Lots of excitement when I let the Sheps out! They raced each other to the back fence, as usual.  What was not usual was one stayed at the fence line, completely still and enchanted by something only he could see on the other side.

I could not resist going to investigate.

Approaching the fence, I was almost as delighted as Loki to see that my neighbors’ chickens were on a field trip!  I’m certain Loki thought he’d passed and woke up in Chicken Heaven!  He stood transfixed. He was perfectly still, perfectly quiet, staring through the chain link at the birds he had only previously glimpsed.  I’m not sure if he was thinking about making friends or making dinner!

The very best camera is the one you have with you so I snapped several photos with my iPhone. After a few minutes in their company, I just could not resist the siren song of my Canon.  It took a couple of tries, but I finally convinced Loki to tear himself away from the fence, so we could go inside and get my camera. 

The Sheps were not amused when I left them inside to slip back out to the fence, camera in hand. When I arrived at the fence, I saw the Chickens had retreated further into the woods.  How does one call a chicken?  I laughed at myself as I called out, “Hey…Hey…Hey…chicken!”  😊 (And right now, can you hear the country boy I married laughing at his wife, the city girl?)

It worked though!  One brave soul came and the others followed!

I spent 15 glorious minutes immersed in capturing their photos.  I usually work though my lunch hour, but not this day.  This day, I took joy where it found me.  Right there in my backyard with these gentle creatures.

When I saw the photo that I decided to name “Lucy and Ethel”, the feeling it invoked in me was friendship and happiness.  Just two besties enjoying each other’s company as they went about their day!  It reminded me there is a time for work, but there also must be time for joy and time for rest.  The hard part for many- including me- is finding the balance. 

May we all commit to take a bit of time this week to revel in the things that bring us joy and peace and rest.  

“I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God.”

Ecclesiastes 3:12-13 (NIV)