Day 276
When you have a family who love to hike, the declining daylight might be considered problematic for some.
Not the Dargatz family. We can improvise.
While our trail at home has solar-powered lights lighting up the path, we also take our nightly illumination process to the next level. The kids wear their fluorescent coats and jackets. We all wear headlamps. Most of us carry our own flashlights. I can only imagine what passersby see if they look close enough. Five moving lights in the middle of what appears to be a dark abyss.
In the longer days of the year, we’d occasionally stay up later for a night hike in search of fireflies. Now that the sun is disappearing sooner and sooner each day, we still walk the trails regularly, though our goal of the hike might be different. Most of the time, we hike to hike. We still occasionally search for golf balls, though we know the season is slowing down. We are always on the search for toads and frogs, so catching them in the dark adds a new element of intrigue. While more difficult, it is much more exciting when a capture is made. While hiking with children and being quiet aren't quite synonymous, we still enjoy listening for nocturnal surprises when we trek the trail after dark.
Once night falls, we have a number of jobs that need to get done before we can consider hiking. Our chickens head inside the barn when the sun goes down. While they mainly do this instinctively, an occasional bird needs a little prodding. My kids have become quite proficient chicken wranglers. We have to get the chickens corralled into their coops while both outside doors are closed for the night. To help keep their laying cycles intact as best we can, we turn on solar lights and we have a string of holiday lights connected to a timer that is activated at dusk. Since this time of year connects with the holiday season, that same timer also controls some of the inflatables we use to be festive for our neighbors.
Night time doesn't slow down Craneview on Plainview. It just creates opportunities for adjustments.
