dishes in a tiny bowl of water, so they didn't feel really clean, and that made me feel a little grumpy. But then I was happy that we had water at all. I swept the floor.

"Baa, baa, baa, baa." Mama Sheep was bleating and stomping. It was a good day, because Jamie was home to take care of them this time! "You better go check on Mama Sheep!" I said. "She doesn't bleat like that unless there's something wrong."

He walked to the ewe, then ran away from her and then ran back to her. The next thing I saw was Jamie running, followed by three sheep! More ants! He planned for the sheep to run behind him to the backyard, but they had different thoughts. Spying the ripe papaya sitting on the front step that Jamie had picked that morning, they turned and started happily munching! When Jamie ran back from the backyard, there they were! He chased them away only to return to find the chickens claiming their share! Before they departed the front step, they left a deposit.

After putting Abigail to nap, I heard, "Cluck, cluck, cluck." Three hens were sitting in my dining room chairs! Grabbing a broom I shooed them outdoors and quickly disinfected the chairs and swept the floor.

Abigail awoke, and after she ate, three more hens ran into our house, with Jedidiah and Ellie the German Shepherd giving chase. Two went back outside, but the third one took off down the hallway, right into the children's room! She ran over all of my children's scattered toys and perched on top of their wooden kitchen. When I took her outside, there was Abigail, jumping in huge muddy puddles. I called her in and changed her clothes, again. And swept the floor.

Thankfully the water was flowing by that time and I began disinfecting toys. Then Jedidiah and his oversized puppy ran inside. Chunks of soil covered the floor and muddy paw prints marked a line to the dog food. Again, I swept the floor. The children took their baths.

Then Jamie came in, and the mud was from man-sized shoes and pants that time. I swept the floor. They ate supper while I sank into a chair with a headache.

Sometimes I just want to feel clean.

Our yard today