Yesterday was a big day for my coop project.
My brother came and installed the carpet remnant that I bought last week.
He used to lay flooring for a living way back in the day, and still has some of the nifty tools necessary for doing the job.
I was a little nervous about the color of the carpet I had purchased. I had only been able to see a small triangle of it in the store as it was rolled up and taped. It looked darker than I was hoping for, but the price was SO enticing, that I decided to get it anyway.
When my brother brought the trimmed carpet up from his shop and rolled it out in the coop yesterday I was delighted to see that it was much lighter than I thought! I love it!
I got to 'help' him do it and learned a few things along the way.
Considering the extremely rustic nature of this building, I cannot believe what a change it made to have carpet put down in the correct way. It was transformative!
He put in a proper threshold strip.
When he left, I installed masonite as a draft barrier and a backboard for the electric heater that is on its way.
Please take note of this lovely work.
Thank you C. for doing this for me. It's something I had no skills for, and it just pulls everything together in a way even I hadn't imagined!
I have spent the hours since then bringing things in from the house to put on shelves and in the cupboard. Much fiddling and fussing and laughter has gone on let me tell you.
This morning I took pretty much everything else out there that I intended and arranged it and rearranged it. I finally sat down and just looked.
The door was open, the big grated window was open. The air was cool (for now) and I listened to the sprinkler going in the garden and just .......
rested.
I have to tell you, this is a rather rare state of being for me. My mind is usually racing at top speed or when I am in my house, I look around and see all kinds of things that need attention. I'm making lists with lots of 'shoulds' on them. Even things like, "I should be painting now." So it's hard for me to really rest when I'm awake.
But out there? I just sat. I looked at the nice view. I was "outdoors" but not in the sun. I was inside, but felt like I was outside. And several things dawned on me.
I didn't know how much I was needing a place to be closer to my environment but comfortable at the same time. I place to feel a breeze. To have a nice open view. To hear the birds. To smell the spearmint along the fence wafting through the air. And to be away for a little while from the dishes in the sink, the laundry in the basket, the shopping list on the table, the windows that need washing the refrigerator that needed cleaned out.... you know what I mean.
As I sat there in my temporary chair, my mind went into neutral.
It went into neutral!
All those hot, sweaty, difficult work days payed off in a way I was not quite prepared for. I sat there for 45 minutes like that. Oh I got up and moved a little thing here or there, or picked off another stray piece of straw from a board. But I was in the Zone. It was amazing.
My goal now is to make sure that I don't put pressure on myself to DO anything when I'm out there. If I FEEL like it, I will. I have two new journals and a small watercolor kit available. But I will only write or paint if I feel the need. It is not a requirement. There are no 'shoulds' in that place. I forbid it!
And then... because I was in such a relaxed and grateful space in my mind, the name for the newly reborn chicken coop slipped into my consciousness without fanfare or effort.
Hen's Rest.
That's it. I've given up trying to be clever.
(That's going to save you a LOT of futile effort Cupcake. Good decision.)
I still have details to attend to before I'm ready to show you the whole interior. I won't wait until the chair shows up, because that seems to be taking its time. But I'm almost finished with everything else.
And don't even get me started on what I plan to do in the chicken run! There's still a lot do do outside. But inside the walls of Hen's Rest, all is calm.
At last.
