Other chickens would choose to lay eggs in broad daylight — on the tractor seat, in the old Red Flyer wagon, on the work table. Don’t ask me their logic, I don’t understand. But I do understand that it creates problems — like eggs rolling off and breaking and chickens eating their eggs because they’re right there in front of them. Basically, less eggs for us.

Other chickens laid eggs in the grass, in little dirt caves, and elsewhere we probably haven’t found. Last fall, one hen laid a clutch in a woodpile in the calf’s pasture (unbeknownst to us). We found out what she’d been up to the day she walked up on the porch followed by eight chicks. This was a delight, of course, but proved to us that we did not have a handle on our eggs.

So… making nest boxes that our chickens would actually want to use sounded like a good idea. Keep all our eggs? Yes, that’s the idea.

Saturday, Jeff and Mikah set out to make nesting boxes — or rather, one big nesting box with plenty of room. The goals were clear: 1) doable in a day, 2) very simple yet works, and 3) built out of things we already have. Thus, our nest box/boxes probably look nothing like any official plans you’ve ever seen. But do they work? Keep reading.

The base: layers of pallets on piers. Plywood between the layers to provide a base for the top pallet, whose spaces would be the nests. This is in one bay of our barn. Another bay is where they roost at night, coming and going freely.

Designing the sides and cutting out doors for the chickens to enter.

The sides are in place, as well as a door on three of the four sides.

This is the top. They cut in half for easy handling.

The girls filled the bottom with hay to make it cozy. Our chickens love hay — most of our eggs to date have been laid in the hay.

Putting the top on. The halves can be easily lifted to check for eggs. They aren’t tacked down at all, just laid on top.

A space between the side walls and top so the boxes have good airflow. They stacked up logs in front of each doorway so the chickens could get in.

A chicken came to see what was up.

The first day, one egg was laid in the new location. Yesterday (Monday), twelve eggs were laid inside. Today, we’ve found three in there. Clearly, there are up and downs. But we’re pretty encouraged.

…and hung it on my rack aka “dresser” to begin making my bedroom more like a bedroom and less like a storeroom.

It is only pinned up to clear the floor so will need to be hemmed properly.

It could also bear to meet the iron.

I like how the shower curtain S hooks make hanging it off the rack so easy and pretty.

Want to come to a book signing in Sutherlin, Oregon?

Some old papers I wanted to burn rather than leave behind should something happen to me. No, I’m not foreshadowing anything. More than anything, it was a chance to play with fire with Mikah.

Mikah likes old things. He thought this charred airmail letter was cool. So I let him keep just one. Okay — I let him keep three.

In spite of my silence, I have spent the last 6 months slowly-but-surely getting my life back in order.

Things are looking and feeling better! Today we are going to test hang new curtains (they might be too short). First better clean the windows! Good-bye dusty and ugly blinds (I hope).

Haniya’s collage.

Cutie-pie, isn’t she?

Merry Christmas from the Harmon Family!

To family and friends far and wide — we’re grateful for your love and friendship. This video shares some of our family’s memories from 2011. As we look back on 2011 and see all the blessings God has given, we can’t help but be excited for 2012.

We pray God’s best for you in 2012! Merry Christmas!

P.S. This more personal video is not the same as the Christmas video I shared at GNOWFGLINS.

This is our (almost) Christmas eCard. I would have sent it out happily had we not taken family photos yesterday and gotten an official family photo.

In some ways I like this card better than the one we’re sending out. It is more fun, for sure! Except for the picture of Jeff and I (taken at a church potluck) the other pictures are from this past Thursday, when the kids and I decorated the Christmas tree.

Now you might think it looks like a Charlie Brown tree, but keep in mind, this tree came in a pot. We’re going to plant it after Christmas.

He’s been wanting to go bowling with the brothers in this family. So kind of (very) spontaneously we decided to just do it — in celebration of his birthday. Yesterday was the day. Conveniently, it made a great birthday party for which I had to do very little work. Not that I don’t love my son, but less work makes me really happy.

Yesterday morning I baked the sourdough chocolate cakes. The bowling alley took care of the pizzas. Yes *gasp* we ate out and it was not real food. It tasted great though!

And we bowled. Well, the kids did.

I realized that I need to practice hospitality more. The bowling alley provided a table behind our lanes for the food, but did it even occur to me to bring a tablecloth? Nope. I did remember the candles and matches though.