A Pinch of Cinnamon

Routines

~~~Spencer~~~

The blaring, obnoxious noise of my alarm rouses me from a fitful sleep. I'm so exhausted. I finally fell asleep around 12am, it is 4am now.

Groaning, I roll out of bed and get dressed. Jay shouldn't be awake for another two hours. I lock his door and put the long-range baby monitor in my pocket. I really need to find a roommate or someone to help me. It kills me to have to leave him like this until he wakes up.

I rush downstairs and flip on the coffee maker before forcing my feet into my boots. I throw on a light jacket and head out to the barn. I need to feed the animals before Jay wakes up. Thank god the cattle are grass fed right now.

I scoop some grain into a bucket and spread it for the chickens and ducks before refilling their water. I mix up a bucket of grain with a special mineral mix for Daisy, my milk cow and Jenny, my milk goat. I feed Daisy first and sit on the stool by her side. Gently wiping of her teats with baby wipes, I milk her until I have about a gallon. My fingers and hands are aching and cramping but I can't stop yet. I still need to milk Jenny. I repeat the process with her before filtering the milk into containers. With the milkers done, I head over to throw a few flakes of hay to each of the three horses. I will let them out to graze later.

I listen to the baby monitor to confirm Jay still hasn't risen, before starting to muck stalls. Shoveling mounds of dirty straw and manure into the wheelbarrow.

My grueling routine has been killing me lately. It would have been fine if not for having a 3-year-old and no one to watch him. Sleepless nights and the worry of having him alone have been eating me. I take him with me wherever I go on the farm unless it's this early in the morning. After finally nailing down a routine with him, he sleeps until 6 most mornings giving me two hours to do chores without worrying about him being trampled by animals. I've looked into babysitters but no one around was willing to do the hours I needed.

After mucking the stalls, I head to the sheep barn. They have a large paddock and can go in and out of the barn freely. Most are out grazing or sleeping in the fields. I clean their pen and refresh the water.

I use them for wool, and they are due to be sheared as I was about a month late. I usually do it in the beginning of May before it gets hot. Since I couldn't get my act together, I created a tent like structure to keep them cool out in the field when they don't want to come in the barn. I'll have to figure it out.

Before heading back in the house, I stop to collect any eggs. They usually don't lay overnight, but I've gotten the occasional eggs. This morning there were four. Not many considering I have over 40 chickens and 6 ducks.

I trudge inside, the smell of fresh coffee invading my nose. My pot has a 4-hour warmer which makes it a little easier to have warm coffee after morning chores that I don't need to wait for. It's a godsend in the winter let me tell you.

I open Jay's door and peek in. He was just starting to shift around. I plant a kiss on his cheek.

"Time to wake up baby. It's breakfast time and then we have to check the cows." He blinked his eyes open and rubbed his fists against his eyes.

"Hungry momma." I chuckle and usher him to the bathroom.

"We will eat when you finish. You need to potty and get dressed and brush teeth."

We finish his morning routine and I put him in his booster seat. I give him some apple juice to tide him over until I'm done making the waffles and eggs. It's Jay's favorite. He loves adding ketchup to his eggs.

I plate his food, leaving mine on the stove as I cut his waffles into bite size pieces. I drizzle a little maple syrup on the waffles and a little ketchup on the eggs before putting it in front of him.