The Glorious Sun Ritual of Birds

The Glorious Sun Ritual of Birds

I have seen crows perched with their mate way up high on the poles in California from my backyard. They faced the rising sun, beaks parted, standing there still and reverent as the sun rose in the morning.  I can not help but feel the desire to stand with them with my hand over my heart and a smile of appreciation for another day.

In August of 1997 my Grandson was about to be born. My Daughter called and asked if I would come to help her. I quickly packed my bags and took a plane to Phoenix, Arizona where she lived. When I arrived I walked out the doors of the airport and into a furnace ! I had never been in such hot temperatures. The air felt heavy and thick like hot molasses.   It was 117 degrees. I was glad to get into the car and crank up the air conditioner. I arrived at the apartments and was greeted by my Daughter and my Son-in-Law. 

As I entered their home, I placed my hand on the double pane glass storm door and it burnt my hand like a frying pan. "Ouch !"  Spending time inside caring for my daughter was a gift not only for her but for me. I had missed her since she moved to Phoenix. In the evening when it cooled down to the mid 90's I would go out and walk up the road to the park. It was hot but my mind sirred with  thoughts of being a Grandmother. It was my first Grandchild. 

One morning Rebecca and I went for a walk to the market for groceries. We crossed the road made of sticky black asphalt. The smell of tortillas filled the air as we got closer to the market. Old worn barrels turned 'round and 'round as men turned the crank to roast the chiles. They smelled wonderful. Inside the market was was a little tortilla factory. A long silver conveyor shelf snaked through the little area. Busy hands patted the masa dough into round flattened tortillas.They were packaged and placed on the conveyor shelf and the packages rolled in by the dozen.  A hundred packages were stacked up front for customers to buy fresh. 

We walked home with the groceries with the smell freshly made tortillas and roasting chiles in our memories. We talked how the baby was about to be born soon with lot's of giggling and excited anticipation. It was a happy time when I let go of work and just became present for her. Along the way we walked past homes where water gurgled out through hoses and sprinklers and onto the lawns for any thirsty wildlife. I had never seen such kindness towards denizens of the city. Little pools of coolness lie waiting and ready for the birds and animals to quench their thrist and cool their feet and bodies. 

 I noticed it had cooled down to 86 degrees during the night. That enabled me to take a walk to the park and wander about before temperatures rose to 117 degrees. I quickly got my shoes on, grabbed my sunglasses and a hat. I was ready to go. I placed my hand on the double glass door to check the temperature.  It had cooled down since yesterday's blistering heat. I pushed the door open and stepped out onto the road for my walk. I was unaware of the blessings that lie ahead. The thought of my new grandson and the special time I was having with my Daughter, Rebecca, uplifted me. 

I  approached the edge of the edge of the park. The green lawn was soft under my feet. Children played tag on the grass. The air was filled with happy voices and laughter.  As the sun rose up from the horizon over the mountains, I could feel the heat burn my shoulders. I felt a tinge of worry came over me. I shook it off took a deep breathe and made up my mind to acclimate. I looked around and felt all the sensations as the glorious bright sun rose into the sky.

Out of the corner of my eye I spotted a flock of black birds standing in a disappearing shadow under a tree. There were about 5 or more. They held their little faces up to the sun with beaks parted, breathing in the last cool breaths of morning. They stood very still as if they were giving praise to the sun with such reverence. My heart still swells as I remember this moment.  It was just like the crows did back in California facing the rising sun, again, I can not help but feel the desire to stand with them with my hand over my heart and a smile of appreciation for another day.

The Glorious Sun ritual of Birds - Art by Deborah Moen

As I stood still with these birds, I felt myself completely adjust to the heat. Not kidding. By the grace of God, I was acclimated. No longer was the air thick and dry and inhospitable. It was now a part of me. I was reborn into this hot land of Phoenix. I will never forget that feeling of relaxing into heat and accepting it. Such a rich lesson arose out of that experience. It was quite magical caused by a change in perception while aligning with grace and love and appreciation. 

Since that day I have seen my Grandson grow taller than me. Time and circumstances have taken me and him to this Little Utah Farm . These days on my way to town along the country road, I see the mated ravens facing the rising sun on top of the power poles, their beaks parted, bodies held still and reverent. Then the beauty of life passes through me as I turn at the stop sign towards town. I remember the time with my Daughter and the changes that make us twist and turn inside and out. I am so grateful for the time we had together, for the time I had raising my Grandson, and for this farm where I now live. Life is so good 

That is all for now, Hope you enjoyed the post

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Until then take good care,

Deborah Moen
of Little Utah Farm

Cold Weather Arrives at Little Utah Farm

So far we have gotten some heavy and fast hail
which turned most places white in 8 minutes.

The cold has come to Little Utah Farm.   The temps range from 30s to 12 degrees. Taking care of the animals is much different in cold temperatures.



The girls (hens and ducks) are hungry in the morning and I find having it all ready to put down in the morning works best for all of us.  In the evening after I put the ducks and hens to bed, I prepare their morning feast of scratch, feed, and sunflower seeds and a few dried mealworms and put in the feed bin with a tight lid. I fill the  water buckets and put them inside by the back door for next morning, so they do not freeze. I feed again in the afternoon around 2:30pm well before the sun goes down and the colder temps set in.


Those dried meal worms are eaten up fast. They miss their moths, and other bugs that they hunt  in warmer weather.

The chickens  and ducks are snug
in their coop during the winter.

The infrared lamps in the coop were dusted off tightened into position and connected. That gets turned on at 15 degrees. Some chicken owners say wait till below zero but I draw the line at 15 F. Some of you might even gasp at that temperature but the  girls run really hot. If you bury your finger into their feathers you can feel the heat they give off. Those feathers are like a super down coat. They fluff their feathers out to insulate the cold from coming in. The hens and ducks have a big coop. They roost in a small compartment which blocks the icy winds and rain and snow. Chickens do adapt to cold weather just like the swallows, robins, and doves who winter here.



Just a note: I raised my first hens in Southern California. I did not know much about them. When it got 60 degrees I turned the lamps on for them. Which is crazy wrong. But we learn as we go along. When I got to Utah I turned the lamps on at 40. then the following year, 30, then later, 20. Now it is 15. I see that the more adapt I am to the cold the more I realize the hens are too. I also came to this by reading many articles on the subject.



 The heating element was placed inside the water trough for the llamas. Llamas have a common dung pile and 90% of the corral stays very clean. In the cold, rain and snow those lines  get out of the normal parameters and the llamas manure pile extends out to the north east of the corral. Come summer the manure pile shrinks back to the southeast.

The whole herd of llamas fits ncely
inside a 3 sided shelter during a snow storm

 Llamas have a 3 sided shelter to keep out of the elements when they need to. the shelter is big enough to house 6 llamas comfortably.



The way we deal with the water and hoses is much different in the below freezing temperatures. After using the water, I have to drain the hose, disconnect it from the spigot, and put a special cover to keep the water from freezing.




As for me I have outfitted myself with nice thermal under layers. 3-4 layers of clothing keeps me warm in single digits and below freezing. These are not heavy layers at all. I can move about quite freely. It is the gloves I feel clumsy with. So hard to manipulate tiny jobs with those heavy gloves. An ungloved hand can get real cold, numb and painful so I keep those gloves on.

A nice big red barn.

I would love a nice big red barn that is connected to the house by an underground pass. I have that picture in my mind always and it makes me happy. I love to dream.
After all, dreaming got me here to Little Utah Farm.

Frost gathered on the alfalfa
and the drying corn stalks.

I take advantage of the mild waves of remaining warmth during the day to finish cutting the cornstalks and making a corn shock from my field of dried cornstalks. I am also layering cardboard, manure, kitchen scraps and leaves for good garden soil and no weeds. It did wonders for the clay soil.

Layers of cardboard, manure,
kitchen scraps, straw, and leaves.

Here is my blog post Winter Layers For My Garden which shows how to layer cardboard, manure, leaves and straw to keep the weeds down and also make rich soil.

That is it for now...

Deborah Moen
Little Utah Farm

Thank you for visiting us at Little Utah Farm


Until next time,

Enjoy your life, gather your blessings, and cherish each day.