We are really doing this thing! It’s hard and hot and dusty, and the coop construction is off to a great start. What to wear in the heat and humidity of early September, when I’m using a trimmer, raking, carrying stuff, crowbarring and climbing up and down ladders most of the day and breaking in a new pair of hiking books, amuses the heck out of me. I tried wearing the boots with just ankle socks that are light and cool, only to have the top of the boots about rub off the skin above my ankles. Today, I grabbed the first pair of regular socks I could find. I decided the combination was perfect! This is what a city slicker trying to be country looks like…

For the first few days, I struggled to accept how tired I really was. By Tuesday, though, Sherod and I got into the rhythm of working togethe. How we tackle a project like this is as different as night and day and we work best when I will simply stop asking questions or try to figure out what happens next. I’d describe my spouseman’s project style as ‘organic and emergent.’ He takes one step and it helps define the next one for him Usually there’s something I can do at each step but when there isn’t, I have a little list of to-do’s I go back to. If it were me? Give me that detailed flowchart right now! It takes me a bit to remember I can trust this guy is so amazing with this kind of work!

We have finished doing most of the ‘demo’ part of the project (yep–I’m getting to watch HGTV!) and the roof is up. This afternoon I’ll sand down the only wall we are keeping. Tomorrow I expect to receive the solar-panel driven electric fencing everyone swears I can put up by myself and I may be able to go get the paints for the interior of the coop.

A deep dive into chicken stuff on YouTube has given us the idea of building a “roosting etagere”

and we’ve found a set of nesting boxes that use space very efficiently. There’s still plenty else to figure out and we may not finish the project completely before I head out to Maine, but we are well on our way and good golly, this is fun!