Every afternoon, the hens gather on the porch (often the barn cats are head of them.). They also like the Rapunzel chair and they are fond of starting at nothing in particular for a good while, something most animals do – they meditate naturally and without smartphones and instant messages. One of the many things I learn from our animals is to take time out to think, to get to know the space in my head without advice, warnings, intrusions and interruptions.

We meant to sit on the porch, but the animals got there first, we have ceded the space to them.