Today was one of the exciting ones.
This morning, I got up early, around 6:30. I did a shortened version of yoga, got dressed, and drove across town to Quality Supply--the Montana version of Bomgaars (for you midwesterners reading this), which has everything from horse and cattle feed to Carhartts to garden tools to baby chickens. As you may have guessed, it was the latter category that held my interest this morning. Greg and I have been meaning to get chickens for over a year. Last spring just got too busy. Last fall, Greg began building a henhouse, and had it nearly finished when the weather turned bitterly cold and snowy in November. It is still nearly finished.
Two weeks ago we took care of the chickens of Meg and Emily, our neighbors-across-the-alley. Taking care of the chickens=eating fresh, local eggs. Lots of them. That did it for us--we decided it was time to get chickens of our own. So on Saturday we stopped by Quality Supply to pick some up. Though they had gotten in 700 chicks on Thursday morning, by Saturday all that remained were meat chickens, bantams (the miniature version of chickens) and ducks. We were told a new order was coming in this Thursday, so we prepared ourselves: I brought home a big cardboard box from work, we purchased pine shavings and a heat lamp and waterers and feeders, and I made a list of the types of chicks arriving, did some research, and decided on two Buff Orpingtons (a very friendly and personable breed, as well as cold-hardy) and two Aruacanas (which lay blue and green eggs!!). If, that is, I could get to QS in time. Thus the early morning. I parked my car in the lot at 7:35, paced in front of the doors for ten minutes, and the kind employees took pity on me and the one other person waiting and opened the store at 7:45--fifteen minutes early. Another kind employee helped me box up my chicks, waiting patiently while I picked them out, and then carried a 50-lb bag of chick feed to my car since my hands were full of baby chickens. SUCCESS!
They are now happily cheeping, sleeping, and pooping away in the box, which we have put in our study, with the door FIRMLY closed against our very interested kitties. And they are just the cutest darned things ever. Wouldn't you agree?
Normally, that would be a pretty exciting and delightful day right there. Baby chicks--who needs anything more than that to be happy? And yet there was another happy surprise in store for me. Arnie, my boss, asked to talk to me this afternoon at work. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I certainly wasn't prepared for what he actually said! MNHC has a lovely magazine, the Montana Naturalist, which we publish three times a year. Caroline Kurtz has been the editor for as long as the magazine has existed--Caroline's a wonderful woman who has made our magazine a beautiful thing. However, she has decided she'd like to phase herself out of MNHC, and everyone agreed that I would be the best person to be the new magazine editor!
I don't think I can express here how excited I am about this. I love the Montana Natural History Center, love its mission, love the people who work there, love the work that I do. But I have been feeling lately that I want to do more with my talents--more with my favorite talents, that is. And this promotion will give me the scope for that. I'll still be coordinating volunteers, helping with the auction, doing many of my current duties, etc. But now I get to add Montana Naturalist production to that list, and that puts a huge smile on my face. I'll get to write . . . edit . . . brainstorm . . . be creative . . . contact local writers and photographers . . . and much, much more.
This morning, I got up early, around 6:30. I did a shortened version of yoga, got dressed, and drove across town to Quality Supply--the Montana version of Bomgaars (for you midwesterners reading this), which has everything from horse and cattle feed to Carhartts to garden tools to baby chickens. As you may have guessed, it was the latter category that held my interest this morning. Greg and I have been meaning to get chickens for over a year. Last spring just got too busy. Last fall, Greg began building a henhouse, and had it nearly finished when the weather turned bitterly cold and snowy in November. It is still nearly finished.
Two weeks ago we took care of the chickens of Meg and Emily, our neighbors-across-the-alley. Taking care of the chickens=eating fresh, local eggs. Lots of them. That did it for us--we decided it was time to get chickens of our own. So on Saturday we stopped by Quality Supply to pick some up. Though they had gotten in 700 chicks on Thursday morning, by Saturday all that remained were meat chickens, bantams (the miniature version of chickens) and ducks. We were told a new order was coming in this Thursday, so we prepared ourselves: I brought home a big cardboard box from work, we purchased pine shavings and a heat lamp and waterers and feeders, and I made a list of the types of chicks arriving, did some research, and decided on two Buff Orpingtons (a very friendly and personable breed, as well as cold-hardy) and two Aruacanas (which lay blue and green eggs!!). If, that is, I could get to QS in time. Thus the early morning. I parked my car in the lot at 7:35, paced in front of the doors for ten minutes, and the kind employees took pity on me and the one other person waiting and opened the store at 7:45--fifteen minutes early. Another kind employee helped me box up my chicks, waiting patiently while I picked them out, and then carried a 50-lb bag of chick feed to my car since my hands were full of baby chickens. SUCCESS!
They are now happily cheeping, sleeping, and pooping away in the box, which we have put in our study, with the door FIRMLY closed against our very interested kitties. And they are just the cutest darned things ever. Wouldn't you agree?
Normally, that would be a pretty exciting and delightful day right there. Baby chicks--who needs anything more than that to be happy? And yet there was another happy surprise in store for me. Arnie, my boss, asked to talk to me this afternoon at work. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I certainly wasn't prepared for what he actually said! MNHC has a lovely magazine, the Montana Naturalist, which we publish three times a year. Caroline Kurtz has been the editor for as long as the magazine has existed--Caroline's a wonderful woman who has made our magazine a beautiful thing. However, she has decided she'd like to phase herself out of MNHC, and everyone agreed that I would be the best person to be the new magazine editor!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I don't think I can express here how excited I am about this. I love the Montana Natural History Center, love its mission, love the people who work there, love the work that I do. But I have been feeling lately that I want to do more with my talents--more with my favorite talents, that is. And this promotion will give me the scope for that. I'll still be coordinating volunteers, helping with the auction, doing many of my current duties, etc. But now I get to add Montana Naturalist production to that list, and that puts a huge smile on my face. I'll get to write . . . edit . . . brainstorm . . . be creative . . . contact local writers and photographers . . . and much, much more.
***HAPPY DANCE!!!!!!***
So . . . we'll see how it all goes! Wishing delightful surprises to all of you lovely people out there, too. Much love!
Still smiling after your phone call this afternoon and happy dancing right with you (or at least as much as my knees will allow! ;-)) Proud of you, dear one!
ReplyDeleteAnd the chicks are very cute indeed!
ReplyDeleteHooray!! How awesomely exciting! You'll be a fantastic and informed editor. Yay for getting paid to work within your passion.
ReplyDeleteAnd they're such little boo-jah chickies!
Yay chickens!! so freaking adorable I absolutely cannot deal.
ReplyDeleteWonderful news- the chicks that is--- well yes--- but the opportunity to use more of your God given gifts as editor is delightful!-- also wondering how many days you plan to be at family vacation? - Love, Arlys
ReplyDeleteThe chickens sound like fun, and they are cute!
ReplyDeleteI am impressed (again and more) about your new editor position! You are a wonderful person for that position!