Friday evening and farm life.

This is taken from the ferry on the way over. The land in the distance is Ketron Island and Andersen Island.  The temperature despite the clear sky was a bit nippy but tolerable, the view from the car wasn't as good and my brain can't adjust to movement without the car actually moving so I always get out and to up to the top deck.
Devon had driven around the island so many times last year that he didn't need any directions to her house. Luckily Miki had gotten home early so was able to greet us when we pulled up.
After almost getting knocked over by Scout and Ted, got hugs from Miki and then went inside after grabbing our bags from the car.
I promised myself I would have some of Big Al's Cafe food when I got up there and by the time we got to Miki's it was about dinner time. Friday night so I ordered bbq ribs, so did Devon and Miki had a hamburger. Delicious! Fall of the bone fantastic and the sauce wasn't too spicy. I had potato salad and coleslaw but didn't like either. Should have ordered fries, oh well, it was still fantastic food!
It was evening chore time then, and of course,  Devon and I had to help with the chickens.

Devon herding the chickens from the 'coyote forest'.

Most of the flock right in front of the porch. Elvis the rooster keeping an eye on the girls.

Miki uses a wood stove with a catalytic filter making it very efficient for heating. The wood she gets in the summer is stacked all around the house on the porch, by the time we go there it was down to two stacks in front. The one piece she wanted to use needed to be chopped into smaller slivers, which Devon also helped to do.

See what kind of shirts he has on? I have a turtleneck shell, long sleeve shirt, my hoodie and a jacket on at that time. I can adjust to cold weather, just the difference between San Diego and Washington in one day was a bit much. It was a good feeling to be at the ranch again. We settled right in like we hadn't left, all the smells and sounds, dealing with the dogs and the rest of the animals. Though when we visited last year she only had Dolly, the sheep and chickens. Now she has about a dozen or so bunnies and Crackerjack (which I just looked up and a baby llama is called a cria.. well.. wow.)
We settled in for the night, enjoying a very warm wood fire in the stove, I think I had some tea. mostly just caught my breath and let the whole concept of being back up there sink in.
Devon actually was able to sleep on a futon bed this time, I had the 'fern room' again with a memory foam mattress, very comfy!
Sigh.

"And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years." Abraham Lincoln