Country Store & Home Again

William is finishing a waistcoat, and needed to pick up more muslin, and a nice contrasting fabric for the back, and all of this is at JoAnn's; both locations are out of the way. Our chicken feed was all gone, the hay getting low, and it never hurts to get the goat chow while I'm out; the best feed store is almost as far away as the fabric store. With two incentives to make a longish drive, I dreamt up a few more good excuses, and William and Maria joined me on the winding road to the Country Store. In all, we made five stops, and each of them was worthwhile. We enjoyed either window shopping and appreciating sights, or picking up essentials, like deli sandwiches from Major Market, alfalfa from the feed store. William found his fabric, and Maria and I spotted some hilarious Foo inspired flannel! Really, the only regret I have is not bringing home those fallen oak leaves. Do you think they'd mind if I went back, sat on their store stoop and collected the leaves as they fall? A basket of these would thoroughly delight me.

Back home we were met by stir crazy hens, and ravenous goats. I sat on a log and watched the hens scratch and peck over the treats I gave them. The goats did their usual dance, jockeying for position, for their evening supper. The new hens are more daring than the old guard, and will get into the mix with the goats to steal their oats! I watched the show, shaking my head at the nonsense of goat-chicken dynamics. Heading back to the house, I was, once again, met by the beautiful glow, the happy welcome of our home, and I stopped to take a picture. It still feels brand new, like a dream. This is a good time... we have our projects, and our errands, we have our safe ride, and winding roads to interesting places, we have home, and we have each other.