…with barley and dumplings.

This locally grown bird (from the farmer’s market) had a tare weight of 4.5 lbs., and, and as of tonight, will have provided 6 individual dinners, along with lots and lots of tasty tidbits for Pax.

And, speaking of Pax, he accompanied us over to campus this morning for our every-other-week virus test. Since he didn’t have a mask, he was denied access, and had to walk around with one of us while the other went in—but he didn’t seem to mind. By the time we got home we were notified that almost all of us had tested negative .

And, negative tests, along with several vaccines, along with chicken soup = Hope.
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“Hope” is the thing with feathers -
That perches in the soul -
And sings the tune without the words -
And never stops - at all -

And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -
And sore must be the storm -
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm -

I’ve heard it in the chillest land -
And on the strangest Sea -
Yet - never - in Extremity,
It asked a crumb - of me.
—Emily D.