She was a three and a half year old white leghorn chicken with a flopped over comb. Nothing much to look at, but she had spunk. This winter, she earned herself the moniker "Falcon Chicken" as she adopted the habit of lying in wait on the roost each morning to launch herself agilely onto my forearm for first dibs at the warm breakfast mash. Let the rest of the flock wait those extra few seconds for the food to be put down! Falcon Chicken stalked the chow bowl with single minded intent - but landed gently so she didn't upset the Chicken Lady.

Having animals in your life is very grounding. They don't pay attention to time changes, or dwell on the weather or headlines. All they want is to see that their needs are met, and often enjoy a little extra TLC and time with their human companions.

We had temps of -18°F the last two mornings (today was a balmy -1°F) and still the ducks were playing in the water in the greenhouse as if it was a pleasant spring day. One of our older drakes (Jasper) jumps right in the big tub every morning, cold or not. When they finished playing in the water there was plenty of tucking into bundles and napping, but wash time came first.

The chickens were busy working their way through the deep bedding in the coop looking for scattered grains, passing the time until it's safe for them to go out again. The cats are spending extra time napping, and staring out the windows longingly.

Friends with dogs are talking about winter booties and pee pads to help their faithful friends cope with the cold, and sharing photos of pups snuggled under blankets for warmth.

Folks with larger livestock are seeing their endurance tested in many cases, chopping ice or working to keep water lines from freezing, and dealing with ongoing critter care in the bitter cold. Farmers are some of the toughest people I know, and I am thankful for them.

Another aspect of life highlighted by this winter storm front is how many people hit the grocery stores when there's impending disruption - and how quickly those stores can empty. A friend sent photos from her local Walmart with row after row of empty shelves. What happens to the people who show up late? Or what happens if we ever get a longer lasting supply chain disruption?

This is why our family maintains a well-stocked pantry and we prioritize home food production and storage. If we stock our kitchens with the basics to cover at least a couple of weeks of regular cooking, then when disruptions hit, we're not the ones stuck staring at empty shelves.

Even if you don't garden or preserve, a well-stocked pantry can help reduce impulse buying, eating out, or ordering in. (Need ideas to make up quick meals at home? Check out my friend Wardee's free 30 minute skillet dishes worksheet and video.)

Instead of reacting to the next disruption, we can choose to prepare in ways that bring a little more peace into our everyday routines.

This Week’s Resilience & Abundance Boost

• Focus on the basics. Check on the needs of animals, neighbors, and yourself first — warmth, water, food — before worrying about the rest.
• Build a “quiet buffer.” Keep a small margin in your pantry, fuel, and pet supplies so storms and store runs don’t dictate your mood.
• Practice calm preparation. Instead of reacting to headlines or empty shelves, make one thoughtful stocking decision at a time.
• Observe and adapt. Take notes on what cold weather reveals — frozen spots, drafty doors, weak routines — and adjust before the next front moves in.
• Share when you can. Running errands for a friend or loved one, sharing a meal, or swapping advice can turn a hard week into a connected one.

Resilience isn’t panic-proofing — it’s building steadiness, care, and margin into everyday life.

All our best to you and yours,

Laurie (and August IV, August V, and Duncan)

This week's featured articles...

I've updated one of our most commented on articles, "Before You Plant Sunchokes..." If you've thought about adding sunchokes (Jerusalem artichokes) to your garden, you should read this post.

I've also created two companion articles about sunchokes benefits (they're good for blood sugar and as a prebiotic) and some easy sunchoke recipes.​

With the winter weather making the rounds, I know some will need this article on how to safely thaw frozen pipes. You can view all our cold weather articles here- https://commonsensehome.com/category/preparedness/weather/coldweather/​

The cold won't last forever, and spring will come again. If you're a gardener, it's time to start thinking about those indoor seed starts. This article "When Should I Start Seeds? Indoor and Outdoor Charts" has printable charts for indoor and outdoor planting.

Speaking of gardening, the Spring Gardening Summit is coming up on February 23-26, 2026. I'll be presenting on day two of the summit, sharing some of my weed wrangling strategies.

You can register to watch the summit free right here.