Rusty Bucket Farm

[Mother of Chaos]

I lost my dad yesterday.



He was a great lover of nature, plants, gardening, landscaping. He planted host plants for my daughter and I to raise different butterfly and moth species. He filled our great big yard with fruit and shade trees. And he left us a tin of seeds for this spring.

He was the one who let me know the days were finally getting longer. We had plans for springtime. Or, I thought we did.

His mental health caught up with him. My old life is over. I hope something good grows back.

I love you, Dad.

I’m so sorry. He sounds like a wonderful, and very human, guy.

I hope you’ll be able to carry through with some of your springtime plans.

 

[lightm]

I lost my dad yesterday.















He was a great lover of nature, plants, gardening, landscaping. He planted host plants for my daughter and I to raise different butterfly and moth species. He filled our great big yard with fruit and shade trees. And he left us a tin of seeds for this spring.

He was the one who let me know the days were finally getting longer. We had plans for springtime. Or, I thought we did.

His mental health caught up with him. My old life is over. I hope something good grows back.

I love you, Dad.

I am so sorry. My condolence! I hope you will get comfort from your family, your garden, and your chickens.

 

[AntiqueB]

I'm so sorry.

 

[CoopBoots]

When I say I appreciate all the kind words, I realize it sounds so hollow. But please believe me. I mean it. Thank you from the bottom of my broken heart.

As I sit with this thing, it reminds me of being in labor. Waves of agony followed by brief bursts of forgetfulness or even joy. Some small thing (there were SO MANY) around the house he'd fixed for me, my husband, or the kids. The plates I used to take him supper. The mugs he'd use for tea when I could convince him to come in and visit with us. The unfinished Christmas puzzle still in my living room that we gave him to do with us. It was probably 75 percent done. There's still a piece I remember that he was frustrated by and couldn't find--that I still cannot find either.

Im gonna frame that puzzle and if im missing pieces, I don't care. I'll finish it as best i can.

And that is like my life. He's missing and I can't replace him. Things are left unfinished, unsaid. And we just have to go on the best we can.

I plan to go and take pictures. As many things as I can remember, especially his plants. I've forgotten so much he told me about what he was growing and why. But I want to document what I can here and give thanks again for each of them. They will be beautiful this spring and will continue to grow, even though he's gone. Just like us.

We are his legacy and we are going to thrive.

God bless everyone who is having a mournful Christmas and New Year. I finally understand and I join my sorrow with yours. We can get through this together. Life will be different, but still worth living. Just a very different, and yes, harder, chapter of your story. But see it through!!! See it through. Joy will come again like the spring.

 

[fuzzi]

I lost my dad yesterday.















He was a great lover of nature, plants, gardening, landscaping. He planted host plants for my daughter and I to raise different butterfly and moth species. He filled our great big yard with fruit and shade trees. And he left us a tin of seeds for this spring.

He was the one who let me know the days were finally getting longer. We had plans for springtime. Or, I thought we did.

His mental health caught up with him. My old life is over. I hope something good grows back.

I love you, Dad.

I'm so sorry.

I lost my dad in 2022. I still miss him.

 

[CoopBoots]

I'm so sorry.

I lost my dad in 2022. I still miss him.

Oh, I'm so sorry, too. Big hugs, @fuzzi
. I can feel the incredible distinctness of the before / after already. This is my first very close loss... I can see this being true of all such losses. A door or chapter completely closes. It is up to us to find the door that mercifully also opens. But we are never alone. God bless you and I pray for your deep healing. We are all in this together.

I'm going to pay some chicken tax if I can. One of our sweet late-summer pullets has blessed us with an egg:

Not a clean one by any means, but we will gladly accept it anyway

 

[fuzzi]

Oh, I'm so sorry, too. Big hugs, @fuzzi
. I can feel the incredible distinctness of the before / after already. This is my first very close loss... I can see this being true of all such losses. A door or chapter completely closes. It is up to us to find the door that mercifully also opens. But we are never alone. God bless you and I pray for your deep healing. We are all in this together.

I'm going to pay some chicken tax if I can. One of our sweet late-summer pullets has blessed us with an egg:
View attachment 4276517
Not a clean one by any means, but we will gladly accept it anyway

She's learning!

One of the June pullets (OEGB) is laying, the other two are freeloading. The two July Sussex pullets just started laying, too.

 

[CoopBoots]

I've been seeing even more tiny eggs! So grateful to Ms. Cookie, Ms. Treble, Ms. Trouble, Ms. Deb, and Ms. Murphy. I'll have to get updated photos of them, plus the boys. All coming along so beautifully!

Today's picture courtesy of the neighbor's cockerel or rooster--who was up a tree in our front yard crowing his head off (and setting off probably all 5 of our boys) at 5 am:

Here's where he was perched, and the ladder my husband fell off of as the cockerel started flapping (I was holding the ladder but that doesn't help much if you miss the two bottom steps coming down!!)

It was still pitch dark but dang if that scrappy little bird didn't then run off to hide in our front holly bushes. I have a newfound respect for both how HIGH into a tree a lean bird can get, and the ability to try and navigate in the dark. My idiots act like they can't see or respond to anything at night. Not this guy!!!

He's currently having a great time taunting all my dudes through the fence and tidbitting for the ladies. He got Gubbles so riled up he's actually crowing and dancing around (at least as long as Yorvir is occupied). It really livened up our morning, but I hope hub's back is gonna be ok >.< We'll see if the neighbor wants us to just walk him back home or prefers to pick their jailbird up.

Tuesdays were the day we went out with my Dad for piano lessons and groceries. Have canceled our regular plans and going to take the kids on a field trip instead. Grateful for any and all diversion.

One day at a time.