the lesson on the way to the woodshed

I never really want to go out and take care of the chickens first thing in the morning

when its cold (or even cold-ish) outside,

but I always feel a bit refreshed when I do.

This morning, as I was slipping my feet into my boots

(ugly boots - but cheap :-) 

I was thinking, 'I wonder if I'll find any gifts like Mary Anne does.

She gets the prettiest skies."

I'd already forgotten the thought when I walked out the door.

Good thing, though, 

because it's downright gloomy out, definitely no pretty sky today, and I might have had a little jealous pity party.

I was already bummed about missing out on the day's plans, after all.

I wasn't really looking around - just walking the familiar path to the chickens

and I stuck my hands in my pockets because it was a little chilly.

(it was actually the lesson on the way to the chicken coop, 

but I thought 'woodshed' sounded better ;-)

In one pocket (it was Tyler's coat) I found a glove

and in the other, some plastic.

I wondered if I'd found Tyler's missing glove, or if this was the one he knew about.

I hoped it was the missing one!

And I wondered if that plastic might just be a bag - because if it was, I could use it to carry eggs;

I'd forgotten to grab a bucket

and I was pretty sure we hadn't gathered eggs yesterday.

I pulled it out, and what do you know? It was a bag.

While stuffing the bag back into my pocket,

I heard a rustle at the pond.

I looked over, just as the blue heron was lifting off.

I watched him (I don't know why we always call it a him) fly off until I could no longer see him.

And that's when I got my lesson.

I should have been looking for gifts.

If I had gone outside, expecting to see something wonderful,

I surely would have.

And I would have been able to watch the heron on the pond,

instead of merely watching him fly away.

Now, I do try to look for goodness and beauty,

but I think maybe I need to purpose to look a little more.