Hi Reader, Here in Vermont, spring is slowly making it known that she's on her way, announcing her upcoming arrival with hopping robins and patches of grass where once lay blankets of snow. It's the time of year when we can simultaneously step in mud and almost slip on the ice in one single stride. Nature's soundtrack now includes lively birds singing their odes to spring and snow melting off the roof in steady drips under the warm sun. And although we may see snowfall once or twice again...

Hi Reader, I don't know about you, but the second half of winter has felt much harder than the earlier days of the season. How is it that February - the shortest month of the year - often feels like the longest? I've found myself craving warmer temperatures and wishing for green sprouts in the garden. And while the high snow drifts along our shoveled walkway tell me spring is still a long way off, the subtle shift in daylight reminds me we're heading in the right direction. What to do during...

Dear Reader, The word "gentle" has come up in multiple conversations over the course of this past week. The desire for a gentle, slow start to the day. The need to be gentle with ourselves during periods of anxiety and grief. Treating someone with kindness and gentleness, even when it's hard. To go about something in a gentle way. I've learned a great deal about gentleness from taking care of our chickens. It doesn't matter how much of a rush I find myself in - when it comes time to grab each...