The Minnesota Farm Woman

“You’d better watch what you wish for!” That’s what they say. I like it when wishes come true…most of the time. I have often wished that my chickens would get broody and hatch a few baby chicks. That has happened only on a rare occasion, up until now. At the moment I have two or three broody hens, but unfortunately, the middle of winter is not the time to raise baby chicks. (Those of you in other parts of the country have just had the official first day of winter, which was December 21. In northern Minnesota, we call this time of year “the middle of winter” just to keep ourselves sane. We all know that if we are lucky, winter will end in April, so we’re nowhere near the middle.) Collecting eggs in the coop has become a defensive maneuver for me, since when chickens are broody, they’re mean. One of hens starts making visceral noises like some sort of caged wild animal whenever I enter the coop and pecks at me if I am within a foot of the nesting box. I guess I might do the same if a Farm Woman wearing heavy winter boots and her husband’s large protective leather gloves came stomping in every day and took my babies. HE may call it nagging rather than wishing, but over the years, I have wished for there to be a little more light around my chicken coop. He wired the inside a long time ago, but especially at this time of year when it is pitch black outside, I don’t like that long lonely trek to the coop when I am probably surrounded by hungry wolves and coyotes. Even though I have a bright flashlight and an off-key but cheerful whistle, I know I am being watched from the shadows. These days, if you look far to the north towards my house, it is not the northern lights that you see, but my new outdoor lamp. It has a glow bright enough to light up the whole township and on a timer so we can afford the electric bill. It’s funny how a little bit of light can scare away the wolves, whether they are real or imagined. Since these two wishes came true, I thought I would wish for something else, just in case: Whether you read the Bible, the Torah, the Quran, or “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” before you go to bed tonight, I wish you peace. May the light of this peace illuminate the paths you take every day, bring you comfort, and scare away the wolves. Merry Christmas! Happy New Year! Peace on earth.