Chickens lay more eggs if they have fourteen hours of light. In the summer that is easy to get but by November the sun is setting early enough that some chicken folks rig up electric lights. I decided to try it and plugged in an extension cord going from the outlet by the door to the hen house. As the length of days decreased I turned it on a little earlier each evening. I also needed to make sure the chickens had access to liquid water so I added a second cord for their heated waterer. Problem solved. 

As the months dragged on the cords became buried in snow and ice, to the point that I cannot see them anymore. The connection to the outlet, yes, but the majority of the wire, no. At times I worried that becoming embedded in a layer cake of ice, snow, ice, snow would restrict the flow of electricity. But it has not. I send a wave of thanks to my power source beneath the white blanket. My hope is that this is the week that the temperatures will rise enough to bring patches of ground back for my hens, who are eager to scratch for bugs and grass. 

Last week I was low on energy. All of our furniture was jammed into the dining room and entry way while my son redid the hardwood floors and painted the living room. It meant I could not sew, which for me is like a vitamin deficiency. The cold is wearing on all of us, and my anticipation that tomorrow will be better keeps coming up short.  

Sunday morning arrived and with no particular enthusiasm I jostled kids into the car and we went. The music team had chosen two songs written by John and I and it warmed me up to sing along. The minister asked the kids how many hugs they have and Ben's hand shot up.

"Tons of hugs."

The talk included holy supper, and it was nourishing to taste the bread and wine. I felt replenished.

I realized that if I had not already plugged myself in to the habit of going to church I would not have had the will to go. But having set up the routine when life was sunnier, I was able to be recharged. For some people it is church. For others it may be volunteer work, or daily readings.

Marriages benefit from power sources that are established before the first frost. We might even remember to say thank you to the power source.