Category: farm
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Hello, chickies!
I was about to get on the exercise bike this morning when my phone rang. This was bit alarming, as it was 7:00am, and I only had my phone because I use it as a timer.
“Hello?” I answered cautiously.
It was the Post Office. Our chicks were in. Which was quite a surprise, since I hadn’t expected them until Thursday or Friday.
But here they are. They’ve already made a trip to school to meet K/1/2. They have been loved and cuddled and then cuddled some more. I hope not cuddled too much. The kids cannot get enough of them.
We had one who wasn’t looking too good this morning. I wasn’t sure she was going to make it, but by this evening she was looking perky, despite her small size. They’ve all been named (cross your fingers we don’t lose one): Fluffy, Blob, Mosh, Professor Cluck, and James. Despite their boyish names, they are all girls (we hope).
My favorite new fact about chicks is that it’s a bit like hanging out with a bunch of narcoleptics. They’ll be in the middle of doing something and then all of a sudden they just sink to the ground and pass out, in the most bizarre places and positions. Apparently, this is perfectly normal.
I’m also surprised that I find them to be extremely calming. I really think I could just sit and watch them for hours. Toddling about, stepping all over one another, and passing out cold on the feed bowl. It’s really quite zen.
I apologize now for the onslaught of cute chick photos you all are about to endure. I’ll try to mix some cute kids in there while I’m at it.
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Apple blossoms
I thought someone would be reluctant to go take advantage of the setting sun, but she was more than happy to oblige. Even did a bit of art directing, that one.
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A perfect day
Well, other than Shep’s cold, which has left him sort of sad and sniffly, and made us have to cancel brunch plans with Duncan’s family. (That last part almost sent the whole day into a black hole of doom.) But Shep, ever the trooper, never complained once.
But other than that? Perfect.
Trip to the garden store. Vegetable seeds planted (better late than never). Overcame my OCD and let the kids pick out all the flowers for the window boxes on the swing set. They did a fantastic job, and it looks beautiful.
Neko spent hours (and I mean hours) chasing butterflies. Her crowning glory was this swallowtail.
Tom gave me a respite this afternoon, and I went to work on our own Secret Garden.
Now he’s off to a lecture, and all the kids were in bed by 7:45pm.
Perfect. (Or as perfect as it gets around these parts.)
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Tea party
Today we opened our house to 11 of Neko’s girlfriends to have a belated birthday celebration. It went off without a hitch and was downright dreamy. I think we attribute a good part of that to the glorious weather.
Each girl brought a doll or stuffed animal. They silkscreened shirts for themselves and their little friends. Then we gathered for tea, complete with cups and plates for the little friends.
So lovely. One of those days where the camera doesn’t do it justice. But it was—you’ll just have to trust me on that one.
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Gathering Easter eggs
What did you do to celebrate Easter?
Somewhere in the midst of our day, the kids made their way over to the small pond. From the distance, I saw Neko moving toward us with an exciting find. “I found a toad!” she cried. “With a baby on its back!”
Long story short, that was no baby.
She had found two American toads in the midst of laying and fertilizing eggs. After some coaxing, she returned them to the pond. But after a bit of patient waiting we were able to gather some toad eggs to bring home. Who knows if we’ll see them through to full toadhood. But in the meantime? We’ve got some very excited junior scientists on our hands.
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Cooped
The kids seem to love the new chicken coop. (Let’s hope the chickens love it, too.) And in the meantime, someone is brainstorming names. I suppose I should tell her you’re never supposed to name your chickens.
Countdown: 2.5 weeks.
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Kiki
After Neko’s loud protests that they don’t exist, we’ve been looking for movies and books that have girls as the main character. And Barbie or a princess that gets by on her looks? They don’t count.
Enter Kiki’s Delivery Service. Kiki is a young witch in training, who finds her powers when she learns to believe in herself. We like Kiki. Neko likes Kiki.
Here is Neko dressed as Kiki, but not being thrilled about being photographed as Kiki.
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Snow
I know the snow has been inconvenient. There have been accidents, and it's a real pain to be stuck indoors. Folks are without power and heat. But I can’t help it…it’s SO BEAUTIFUL.
One road away the snow is so heavy that the trees on either side of the road bend toward one another, creating this tunnel of white that’s like something out of a fairy tale. (I tried to photograph it, but I’m just not sure it’s possible to do it justice.)
The trees are covered in white after white after white. There’s that quiet that only snow creates.
Sadly, we haven’t had much time to play in it. Neko started throwing up late last night, and has been keeping it up all day. We had to cancel a playdate and swimming.
But she’s already announced she will be better tomorrow in time for school. You know, just in case, heaven forbid, we were making plans to keep her home.
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Winter walk
We’ve been inside too many days in a row. Folks are getting restless, grouchy, and mean. I’ll even put myself in this category.
Mid-afternoon, I decided we needed to get out, but the only one I managed to round up was Neko. (Note to self: next time a breath of fresh air should not be optional.)
She went flying out the door.
Together, we took stock of what you can see on a muddy winter day. Fresh deer tracks. Waning sheets of ice. Melted snow finding its way from the fields to the creek. Patches of green (if you look carefully). Perfectly round holes in the hay, doorways to the winter homes of many furry friends. The occasional milkweed pod that never set sail.