Shall We Molt?

I have never witnessed anything like it before.

The molting of my chickens.

But now that I’ve seen it, I think we should all molt. What a wonderful thing a yearly MOLT is. Drop our “old” ideas, prejudices, hurt feelings, grudges, chips on our shoulders, negative emotions. Molting is a painful, stressful process, sure. And yes, we must take extra special care of ourselves during it. But when we come out on the other side? Woo! Growth. Freshness. Power. Newness.

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  1. Kay (old cowgirl) Montoy says:

    MOLTING is good. I would love to and am working on it.
    Hugs and happy molting.
    Kay

  2. Patricia M. says:

    Thanks for this information, and all the nice pictures. Some of my chickens are starting to molt also. I knew what it was when I saw it, but I didn’t know that it was stressful for them. I’m new to all this also. My husband grew up with lots of farm animals, but I grew up a “city girl” in California, so this is all new to me. I feel like we are in a Green Acres scene most of the time! But I love it!

  3. Those are some healthy-looking chickadees. Congrats on being such a great chicken mom. And the MASH house? Hilarious. Snakes shed their skins also. Or do you avoid any knowledge about snakes:) I’m sure if I molted, I’d hide under plywood, too. BTW, hubby says he religiously reads and enjoys your blog posts. You have a guy fan out here in Idaho. Gives us something to talk about over morning coffee.

  4. Rebekah, I always feel so sorry for hens when they are molting… I used to think they “hid out” in the hen house because they felt so vulnerable without their feathers. I agree with you – I think we should all molt. I’ve never thought of it the way you wrote it though and I loved it. I do try to shed some of those things that tend to burden me down… and when I’m in the process I usually hide out in my kitchen. That happy place, you know! 🙂 Thanks again… I loved this post! – Dori, the Ranch Farmgirl –

  5. Chickenbee says:

    Molting and Gratitude. Two very good things 🙂

  6. Marcie says:

    Love to read all the chicken news. Our chickens are molting right now too, with their bare necks they look a lot like turkey vultures. I bought some Nutrena Feather Fix pellets for the chickens the other day. Supposed to have extra protein to help them grow their feathers back and with cold weather on the way, they better hurry.

    Yes Rebekah, I like your idea about molting too. Wow, a mental and emotional release of old clutter from within. Thank you for great ideas.

  7. Joan says:

    Lovely chickens you have there, they are so lucky you care so much. MOLTING – yes that is what I am going to try to do. Because I have no feathers to release, I am going do a MOLTING journal, what a great idea you had, thanks much. God bless.

  8. Cindy says:

    I love the idea of molting away all of the negative stuff in our lives. We should make it into a ritual just like the chickens do. Hide out for a few days. Alone with our thoughts and just molt. I’m molting I’m molting! ( say like the wicked witch of the west!)

    Cindy Bee

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Something About Those Floors

I’ve had so many questions about our New Old Wormy Chestnut Floors. So here goes!

By the way. NO, our kitchen is NOT finished. Didn’t we begin the process like a million years ago?! Here’s a photo that pretty much sums it up….

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  1. Rebekah, I think I am absolutely GREEN with envy on those floors. OH. MY. WORD. Honestly, I can’t think of anything more beautiful. And that picture of your amazing old farmhouse is just incredible. I think I’m ready to come visit now! 🙂 – Dori, the Ranch Farmgirl –

  2. paula sullivan says:

    I love your old wormy floors! What a neat idea. Your home is coming right along.

  3. Elaine C says:

    The floors are beautiful! I love wormy chestnut as well, and have a handful-made bowl from it. Cooler weather in N GA the past couple of days. A great improvement over the hot weather all summer. Can’t wait to see the completed kitchen!

  4. deb says:

    Fantastic!

  5. Joan says:

    X – QUE – SET!!!!! and if it looking greener west of you – that happens to be me!!!
    Thanks for sharing.

  6. Pam DeMarrais says:

    Rebekah, the floor is gorgeous! (Or like you said.) You will always have a great story to share with folks who come to see your new kitchen! Sounds like we may hear a sequel with your cabinet installation. Hope that it goes smoothly!
    As always, I smile and chuckle when I read your post.

  7. Denise says:

    Love your floors. I love all the character that comes with old and vintage things, and the stories that go with them. Loved your post :/)

  8. Melanie Hornbuckle says:

    I am extremely jealous. They are beautiful. I am living my small farm dream life through all of you. I am too old and my husband is too “citified” so, you go, girl and I will so enjoy the beauty of your hard work.

  9. BEEOOOTIFUL! Love those floors, and what a way to give life back to that wormy chestnut tree.

  10. Robin says:

    Not one to use gushy words, but, OMG! I am sawoooooning over those pics of your new wormy chestnut floors….*sigh*……ENJOY!

  11. RhondaLane says:

    The flooring is AWESOME!!!! If I had the resources that you have there, I would have done the exact same thing. I like things that are NOT like everyone elses!

  12. Deb says:

    Oh, I am even more ” green ” with envy than Dori! Love the story, the up-cycling and the beauty of your new floors will shine through for years to come as you make new family memories in your old/new farm kitchen! Now, truth be told, I cannot be tooooo envious… We are on the tail end of installing our new bamboo flooring in our modern farmhouse kitchen! I’m loving them too! but oh, yours are sooooooooooo dreamy! Lucky you! Wormy Chestnut …. sigh….

  13. Carol in NC says:

    Let’s just say I’m really late catching up on my blog reading. But, the wood is gorgeous! When my parents built a house in the late 70s they used “blue cottonwood” planks from the Mississippi river for paneling in the den and for cabinetry in the kitchen. Huge cottonwood trees would fall into the river and stay submerged for as long as 100 years, eventually floating to the surface, then retrieved to be sawn into lumber. The color wasn’t so much blue, but a warm grey. Well, kind of bluish I guess. I remember the old sawmill man, probably haven’t thought about him since the 70s! I remember him bragging to my dad that he only picked out the best wood from his ‘special, largest, bluest tree’, lol.

  14. Becka says:

    Ok, just check to your blog after reading the article in here’s the thing in the magazine. But what you don’t give is the cornbread recipe! Is that available? Thanks, Becka

  15. Cindy says:

    Hi Rebekah! I’m getting caught up on your blog and I just read this about the floors. I have to tell you we have a woods that is full of ash trees. And those ash trees are being destroyed by the emerald ash borer. I talked to a local lumber company and in the spring we’re going to take those ash trees, cut them down, and take them to this lumber company to be planed for wooden floors for our house!I think it is going to be beautiful!
    I love your kitchen floor! And yes I can believe the kitchen isn’t finished yet. I am going on my third winter in one room in the basement. One snow away from going cray-cray!

    Cindy Bee

  16. susana says:

    Love wooden floors, but when you live do close water, the dampness kills it. Your all the time changing it because it gets warped and buckles. But I love wood especially pine , walnut and cherry wood..,grateful flooring….never thought wormy word be good for anything except barns. You did a great job!

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